Introduction to AP English Language and Composition*: How You Can Learn to Write at the College Level, Impress Your Friends, and Achieve Your Dreams By Ms. Rosenbaum *Plus a Little Bit of Bonus Information on English III Honors

What Does “AP Language” mean? This class is a study of the forms of written discourse, as illustrated in contemporary and historical essays and other non-fiction writings. An AP class is designed to train students in methods of forceful expression, logical thinking, and intelligent reading. This course includes intensive study and practice in the mechanics of composition, including a research paper. Many students have difficulties at first in Advanced Placement classes since what you are tested on is completely different than the FCAT. Much of the 1st 9 weeks is spent breaking those pesky FCAT habits. The formula you have memorized for FCAT Writes simply does not work in an Advanced Placement class. (You will find, however, that the FSA Writing test might help with your synthesis essays for AP, which are similar to DBQs.) Most importantly, your foundation for writing should be strong if you plan to do well.

How Do I Get Credit? You will only receive college credit* for this class if you pass the Advanced Placement exam at the end of the school year. (The school will pay the $80+ fee for you to take it.) We spend much time preparing in class for this exam, and it is very difficult. (Typically about 50% of students nationwide who take the test pass the exam.) *Remember, though, that college credit is determined by a college—not by your high school. Students who pass the AP English Language exam are exempt from taking ENC 1101 their senior year. This means that you only need to take ONE SEMESTER of English your senior year if you pass the exam.

What does the exam look like? 1 hour of multiple choice questions usually consisting of 48-57 questions on four or five passages. Here are some sample questions: 1. Which of the following does NOT apply to Twain’s style in this selection? A. He uses specific details to create a sense of realism. B. He captures the local color. C. The speaker seems to be an ordinary person, the common man. D. The language has the flavor and rhythms of common speech. E. It imitates Shakespearean sentence structure. 2. What is the tone of the dialogue? A. Clinical, scientific B. Reasoned, yet humorous C. Formal and structured D. Silly and frivolous E. Objective

And the essay section is: 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete three essays 1 essay will be an analysis of rhetorical features/strategies in a non-fiction piece 1 essay will be an argumentative response of a non-fiction work 1 essay will be an argumentative response with support from research You will have a short excerpt to read on a controversial issue You will then have to incorporate the several pieces of research you are given into your response You will need to cite your source after you use it This essay might be done in MLA, APA, or Chicago style (Note: All of the research papers you have written in English classes have been done in MLA style)

Advantages of Taking an AP Class: It looks excellent on your transcript if you are planning to go to a highly competitive college. Even our state schools are rejecting students they used to take if students are not challenging themselves to take the toughest classes their school offers. Just so you know, colleges you apply to will have a list of all the classes our high school offers. If you choose to not take an AP class, it could count against you. You can earn college credit if you make a 3, 4, or 5 on the exam--depending on where you want to go to college. You will REALLY improve your SAT and ACT scores since we are constantly practicing standardized test-taking skills. You will be better prepared for college since you will be used to writing and analyzing under pressure. If you do not pass the exam at the end of year given by the College Board, it does not hurt your classroom grade. The exam results are not part of the class.

Disadvantages of Taking an AP Class: I actually expect you to do the reading I assign and take notes on it. (This is particularly true of the summer reading, which will take us the 1st 9 weeks to cover.) It is not easy. If you are not used to working hard, you will actually have to work hard next school year. A majority of your grade is based on tests and essays. That means if you do not read the book, you will not do well on the test of that book. You are expected to be a strong writer coming in, since this is essentially a composition class. You are expected to enjoy reading—or be able to tolerate reading--and to be able to read a minimum of 200 words per minute. (Test yourself by picking a passage out of your literature book you have not read previously. Read for one minute and count your words. Read for another minute and count your words. Read for a third minute and count your words. Figure out your average, and this is how many words you read per minute.)

I Got This, So What Do I Do Now? Starting in mid-July, work on the summer reading in this order: Read the summer reading packet you receive in May, highlight it, and answer questions using the template on Ms. Rosey’s website. Be sure to submit your answers using the template by 11:59 pm on the second day of school (which is August 11) to www.turnitin.com. Be sure to bring your highlighted packet to the first day of class. Read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (copies of which should be available from Ms. Rosenbaum in May) Read Chapter One only of Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us about the Art of Persuasion—and be sure to get the updated version of the book so you can do various in-class activities on it! We will cover this book over the course of the year; if you want to get ahead you can read the book in its entirety, but it is better if you take in only a little bit at a time to learn the material. Warning: Be ready for a quiz on this the first day of class!

I Think I Need to Take English III Honors Instead: In that case, you ONLY need to read The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass over the summer and complete a journal assignment on it the first week of class. You will also take a quiz on this book the first day of class. You will still have in-class time to prepare for standardized tests (like the SAT and ACT). However, essays will not be completed under timed pressure but instead will focus on the process of draft writing and peer/self editing and submitted to www.turnitin.com. Readings will be from the textbook and other novels. The focus will be on American fiction/nonfiction (instead of the exclusive focus on nonfiction in AP). You will still receive the same weighting to your GPA you have in other Honors classes, and you can still take Dual Enrollment English your senior year (providing you meet the standards to qualify for DE). You will find this class to be challenging but it will relieve the stress of performing every single assignment under timed pressure—as it is in AP, which obviously can effect your grade.

Questions? Email Ms. Rosenbaum at: rosenbac@highlands.k12.fl.us or actually talk to her in person before the end of the school year if you have any questions or concerns. You can also email her over the summer.