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English Department
Philosophy
The course offerings of the English department enable students to use
language to enrich their lives and to develop the reading, writing,
speaking, and listening skills and strategies essential for effective
communication. These courses provide numerous opportunities for students
to read, write, speak, listen, and think critically. Students will read
and analyze a variety of literary works, write in a variety of styles
and genres, and participate in discussions and presentations. Students
will learn to use appropriate sources and strategies for research. It
is our hope that students will learn to use language confidently and
competently for learning, communicating, and enjoyment. Also, it is
our hope to create independent, critical readers and thinkers.
Curriculum: Junior School
6th Grade
- Grammar
- Spelling
- Punctuation
- Study skills
- Vocabulary building
- Spoken expression
- Written Expression
- Literature such as The Miracle Worker & Roll of Thunder, Hear
My Cry
- Independent Reading
7th Grade
- Grammar
- Spelling
- Punctuation
- Vocabulary building
- Spoken & written expression
- Literature such as The Upstairs Room & The Hound of the Baskervilles
- Study skills
- Critical thinking
- Outside reading
8th Grade .jpg)
- Grammar including verbals and compound complex sentences
- Mechanics
- Vocabulary building
- Listening & speaking skills
- Written expression
- Research skills
- Classic & contemporary literature such as A Tale of Two Cities,
Romeo & Juliet, & The Odyssey
- Critical thinking
- Independent reading
- Use of Technology
- Passkey Learning Program
Junior School Publications & Clubs
- Literary magazine
- School yearbook
- School newspaper
- Speech
- Readers’ Theater
9th Grade
- Study of the main genres of classic literature such as Julius Caesar
& The Secret Life of Bees
- Enrichment of vocabulary
- Discussion
- Composition
- Critical analysis
- Semantics
- Leisure reading
10th Grade
- British Literature from the very beginnings through the early Victorian
period such as Macbeth and Jane Eyre
- Teaching of methods of research & documentation
- Composition of a 6-8 page documented research paper
- Essay writing
- Oral presentations
- Integration of PSAT practice
11th Grade
- Concentration in the works of American literature, including novels,
short stories, poems and essays from authors such as Hawthorne, Twain,
Faulkner, Salinger, Fitzgerald, Wharton and many others.
- Seminar-style discussion
- Analytical reading & thinking skills
- Academic essay writing about literature, as well as the personal
essay (creative nonfiction), and short story writing
- Creative Writing
- Intensive vocabulary study
12th Grade
- Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition - Multidisciplinary
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition - Traditional
Students
must meet the prerequisites set by the department and application
must be made in the spring of 11th grade. All admitted students are
expected to take the AP exam.
- An inter-disciplinary study of literature, composition, and
the humanities
- Analytical Essay writing
- Critical discussion
- Intensive readings such as Hamlet and The Return of the Native
- Writing Seminar- one semester elective
- Expository writings such as fable, parable, opposing voice,
and insight essays
- Abstract & concrete interaction in both large and small
group discussion
- Honors Writing Seminar- one semester elective
- Offered to students perceived as budding writers
- Students must show previous “status” writings
- Copious individual feedback given by teacher and fellow students
- Produce portfolio of significant pieces of writing.
- Journalism with Desktop Publishing Component – one semester
elective
- Class size limited
- Students need to be computer literate & demonstrate an
interest in writing for The Gates
- Provides instruction & opportunities for creative writing
of newspaper articles, brochures, & in- house publications
- Design layout & publishing on computer
- High School Publications & Clubs
- Literary magazine
- School newspaper, The Gates
- School Yearbook
- Speech Club
- Shakespeare Club
- Living Poets’ Society
- Drama Club
Departmental Policy on Plagiarism
Due to the increase of plagiarism and in order to help our students, the English department established the following departmental policy:
First, we define plagiarism as the use of another's ideas, information, language, or writing, when done without proper acknowledgment of the original source. It also includes the submission of one's own work if already submitted for another class or even for the same class, but for another assignment. Essential to an act of plagiarism is an element of dishonesty in attempting to pass off the plagiarized work as original or a first time submission. Plagiarism is not necessarily the same as copyright infringement, which occurs when one violates copyright law. Our department assists students to understand what plagiarism is and to recognize it as a serious offense to academic integrity. We grade papers diligently checking for examples of plagiarism since technology has made plagiarism so easy.
In the case of an offense of plagiarism, the teacher should confer with the student and consequently with both student and parent to discuss the reasons for the offense and its gravity in order to deter further plagiarism. The Dean of Students should be notified of all instances of plagiarism so that she can record the offense. If it is the student 's first offense, she as well as any other involved student should receive a failure for the paper with the possibility of redoing the paper with the understanding that the subsequent paper could not receive a grade higher than passing .The failure would still be counted along with the new grade. If this is the student's second offense, the student would automatically receive an "F" for the quarter grade.
English Department Faculty
Mrs. Kim Burke
Dr. David Califf
Ms. Elizabeth Collins
Ms. Kathleen Shine
Mrs. Barbara Riley (Department
Chair )
Mr. Vince Small
Mrs. Vera Suppa
Ms. Kathleen Tinari
Mrs. Irene Vecchione
Mrs. Clare Ziff
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