What is AP English Language What is AP English Language and Composition?and Composition?

Course IntroductionCourse Introduction

Course DescriptionCourse Description

This course is the equivalent of the first year This course is the equivalent of the first year of college English Composition class. of college English Composition class.

Its intent is to “help students become skilled Its intent is to “help students become skilled readers of prose written in a variety of readers of prose written in a variety of disciplines and rhetorical contexts, and disciplines and rhetorical contexts, and become skilled writers who compose for a become skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes, aware of the variety of purposes, aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects.” audience expectations, and subjects.” ((AP AP

Central –Central –“English Language and Composition Course Requirements” May 2007).“English Language and Composition Course Requirements” May 2007). Students will develop skills that evaluate, Students will develop skills that evaluate,

use and cite source material as they use and cite source material as they compose essays in several forms.compose essays in several forms.

Skills developed in AP LangSkills developed in AP Lang

Reading:Reading: AnalyzingAnalyzing non-fiction and fiction for the non-fiction and fiction for the

effect ofeffect of rhetorical strategies used to organize each rhetorical strategies used to organize each

texttext devices of language incorporated within those devices of language incorporated within those

strategies strategies to develop the argument (position of the writer) and to develop the argument (position of the writer) and to support the points made to prove the argument. to support the points made to prove the argument.

Persuasive argumentation, text analysis, Persuasive argumentation, text analysis, and text synthesis are the three main and text synthesis are the three main components of the course.components of the course.

Skills developed in AP LangSkills developed in AP Lang

Composition: Composition: using rhetorical strategies and using rhetorical strategies and devices of language to develop devices of language to develop pieces that adequately support pieces that adequately support your position regarding both your position regarding both prose and visual texts.prose and visual texts.

English Language & CompositionEnglish Language & Composition

Goal for Course: become a better writer Goal for Course: become a better writer and analyzer of texts. and analyzer of texts.

Language Test: a test of your thinking. Language Test: a test of your thinking. You use language to explain how writers You use language to explain how writers create meaning.create meaning.

Course will include many strategies and Course will include many strategies and techniques to increase your chance of techniques to increase your chance of scoring a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP Lang Exam.scoring a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP Lang Exam.

Course requires:Course requires: critical readerscritical readers critical writerscritical writers

AP Language vs. AP LiteratureAP Language vs. AP Literature

AP Lang (11AP Lang (11thth grade): grade): Focus is on Focus is on

informational, non-informational, non-fiction textfiction text

Measures your ability to Measures your ability to deconstruct and deconstruct and analyze language to analyze language to show how authors show how authors create meaningcreate meaning

AP graders want you to AP graders want you to personalize your writing personalize your writing by including personal by including personal experiences in your experiences in your analysisanalysis

AP Lit (12AP Lit (12thth grade) grade) Complete focus on Complete focus on

fiction; specifically, fiction; specifically, classic literatureclassic literature

Measures your ability to Measures your ability to discern themes, discern themes, elements of fiction, and elements of fiction, and context within the time context within the time period and culture.period and culture.

AP graders want your AP graders want your personal thoughts to be personal thoughts to be absent from your absent from your essaysessays

The AP Language ExamThe AP Language Exam

2014 data:2014 data: Cost to take the test was $40Cost to take the test was $40 Free and reduced lunch students Free and reduced lunch students

were $14were $14 Exam is typically in early MayExam is typically in early May Students receive scores in JulyStudents receive scores in July AP exam is voluntaryAP exam is voluntary

STRUCTURE OF AP LANGUAGE EXAM: STRUCTURE OF AP LANGUAGE EXAM:

AP Exam is scored on a 1-5 scale, with a AP Exam is scored on a 1-5 scale, with a 5 being the top grade5 being the top grade

A score of 3, 4, or 5 is considered a A score of 3, 4, or 5 is considered a passing score and will earn you college passing score and will earn you college credit at most collegescredit at most colleges

Exam is divided into two parts:Exam is divided into two parts: Part 1 – MULTIPLE CHOICE Part 1 – MULTIPLE CHOICE

1 hour 1 hour 45% of test45% of test

Part 2 – FREE RESPONSE (ESSAYS)Part 2 – FREE RESPONSE (ESSAYS) 2 hours + 15 minutes reading2 hours + 15 minutes reading 55% of test 55% of test

STRUCTURE OF AP LANGUAGE EXAM: STRUCTURE OF AP LANGUAGE EXAM: Part 1 – MULTIPLE CHOICE Part 1 – MULTIPLE CHOICE

1 hour 45% of test1 hour 45% of test

55 questions55 questions 4-5 4-5 complicatedcomplicated passages passages Prose Prose

Personal narrativesPersonal narratives / Autobiographies/ Autobiographies Speeches / EssaysSpeeches / Essays

Famous writers / obscure text Famous writers / obscure text

(you’ve probably never seen)(you’ve probably never seen) Social CriticsSocial Critics Essay WritersEssay Writers JournalistsJournalists PoliticiansPoliticians

STRUCTURE OF AP LANGUAGE EXAM:STRUCTURE OF AP LANGUAGE EXAM:Part 2 – FREE RESPONSE (ESSAYS)Part 2 – FREE RESPONSE (ESSAYS)

2 hours + 15 minutes 55% of test 2 hours + 15 minutes 55% of test

15 minutes at start of Part 2 for 15 minutes at start of Part 2 for reading prompts and materialreading prompts and material

Approx. 40 min to answer each Approx. 40 min to answer each question (120 minutes total)question (120 minutes total)

Informed when each 40 min has Informed when each 40 min has passedpassed

No limited time per essayNo limited time per essay May go ahead and back to any May go ahead and back to any

essayessay

STRUCTURE OF AP LANGUAGE EXAM:STRUCTURE OF AP LANGUAGE EXAM:

1 synthesis 1 synthesis mini research paper using 6-7 texts (some visual)mini research paper using 6-7 texts (some visual) create argument using at least 3 sources, attribute create argument using at least 3 sources, attribute

sourcessources e.g. What must museum curators consider when e.g. What must museum curators consider when

deciding what goes in a museum?deciding what goes in a museum? 1 analysis1 analysis

non-fiction: analyze how writer creates meaning in text non-fiction: analyze how writer creates meaning in text (closest to a literary analysis essay)(closest to a literary analysis essay)

What does it mean & how do I know?What does it mean & how do I know? 1 argument1 argument

DCQ: Defend, challenge or qualify a quote (or short DCQ: Defend, challenge or qualify a quote (or short passage)passage)

You are required to qualify (avoids mere summary w/o You are required to qualify (avoids mere summary w/o original thought which would lower score to 2)original thought which would lower score to 2)

uses your own knowledgeuses your own knowledge must support w/evidence must support w/evidence

ScoringScoring 1-9 per essay 1-9 per essay Combined w/MC, Translated to 1-5 overall Combined w/MC, Translated to 1-5 overall

scorescore A 3 is considered a “qualifying” score (passing)A 3 is considered a “qualifying” score (passing)

Year Attempted

Passed # of 5s # of 4s # of 3s

2008 11 7 0 1 6

2009 10 7 0 3 4

2010 11 6 0 2 4

2011 10 8 0 1 7

2012 10 9 1 3 5

2013 8 3 0 0 3

2014 40 14 1 4 9

Values and advantages of the Values and advantages of the Language and Comp Course Language and Comp Course

Students “enter the conversation”Students “enter the conversation” Examine and write about civic Examine and write about civic

issues: use the mind (analysis issues: use the mind (analysis rather than creativeness of literary rather than creativeness of literary writing)writing)

How to read/write in all academic How to read/write in all academic disciplines (see similarities in all disciplines (see similarities in all texts -- Why did the writer craft texts -- Why did the writer craft this piece of writing this way?) -- this piece of writing this way?) -- and write intelligently about them.and write intelligently about them.

Values and advantages of the Values and advantages of the Language and Comp CourseLanguage and Comp Course

Practical for every student: a real-Practical for every student: a real-world application of contentworld application of content

Teaches how to construct an Teaches how to construct an argument: write persuasivelyargument: write persuasively

Teaches the process of writing (with Teaches the process of writing (with research and close reading analysis)research and close reading analysis)

Skill-focused rather than content Skill-focused rather than content focused (apply your knowledge rather focused (apply your knowledge rather than being tested over definitions or than being tested over definitions or recall of text content).recall of text content).

IncentivesIncentives

$100 to student for passing $100 to student for passing scorescore

Mock exam, usually around April, Mock exam, usually around April, analyzed w/ feedbackanalyzed w/ feedback

SSS – Student study sessionsSSS – Student study sessions Extra study sessions in the spring to Extra study sessions in the spring to

help you prepare just before the examhelp you prepare just before the exam

Will you RISK it?Will you RISK it?

You have the You have the chance to chance to train yourself train yourself to become a to become a more more analytical analytical and and persuasive persuasive writer.writer.

Are you up to the challenge?Are you up to the challenge?

Will you support your teammates…Will you support your teammates…

… … in this endeavor that will change the rest of your life? in this endeavor that will change the rest of your life?

You can do it!You can do it!

Michael Phelps Michael Phelps iconic image of 2008 Olympic games iconic image of 2008 Olympic games

You can do it!You can do it!