Students write both informal journal entries and formal papers. The course teaches grammar and vocabulary within the context of student writing. Students maintain portfolios of their writing and are asked periodically to reflect upon their progress as writers. Students are expected to participate in class discussion and in small group work. In all readings, students are taught to understand both the literal and abstract levels of a text.
Students write both informal journal entries and formal papers.
By the end of the year, students will master a parts of speech grammar unit. Students are expected to participate regularly in class discussion and in small group work. The primary goal of the English 9 curriculum is to improve and enhance writing skills so that every student leaves the ninth grade with a basic understanding of expository writing. Throughout the year, students work extensively on descriptive, comparative, and argumentative essays. This writing program is supplemented by a study of literature, in which students read works from different parts of the world, and discussions explore the literary, thematic, and historical aspects of these works.