Upper St. Clair High School

ESL English 9  

Throughout the year we will be studying a variety of genres of literature including Short Stories (a variety of selections), Drama (Romeo and Juliet), the Novel (To Kill a Mockingbird), and Nonfiction (Bomb). Writing, grammar, and vocabulary instruction are also included in this course.  They have been designed to be flexible and meet the needs of students with various levels of English proficiency.  One major goal of this course is to provide a solid foundation in English so students will be prepared for English 10.

You can expect to

• be an active reader, taking notes, annotating texts, and asking questions if you don’t understand
• learn new vocabulary on Sadlier.com
• review grammar from previous years and learn new concepts using noredink.com
• use your knowledge of correct grammar in your writing
• learn essential research skills and write a research paper

ESL English 10

This year, we will be studying works of literature from different genres, time periods, and parts of the world that share common themes of resilience and perseverance. You will meet Greek gods and goddesses facing all kinds of challenges in our mythology unit, a Jewish teen who struggles through the horrors of the Holocaust in Night, an Olympic athlete who joins the military and survives a POW camp in Japan during WWII in Unbroken, and American and Zimbabwean teens who help each other in unexpected ways in I Will Always Write Back.  

You can expect to

• read short stories and essays that connect to larger texts
• be an active reader, taking notes, annotating texts, and asking questions if you don’t understand
• learn new vocabulary on Sadlier.com
• practice grammar concepts using noredink.com
• use your knowledge of correct grammar in your writing
• give speeches and presentations on various topics
• learn essential research skills and write a research paper

ESL English 11

English 11 is focused on the reasons for reading and writing in contemporary society.   Through the study of American literature we will study the various purposes for reading and writing both past and present, and practice our skills in each mode in turn.

In addition, we will walk through a nearly year-long, inquiry-based research and writing and process that will result in an informative research paper and persuasive presentation.

You can expect to

• read short stories, novels, and essays that connect to larger texts
• be an active reader, taking notes, annotating texts, and asking questions if you don’t understand
• learn new vocabulary on Sadlier.com
• practice grammar concepts using noredink.com
• use your knowledge of correct grammar in your writing
• give speeches and presentations on various topics
• learn essential research skills and write a research paper

ESL Strategies