AP English Language & Composition

AP Language and Composition overviews all aspects of reading and writing arguments. The course follows the College Board’s Course Description and will prepare students for college-level composition. The course will prepare students for reading and writing by helping them continue to think critically about rhetoric and to demonstrate depth of thought in rhetorical analysis, class discussion, daybooks, Socratic seminars, and formal writing.

Prerequisite

Final year average of an A in Honors English II

Special Purchases

Several novels and writing books will be required; toward the end of this year, the instructor will provide a list and itemize all of those.

Homework will rarely be given, but the teacher will have due dates for reading and writing assignments that will take significant time to complete.

Homework Estimate

The teacher expects students to be able to manage their time so that they can complete assignments on time, even if that requires several nights and edits. On average, each week may require three to six hours of reading, studying, writing, or editing.

Major Concepts Covered

Rhetoric, composition in various forms like classification, definition, synthesis, analysis, and others. The course will focus on the nuance and detailed structures of sentences, paragraphs, and arguments.

Insider Information

Students must be comfortable with reading and writing large amounts and sharing their writings and opinions publicly for critique. A successful student will enjoy writing and possess a desire to develop a wide range of writing styles with a high level of personal responsibility. Assignments may be more abstract and holistically graded than in literature courses.

Grades will not come as quickly as in the honors course, and students do not receive study guides or review sheets for tests. The instructor is available for student writing conferences. As this course is a college-level course that can earn college credit, student initiative and responsibility are essential.

This course is available for dual enrollment through the College at Southeastern.