ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
Statement of English Department Purpose
Acknowledging that Gwynedd students learn at different rates and employ various styles, the English department strives to utilize a curriculum that includes opportunities to strengthen the reading, writing and critical thinking skills of all students. This developmental curriculum seeks to use a student's knowledge base and to urge her to apply learning that she truly comprehends both in written and oral formats. Through literature, vocabulary and usage, literary terms study, and a variety of writing assignments, a student is encouraged to analyze and evaluate information in relationship to previous and cross-curricular learnings.
DEVELOPMENTAL WRITING CURRICULUM
Gwynedd Mercy Academy instructs students in a comprehensive, developmental composition curriculum. Based on the principles of correct grammar and usage skills, as well as continuing advancement in vocabulary, the program encourages students to write in a clear, effective, and meaningful manner. Research is an integral part of writing; each year, therefore, students expand their understanding of how to use current research tools including electronic resources such as contemporary library catalogues, Internet sites, and relevant computer software.
Freshmen focus on elements of writing and the construction of a coherent, unified paragraph. Sentence format and purpose as well as emphasis on strong vocabulary selection support the paragraph work.
Sophomores, building upon these paragraph skills, develop the three-paragraph essay. Use of transitional devices, journal writing, differentiation between compare/contrast and cause/effect, and essay revision practice prepare students to research and write a fully-documented paper.
Juniors develop writing dexterity in the expository and narrative essay. Research and organizational skills are honed in the writing of a documented research paper.
Seniors write personal, expository, and college essays. Distinguishing between paraphrasing and summarizing is also part of the preparation for a fully documented research paper, illustrating a mature command of diction, syntax, and purpose.
The English Department realizes that reading supports and enhances vocabulary and writing skills. Summer reading, therefore, is an integral part of the curriculum for all four years.
English 9 Required Grade 9 2 semesters
Level 2
English 9 consists of the genre approach to the study of literature and includes the study of short stories, poetry, contemporary and classic novels, as well as Shakespearean drama. The course focuses on recognition and analysis of literary terms and literary devices, vocabulary, critical reading and analysis skills, and examines the historical, cultural, and social contexts relevant to the readings. English 9 focuses on reinforcing and developing fundamental writing skills, including MLA formatting, grammar usage and mechanics.
English 10 Required Grade 10 2 semesters
Level 2
English 10 is a thematic study of literature, writing and vocabulary that prepares students for further success in the discipline. Students are introduced to a variety of literary genres, with particular attention paid to multi-cultural literature. The course also allows students to approach reading and writing with more depth and to develop critical thinking skills and strategies. Directed vocabulary, reading, and writing skills are incorporated to augment the preparation of the PSAT.
Honors English 10 Elective Grade 10 2 semesters
Level 1
Honors English 10 is an intensive study of literature, writing and vocabulary in order to prepare students for further scholarship in the discipline. Students are introduced to a variety of literary genres, including, but not limited to, short story, poetry, nonfiction, essay, novel, and literary criticism. Particular attention in this course is paid to multi-cultural literature. Writing is emphasized in this course, and students will construct well organized essays. Regular and enthusiastic participation is mandatory. The course is organized to enable qualified and motivated students to approach reading and writing with a more critical eye. They will develop skills and strategies that will translate to different areas of their academic and personal lives. Directed vocabulary, reading, and writing skills are incorporated to augment the preparation for the PSAT.
Department approval is required
English 11 Required Grade 11 2 semesters
Level 2
This American Literature survey course traces our nation’s literary heritage from the seminal Native American mythologies to the New England Renaissance writers to our modern-day essayists and poets. The course takes shape chronologically, focusing on diverse narrative applications in an array of stylistic, creative and generic modes. In addition, the course examines the ways in which American writers try to separate themselves from the long-established literary traditions in Europe, and we look closely into cultural, historical, and literary events taking shape in America to better understand shifts in literary conventions. The course surveys major representative writers alongside non-canonical writers in an attempt to broaden the literary scope of the students. The course stresses vocabulary skills, while specific grammar and usage units enhance writing performance both in class assignments and on the SAT I and SAT II.
Honors English 11: Elective Grade 11 2 semesters
“the dimensions of the “quest” narrative” Level 1
Many of the earliest recorded narratives in Western Culture have been centrally concerned with the “Quest” both as a literal and a metaphorical enterprise. From even before the written medium took the place of oral culture, poets were interested in the quest as a means for expressing the extent of the human condition whether psychological, spiritual, corporeal, intellectual, or visceral. Indeed, from the oral beginnings of the Odyssey, Western culture has produced some of its most powerful artistic expressions in the form of written odysseys, most of which are mere extensions of Homer’s great quest narratives. This course will uncover America’s brief literary history for a look at some of its most noteworthy quest narratives. In the first semester, students read quest narratives that deal primarily with the physical self as a vessel that is moved from place to place. In the second semester, students will read quest narratives that are not limited to spatial determinants but rather deal with spiritual or intellectual pursuits.
Department approval required
AP Language and Composition Elective Grade 11 2 semesters
Level 1
AP Language and Composition is a full-year course open to Juniors who have demonstrated remarkable skill in studying discursive prose and poetry through close reading and rhetorical analysis. The purpose of the course is to study two specific areas of writing and written discourse: the study of argumentation and the study of analysis through the medium of rhetoric.
Students enrolled in this course will encounter a demanding curriculum that seeks to develop mastery in writing for the express purpose of communicating effectively. As students develop their writing skills more cogently, they will begin to assimilate rhetorical techniques into their writing to enhance communication. In addition to this, the students take a nation-wide AP Exam in May.
Department approval required
English 12 Required Grade 12 2 semesters
Level 2
This survey course examines genres of British literature such as the epic and elegy from the early Angelo-Saxon period to postmodern poetry and drama of the twenty-first century. Major British writers and some world masters are studied with an emphasis on analyzing and comprehending writing. Purposes and techniques are explored through close readings and research in order to prepare students for the college experience. Writing includes reflection papers, college essay preparation, the formal research paper, and expository literature-based papers. Critical thinking skills are honed through class discussion and written assignments.
Honors English 12: Elective Grade 12 2 semesters
Women and Literature Level 1
This Honors course is open to qualified and motivated seniors who wish to concentrate on in-depth studies of women who have influenced literature either as meaningful characters or influential writers. Students focus on analysis, close reading, expository writing and upon the strengths and contributions of women throughout the centuries. The first semester focuses on the eighteenth and nineteenth-century British and world writers; the second semester concentrates on twentieth and twenty-first century authors. Course work includes extensive writing, college essay writing, and research including an examination of writing styles and social history contributing to those styles.
Department approval required
AP Literature and Composition Elective Grade 12 2 semesters Level 1
AP Literature is a full-year course open to those seniors who have demonstrated in past years, unusual ability and interest in genres of literature, particularly fiction, poetry, and drama, and styles of writing. The purpose of the course is to critically analyze exposition and argument in these genres. The curriculum includes development of clear, coherent, critical writing and encompasses comprehension as well as appreciation for genres and literary periods. Students focus not only on skills needed to perform well on the AP examination, but also on comprehension and appreciation of rich literary diversity.
Department approval required
Communications Elective Grades 11, 12 Level 2
This elective is an interactive course featuring six units of study: public speaking, journalistic writing, listening skills, critical thinking applications, technology as applied to communication, and cultural awareness, as well as media's origins, impact, and terminology. Ethical awareness and group dynamics will be considered integral to each area of study.
Note: Membership in honors and AP classes for the following year will be determined at the beginning of the second semester. The entire Department will meet to discuss and approve each student's qualifications, accomplishments, and maturity for admission to the honors classes and AP classes for the following year. Classwork, both written and oral, writing skills, and mastery and zeal for the subject matter will be factored in each decision.