A wide-ranging literary study will include various types of poetry, short stories, novels, and plays. In addition to regular classroom reading, students will read between 14 and 18 outside reading books, requiring written analysis. Homework assignments, at varying times during the year, will be heavy, and writing for publication is required. Each student's progress will be monitored very carefully by teacher and counselor to assure that the student's best interests are being met. Students are expected to read, log, and respond to outside reading.
Technology is utilized through timed writings and typed essays.
Communication skills are developed through group projects and oral presentations. Building on composition skills learned in previous years, students write descriptive and narrative compositions, as well as expository and persuasive papers. All ninth graders accumulate a writing portfolio of various types of compositions they choose to write. Students study vocabulary from literary works. Grammar and usage skills are taught through a variety of activities and sentence combining exercises.