Students must complete four credits of English in order to earn their diploma and will take an English class each year of high school. Students are also required to take the English Regents exam in 11th grade.
Sequence of Study
9th grade
- English 9
10th grade
- English 10
- English 10 Honors *
- Technical Writing (1/2 credit)
11th grade
- English 11
- English 11 Honors *
- Communications for Career/College Readiness (1/2 credit)
- Drama (1/2 credit)
- Technical Writing (1/2 credit)
12th grade
- AP English Literature *
- Communication for Career/College Readiness (1/2 credit)
- Drama (1/2 credit)
- English 12 I (1/2 credit)
- English 12 II (1/2 credit)
- Technical Writing (1/2 credit)
*Note Teacher recommendation in consultation with English Department Chair
Course Descriptions
Advanced Placement (AP) Literature & Composition
Grade: 12 Exam: midterm/final exam/ AP exam in May
Prerequisite: English 9, 10, 11 Honors (85 average) and teacher recommendation strongly encouraged to ensure student success.
College Credit: Course has a fee for the AP exam. Students may earn college credit based on the AP exam grade and individual college policies for earning college credits.
AP Literature & Composition is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge
necessary to deal with the problems and materials in both literary discourse and the composing process. Emphasis is placed on students learning multiple approaches to literary criticism and honing critical writing through peer writing groups. This is an intensive reading and writing course that includes a required summer assignment.
Communication for Career and College Readiness
Grades: 11-12 Exam: final exam
Prerequisite: English 9, 10 (current enrollment in English 11)
Students will study media including television, radio, literature, journalism, adverting and public speaking while building on reading and writing skills through project based learning in the classroom and community. The course objectives are to increase poise and self-confidence with varying audiences while developing school to work skills.
Drama
Grades: 11-12 Exam: final exam
Prerequisite: English 9, 10 (current enrollment in English 11)
This course includes three objectives of understanding, performing and appreciating drama. Components of this course include performance in class scenes and plays, read and discuss techniques of acting, and explore the art of improvisation.
English 9 (required)
Grade: 9 Exam: midterm, final exam
This course will focus on the development of English Language Arts Standards in reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills through a process approach. Students are involved in individual, group, and project work throughout the year.
English 10 (required, or English 10 Honors)
Grade: 10 Exam: midterm, final exam
This course will focus on the development of proficiency in English Language Arts Standards through the writing process, listening and reading activities, analysis of world literature, and vocabulary development.
English 10 Honors
Grade: 10 Exam: midterm, final exam
Prerequisite: Final average of 85 in English 9 and teacher recommendation strongly encouraged to ensure student success
This course will survey a variety of literature such as representative poems, short stories, plays, and novels. Students are given a variety of writing assignments including literary analysis and a research paper in preparation for the English Regents. Formal instruction is provided in vocabulary and grammar. There is an emphasis on cross-curricular instruction with unit material from Global History I and AP World History. The class will explore time periods such as World War II with a concentration in the Holocaust and Hiroshima. This course will aid students in the development of thematic essays and document based questions (DBQ).
English 11 (required or English 11 Honors)
Grade: 11 Exam: midterm, final exam, ELA Regents exam (June)
Students will study selected works in American literature, which will help them develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Independent reading, reader response writing, and portfolio development are implemented in cooperative learning groups to build team-learning skills for the workplace. The final exam in this course consists of an evaluation of a portfolio of the student’s work.
English 11 Honors
Grade: 11 Exam: midterm, final exam, ELA Regents exam (June)
Prerequisite: Final average of 85 in English 9 and English 10 and teacher recommendation strongly encouraged to ensure student success in this class.
English 11 Honors, taught from the historical perspective, is reading/writing intensive. Its purpose is to prepare students for the English Regents and for college-level English courses. Research projects and analysis papers are the major method of evaluating the four English Language Arts Standards. This is an intensive reading and writing course that includes a required summer assignment.
English 12 I
Grade: 12 Exam: final exam
Prerequisite: English 9, 10, & 11
The course studies a variety of literary genres and includes units on problem solving strategies, technical writing, and communication in the workplace. Class discussions allow students to develop their own values and opinions.
English 12 II
Grade: 12 Exam: final exam
Prerequisite: English 9, 10, & 11
The course studies a variety of literary genres and includes units on problem solving strategies, technical writing and communication in the workplace. Class discussions allow students to develop their own values and opinions. If students decide to take parts I & II of this course the skills learned will help students develop and practice communication skills in preparation for entering college or the job market.
Technical Writing
Grades: 10 – 12
Prerequisite: English 9 and current enrollment in English 10
This course is designed to coincide with CTE classes, science classes and life skill classes. Students will be exposed to practical writing (i.e. repair manuals, lab findings, and reports) and communication skills (i.e. interviews, presentations, and professional emails) that are needed for careers in all areas as well as college-bound students.