FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

1.  What is the difference between honors and the regular level of courses?

 

Honors courses are taught at a faster pace and cover more material in greater depth than regular level English classes.  Honors English courses, except for Ninth Grade Lit/Comp, carry an extra .5 quality point.  Honors English courses are prerequisites for AP English courses which are taught at the junior and senior level.  Both honors and regular level English classes are geared to prepare students for college.

 

2.  What are the criteria for being placed in 9th Grade Honors English?

 

Students are placed into 9th Grade Honors based on the 8th grade English teacher’s recommendation and grades.  The placement chart recommends that students have A’s two of the three quarters in the 8th grade.  Students should have a good understanding of the grammar and writing skills outlined in the middle school English curriculum guide and should be able to read, write, and interpret text at an 8th grade reading level by the end of the 8th grade year.

 

3.  What grammar does my child need to know to be successful in high school?

 

Students should enter high school with the knowledge of the eight parts of speech, the parts of a sentence, the four types of sentences classified by purpose, the difference in simple, compound, and complex sentences, and basic capitalization and punctuation rules.  All of these items are part of the middle school English curriculum.

 

4.  What is the difference in AP English and the other senior English courses?

 

AP course is a college-level course taught in the high school setting.  Students in AP English who take the AP exam and score a 3, 4, or 5 have the possibility of being granted college credit.  The policy for awarding credit for high AP scores varies from college to college.  AP English carries weight of 1.0 extra quality point.  Other senior English classes such as Pacesetter English and English and World Literature prepare students for college but do not have the option for college credit.  Honors English Lit & Honors World Lit carry a .5 extra quality point.

 

5.  If a student is placed in honors English in the 9th grade, do they stay in honors English?

 

Not necessarily.  His/her English teacher evaluates a student’s performance in honors.  Grades and teacher recommendation determine whether or not a student remains in honors classes after 9th grade.

 

 

6.  If my student writes great creative stories, should he/she be in 91 English?

 

Not necessarily.  While good creative writing is valued, there are other criteria for placement into 91 English.  See question 2 for the criteria for placement into 9th grade honors English.

 

7.  Will average level prepare my child for college?

 

The average level or regular college prep is designed to prepare a student for college.  Taken seriously, these courses will give students a good background for freshman college English.

 

8.  Should my child take honors English and chance a B or a C or average level English and get an A?  Will the colleges know the difference?

 

If a student’s teacher recommends him for honors English, he should definitely take the class.  The emphasis should be on the highest level of instruction at which the student is capable of performing rather than the grade the student might receive.  College registrars say they do recognize the difference between the honors and regular level courses.

 

9.  What is the purpose of parallel readings?

 

Parallel readings have been part of the English curriculum for over twenty-five years.  They are important in encouraging students to read widely and to broaden their vocabulary.  According to College Board, wide reading is the best way to boost vocabulary knowledge.  Parallel novels should be read outside of class.

 

10.  How are parallel novels chosen?

 

Schools are not required to teach the same novels countywide; teachers use their professional judgment in selecting both classic and contemporary pieces that will be of benefit to students.  Each school’s English Dept. selects parallel readings for its student population.

 

11.  Which English Courses meet the requirements for the College Diploma and the Technical Career Diploma?

 

See attached sheet.

 

The following chart lists which English courses count as core towards the four units for the college prep and technical career diplomas and which ones count as electives:

         *  c = core    e = elective

Course

College Prep Diploma

Tech Career

Diploma

Basic Reading/Writing

E

E

9th Grade Lit/Comp 91

C

C

9th Grade Lit/Comp 91

C

C

Literary Types

C

C

Communication Skills

E

C

Prin of 9th Grade Lit/Comp

E

C

10th Grade Lit/Comp 102

C

C

Prin of 10th Grade Lit/Comp

E

C

Applied Communications

E

C

Am Lit/Comp 111

C

C

Am Lit/Comp 112

C

C

Applied Am Lit

E

C

Speech (Oral Communications)

E

C

English Lit/Comp 121

C

C

English Lit/Comp 122

C

C

Technical Communication

E

C

World Lit/Comp 121

C

C

World Lit/Comp 122

C

C

AP Lang/Comp

C

C

AP Lit/Comp

C

C

IB English 11

C

C

IB English 12

C

C

Contemporary Lit/Comp

C

C

Comparative Lit/Comp

C

C

Mythology

E

E

Multi Cultural Lit/Comp

C

C

Reading Enrichment

E

C

Advanced Composition

C

C

Writer’s Workshop

E

C

Journalism I-lV

E

E

Speech/Forensics l-lV

E

E

 

 

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