Advanced Composition 1 (H)
Advanced Composition 1 provides high school students robust and personal writing instruction. They refine composition skills through imitative writing and essay construction. Students practice emulating the voice of consummate authors by closely examining tone, arrangement, diction and syntax. This course reinforces prior grammar instruction through the analysis of complex sentence structures. Thesis-based writing assignments challenge students to develop increasingly sophisticated essays, incorporating various modes of appeal, argument and arrangement. Students enhance lateral thinking skills concerning literature and practice research skills by drawing from outside sources.
Topics include: advanced grammar, mechanics and usage; imitative writing; skills of invention, arrangement and elocution; poetry appreciation and explication; effective thesis development; argumentative writing, using a variety of paragraph structures; advanced expository essay assignments that demonstrate a cohesive, concise, thorough and clear argument.
Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed Languages Arts 4 or Fundamentals of Academic Writing or have received permission from the registrar. Language Arts 4 students who need more confidence and practice should enroll in Fundamentals of Academic Writing.
No corequisites are required, but some writing assignments are based on literature read in The Great Conversation 3 course. However, students may take any Great Conversation course concurrently. Students should choose the composition course that best fits their writing development.
Homework Habits: Students typically spend 1.5-3 hours working outside of class writing their compositions, reviewing grammar and completing reading assignments.
Suggested Grade Level: 9