English

Department Overview

Students are offered four years of Regents academic English.  These courses are designed to prepare students for the New York State English Examination, which has three parts:

• Part 1 tests reading comprehension and asks students to read passages and answer 24 text-dependent multiple-choice questions.
• Part 2 is an argumentative essay for which students must read multiple passages on a topic, craft a claim about that topic, and use textual evidence from multiple sources to support their stance.  
• Part 3 of the exam asks students to read a passage and analyze the central idea of that passage and how the author uses literary devices to develop that central idea.  

The emphasis in all English courses is the development of student writing and the critical interpretation of English, American and World Literature.  Students work to hone their skills of critical thinking and clear communication, in speech and in writing, in all of their English classes.