English
The English department’s goals are to foster students’ love of language and literature and to develop their ability to think and communicate effectively. The program emphasizes critical communication skills: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Students continually hone their ability to read with comprehension, discrimination, sensitivity, and pleasure; to express their ideas with clarity, coherence, and fluency, and to understand the structure, complexity, and power of the English language. These skills are continually taught and reinforced at all grade levels, with the degree of development becoming more complex with each consecutive course.
Upper School students take courses that follow a preset trajectory: English IX, Form X Survey of American Literature, and Form XI Survey of British Literature (or, if they meet the stated requirements, Form XI AP Literature and Composition, which features the same readings as the British Literature course, but also prepares students for the AP examination). Form XII students choose two semester-long courses. New senior electives are periodically developed and offered by the English faculty according to their areas of expertise, the interests of students, and the evolving discipline of English. Each senior elective allows students to explore specific topics within one or more broad curricular threads: author/literary periods, genre
studies, and multicultural and inclusive literature. ENGLISH IX: Full-credit, graded course • Required of all students in Form IX • Prerequisites: None • Full year, 1 credit This course will bring together three key strands: (1) an emphasis on literary “windows” and “mirrors,” so students can engage in open and respectful discussions about diversity, equity, and inclusion; (2) a focus on leadership, as presented in traditionally canonical, as well as recently published texts, so students can see different models of female voice, courage, resilience, and success; and (3) a broad range of writing activities
Upper School Curriculum Guide 2022-2023 - Page 9
