1. AP English Language & Composition/American Literature
Course Overview
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2. Willingness to take on the challenges of a rigorous course
  Characteristics of Successful AP English Language and Composition Students
Willingness to take on the challenges of a rigorous course 
Strong time management skills
Attention to Detail (following both oral and written instructions)
Strong Listening Skills
Desire to improve writing, reading, and critical thinking skills 
Enjoyment of the analytical process 
Ability to handle multi-faceted projects 
Initiative in personal, independent study
Desire to consistently create and submit high quality work

3. Course Overview
Extensive reading with in-depth textual examination is required in order for students to effectively examine the elements of Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle: subject, audience, and speaker.
Students write expository, persuasive, analytical, and research-based essays. As an integral component of this course, argumentative essays challenge students to synthesize their understanding of rhetoric as they attend to the nuances of style, diction, and tone.

4. Course Workload:
Students should expect to complete, on average, at least five hours of homework a week for this course.
Reading and writing assignments are given out in advance so that students may manage their own homework schedules.
Students are expected to be active, critical readers who attend to the nuances of language, stylistic distinction, and audience; this requires more time than skimming the text.
Students should expect to complete 1-2 major essays a quarter, along with several short analysis responses.
At the beginning of the 2nd semester, students will complete a major historically based research paper (6-8 pages in length).

5. Informed Citizenship:
“Part of being good writers is being involved, informed citizens… aware of important issues being discussed in their community, nation and world and… capable of contributing intelligently to conversations about these issues.
Effective citizen rhetoricians… should read newspapers and news magazines thoroughly, experience programming in the media that treats issues fully and fairly, and consider carefully the reasoned opinions of peers, parents, and other adults.”
- David Joliffe, Chief AP Reader

6. AP English Language Exam:
This course is specifically designed to prepare students to successfully complete the AP English Language and Composition Exam (given May 15th), using American Literature as the primary course materials.
The exam itself is focused on argument and rhetoric. Because of the course emphasis on the AP Exam, a portion of the student’s 2nd semester grade is based on student performance on the exam.