Pre-AP English Literature and Composition

What Students Learn

For students in Grades 9–10, this course develops close reading and analytical writing through literature in English. It begins with short stories and moves into deeper literary analysis, followed by nonfiction and rhetoric, then poetry and comparative interpretation. Students annotate texts and develop interpretations supported by evidence, refining their written responses through discussion and revision.

Learning Focus

1. Literary analysis: examine character and conflict alongside themes and point of view. Explain how language and form contribute to meaning, considering the role of structure.

2. Annotation and evidence: record significant details and support interpretations with textual evidence. Compare different readers' interpretations.

3. Analytical writing: practice PEEL paragraphs by stating a point, presenting evidence, explaining its connection to the point, and linking the paragraph to its main idea or the essay's argument. Use this structure to develop longer analytical responses.

4. Comparison and discussion: compare texts across genres and cultures, and listen to different perspectives. Use reasoned discussion to inform revisions.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop interpretations supported by evidence and explain the relationship between textual details and a work's overall meaning. Comparing genres and revising their writing helps them progress from PEEL paragraphs to longer analytical responses.