All English department courses are aligned with the California State Standards for the Language Arts and meet the UC/CSU "B" requirements for English, except as noted. Summer reading is required as preparation for each course. Students in English courses will be required to purchase paperback books during the year.

COMPOSITION & LITERATURE:

English 9: Composition and Literature I                                             10 Credits

This course introduces freshmen to the writing skills needed for success in high school and beyond. Utilizing the writing process and with attention to correctness of grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling, students write paragraphs in all rhetorical modes before moving on to the three-part essay. Vocabulary improvement, including PSAT and SAT preparation, and reading comprehension will be addressed through the use of literature selections with a multicultural emphasis drawn from all genres. Listening and speaking strategies will be studied and applied. Students will also learn to navigate the SMHS library for research and pleasure reading.

Honors English 9: Honors Composition and Literature I                       10 Credits

Placement is determined by department recommendation.
Like the college prep English 9 course. Honors English 9 introduces freshmen to the writing skills needed for success in high school and beyond, but in a faster and more challenging format. After demonstrating mastery of rhetorical modes in paragraphs, students will begin to write multi-paragraph essays. Honors students should demonstrate minimal need for correction of grammar, usage, mechanical, and spelling errors, in order that the emphasis be placed upon acquisition of more advanced skills including improvement of style. Vocabulary instruction will include verbal preparation of students for the PSAT and SAT exams, and the literature selected for the course will reflect a multicultural focus within the classical canon. Listening and speaking strategies will be studied and applied. As in English 9, students in this course will learn to navigate the SMHS library for research and pleasure reading.

English 10: Composition and Literature II                                          10 Credits

This course continues the development of students' writing skills as they produce longer essays with a primary focus on selecting, organizing, and coherently communicating facts and opinions for reflection, exposition, and analysis. Corrective instruction in grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling is given, and vocabulary study prepares students for the verbal portion of the PSAT and SAT. The literature selections include works from various genres, including drama, poetry, the short story, the novel, and nonfiction. Students will continue to improve their listening and speaking skills.

Honors English 10: Honors Composition and Literature II                    10 Credits

Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation and consent of department based on standardized test scores and performance on department - administered qualifying exam.
Analysis of challenging works of literature and refinement of essay writing skills form the basis for this accelerated English course. Students will continue to prepare for the verbal portion of the PSAT and SAT with an emphasis on vocabulary development, and they will continue to improve listening and speaking skills. Instruction will also be given to prepare students for Advanced Placement English courses.

English 11: American Literature and Composition                               10 Credits

This course is a survey of American literature, including essays and public documents, drama, novels, and poetry, much of which correlates with material studied in US history. Previously taught grammar and writing skills will be reviewed as necessary, but the focus of writing instruction in English 11 is on expanding the sophistication of students' writing rather than on remediation. Essays must be word-processed and show prewriting and organization of evidence. The course includes instruction in literary response and analysis, research with proper documentation of sources, and preparation for the SAT I writing test. Students will also continue to develop and improve their vocabulary, listening, and speaking skills.

Honors English 11: Honors American Literature and Composition         10 Credits

Prerequisite: Application, teacher recommendation, department approval/placement.
This course is sometimes offered in place of AP English Language and Composition. Honors English 11 is an accelerated course in classic American literature and composition for students willing to challenge themselves beyond the scope of regular English 11. Course material will, when appropriate, be coordinated with US History and Honors US History.

AP English Language and Composition                                               10 Credits

Prerequisite: Junior standing, teacher recommendation and consent of department, based on PSAT Verbal scores, grades in English, and analytical-writing ability.
Advanced Placement English courses are college-freshman-level classes that require full participation and better-than-average writing and reading comprehension skills. Students learn to read and write with increasing complexity and sophistication, studying how stylistic effects are achieved by writers' linguistic choices. This course prepares students for the annual AP examination in English Language and Composition in May. Passing the exam with at least a 3 on a scale of 1-5 can give a student college credit including exemption from an introductory college composition course. Please see the following website for further information about course content and me AP exam: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com. Students who take this class are required to take the AP exam.

English 12: British Literature and Composition                                    10 Credits

This course is a survey of major works of British literature from Anglo-Saxon times to the present. Student writing, primarily persuasive and analytical, should demonstrate mastery of skills learned in the previous three years and will include shorter, timed assignments of exposition and analysis as well as longer essays, with a continued focus on expanding the sophistication of presentation to utilize philosophical arguments and rhetorical devices. Oral language skills are regularly applied in class presentations. Students will also develop the practical writing skills needed for the workplace and write an essay suitable for use with a college application.

Honors English 12: Honors American Literature and Composition         10 Credits

Prerequisite: Application, teacher recommendation, department approval/placement.
This is an accelerated course that features, within the framework of a survey of classic British literature, an emphasis on college-level analytical writing for students who thrive in a challenging academic environment. Preparation in writing the university application essay will be offered, as well as systematic vocabulary expansion.

AP English Language and Composition                                               10 Credits

Prerequisite: Senior standing, teacher recommendation and consent of department, based on PSAT Verbal scores and performance on department administered qualifying exam.
This college-freshman-level course is designed to engage students in the careful reading and critical analysis of literature. It includes intensive study of representative works from various genres and periods, concentrating on works of recognized literary merit from the British and American traditions. In composition, the primary focus is on style analysis in preparation for the annual AP English Literature and Composition exam. Please see the following website for further information about course content and the AP exam: http://apcentral .collegeboard. corn. Students who take this class are required to take the AP exam.

Reading/Writing Workshop 9                                                              5 Credits

This is a required course for some ninth grade students based on placement test results and/or teacher recommendation.
This semester course utilizes a variety of high-interest reading materials to teach and develop reading and writing skills that are important for success in high school studies. It provides the student with tools to improve reading comprehension and retention. Extensive and intensive reading and writing form the core of class activities. No UC/CSU transfer eligibility.

Journalism 10.11.12 (Yearbook and Newspaper)                                10 Credits

Prerequisite: Moderator's signature and attendance at any announced spring meetings. Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, this course features instruction in the technical and creative skills necessary to produce the school's yearbook. The Laureate, and newspaper. The Victorian Voice. Students learn to coordinate writing, photography, and layout design, and to use desktop publishing software and additional materials from the yearbook's publisher Herff-Jones. The course also covers the fundamentals of journalism and provides excellent experience for anyone interested in a career in that field or in public relations. Editorial positions are open to students with dedication and organizational skills. Participation on either publication's staff is highly desirable on college applications. The course satisfies the UC/CSU "G" elective requirement.