English

English No matter what path a student pursues after graduation, the skills of reading critically, writing analytically and speaking effectively are essential to success. Students get plenty of practice in these areas during their four years at Presentation High School. Returning graduates often mention how prepared they feel for college-level writing and understanding complex texts in their college classes.

Presentation English courses introduce students to a variety of literary styles that expand students’ depth of knowledge about a range of subjects, while introducing them to diverse perspectives and cultural influences.

Student Spotlight

Angela Gill ’21

“English classes at Presentation have helped me develop an intricate and nuanced way of understanding not only literature, but the world around me. Each teacher’s passion for English is evident through their deep analysis of concepts and open-mindedness about all ideas. These are two ideologies that are extremely critical to have while looking at all aspects of today’s ever-evolving society.””

Literature Comes to Life English classes in 9th and 10th grade introduce students to many literary forms and they provide a foundation of skills in composition, reading, speaking and listening. Throughout their first year, students will read classical literature, such as The Odyssey and Romeo and Juliet, to more contemporary literature, including A Raisin in the Sun and The Bean Trees. English classes sophomore year explore longer works, such as Great Expectations and Jane Eyre.

Self-Expression Juniors and seniors can choose from a wide variety of course options, in accordance with their interests. Each upper-division semester class explores a theme in literature, from Literature, Culture and Identity to American Literature, British Literature, The Individual in Society, and more. Students read and write extensively in these courses, striving to make complex literary arguments that reflect on the relationship between the author, the audience and meaning.

Newspaper The student-run newspaper, The Voice, incorporates a variety of interests in their newspaper articles and coverage. The students produce eight print issues of over the course of the school year, through the two newspaper classes: Expository Writing and Contemporary Writing. The reporting staff focuses on news from around campus in addition to covering issues in the local and national spotlight as well. The Voice also maintains a blog to keep up with the trends of digital news media and works with computer programs such as Adobe’s InDesign to bring the newspaper to life!

Classic to Contemporary AP English Literature prepares students for the AP English Literature exam by focusing on a variety of genres. The course focuses on classic works of literature through the twists and turns of Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, to more modern explorations of self, such as Ellison’s Invisible Man. Two separate poetry units, one in the fall and one in the spring, exposes students to poetry from the 1600’s to contemporary writers, giving students a range of works to draw from when sharpening their analysis skills.

Standard Course of Study

Freshman Year

• English 9 or Honors English 9*

Sophomore Year

• English 10 or Honors English 10*

Junior and Senior years Classes are semester long unless otherwise noted. • American Literature • British Novel • Death in Literature • Literature, Culture and Identity • Contemporary Writing: Expository Writing (Newspaper) • The Individual in Society • God in Literature

or

• Honors English 3* (American Literature) • Honors English 4* ( World Literature) • AP Literature* ( Year long course)

*Freshman Honors placement is determined by HSPT scores. Sophomore Honors and AP course placement is determined by GPA.