Listed below are all of the English classes available to Senior High students.

For a complete list of all of the Anthologies/Textbooks and Supplementary Materials used by the English classes, click here.

Honors English Program

The Honors English program follows a three-year sequence.  At the end of the ninth grade, students who exhibit superior knowledge of the subject matter, particularly grammar, and who express an interest in doing advanced work in English in high school and possibly in college are selected by the ninth grade English faculty for the class.  Approximately eighteen to twenty-four themes, both in-class as well as out-of-class, are required.

Honors English 10 (weighted)

The class completes all the formal and applied grammar required in a college preparatory program. Most of the year the class studies American literature. The basic text, Literature (McDougal, Littell), is supplemented with nine novels and three dramas. Vocabulary building and paragraph development are also stressed. Students are required to write a short literary research paper.

Honors English 11 (weighted)

The eleventh grade honors class studies British literature most of the year. Novels, plays, poetry, and short stories are read and analyzed. Themes are expository in nature, with emphasis placed on the in-class essay. Vocabulary work is continued. One research paper is required.

Advanced Placement English 12 (weighted)

The twelfth grade class studies World Literature. The group uses a college text Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense (Harcourt, Brace and Jovanovich), which is supplemented with several novels. Weekly themes are required as well as longer papers and a research paper. The course provides preparation for the Advanced Placement Examination in composition and literature. Again, the student themes are based primarily on the literature.

Level 1 English Program

English 9

Ninth grade reviews parts of speech in grammar and then concentrates on all aspects of verbs and noun functions.  In literature, students study a short story unit and read Romeo and Juliet, The Odyssey, and at least one novel.  Eight major themes and a demonstration speech are required.  Library orientation and preparation for the state test in writing will also be addressed. 

English 10

This course is provided for students who have the aptitude for doing college preparatory level or similarly academically-challenging work in language skills. The students are coded for these classes through the use of standardized test scores in ninth grade, report card grades, and teacher recommendation. The plan for tenth grade English includes units of grammar, usage, vocabulary, composition, and literature. The basic literature text is Literature (McDougal, Littel) and the grammar text is Correct Writing (Butler, Hickman, Overby). The literature text is supplemented with several novels read outside class. Students write eight major themes based on the literature assigned. A speech to inform is also required.

English 11

The eleventh grade course is devoted to the study of American literature. Discussion centers on certain themes and motifs which frequently recur in American prose and poetry. The basic texts are The American Experience (Prentice Hall) and Warriner's English Grammar and Composition II (Harcourt, Brace and Co.). Independent novels are also studied throughout the year. Eight major themes, mostly of an expository nature, are written. Since students take the SAT's in the spring, vocabulary is stressed as well as a review of some finer points of grammar. At the end of the year, a critical paper, with a minimum of two secondary sources and the original work studied, is required. Students are also required to give a persuasive speech.

English 12

The twelfth grade student focuses primarily on British literature from Chaucer to Golding. Assignments reflect a strong emphasis on the development of skills in expository writing. Composition work is integrated with the study of literature and students complete a senior research paper. In addition, students review grammar, usage and vocabulary as they relate to their writing. To fulfill the speech requirement, seniors deliver a farewell address.

Level 2 English Program

English 9

In grammar, concentration is on review of concepts learned in seventh and eighth grades. New material includes work with kinds of pronouns and verbs as well as noun functions. In literature, students read short stories, Romeo and Juliet, and The Odyssey. Eight major themes are required writing for the year. A demonstration speech is also required. Library orientation and preparation for the state test in writing will also be addressed.

English 10

The focus of the tenth grade English program is on the continuing development of the language as the prime medium for communication. Students' basic skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking are improved through a variety of approaches appropriate to class level. Students are exposed to a broader overview of literature.

English 11

In eleventh grade English, students strive to perfect their skills in vocabulary, reading, and composition. Because many students are preparing for college entrance, vocabulary study focuses on words commonly found on the SAT's. Grammar units are structured to reinforce the more complex concepts introduced in tenth grade, and to improve the student's writing style. Warriner's English Grammar and Composition II (Harcourt, Brace and Co.) is used along with teacher-generated worksheets. Reading and composition are focused on the study of American literature. Discussion centers around themes and motifs which frequently occur in American prose and poetry. Prentice Hall's text The American Experience is supplemented with at least six novels and dramas. Students produce at least eight major themes per year. Expository essays based on literature written both in and out of class comprise most of the assignments. In addition, students write several business letters. Students are also required to give a persuasive speech.

English 12

British literature is the focus of the twelfth grade English program. Students read genres from the Anglo-Saxon epic to the Elizabethan drama to the modern short story. The students write both in class and outside of class.

Level 3 English Program

English 9

Grammar study centers on all of the basic parts of speech and usage. Literature focuses on short stories, Romeo and Juliet, and an abridged version of The Odyssey. Students write eight major themes during the ninth grade year. A demonstration speech is required. Library orientation and preparation for the state test in writing will also be addressed.

English 10, 11, 12

Level 3 English is designed to provide students who have experienced difficulties in prior English courses with basic instruction in written and oral language, literature, and study skills. Instruction stresses the practical aspect of communication and aims at helping students to think clearly and to adapt required knowledge to their needs. In its approach to the studies mentioned above, Level 3 English seeks to provide students with opportunities for scholastic success and development of a sense of individual worth.

Other English Offerings

Standards English

Meeting three times per six-day cycle, Standards English is designed as a remediation course for students identified as having scored below Proficient on the Pennsylvania Standards testing or "PSSA Tests." The objectives of the remediation curriculum provide for reinforcement and instructional attention to the Pennsylvania state standards. Instruction will address reading proficiency, vocabulary development, critical reading skills and comprehension. Writing standards will also be incorporated and practiced in accordance with meeting all state standards. *Not offered in 2008-2009

Speech

This one-semester course explores the practical and formal uses of speech in public speaking and reading aloud. The course work can be adjusted to the needs of individual students or of special groups. Valuable exercises are given in the developing of listening skills and evaluative skills. Emphasis is devoted to studying delivery and writing for a variety of speech experiences. The emphasis is on getting the student to speak the language clearly, pleasantly, and effectively. Oral reading of a variety of types of written material is included. Students must maintain a "C" average or higher in English to enroll. Priority will be given to students who have not previously taken the course. (Grades 10 through 12) (PREREQUISITE: C in English)

Journalism 1

Journalism presents the student with a study of the media (newspapers, magazines, and television) in the high school and with an overview of the mass media as it operates in America. The study of high school journalism details how students organize and produce a newspaper, a magazine, and a TV script. It also acquaints students with journalistic writing as a form of composition focusing on news, feature, sports, and editorial writing. The study of the mass media in America develops a basis for discriminating reading, listening, and intelligent consumer use of the mass media. The emphasis focuses on newspapers, magazines, and television and develops critical, but positive, attitudes in the student about the role and the responsibility of a free press in America. (Grades 10 through 12) (PREREQUISITE: A in General English or enrolled in Academic/Honors English levels)

Creative Writing

Creative Writing, a one-quarter course, will be a basic study of how to write poetry, short stories, drama (one act), and descriptive essays. Students will study good examples of these types of writing and will have opportunities to develop their styles in these forms of expression through a significant number of large and small writing requirements. Students must maintain a "C" average or higher in English to enroll. Priority will be given to students who have not previously taken the course. (Grades 10 through 12) (PREREQUISITE: C in English)

Diversity in American Culture

Through guided self-exploration, students will examine their sense of identity, value and belief systems, and similarities and differences among and between the groups that contribute to American Culture. This student-centered course will involve debates, films, activities, research, journals, and an ongoing discussion about various identities, such as race, religion, ethnicity, orientation, gender, and abilities. Following a thematic structure, students will investigate how an American fits into American culture and what role each individual plays in society. (Grades 10 through 12) (PREREQUISITE: C in English)