English

Required Course OfferingsEligibility
E12 Honors English 9 Grade 9
E15 English 9 Grade 9
* E22 Honors English 10 Grade 10
E25 English 10 Grade 10
* E32 Honors English 11 Grade 11
E35 American Literature & Composition Grade 11
* E40 College Credit English Comp & Lit  Grade 12
E45 British Literature & Composition Grade 12
Electives Course OfferingsEligibility
E08 Writing Structures  Grades 9, 10, 11
E09 ELL English for English Language Learners Grades 9, 10, 11 
E19 Basic Grammar & Writing Skills Grade 9, 10, 11
E26 Speech Grade 9, 10, 11, 12
E27 Structured Reading Grade 9, 10, 11
E28 Creative Writing Grade 10, 11, 12
E29 Journalism Grade 10, 11, 12
E48 Yearbook Grade 12

* These courses have prerequisites

E08 - Writing Structures
Grade 9, 10, 11
½ credit

This course is designed for students to develop reading and writing skills across genres in various patterns of organization: narrative/imaginative, sensory/descriptive, analytical/expository, compare/contrast, cause/effect, time order, and classification in order to improve reading and writing skills in all subject areas.  Both reading and writing will focus on main idea and vocabulary. The class will be differentiated based on need with the reading focus on increasing speed, comprehension, and inference skills, while writing will focus on techniques for structuring writing at sentence, paragraph, and essay levels.  The goal is to develop knowledge and skills in reading and writing to efficiently process the literary demands of high school and prepare for those of college.

Text: Be a Better Reader. Nila Banton Smith.  Globe Fearon Educ. Pub. 6th & 7th Ed. 1989 & 1998.  Resource materials: Ready to Read Now-A Skills-Based Reader. Karen Blanchard & Christine Root.  Longman (Pearson Educ, Inc.), 2005.
           
The Writer’s Craft.   Sheridan Blau.  McDougal Littell. 1998. Write Source-a book for Writing, Thinking, and Learning.   Dave Kemper, Patrick Sebranek, Verne Meyer.  Write Source (div. of Houghton Mifflin Co), 2007.  Resource materials: print and technolog.

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E09 - English ELL: English for English Language Learners
Grade 9, 10, 11
½ credit

This course is a comprehensive literacy class in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing that aims to inform international students about the American culture and bring literacy skills up to a level for full participation in the Xavier curriculum.  Skills taught include writing mechanics, usage, grammar, sentence structure, paragraph structure, 6+1 traits, research skills, Greek and Latin roots, vocabulary, idioms, and spelling. It also covers such cultural topics as idioms, Xavier culture, local Wisconsin culture, holidays, regional areas of the USA, folk heroes, and tall/folk tales. Background knowledge will be developed through popular quotes, important events in US history, celebrations, and basics in Christianity and Catholicism.

Text:  The Essentials of English: A Writer’s Handbook. Ann Hogue.  Pearson Education, Inc.  2003. Resource materials

Exercises to Accompany the Essentials of English
A Writer’s  Handbook. Lida Baker. PearsonEducation, Inc. 2003.  
Vocabulary Power: Practicing Essential Words and Vocabulary 2. Pearson Longman. 2008

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E12 - Honors English 9
Grade 9
1 credit

This freshman English course focuses on the study of literature, the introduction and reinforcement of grammar concepts, and the development of composition skills. In literature, students are introduced to and encouraged to enjoy short stories, poetry, drama, novel, and non-fiction selections to which they can relate. Challenging reading from mythology is included. The study of how language works continues with review lessons in parts of speech and parts of the sentence and introductory lessons in phrases and clauses. In composition, students learn how to write a structured 5-paragraph essay through a writing process. Students will prepare and deliver an informative speech. Units in English usage, punctuation, sentence wholeness, logical sequencing, spelling and vocabulary are included in the curriculum. This course is intended for students with high reading ability.

Text: Holt McDougal Literature: Holt,McDougal, 2012, Warriner’s Handbook,Third Course. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2008 Mythology. Edith Hamilton. Great Expectations. Charles Dickens To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee Writer’s Inc.

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E15 - English 9
Grade 9
1 credit

In this freshman course types of literature will be studied, including poetry, short stories plays, essays, and a novel. The emphasis in writing is on basic sentence and paragraph structure, and using exact and appropriate words. Grammar --parts of speech, phrases and clauses, sentence structure and usage-- is introduced, drilled and reviewed in conjunction with the writing. Students will prepare and deliver an informative speech, and will write a well-organized five-paragraph essay.  Units in independent reading, vocabulary, and spelling are included in this course.

Text: Holt McDougal Literature: Holt,McDougal, 2012, Warriner’s Handbook,Third Course. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2008 To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee. Writer’s Inc.

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E19 - Basic Grammar & Writing Skills
Grades 9, 10, 11
½ credit

This course is designed for students to develop writing skills and vocabulary and to learn and review grammar basics, punctuation, and usage. Students will improve their writing across all five writing domains: Technical, Analytical/Expository, Sensory/Descriptive, Practical/Informative, and Imaginative/Narrative. Grammar skills to be covered include: parts of speech, punctuation, and sentence structure. From this base, quality paragraph development is taught and then the structuring of these paragraphs into a variety of written works giving the student writing experience in each of the domains.

Text: The Writer’s Craft. Sheridan Blau. McDougal Littell. 1998. Write Source-A book for Writing, Thinking, and Learning. Dave Kemper, Patrick Sebranek, Verne Meyer. Write Source (div. of Houghton Mifflin Co), 2007.

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* E22 - Honors English 10
Grade 10
1 credit

Prerequisite: Teacher approval.

This course is designed for students who have the aptitude and interest to continue on the advanced track in English. Beyond the emphases (described in E25) on reading comprehension, summarizing, note taking, writing skills, and a survey of literary genres, this course expects students to read at a faster pace, discuss on a more sophisticated level, and write with a greater depth of analysis. Literature selections inside and outside the text are more challenging. Oral communication is stressed through class discussion, formal speeches, and presentations. Grammar is reviewed. The five-paragraph essay is  practiced throughout the year with the addition of a research component so students may practice proper MLA formatting and follow guidelines for in-text and end citations.

Text: Holt McDougal Literature: Holt,McDougal, 2012, .The Chosen, Julius Caesar, Cry the Beloved Country, Antigone and an independent novel. Writer’s Inc. 

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E25 - English 10
Grade 10
1 credit

This course centers on a survey of drama, short stories, poetry, legend and the novel through the use of reading comprehension, summarizing and note taking, and writing skills. Students will write strong paragraphs with topic sentences. The thesis statement and the five-paragraph essay are introduced and practiced throughout the year. Oral communication exercises include a variety of speaking experiences such as choral reading, journal sharing, class discussion and speeches. Grammar and sentence structure are reviewed throughout the year. Reading and analyzing literature is incorporated into the course.

Text: Holt McDougal Literature: Holt,McDougal, 2012, Night, Cry the Beloved Country and Antigone. Writer’s Inc.

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E26 - Speech
Grades 9, 10, 11, 12
½ credit

This elective aims to develop the students' skills for effective communication. Students will gain a better understanding of their speaking strengths. In addition they will learn how to minimize their speaking weaknesses. Besides learning to be more effective listeners, students will develop skills needed for one-to-one and group communication. Students will prepare and deliver several kinds of speeches. Oral interpretation and communication in the electronic media (radio/tv) will be included.

Text: Basic Speech Experiences, 10th Edition, Clark Publishing. Writer’s Inc.

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E27 - Structured Reading
Grades 9, 10, 11
½ credit

This course emphasizes that reading is a meaning-making process and attempts to help students discover how best to extract meaning from print. Strategies that increase reading comprehension and speed will be taught and include vocabulary, word relationships, analogies, pre-reading techniques, skimming, scanning, note taking, main ideas, inferences, and drawing conclusions. Background literacy is developed through the study of Greek mythology and selected classics. Students will develop into savvy readers as they learn critical reading techniques and to recognize fallacies in logic and persuasion encountered in the reading experience. Strategies will then be applied to practical skills, social studies, science and literary selections. A reader’s journal will be kept of personal reading.

Text: Be a Better Reader. Nila Banton Smith. Globe Fearon Educ. Pub. 6th & 7thEd. 1989 & 1998. Resource materials. Vocabulary Workshop. Jerome Shostak. Sadlier-Oxford, 2005. Ready To Read Now- A Skills-Based Reader. Karen Blanchard & Christine Root. Longman (Pearson Educ, Inc. ), 2005. Resource materials.

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E28 - Creative Writing
Grades 10, 11, 12
½ credit

This course is designed for students who are seriously interested in creative writing. Adopting the philosophy of the textbook’s creators, the instructor intends to encourage students "to develop a writer’s attitude--an attitude embracing the writing process rather than the final result."  The instruction in the course will be based on the writing process of real writers. Students will be presented with a step-by-step process, which ranges from generating ideas to submitting work for publication. Students write every day, accumulating hundreds of words every week. They spend time revising and polishing their work, reading outside sources relating to the various genres of writing, and participating in peer group activities. Students are expected to study, learn, and practice the structure and techniques that distinguish each form of creative writing. Writing models and practical advice from established writers may stimulate, instruct, and reinforce the students. The course intends for students to gain personal satisfaction from their own creative writing.

Text: The Creative Writer’s Craft: Lessons in Poetry, Fiction and Drama. Rick Bailey et al.National Textbook Company, 1999.

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E29 - Journalism
Grades 10, 11, 12
1 or ½ credit

Students enrolled in this course will produce the school newspaper, The Prospector. They will plan issues, write and edit stories, take photographs and layout the newspaper. Students will write news, feature, sports, editorial, and in-depth stories. They will study ethics and standards, copy editing, headline writing, and interview techniques. The course will be limited or expanded to meet the needs of the students and the requirements for a good school newspaper.
Text: TBA

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* E32 - Honors English 11
Grade 11
1 credit

Prerequisite: Approval of the English Department.

This course is designed for the serious English student who possesses strong writing skills combined with critical reading and thinking skills. The course emphasizes analytical reasoning and the writing skills necessary to formulate various critical essays. Students will study the development of American literature from the viewpoint of selected statesmen, poets, playwrights and authors of the 1600’s through approximately the mid-twentieth century. The students will also present oral reports, study advanced grammar tools and prepare for the SAT and ACT college admission tests. The acquisitions of these skills will enable the students to qualify for the Honors English program offered during their senior year.

Text: Holt McDougal Literature: Holt,McDougal, 2012, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Great Gatsby, The Crucible and  A Raisin in the Sun.

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E35 - American Literature & Composition
Grade 11
1 credit

This course is designed to give the student an understanding and appreciation of literature in the American tradition. The students, while studying American history in their junior year, will gain an awareness of the effect of historical events on the literature of the time. The course traces the development of American literature from the 1600’s to the present. With the literature as a base, students learn to write according to a process. While some grammar and usage skills are reviewed, more emphasis is given to composition skills, including the writer's attention to purpose, audience, tone, organization, details, word choice, and sentence structure. In addition to critical writings, the student will learn the necessary steps and aspects for writing a major research paper. Students will also prepare for college admission essays and deliver oral presentations.

Text: Holt McDougal Literature: Holt,McDougal, 2012,  The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men

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* E40 - College Credit English Comp & Lit
Grade 12
1½ credits/8 college credits

Prerequisite: minimum 3.0 GPA, A or AB average in English and a qualifying examination administered through St. Norbert College and its College Credit Program. Upon acceptance the student must pay the St. Norbert course fee of $360.

The first of the two four-credit courses (En 101, Composition ) is a literature-based writing course. Students read and study in depth, five literary tragedies (ancient to modern), various theories of tragedy, and scholarly criticism. After close reading and discussion of these works, students write thesis-driven essays of literary analysis. Through the instructor’s methodology and students’ cooperation, the plays, theory, and criticism come alive, providing students something worthwhile to write about. Though the lessons can make learning fun, the course remains a regimen of writing instruction. Students write a fully documented research paper about one of the plays. The second four-credit course (En 150, Introduction to Literature) is a class in literary criticism. It delves into the ways we human beings view our lives. Students look at life doubly exposed through classic pieces of literature in various genres and prisms. The genres are poetry, short story, and drama. The prisms used for analysis and interpretation are romanticism, rationalism, existentialism, and Christian humanism. Students continue to write papers and take four exams.

Text: Tragedy: Plays, Theory, and Criticism. Richard Levin. Harcourt, 1960. Death of a Salesman. Arthur Miller. The Holt Handbook. Fifth Edition. Harcourt Brace, 1999.Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Fifth Edition. Bedford/St. Martin’s, Michael Meyer, 2000.

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E45 - British Literature & Composition
Grade 12
1 credit

This college-preparatory English course emphasizes not only the development of critical thinking skills and expository writing skills, but an appreciation and enjoyment of the relevance of classic literature.  In this survey of British literature, students will read Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales in Part 1 of the course  and  Hamlet  and selected works of modern British literature in Part 2.

The seniors continue their commitment to acquiring writing skills by writing essays in both Part 1 and  Part 2. In addition to other shorter writings, the major essay of Part 1 asks them to synthesize the themes of ancient literature such as Beowulf  with modern day conflicts.  They receive further lessons on various language arts topics, such as punctuation, word choice, active reading, and sentence combining. In addition to other writings, the major essay of Part 2 is an extensive, properly documented literary analysis paper.

Text: Holt McDougal Literature: Holt,McDougal, 2012.

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E48 -Yearbook
Grade 12
1/2 or 1 credit

Seniors will use Josten’s YearTech Online program to create and produce the Xavue, Xavier’s yearbook. Students will be responsible for developing the theme, taking pictures, completing book and page layout and presenting the high school year in a fun and creative manner. Students are responsible for designing and completing assigned pages by a designated due date. The graphic design program is an online program allowing for schedule flexibility. Class meets once a week, Mondays from 7:30-8:15 am. In addition, students are expected to work on their page assignments outside of class time, including gathering information, taking pictures and designing their page.

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