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COURSE DESCRIPTION

   In Advanced Placement English Language and Composition, you are a reader and writer, honing your skills on 3 fronts: rhetorical analysis, argumentation, and synthesizing sources. These 3 approaches help you think deeply about how ideas are crafted into writing and about the people and purposes behind those ideas.

   As a critical reader, you analyze how an author deliberately plans and arranges their work – using rhetorical choices like diction, syntax, figurative language, etc. – to shape the text’s meaning and purpose. You read from a wide range of mostly non-fiction works because non-fiction has high stakes in real society: persuasion, legislation, justice, culture, and so on.

   Genres include long-form essays, speeches, historical documents, journalistic articles and editorials, visual compositions, advertising copy, etc.).

   As a writer, you combine insight and course information from readings, lectures, and class discussions – including numerous questions from previous AP Exams -- to frame essay responses that analyze the rhetoric and arguments of others. You also practice crafting your own arguments about a variety of topics.

 

   The AP Exam for English Language and Composition will be on May 14, 2024. If you are enrolled in the course, you are required to take the exam. Although your results do not affect your class grade, a passing score indicates that you have capably completed the equivalent of a college-level freshman composition course. The exam consists of a multiple-choice section and 3 AP Free Response Questions (FRQs). Responses will be scored using the rubric introduced in 2019 by the College Board -- the total points for each FRQ is 6, consisting of three sub-scores: ​Thesis​ (1pt.), ​Evidence & Commentary​ (4pts.), and Sophistication​ (1pt.)

 

The course framework includes the following components:

● BIG IDEAS AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS The big ideas are cross-cutting concepts that build
conceptual understanding and spiral throughout the units of the course. The enduring understandings are the long-term takeaways related to the big ideas.

● COURSE SKILLS The course skills, and their related essential knowledge statements, are the content of this course. They describe what students should know and be able to do by the end of the course.

 

Big Ideas and Enduring Understandings:
   The big ideas serve as the foundation of the AP English Language and Composition course and enable students to create meaningful connections among course concepts. They are threads that run throughout the course and revisiting them and applying them in a variety of contexts helps students to develop deeper conceptual understanding. Below are the big ideas of the course, along with the enduring understanding associated with each one:

● RHETORICAL SITUATION (RHS) Enduring Understanding RHS-1: Individuals write within a particular situation and make strategic writing choices based on that situation.

● CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE (CLE) Enduring Understanding CLE-1: Writers make claims about subjects, rely on evidence that supports the reasoning that justifies the claim, and often acknowledge or respond to other, possibly opposing, arguments.

● REASONING AND ORGANIZATION (REO) Enduring Understanding REO-1: Writer’s guide understanding of a text’s lines of reasoning and claims through that text’s organization and integration of evidence.

● STYLE (STL) Enduring Understanding STL-1: The rhetorical situation informs the strategic stylistic choices that writers make.

** Course Description: Advanced Placement English, The College Board (2019).

 

   There are many good online guides to grammar. The link below is one such guide. 

https://openstax.org/details/books/writing-guide

Please consult this guide or a writing handbook for grammar problems. 

 

General Grading Policies: 

   Students are expected to be in class every day, fully prepared and well-read. This course has a heavy reading load; students who keep up will not become discouraged. Late work will NOT be accepted. This is a college course, and I will give you ample notice of due dates; therefore, while I always enjoy visiting with parents, please do not call/email with an excuse. 

 

   ‘A’ (90-100%) work is truly outstanding. Insights are articulate, accurate, deep, and thought provoking. The ‘A’ student thinks critically and generates superior inferences. Essays demonstrate sophisticated style, near perfect grammar, and strong development. ‘A’ work is thoroughly complete. 

   ‘B’ (80-89%) work is interesting and above average. Insight may not be as far-reaching or insightful as the top-quality work, but critical thinking is demonstrated and explored. Essays are not quite as sophisticated or as well developed as top scoring essays. Again, all work is complete. 

   ‘C’ (70-79%) work is complete, but most ideas are obvious or barely insightful. Critical thinking is minimal. Essays attempt to prove those ideas that most readers already understand, and present ideas in a simplistic manner. 

   ‘D’ (60-69%) work is incomplete. I may give no credit at all to work that is grossly incomplete. This work will be returned, and a redo will be required to receive credit for the assignment (with penalty). 

   ‘F’ (59% and below) work either is grossly incomplete or has not even been attempted. This will be returned; a redo will be required to receive any credit on the assignment (with penalty).

 

The grading breakdown is as follows: 

 Tests/Exams/Essays: 50%

 Homework: 25%

 Quizzes/Classwork: 25%

 

Canvas:

We will use Canvas daily. Material, activities, and assignments will be posted there. It is your responsibility to keep up with items on Canvas and check each day for any assignments.

 

Classroom Policies

Attitudes:

Everyone in class promotes the following attitudes:

1. Every person in the room can learn.

2. Treat others as you wish to be treated.

3. Polite behavior is a sign of respect.

4. Everyone begins this year with the same chance of success, regardless of last years’ experience.

 

Expectations:

All students are expected to do the following:

1. Follow all school and classroom rules.

2. Bring all daily materials.

3. Complete assignments on time.

4. Follow directions.

5. Participate in class.

6. Remain silent when others are speaking.   

7. Come to class prepared.

8. Arrive to class on time.

9. All students are expected to manage their time to ensure that homework, class

work, and projects are turned in promptly on their due date.

 

Classroom Rules: 

  1. All school policies and rules printed in the Hillside High School Student/Parent Handbook will be enforced in the classroom. In addition, school and classroom policies that arise from unique situations will be enforced from that point forward. (i.e. Just because it doesn’t specifically say in the handbook that you cannot do something, does not mean that it is appropriate for the classroom/school. Some things you should just know are wrong...) 

  2. Arrive to class on time. ​You MUST be seated at your desk with required materials when class starts, or you will be considered tardy​. 

  3. Homework does not equal collaborative work. It is independent. Copying or using the internet for your homework, unless specifically told to use the internet, constitutes cheating. If you are caught copying, you will receive a zero for the assignment. If another person is involved in the act of cheating on an assignment, that person will also receive a zero on the assignment.

  4. Homework will be assigned throughout the year. Homework is not considered complete unless it is finished. No partial credit will be given for homework. 

  5. It is your responsibility to write down the homework assignment(s) for class, complete the assignment(s), and turn them in. 

  6. It is your responsibility to keep all materials given in this class, including but not limited to handouts, notes, and old tests or quizzes. 

  7. Disruption of the teaching/learning process will NOTbe tolerated. Any student disrupting the teaching and/or learning process will first be given a verbal or other warning (often a look is all it takes). If the student continues to be a disruption, she will be sent to the Dean of Discipline’s office. If work is missed, it is up to the student to find out the information. 

  8. Class time is valuable! You may not miss my class time to make up work in another class (or finish a test, etc.) without first getting permission from me. No exceptions.

 

Electronic Device Policy: 

  • Personal devices are only allowed to be used in class when instructed.  

  • Generally speaking, students may not leave the classroom unless they have an appointment to see an administrator, a counselor, or permission from me. Students are expected to be responsible and use breaks, lunches, and passing periods as their personal time to take care of personal matters. However, if you need to use the restroom, just use the hall pass. No pass in the room = you cannot leave.  

 

Late Work: 

   If you are absent, you have the number of days you were out to hand in any missed classwork unless otherwise agreed upon between the student and me. If you were present when an assignment was given and you are absent the day it is due, plan on turning it in on Canvas, otherwise it will be considered late. I do not accept late work. Failure to turn in an assignment on the day that it is due will result in a 0 on the assignment.  

   Students must arrange a time to make up any excused missed tests and quizzes. If you are absent the day of the test but knew about it before your absence, you are expected to take the test the day you return. If you were not aware of the test before your absence, you have the number of days you were absent to make up the test. Make-ups must be scheduled with me in advance. Make-up tests and/or quizzes will only be given when appointments are initiated and made by the student. Furthermore, it is ​not​ the teacher’s responsibility to remind individuals what they need to make up an assignment. It is your responsibility to discuss make-up time with me. Students may meet with the teacher before school or stay after school to make up missed tests and/or quizzes if they have made an appointment. 

 

**********PLAGIARISM POLICY**********

Plagiarism is the use of another’s words or ideas and the presentation of them as though they were one’s own. Acts of plagiarism might include, but are not limited to: 

  • Using words or ideas from any source without proper documentation and/or if you were not supposed to use a source. Students may not use any outside sources unless explicitly told to.

  • Using the work of another student (e.g. copying homework, essay, or project partially or in whole) 

  • Using excessive editing suggestions of another student, teacher, parent, or any other editor.

  • Using AI generated material and presenting it as your own (this includes using such tools as ChatGPT, Quillbot, Grammarly Paraphrase, etc.).

 

   What constitutes “excessive editing”? Students learn to write well by doing just that: writing. Struggling independently through the writing process produces growth (as well as a certain amount of agony) will eventually reveal the student’s own style and voice. When well-meaning parents, siblings, friends, tutors, or others contribute their ideas, words, phrases, revisions, etc. to students’ writing, student writers miss the opportunity to achieve written self-reliance. 

   So what is the difference between helping and excessive editing? The answer is: questioning and signaling. For example: “Is this word strong enough? Specific enough?” “Can you think of another word that would fit better?” “Does this sentence seem awkward?” “What exactly did you mean when you wrote this?” “I don’t understand what you are trying to say here; can you say it more clearly?” 

   These kinds of questions and hints allow the students to think and write ​independently​. Students must be allowed to find their own styles and to develop their own writing skills. 

 

***Plagiarism on any project, paper, or test will result in REDOING THE ​ENTIRE ASSIGNMENT (OR ANOTHER ASSIGNMENT AS NECESSARY) WITH A STARTING GRADE OF NO MORE THAN 50% OF THE POINTS AVAILABLE. This is for both the student who copied and the student who provided the work to copy. 

 

***Plagiarism on any classwork or homework will result in a ZERO on the assignment for both the student copying and the student who provided the work to copy. 

 

***All work will be checked for plagiarism and AI generated material**

 

Email Communications:

When sending an email, please make sure that you do the following:

  • Put in the subject which class this is

  • Use a salutation (Yo Teacher is not appropriate)

  • Put your name and your inquiry in the body of the email.

  • Sign it at the bottom.

Unless it is on the weekend, please allow for a 24-hour time frame for my response.  If you email me on the weekend, I will reply to you Monday morning by 8 am.