The American Academy

The developmental needs of students approaching young adulthood are critical to secondary language arts teachers. This course focuses on reading and writing experiences that are developmentally appropriate: vocabulary instruction that evaluates connotation in text and compares and identifies word meanings using analogy and antonym context clues. Because human beings are never too old to improve their reading skills, reading instruction focuses on electronic text, using explicit and implicit information to evaluate informational text; on the ways in which character development and connections to politics, history, and culture contribute to great literature; and on more complex figurative language, including simile, metaphor, pun, symbolism and personification. Writing focuses on analysis and interpretation of multiple ideas and perspectives to extend thinking through writing. Persuasive writing is a continued emphasis. Skills in analytical evaluation and assessment of writing are further nuanced, and editing skills are specific and clearly delineated. Inquiry skills are focused on synthesizing information in preparation for presenting research results.