AP English Language & Composition Plan of Study

[MomsintheGarden]

This is my first post to this board, so thanks in advance for your advice!

I have a High School Junior who is interested in studying for the AP English Language and Composition test at home. She's studied IEW materials, both basic and advanced, for years, and is widely read thanks in part to the Well-Trained Mind recommendations. She finished Rod & Staff Grammar last year, and knows it well.

We own the Princeton Review and 5 Steps to a 5 study guides for this test. We also have Literature for Composition by Barnet, Sylvan, and Morton Berman and Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student by Corbett, but I don't know how to have her use either of these. From a quick skim of the study guides, it looks to me as if the best way to study for this test is to practice writing a lot of timed essays.

Does anyone have experience with the AP English Language & Composition test? What worked? How did your student score?

Thanks so much!
Garden Mom

[MaryM]

Bump

[FloridaLisa]

:bigear:

I was also waiting for this answer! I posted something similar this summer but didn't get any response that I recall. Maybe we need to compare our plans with each other? I've thought of hiring a writing tutor next semester specifically to work with ds on the writing needed for that AP exam.

Also, have either of you submitted a syllabus to College Board for AP Language? It's my Christmas break project. :001_smile:

Lisa

[Ms. Riding Hood]

We're doing this this year, so I can't tell you how it will work out. I don't think our plan is particularly special or well tailored to the AP course syllabus. Ds is working through 5 Steps to a 5 and Cliffs, both which came highly recommended. One is more focused on practice exams, the other is more like an outline of what you need to know.

I talked with a high school girl who did this last year in public school, and she said they read tons of essays, did lots of analysis on them, and studied and wrote arguments. It seems to me the key to success is the ability to identify rhetorical techniques and write about how the author uses them to produce a certain effect, and also the ability to write an argument of your own.

We're using political speeches right now to identify different devices; there's a lot to see in these, both good and bad, and effective and ineffective.

Sorry I don't have a better answer for you!

[FloridaLisa]

I thought I'd post some on-line notes I found helpful for AP Lang. and Comp.


http://www.celebrityenglish.com/winrow/forms~devices

ETA: You may need to click on the AP Lang. and Comp link on the right with the above link. Are any of you on the AP Lang. and Comp list serve for teachers?

Thanks ~
Lisa

[MaryM]

I thought I'd post some on-line notes I found helpful for AP Lang. and Comp.


http://www.celebrityenglish.com/winrow/forms~devices

ETA: You may need to click on the AP Lang. and Comp link on the right with the above link. Are any of you on the AP Lang. and Comp list serve for teachers?

Thanks ~
Lisa

Thanks, Lisa!

I joined the lost serve for AP English in the fall and while I haven't been monitoring it closely, I haven't seen as much helpful info YET like I saw for Biology. But, that might happen closer to the test date. There was one book suggested that seemed like it would be helpful: Essential LIterary Terms from Norton.

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Literary-Terms-Norton-Exercises/dp/0393928373

Frankly, I'm on the fence about doing this AP myself. I am wondering if dual enrollment might not be more helpful in the long run...for my ds, at least! If I learn anything though, I'll certainly post for all.

Mary

[Gwen in VA]

Ds1 took the AP Eng C&L course offered through PAH. He enjoyed the class very much.

Have you looked at the course description on the PAH website? It might be helpful.

[MomsintheGarden]

Thanks so much, everyone, for your tips! I am going to look at the Cliff's book; we may use it for more practice if there's time. Evaluating political speeches is a great idea!

I sat down with my daughter this morning and we worked out a temporary plan. We decided not to use the rhetoric text or literature anthology at this point, but we may later. I agree that students need to practice lots of essay writing according to the format of this test.

She has had writing instruction from IEW and Rod & Staff, as well as practice writing essays about classics she read according to TWTM. We're using the Princeton Review and 5 Steps to a 5 review books for the English Composition AP Test. She is going to read and practice how to do the multiple choice and essay questions from these books, alternating between them. She will do 1-2 practice essays a week, making sure she works on all three types. Hopefully she will be prepared.

When it's all over, I'll post back to let you know how she did. Could you post how your students do/did, too?

Thanks!
Garden Mom