Overview

Our English Department curriculum strives to prepare all students to live rich, literate lives and to be active, informed citizens. In order to do so, students need access to rigorous, comprehensive and engaging English Language Arts curricula. Students will have the opportunity to read a variety of texts, make informed judgments that are grounded in evidence and communicate their thinking through oral, written, and artistic expressions. Our curriculum is comprised of three related elements: the Collections program, which focuses on the analysis of complex literary and informational texts, an appreciation for literary analysis and discussion in a student-centered setting, and a systematic approach to writing development. For each grade level, units of study have been divided into six “Collections” that are guided by essential questions. Please see the specific course description for more information.

Graduation Requirements

A sequence of 8-semester credits in English
A passing score on the Common Core Aligned English Regents examination. Please note that the minimum passing score of 75 according to CUNY College Readiness Standards is required to avoid taking remedial courses in college. Click CUNY Proficiency requirements for a list of complete requirements.

Courses

English Language Arts - Grade 9

This required course examines the major literary genres: the novel, the short story, poetry, drama, and non-fiction. Students will participate in guided reading and close analysis of themes and literary techniques. The writing program, which uses as its core the required literary selections, emphasizes effective sentence structures and paragraph development as preliminary to excellence in writing essays.​

English Language Arts - Grade 10

This required course continues the study of the major literary genres with attention to the complexity of language and human experience. Readings from a variety of cultures show people grappling with basic questions of ethics and meaning. Students are asked to look at these different materials and find relevance and references to their own experiences.​

English Language Arts - Grade 11

In this required English course, students are provided with a perspective on the history and development of American literature through the 21st century. Emphasis is placed on major trends in thought and the development of literary genres in the various periods of American History. The students’ knowledge of grammar, writing, and vocabulary will be channeled into analytical expository writing. Students practice the skills needed to produce varied, well-organized, and fully developed papers.​

English Language Arts - Grade 12​

This is a year-long course designed to prepare seniors for college-level reading and writing. Students read a variety of international texts from multi-ethnic authors and evaluate authors’ biases and purposes. Students write for a variety of purposes in preparation for college, including application essays, placement assessments, expository analysis of non-fiction, and interpretive literary analysis. The course provides an extensive and challenging reading of many literary genres, including non-fiction, poetry, fiction, and drama, ranging from classical through contemporary literature.​

Resources

  • College and Career Resources
You can find more information for College and Career by following the links below:​

  1. CUNY Admissions
  2. SUNY Welcome Center
  3. Made in NY - Personal Assitant Training Program
  4. Brooklyn Networks Training Program
  5. Brooklyn Woods Training Program
You can find out more about volunteer opportunities by following the links below:​​

  1. New York Cares
  2. All for Good
  3. NYC Volunteering Services​