AP Language and Composition
The AP English Language and Composition course is designed to help students become skilled readers of prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts and to become skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Students will learn to recognize and utilize various academic vocabularies, especially rhetorical and stylistic devices, take sample AP Language Multiple Choice tests using test strategies, and practice writing for the three essays on the AP College Board test: the Synthesis Essay, the Rhetorical Analysis Essay, and the Argument Essay.
Much of the class will be based on ideas and discussion that students bring. In order to have this function correctly, it is the expectation that students will have read, annotated, analyzed, and endeavored to understand all assigned readings prior to the class period in which they are due. Inability or failure to do this will hold up the class and ensure a reliance on reading and comprehension quizzes rather than collaborative discussion.
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior Status with Instructor’s Consent and B- or above in English 10
1 credit
Students Will...
Independently read, interpret, and analyze challenging texts from the 16th to 21st centuries, in a variety of genres
Analyze the rhetorical situation of texts
Use active reading strategies and journals to work through complex ideas
Compose analytical and argumentative writing based on close reading, analysis, and application rhetorical strategies
Write and revise timed, in-class responses to texts in preparation for the AP exam
Outline, draft (multiple) and revise analytical and argumentative essays
With teacher instruction and regular feedback, improve vocabulary and usage, develop variety in sentence structure, and establish appropriate rhetoric.
Study the organization and expectations of the AP exam
Big Ideas and Enduring Understandings
The college board has decided on four big ideas that serve as the foundation of the course and “enable students to create meaningful connections among course concepts” (College Board). The four big ideas and enduring understandings associated with each idea, as stated in the Course and Exam Description, are as follows:
Rhetorical Situation: Individuals write within a particular situation and make strategic writing choices based on that situation.
Claims and Evidence: Writers make claims about subjects, rely on evidence that supports the reasoning that justifies the claim, and often acknowledge or respond to other, possibly opposing, arguments.
Reasoning and Organization: Writers guide understanding of a text’s lines of reasoning and claims through that text’s organization and integration of evidence.
Style: The rhetorical situation informs the strategic stylistic choices that writers make.
Classroom Expectations
All students are to adhere to rules and expectations set by the Pittsville Student Handbook. In addition:
Students should arrive to class on time every day ready to give their best effort. This means having all materials as well as a learning-centered mindset.
Students are expected to be respectful of all people, spaces, and materials
Students are to follow the Academic Integrity Policy
Grading Policy
Assessments (including essays, tests, and projects)………………………….……….……..100%
Note: All other work, while not ‘graded,’ is designed to help students build and practice knowledge and skills that are necessary for the skills being assessed. Assessments will not be administered until other work is completed satisfactorily.
Grading Scale
100 – 93 A
92 – 90 A-
89 – 87 B+
86 – 83 B
82 – 80 B-
79 – 77 C+
76 – 73 C
72 – 70 C-
69 – 67 D+
66 – 63 D
62 – 60 D-
Below 60 F
For Essays Graded on the 6-Point Rubric
On the left side are the points you can receive on the rubric. On the right side are the corresponding grades depending on the time in the semester. While progressing through the class, students’ writing should become significantly better, so the sliding scale represents those expectations
Feb-Mar April May
6 100 100 100
5 100 95 95
4 93 90 87
3 85 82 70
2 78 75 60
1 65 60 55
The Exam
The exam is broken up into two sections: A multiple choice section, and an essay section. Further information on the exam is below
Section 1: Multiple Choice
45 questions worth 45% of exam grade
Questions focus differently on reading and writing
Section 2: Free-Response Questions
3 questions worth 55% of exam grade
Questions are three different types
Question 1: Synthesis (6 points)
Question 2: Rhetorical Analysis (6 points)
Question 3: Argument (6 points)