The core English courses are literature based with student activities, projects, and assignments stemming from a survey of the writers within each division of literature. The ninth and tenth grade World Literature and Humanities courses include classic works that parallel the ninth and tenth grade Global Studies curriculum. The eleventh grade American Literature course chronologically mirrors the U.S. History and British literature taught in the senior year. To prepare students to intelligently assess and communicate analyses of these works, the language of literature and elements of literary criticism are studied. While core courses survey the literature of different regions, the level of difficulty of reading and writing remains progressive and closely connected among all four years.
Teachers communicate expectations with students through a weekly, unit, or grading-period syllabus.
In core classes, students hone questioning and thinking skills through activities such as the Socratic seminar, debates, mock trials, group discussions, and cooperative learning activities. Assessment takes a variety of forms from group projects, such as videos and board games, to formal tests and reading quizzes. Individualized or differentiated instruction occurs when applicable, and activities vary within each class to meet the needs of all types of learners. For example, as the culminating activity for the eleventh-grade chronological survey of American literature, students come to class as characters from the texts and conduct a dialogue concerning issues facing America and its literary history. Such kinesthetic activities demand that students process concepts and patterns in a meaningful way.