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English at LHS

The State Board of Education requires eight credits in English Language Arts for graduation from Indiana high schools. All courses should be based on Indiana’s Academic Standards for English Language Arts. Students should not be in elective courses until they have passed the End-of-Course Assessment in grade 10.

The goal of the study of literature is to provide students with frequent and continual opportunities to:

(1) Learn and apply essential skills in reading and writing in order to read proficiently; (2) Read widely to build a better understanding of various types of texts, genres, and national and international cultures; (3) Acquire new information to enable them to meet the needs of the workplace and society as a whole; and (4) Make reading a lifelong pursuit. Literature courses must provide the skills necessary to respond to literature critically, reflectively, and imaginatively both in writing and speaking and to develop strategies for making independent critical analyses of literature.

The goal of composition is to provide students with frequent and continual opportunities to learn and apply essential writing skills, using a process that includes: (1) prewriting, (2) drafting, (3) revising, (4) editing, and (5) producing a final formal product. Strategies should include evaluating and responding to the writings of others. In addition to instruction in creating clear, coherent, and organized paragraphs and multi-paragraph essays for a variety of audiences and purposes, the courses teach strategies for collecting and transforming data for use in writing, as well as teach criteria to use in the evaluation and revision of various types of writing. Instruction in grammar, usage, and mechanics is integrated with writing instruction so that students develop a common language for editing and revising. All writing in its final publication follows accepted conventions of language, style, mechanics, and format.

English Curriculum

Prerequisites: None

Credits: 2

Fulfills an English Language Arts requirement for the Core 40 and Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma

A or B average required to be considered for admission into Honors English 11, Honors English 12 or ACP classes

English 9 is a study of language, literature, composition, and oral communication with a focus on exploring a wide-variety of genres and their elements. Students use literary interpretation, analysis, comparisons, and evaluation to read and respond to representative works of historical or cultural significance appropriate for Grade 9 in classic and contemporary literature. The elements of fiction emphasized throughout students’ exploration of literature include: plot, characterization, point of view, setting, theme, purpose, voice, symbolism. Students will use a variety of interpretive skills when approaching literature, including using their Christian faith to evaluate the themes and ideas presented in the literary selections studied. Literary study is balanced with a wide array of nonfiction and informational texts including magazine and newspaper articles, biography and autobiography, letters and essays. Students write personal narratives, responses to literature, expository and argumentative/persuasive compositions, research reports, and technical documents. Students deliver grade-appropriate oral presentations and access, analyze, and evaluate online information. By experiencing this course in a Christ-centered environment, students will enhance their God-given writing abilities to enhance themselves, to improve their nation and to advance God’s kingdom.

Prerequisites: English 9

Credits: 2

Fulfills an English Language Arts requirement for the Core 40 and Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma

A or B average required to be considered for admission into Honors English 11, Honors English 12 or ACP classes

English 10 is a study of language, literature, composition, and oral communication with a focus on exploring universal themes across a wide variety of genres. Students use literary interpretation, analysis, comparisons, and evaluation to read and respond to representative works of historical or cultural significance appropriate for Grade 10 in classic and contemporary literature. The elements of fiction emphasized throughout students’ exploration of literature include: plot, characterization, point of view, setting, theme, purpose, voice, symbolism. Students will use a variety of interpretive skills when approaching literature, including using their Christian faith to evaluate the themes and ideas presented in the literary selections studied. Literary study is balanced with a wide array of nonfiction and informational texts including magazine and newspaper articles, biography and autobiography, letters and essays. Students write responses to literature, expository and argumentative/persuasive compositions, research reports and technical documents. Students deliver grade-appropriate oral presentations and access, analyze, and evaluate online information. Instructional emphasis will be placed on reading and writing skills necessary for successfully passing the English 10 End of Course Assessment test. By experiencing this course in a Christ-centered environment, students will enhance their God-given writing abilities to enhance themselves, to better their school and church communities, to improve their nation and to advance God’s kingdom.

Prerequisites: English 9 and 10

Credits: 2

Fulfills an English Language Arts requirement for the Core 40 and Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma

English 11 is a study of language, literature, composition, and oral communication with a focus on exploring characterization across universal themes in a wide variety of genres. Students use literary interpretation, analysis, comparisons, and evaluation to read and respond to representative works of historical or cultural significance appropriate for Grade 11 in classic and contemporary literature balanced with nonfiction. Study of literature will focus upon representative authors and literary periods from American or English literature on alternating years (School years beginning on even numbered years will emphasize American literature; English literature will be studied on odd numbered years). Students write narratives, responses to literature, academic essays ( e.g. analytical, persuasive, expository, summary), reflective compositions, historical investigation reports, and resumes. Students write and deliver grade-appropriate multimedia presentations and access, analyze, and evaluate online information. By experiencing this course in a Christ-centered environment, students will explore the relationships between human Christian concerns, testing conflicting views against the truths of God’s Word.

Prerequisites: English 9, 10 with a minimum B+ average (cumulative); department approval

Credits: 2

Fulfills an English Language Arts requirement for the Core 40 and Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma

A or B + average required to be considered for admission into Honors English 12 or ACP classes senior year

Honors English 11 is a study of language, literature, composition, and oral communication with a focus on exploring characterization across universal themes in a wide variety of genres. Students use literary interpretation, analysis, comparisons, and evaluation to read and respond to representative works of historical or cultural significance appropriate for Grade 11 in classic and contemporary literature balanced with nonfiction. Major works studied include Beowulf, Hamlet, Frankenstein, The Screwtape Letters, and 1984. Students write responses to literature, academic essays (e.g. analytical, persuasive, expository, summary), reflective compositions and resumes. Students write and deliver grade-appropriate multimedia presentations and access, analyze, and evaluate online information. By experiencing this course in a Christ-centered environment, students will explore the relationships between human knowledge and Christian concerns, testing conflicting views against the truths of God’s Word.

Prerequisites: English 9, 10, and 11

Credits: 2

Fulfills an English Language Arts requirement for the Core 40 and Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma

English 12 is a study of language, literature, composition, and oral communication with a focus on exploring characterization across universal themes in a wide variety of genres. Students use literary interpretation, analysis, comparisons, and evaluation to read and respond to representative works of historical or cultural significance appropriate for Grade 12 in classic and contemporary literature balanced with nonfiction. Study of literature will focus upon representative authors and literary periods from American or English literature on alternating years (School years beginning on numbered years will emphasize American literature; English literature will be studied on odd numbered years). Students write narratives, responses to literature, academic essays (e.g. analytical, persuasive, expository, summary), reflective compositions, historical investigation reports, and resumes. Students write and deliver grade-appropriate multimedia presentations and access, analyze, and evaluate online information. By experiencing this course in a Christ-centered environment, students will explore the relationships between human Christian concerns, testing conflicting views against the truths of God’s Word.

Prerequisites: English 9, 10, 11 with a minimum B+ average (cumulative); department approval

Credits: 2

Fulfills an English Language Arts requirement for the Core 40 and Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma

English 12 is a study of language, literature, composition, and oral communication with a focus on exploring characterization across universal themes in a wide variety of genres. Students use literary interpretation, analysis, comparisons, and evaluation to read and respond to representative works of historical or cultural significance appropriate for Grade 12 in classic and contemporary literature balanced with nonfiction. Study of literature will focus upon representative authors and literary periods from American or English literature on alternating years (School years beginning on even numbered years will emphasize American literature; English literature will be studied on odd numbered years). Students write narratives, responses to literature, academic essays (e.g. analytical, persuasive, expository, summary), reflective compositions, historical investigation reports, and resumes. Students write and deliver grade-appropriate multimedia presentations and access, analyze, and evaluate online information. By experiencing this course in a Christ-centered environment, students will explore the relationships between human Christian concerns, testing conflicting views against the truths of God’s Word.

Prerequisite: None

Credits: 1

Fulfills an English Language Arts requirement for the Core 40 and Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma

Speech is the study and application of the basic principles and techniques of effective oral communication. Students deliver focused and coherent speeches that convey clear messages, using gestures, tone, and vocabulary appropriate to the audience and purpose. Students deliver different types of oral and multi-media presentations, including viewpoint, instructional, demonstration, informative, persuasive, and impromptu. Students use the same Standard English conventions for oral speech that they use in their writing. By experiencing this class in a Christ-centered environment, students will develop their God-given communication skills in order to enhance themselves, to better their school and church communities, to improve their nation and to advance God’s kingdom.

Prerequisites: English 9, 10, English 11 Honors, A or B+ cumulative average

Credits: 1 credit; (Core Transfer Library Course English Composition I – 3 college credit hrs on an Indiana University transcript)

Fulfills an English Language Arts requirement for the Core 40 and Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma

Reading, Writing and Inquiry is a one-semester course that offers instruction and practice in the critical reading and writing skills required for college-level work. Emphasis on written assignments that call for summary, critique, analysis, and argumentation based on the critical evaluation of source material drive much of the course content.

W131 is NOT a college preparatory course; it is a college class. Students will be expected to conform to all of the academic requirements as though they were taking this class at any IU campus. The purpose of this course is to prepare students for the rigorous academic writing expected throughout the various collegiate levels and disciplines. The focus is on the scholarly investigation of sources, critical thinking and reading, and on learning how to recognize and utilize specific writing strategies and skills including the development of the student’s own stylistic voice and fluency. Each unit will include preliminary work and assignments leading to a major essay as its conclusion. Since much work and discussion will be carried on in this class, impeccable attendance and assignment submission is imperative.

Prerequisites: English 9, 10, English 11 Honors, A or B+ cumulative average

Credits: 1 credit; (Core Transfer Library Course Literature, Appreciation of– 3 college credit hrs on an Indiana University transcript)

Fulfills an English Language Arts requirement for the Core 40 and Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma

Literary Interpretation is a one-semester Indiana University course designed to help students learn how to read, think, and write critically and cogently about literature. Students will study four genres— poetry, short story, the novel, and drama—to understand how the various elements of a work of imaginative literature cohere to impart meaning. A large portion of the course will focus on how to write; students will learn how to translate close reading skills into strong critical essays, writing three peer-reviewed major papers, as well as short assignments (microthemes) and quizzes. The class will be heavily discussion-based; Students will be expected to participate in vigorous and insightful explorations of poetry and fiction studied.