ENGLISH
DEPARTMENT

english class
introduction to literature

This course will provide students with a diverse sampling of high school literature and facilitate a higher level of critical thinking. Students will analyze the comment themes between great literary works as well as their connection to history and culture. Thus, this class will sometimes share a topic or time period with Global Studies. We will be reading novels, short stories, poems, essays, and plays from a range of cultures and time periods. Students will learn to think critically and effectively express their interpretations through writing exercises. Special attention will be given to the writing process, empowering students to form strong written arguments.

Global literature

Students will critically engage in several genres of literature including novels, drama, short story, creative nonfiction, and poetry. This course concentrates on reading, writing, speaking, listening, and observational analysis. The writing process is an important focus with emphasis on meaning, voice, and power. Writing skills are developed using the writing process in various creative, critical, and personal response assignments. Vocabulary and grammar are integrated contextually into the readings. 

british literature

This course is a senior-level writing course focused on the study of British literary works from around the English-speaking world. Concentration on reading, writing, speaking, listening, observational analysis, and the writing process is a key tenet of the course. It is also designed to prepare students for college-level discussions, with special focus on college admissions preparation. This process is aided by several interview-style sessions between the student and teacher geared towards creating and perfecting the perfect college essay. In addition, the course takes advantage of modern learning technology to provide students with collaborative essay feedback in real-time.

Writing workshop

The purpose of this workshop is to build writing abilities throughout the academic year. This course will strengthen students' writing abilities through the use of various styles and elements. This will include, but is not limited to, short and long-form writing, poetry, journaling, formal writing, and more. Aspects of writing such as proper grammar usage, forming a thesis, paragraph structure, and revision editing will be integrated into course exercises. Students will be asked to write each night, typically in response to an assigned podcast, video, article, or journal. 

academic writing

This course uses Google Drive as an innovative learning tool. It is intended to help seniors and postgraduates prepare for the rigors of college writing assignments. During the first quarter, students will be reading and writing a variety of essays across genres in order to increase their understanding of academic writing technique. They review proper grammar and learn how to write complex, college level sentences. During the second and third quarters, students will be writing weekly essays on varying topics, styles, and points of view. While the focus of the second quarter’s writing development will be on proper organization, the third quarter will focus on developing clear and concise arguments and a personal style. Course writing will be done in collaborative writing workshops using Google Drive. The teacher will be able to make immediate suggestions and see live edits. Finally, the fourth quarter will use the newly developed formal language and writing skills in order to develop student rhetoric, presentation, and public speaking skills.

Language Arts

This course is designed as a supplementary English course for 8th and 9th grade students, mainstreamed ESL students, and others who can benefit from the enrichment of an additional high school-level English course. The history of the English language will receive special attention. Drama and narrative poetry will be used as models for writing. The standard conventions of grammar and mechanics will be taught, both through the use of a traditional grammar text, and as an integral part of the revision stage  of the writing process.

TRansitions to literature

This college-focused course is a literature and composition class that draws from a variety of world authors to promote critical reading and structured writing skills. Students use a host of anthologized short stories, poems, essays, plays, and novels to develop analytical reading skills, stronger vocabulary, and a writing process that focuses on the revision of both creative and analytical composition. The course also focuses on college entrance exam preparation,

Chosen literary works are examined as unique reflections of the human experience in order to contextualize historical and contemporary events and themes.

AMERICAN LITERATURE

The purpose of this course is to expose students to the diverse works of American literature. From early Native American writings through contemporary text, this survey course provides students with the opportunity to experience a variety of literary expressions. Students will develop critical thinking skills as they learn to analyze the selected works and relate them to their own personal experiences. Beyond individual reading and writing assignments, presentations and collaborative projects are emphasized to promote team building and allow students to learn how to accomplish tasks in diverse group settings.

world literature

This course is designed to give the high school graduate the challenge of a college-level literature course. Representative pieces of literature are examined as unique reflections of the human experience in order to understand historical and contemporary issues. Some themes covered in this course include the American Dream, Racism and Colonialism, the Possibility of Good and the Problem of Evil, Men and Women, and the Individual in Civilization. In the fall term, the course emphasizes preparation for college entrance examinations. In the spring semester, the emphasis shifts to helping students meet college level writing assignments.

English for academic purposes

The goal of this course is to provide beginner, intermediate, and advanced international students will a fully-immersive intensive program that will provide them with academic content-based ESL instruction. The topics covered in the ESL program reflect those covered in our core curriculum and at the university level. Grammar, writing skills, vocabulary are presented in the context of social students, history, science, the arts, and literature. Content from the Academic Word List, often neglected in standard ESL courses, is integrated into every unit. This course and the language learning techniques within it empowers ESL students to continue their academic development independently upon entering standard academic courses.


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