AP English Literature Course Outline
For New Teachers


Objectives:


The English Literature session will explore the overall organization of an AP class: how to structure and pace the year, how to integrate AP materials and sample exams into the curriculum, how to elicit college-level critical thinking and literary analysis from students, and how to meet the needs of students who represent different levels of achievement. We will explore appropriate works and share a variety of assignments to help students glean meaning. Also expect that we will examine a variety of genres typically found in an AP curriculum and that we will work specifically with some selected readings. We will explore successful AP Audits and, for those teachers who need it, work on writing one.


We will also thoroughly cover the AP exam: its structure, level of difficulty, past exams, and ways to enable students to succeed. Participants will have the opportunity to score and discuss sample essays from the current exam. By the end of the week, participants will be able to confidently prepare students for the rigors of critical thinking and literary analysis that an AP curriculum demands.


Since it is a class for teachers who have little or no experience at teaching AP Literature, participants are not expected to read any particular text in advance.  My goal as the instructor is to help all teachers feel comfortable in their school setting; therefore, I try to make the instruction as global as possible, knowing that individual teachers will make curriculum choices based on their own student’s needs and site/district support.


Overview:


Each day will be devoted to a genre and a portion of the actual exam. For instance, on one day we will study specific methods of teaching poetry and examine student samples from the current poetry essay prompt. On another day we will explore teaching fiction and will peruse student samples from the open essay topic. We will also share and compare methods for teaching Shakespeare and drama. Throughout the week we will discuss the skills students need to excel on the exam, and we'll briefly explore the philosophy of the exam itself.


The poetry discussions will center on major Romantic Poets, as they invite perfect fodder for AP-level discussion, but we will also analyze some modern works.  All of the poetry will be provided for you at the seminar, but please consider bringing your favorite poetry assignment to share.


The prose discussions will focus on style analysis of brief passages from notable fiction.  We’ll look at samples from different time periods and explore how to help students approach challenging syntax while connecting style to meaning.


We will thoroughly explore the current AP English Literature Exam (and other relevant exams as necessary) with extensive discussion of student samples.  We will discuss scoring issues, rubrics, readers’ insights, and how to help students succeed in all sections of the exam.


I apply the Multiple Intelligences Theory to many assignments, group tasks, or major projects in my classroom.  Participants will learn how to easily incorporate exciting and analytically significant ideas into any class that they teach.


Additionally, I juggle seminar sets of novels while simultaneously teaching the regular curriculum.  Participants will discover how to handle teaching poetry while also directing seven novels at once.  My students read a Victorian Novel one semester (such as Vanity Fair, Wuthering Heights, The Mill on the Floss, or David Copperfield among others), and then they read a contemporary novel the next semester (such as Brave New World, 1984, To the Lighthouse, or My Brilliant Career among others).  Together we’ll explore how to make it a meaningful experience for all students and keep the teacher’s sanity at the same time.


I heartily encourage all participants to bring 30-40 copies of at least one effective lesson they have used in the past that deals with a piece of literature at the AP level.  Everyone will love it if you share your ideas!  Remember, however, that this is not a requirement; I understand that most participants have very little experience.


Finally, be prepared to receive lots of handouts and sample textbooks; save room in your suitcase!  The week will be a spectacular one for all.


The Syllabus:


Day 1, Monday


  • Curriculum choices for AP English classes: how to organize an AP English year, explore sample syllabus ideas.
  • The College Board: resources and materials provided with the course.
  • AP Audit information.
  • AP English Literature Exam: the format, common patterns, student skills tested, questions frequently asked, how this test relates to the actual high school course, the difference between the two English exams, etc.
  • Introduction to multiple-choice exams: testing strategies, question categories, pacing, how to eliminate answers, how to succeed!
  • Literary terms and allusions.
  • Teaching difficult poetry.

Day 2, Tuesday


  • Teaching poetry at the AP level: The Romantics and ways to work through different kinds of challenging poems.
  • Classroom ideas for teachers: sharing poetry approaches.
  • Identifying and analyzing pesky poetic devices.
  • Essay strategies for timed essays.
  • Introduction to the Free Response Section: Scoring rubrics simplified, timing suggestions for students, understanding the three essay types,  discussing organizational formats, exploring past topics, etc.
  • Begin this year’s “Poetry Question.” Read, score, and discuss student sample essays.

Day 3, Wednesday


  • Close reading of passages for both multiple-choice questions and  essay writing: strategies and skills that students can use.
  • Teaching comedy and satire.
  • Teaching drama: Shakespeare and approaches to dramatic analysis.
  • Teaching tone awareness and more style analysis.
  • Begin this year’s “Prose Question.” Read, score, and discuss sample student essays.

Day 4, Thursday


  • Teaching fiction: the basics
  • Generating quality thesis statements
  • Imbedding quotations with sophistication
  • Classroom activities and strategies for teaching AP quality fiction
  • Discuss the “Open Topic Question.”  Read, score, and discuss student sample essays.
  • Discussion of the “traditional literary cannon” and the texts that students choose for the “Open Topic.”
  • Classroom ideas for teachers: grading/evaluating quickly, using AP rubrics, and training students to critique accurately.

Day 5, Friday


  • Using seminar novel sets in AP; teaching seven novels at once: timing, organizing, grading, student presentations, reading logs, etc.
  • Multiple Intelligences Theory in the classroom: sample unit projects, sample student work.
  • What to do after the AP exam: making the end of the year fun, educational, and meaningful.
  • Final discussion of issues that have developed through the week
  • Sharing handouts.



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