MRS. LIMA2014-2015

AP Literature & Composition

What are AP Courses?

Provide the opportunity for academically prepared and motivated students to complete meaningful elements of college-level studies in high school and then proceed to advanced courses, with appropriate credit, in participating colleges Courses modeled upon a comparable college course and must align with college-level

standards Teachers help students develop and apply the skills, abilities and content knowledge

they will need later in collegeCulminate in college-level assessments which allow students to “. . .

demonstrate their mastery of college-level course work” in attempts to gain college credit More than 90% of 4 year colleges and universities grant students credit, placement or

both on the basis of successful AP scores. Research has shown that “students who score a 3 or higher typically experience greater

academic success in college and improved graduation rates than their non-AP peers.”

What are AP Exams?

Consist of two parts: Reading

Include dozens of multiple choice questions which are scored by machine

Writing Free response questions scored by AP readers (college faculty and

expert AP teachers).

AP Scores

Scores are then combined and weighted raw scores are created

AP Score Qualification College Grade Equivalent

5 Extremely well qualified

A

4 Well qualified A- B

3 Qualified B- C

2 Possibly qualified n/a

1 No recommendation

n/a

AP English

Many American colleges begin with a course in expository writing, followed by a course in introductory readings in literature

Students then go on to take more advanced courses in language, rhetoric and expository writing OR in literature

This is the difference between AP Lang and AP Lit Those who elect advanced courses in Language focused classes focus

on the disciplines of science and the arts • NON-FICTION

Those who elect advanced courses in Literature focus on major authors, periods, genres or themes• POETRY, FICTION and DRAMA

AP Literature & Composition

Engages students in careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature

Requires students to read texts closely in order to deepen their understanding of the way writers use language to provide meaning and pleasure to their readers

Students must also consider a work’s structure, style and themes, as well as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism and tone

AP Literature: Reading

Reading in this course builds upon the reading done in previous English courses, so that students are exposed to works from several genres and periods (16th-21st century).

Focus on “getting to know a few works well” CLOSE READING – careful and deliberate observations of textual

detail ACTIVE READING- establish connections among observations to

draw inferences from and draw a series of inferences to create and interpretative conclusion about the meaning and value of a piece of writing

AP Literature: Close Reading

Close Reading – careful and deliberate Experience of literature

Pre-critical impressions and emotional responses Interpretation

Read deliberately and thoroughly to understand a work’s complexity

Analyze works to arrive at an understanding of multiple meanings Evaluation

Assessment of the quality and artistic achievement of literary works

Reflect on historical, social and cultural values the work reflects and embodies

AP Literature: Writing

Writing to understand a literary work may involve: Writing responses and reaction papers Annotations Freewrites Reading Journal

Writing to explain a literary work involves: Analysis and interpretation Brief, focused analyses on aspects of language and structure

Writing to evaluate a literary work involves: Making and explaining judgments about a work’s artistry Exploring the work’s underlying social and cultural values

through analysis, interpretation and argument

AP Literature: Writing

Critical analysis makes up the bulk of student writing for the course

Well-constructed creative writing is also included to provide students the opportunity to see “from the inside how literature is written”. Students will reflect on all works read through a variety

of activitiesGoals of both types are:

Increase student’s ability to explain clearly, convincingly and elegantly what they understand about literary works and why they interpret them as they do WRITING IS MEANT TO REINFORCE READING

AP Literature: Writing

Writing goals of course: Helping students develop “stylistic maturity”

A wide-ranging vocabulary used with accuracy A variety of sentence structures A logical organization, enhanced by repetition,

transitions and emphasis A balance of generalization with specific illustrative

detail An effective use of rhetoric including:

Controlling tone Consistent voice Emphasis through parallelism and antithesis

AP Literature: The Exam

3 hours60 minutes for multiple choice questions

45% of total score Test student’s critical reading of selected passages Scores are based on the number of questions answered

correctly Points aren’t deducted for wrong answers No points awarded for unanswered questions

120 minutes for free-response questions 55% of total score (each essay worth roughly 18%) Direct measure of students’ ability to read and interpret

literature 3 free responses (one poem, one passage, one free response)

Resources

All information taken from College Board’s English Literature and Composition Course Description (Effective Fall 2010)