English

Grades: 9
Credit: 10 units
UC/CSU/NCAA Approved

English I is a foundational course in the elements of communication through reading, writing, and speaking. Students will practice close reading and writing, learning how to critically read a variety of texts (nonfiction, poetry, short stories, novels) and how to communicate their ideas in writing and through speech. Students will engage in the writing process to create writing (descriptive, expository, analytical, and argumentative) with a clear purpose and a clear audience. Students will learn vocabulary and grammar in the context of reading and are required to complete a summer reading assignment.

Grades: 9
Credit: 10 units
UC/CSU/NCAA Approved

English I Honors is an accelerated foundational course in which students will pursue inquiries through research, reading, writing, and discussion. Students will read and synthesize a range of texts, including nonfiction, poetry, and fiction to develop critical and comparative analysis skills. Guided by the writing process, students will write with clarity, audience, and purpose. Students will learn vocabulary and grammar in the context of reading and are required to complete a summer reading project. Within this class, and through cross-curricular collaborations with other disciplines, students will be invited to reflect on the establishment of cultural and individual identities in contemporary and historical contexts.

Grades: 10
Credit: 10 units
UC/CSU/NCAA Approved

English II will explore essential questions about prejudice and identity through reading, writing, research, and discussion. Students will work on honing their media awareness and write journalistic pieces. The first semester explores the genre of the short story. In the second semester, students read Othello and To Kill a Mockingbird. Students will write in a variety of modes - narrative, descriptive, expository, and analytical, with a focus on audience, organization, clarity, and purpose. Students will complete a research paper in the second semester. Students are expected to contribute to classroom discussions, participate in journal writing, and work collaboratively in groups. This course invites students to develop their writing, listening, speaking, and reading skills to empower them in their ability to communicate with others.

Grades: 10
Credit: 10 units
UC/CSU/NCAA Approved

English II Honors is an exciting, fast paced course designed to broaden students’ literary and historical perceptions of the world around them. Students will read texts from around the globe and from 20th Century U.S. writers of color. Themes will include Identifying Heritage; Overcoming Intolerance and Oppression; The Power of the Imagination; and Tragedy and Redemption. The literature will include novels, poetry, short stories, philosophy, news articles, and documentary films. Literary focus will be on plot, characters, themes, and extracting meaning from text through reasonable analysis of the readings. Because good writing comes from reading good writing, composition is literature based. As this course is a work in progress, as all creative endeavors are, students will make many choices of readings as they go along. Close reading and complete reading is essential to learn to write well. Students will write extensively about the material they read: analytical mostly, as well as personal responses, all in MLA format.
Prerequisites: Students should have: 1) an A in English I or B or better in English I Honors; 2); a minimum overall GPA of 3.75; and 3) recommendations from their English teachers. Teacher recommendations will be obtained by the Department Chair.

Grades: 11
Credit: 10 units
UC/CSU/NCAA Approved

English III is a two-semester course which surveys American literature from Native American writers, Romantic, Naturalist, and Modernist American writers, all within their specific historical contexts. Analytical skills and terms are emphasized, with a primary focus on the correlation between religious and philosophical thought and literary expression of the particular periods. There is an on-going reinforcement of understanding literary genres. Because good writing comes from reading good writing, composition is literature based. Expository writing is emphasized, and creative writing is introduced at this level, along with a mask making project after reading The Scarlet Letter. Classroom discussion is strongly emphasized.

Grades: 11
Credit: 10 units
UC/CSU/NCAA Approved

AP English Language and Literature focuses on the development and revision of evidence-based analytic and argumentative writing, and the rhetorical analysis of nonfiction texts. Through close reading and frequent writing, students develop their ability to work with language and texts with a greater awareness of purpose and strategy, while strengthening their own writing abilities. Students will read contemporary and historical essays, letters, speeches, images, and imaginative literature in this course, and they will write expository, analytical, personal, and argumentative pieces. As this is a college level course, performance expectations are high and the workload is challenging. AP English Language and Composition is a course approved by the College Board to prepare high school students to successfully handle the AP exam in May and earn college credit.
Prerequisites: Students should have: 1) an A in all English courses; 2) a minimum overall GPA of 3.75; and 3) recommendations from their English teachers. Teacher recommendations will be obtained by the Department Chair.

Grades: 12
Credit: 10 units
UC/CSU/NCAA Approved

English IV is a two-semester course in which students explore key elements of narrative and rhetoric across a variety of nonfiction texts and literary genres in order to develop skills for effective, college-level, composition, and critical discourse. This senior level English course is based on the Expository Reading and Writing curriculum (ERWC) from the California State University system. Students will demonstrate a command of standard American English and research, organize, draft, and revise papers of at least fifteen-hundred words each. In addition to both formal and extemporaneous presentations, class discussion is essential for student success. Semester One examines prose, poetry, and nonfiction in order to support and strengthen skills required for college and post-secondary reading, writing, and oral communication. Students also explore creativity, design thinking, and teamwork in a variety of projects this semester. In Semester Two, students dive deeper into critical thinking, academic reading, and the writing process. A culminating student portfolio is required in May to demonstrate mastery and proficiency of essential learning standards and fulfillment of class requirements.

Grades: 12
Credit: 10 units
UC/CSU/NCAA Approved

AP English Literature is a course that focuses mainly on American and British Literature with an emphasis on close reading, historical movements and periods, and AP Test Practice. The class follows the arc of development of Western Literature, politics, religious, and philosophical thinking from the axial age (600 – 800 BCE) to contemporary times and includes study of world mythology, poetry, prose, and drama. Course objectives combine the learning of analytical and critical skills with writing about literature using the tools of analysis and criticism. In AP English Literature, students discover precisely how authors use imagery, figures of speech, symbols, tone, diction, style, theme and structure to convey the meaning of their work. Students will be challenged to write persuasive essays and papers of various lengths as they wrestle with literary interpretation in preparation for the AP exam in May.
Prerequisites: Students should have: 1) a B+ or better in all English courses; 2) a minimum overall GPA of 3.75; and 3) recommendations from English teachers. Teacher recommendations will be obtained by the department chair.

Grades: 10-12
Credit: 10 units
UC/CSU/NCAA Approved

Creative Writing is designed to teach self-expression and provide a connection to others through the written word, and it will cover several creative genres, including fiction, poetry, playwriting, and the short story. A workshop oriented course, students will also learn the skills of editing, constructive peer evaluation, and literary analysis. Written assignments will be completed on a regular basis and drawn from a variety of exercises, observations, and discussion points. Writing exercises will help students develop writing resources such as voice, imagery, characterization, dialogue, and narration. Students will create a portfolio of their own creative pieces and they will also serve as the editors and staff of the school’s literary magazine.

Credit: 10 units
UC/CSU Approved

The purpose of ESL I is to ease the transition for newly arrived international students into the English speaking classroom environment. Special emphasis will be placed on developing and refining speaking, pronunciation, listening, and comprehension skills. Students will also be exposed to American cultural mores and idioms that will enhance their comprehension of written and spoken material, as well as introduce them to American school culture.

Credit: 10 units
UC/CSU Approved

The purpose of ESL II is to expand and enhance the reading, writing, and editing skills of second-year international students. Special attention will be devoted to reading more content-based materials reflective of their current academic classes, and more emphasis will be placed on improving writing, editing, and proofreading skills. This second-level ESL course should aid international students in their ability to converse successfully with native English speakers during content-area instruction.
Prerequisite: One year of American high school English or a grade of C or better on the English Placement test.

The Tabard is Salesian's literary and arts magazine, created and edited by students. Students from each grade work all year to create this final masterpiece, featuring art, photography, poetry, and more.