Phoenix Academy English

English Composition

• This course focuses on writing. Students learn the many parts of speech, along with pre-writing and proofreading skills, and sentence structure. Various tools are used, including daily vocabulary words, and daily journaling. Students focus on improving writing skills, and improving ability to express themselves within their writing.

British Literature

• In British Literature students are involved in a survey and response approach to selected English works within the context of historical and cultural significance, e.g., Anglo-Saxon literature, Renaissance Literature, etc. Responses occur orally within group discussions, as well as individually as composed through the written word. The writing process consisting of prewriting, drafting, revising, and sharing/publishing, is utilized throughout the course resulting in a very individualized experience.  Students practice manipulating sentences, improving grammar usage, improving their ability to compose well-developed multiple paragraph responses, etc., in order to express individual thoughts regarding selected works of literature.

American Literature

• In American Literature students are involved in a survey and response approach to selected American works within the context of historical and cultural significance, e.g., pre-Civil War, post-Civil War, etc. Responses occur orally within group discussions, as well as individually as composed through the written word. The Writing Process consisting of prewriting, drafting, revising, and sharing/publishing, is utilized throughout the course resulting in a very individualized experience.  In this highly interactive and cooperative class students will develop skills related to literature analysis and interpretation, composition and self-expression, as well as social skills.

Film Studies

• Film Studies focuses on how we perceive what we see on the screen when viewing a film. The class collaboratively explores the values and implications of individual films in and of themselves, as well as how they may impact our culture. For each film viewed, students will discuss and compose responses to divergent questions that address character interpretation, the social, political, economic, philosophical, and/or power implications of a film, artistic review, and synopsis review.

Novels

• Novels is designed to help students find true enjoyment in reading, while getting them involved in stories that deal with real life situations. One targeted author for this class is Chris Crutcher. Crutcher's works have such variety within the characters and the issues they encounter, that each student finds themselves capable of relating to one or more characters and their trials and tribulations.

Academic Literacy

• This course focuses on materials chosen based on the principle of narrow reading. These materials contain high interest texts with overlapping topics and recurring vocabulary. This helps students to build background, to develop conceptual knowledge, and to learn academic vocabulary that they will likely repeatedly encounter across content areas and other contexts. Students are engaged with multiple readings and writing tasks that are arranged around common topics called workshops. The readings are sequenced in order of increasing difficulty as the course progresses. Student proficiency is regularly assessed during this course.