This course focuses on all areas of communication: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Students will explore various genres, time periods, and cultures through required and self-selected literature. Students will enhance writing skills through vocabulary, grammar, MLA formatting, and journal writing; in addition, one will use prior knowledge and hopefully gain new knowledge and understanding in the areas of research, test taking, study skills, and organizational methods.

This course is a World Literature study focusing on: short stories, poetry selections, including at least one Shakespearean play and several novels. Vocabulary study will include verbal analogies generated primarily from the readings. Students will strengthen writing skills in paragraph writing, emphasizing correct grammar, word choice, and organization. Writing projects will center on reading selections as well as expository and persuasive essays of two-three pages in length. A research paper of 5-7 pages in length is an expectation using MLA format.

This course combines the study of British literature with written composition. It provides the student with a broad overview from Beowulf through The Canterbury Tales and into the 20th century. Different critical approaches to literature are taught, focusing on British and world authors. Essays are primarily persuasive in nature and emphasizing critical thinking. In addition, the students complete a ten page research paper.