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LANGUAGE ARTS AP COURSE OFFERINGS
AP ENGLISH LITERATURE & COMPOSITION - 12TH GRADE
Description : This Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition course is designed
to develop your ability to read and understand literature, communicate in writing and in speech,
and polish skills you will need in your academic and professional future. The course follows the
curricular requirements described in the AP English Course Description, and, unlike other levels
of language arts, the “Advanced Placement” designation indicates that this is a college-level
literature course with increased academic rigor and intellectual demands.
Skills for Success : The most important skills for AP English Literature and Composition are
reading and writing. You must read every assignment--with care and on time. You will need to
plan time in your schedule for more reading than most courses require. Novels and plays in
particular require planning. The writing assignments in this course are varied but include writing
to understand, writing to explain, and writing to evaluate. All critical writing asks that you
evaluate the effectiveness of a literary piece, but being an effective evaluator requires you to
understand and explain. You will write critical papers of varying lengths, explicating poetry,
short fiction, and drama, and performing a close reading of novels. Each paper will use specific
and well-chosen evidence to communicate an argument about poems, drama, and fiction. These
critical essays are based on close textual analysis of structure, style, and social/historical values.
Academic Suitability : Gifted and honors language arts courses provide the best foundation for
success in AP English Literature and Composition. Regardless of previous courses, however,
students must attend class regularly, practice purposeful engagement during class, and
complete all assignments to the best of their ability.
Out of Class Commitments : Through the course of the year, students will read at least five
novels. Students complete all reading at home, and all reading assignments include written
work that focuses on character development and thematic ideas. Culminating assignments for
novels include major work reviews and preparation for Socratic seminars. Students should plan
to devote about 30 minutes every day to AP English Literature and Composition.
Summer Work : Students read and annotate a novel, and that novel serves as the basis to
introduce and develop the foundational skills of the course.
Contact : Lori Bowen - Lori_Bowen@gwinnett.k12.ga.us
● AP English Literature and Composition can be taken in place of Senior Language Arts (a
12th grade graduation requirement).
