Melissa Smyly - English Department Head
People everywhere want to explore human motivations, to find connections within and between cultures, to imagine what has been and could be, to create beauty, horror, and introspection. We also want to explain their ideas, to evoke feelings, to convince others, and to be heard and understood. For these reasons, we read and write. At Darlington, the study of English aims to develop students’ skills in these areas, progressing from comprehension and clarity to greater analysis, depth, and complexity.
All students enrolled in AP courses are required to take the AP Exam.
English 1
English I is an introductory course in the essentials of English, together with the study of important literary genres (short story, essay, poetry, novel, drama) and themes. A significant portion of the year’s studies will be devoted to the fundamentals of rhetoric—the study and practice of critical thinking and writing. Regular writing assignments are required, and freshmen are given an introduction to the use of the library and research techniques. The overall theme of the course is Coming of Age, which is reflected in both the themes of many of the texts selected for study while also serving as a metaphor for “coming of age” as a young writer/scholar in building a foundation for the rigors of high school and beyond. The smaller themes of the course also include “coming of age,” as a responsible adult within a democratic society and as a citizen of an ever-changing global community. Themes of race, class, and cultural difference are highlighted in many of the selected readings. To succeed in high school and college, you must be able to think and read critically and write clearly. This course will push students to develop ideas, explain them fully, and defend them convincingly.
Skills Developed
Knowledge Developed
English 1 Honors
The Honors course for freshman is an accelerated and enriched introductory course in the essentials of English, together with the study of important literary genres (short story, essay, poetry, novel, drama) and themes. A significant portion of the year’s studies will be devoted to the fundamentals of rhetoric—the study and practice of critical thinking and writing. Regular writing assignments are required, and freshmen are given an introduction to the use of the library and research techniques. The overall theme of the course is Coming of Age, which is reflected in both the themes of many of the texts selected for study while also serving as a metaphor for “coming of age” as a young writer/scholar in building a foundation for the rigors of high school and beyond. The smaller themes of the course also include “coming of age,” as a responsible adult within a democratic society and as a citizen of an ever-changing global community. Themes of race, class, and cultural difference are highlighted in many of the selected readings. To succeed in high school and college, you must be able to think and read critically and write clearly. This course will push students to develop ideas, explain them fully, and defend them convincingly. As an honors class, English I-H has a more extensive reading list than English 1 and expects greater independence and depth in student work.
Skills Developed
Knowledge Developed
Required Prerequisites
90 in eighth-grade English
Recommendation of previous English teacher
English 2
To succeed in high school and college, you must be able to think and read critically and write clearly. This course will push you to develop ideas using facts and inferences and use them to make effective arguments. The course uses thinking skills as the core of both writing and literature instruction.
Skills Developed
Knowledge Developed
Required Pre-requisites
English 1
To succeed in high school and college, you must be able to think and read critically and write clearly. This course will push you to develop ideas using facts and inferences and use them to make effective arguments. The course using thinking skills as the core of both writing and literature instruction. As an honors class, English 2H has a more extensive reading list than English 2 and expects greater independence and depth in student work.
Skills Developed
Knowledge Developed
Required Prerequisites
85 in English 1H or 90 in English 1
Recommendation of the English 1 teacher
English 3 goes hand-in-hand with what juniors learn in American history, investigating topics that define the American spirit. With themes and reading lists drawn from American literature and culture, English 3 studies the relationship between the tangible world and American ideals, the evolution of the American dream, and America’s land and frontier.
Skills Developed
Knowledge Developed
Required Prerequisites
English 2
AP English Language and Composition
The equivalent of the composition course most colleges require of freshmen, this course aims to teach students to write and read effectively in all disciplines, no matter what major they go on to pursue in college. We read non-fiction ranging from political speeches to scientific articles, and we analyze how authors go about convincing their audiences to vote for a political candidate, protest unfair practices, or sign up for a particular English class. Students will practice very close analysis of how authors use language to achieve their purposes, and they will also craft their own arguments on a variety of topics. This course focuses primarily on American authors.
Skills Developed
Knowledge Developed
Required Prerequisites
A passing score on an entrance essay (see department chair to schedule) and completion of AP Application
Recommendation from English 2 teacher
85 in English 2H or 90 in English 2
AP Literature and Composition
(must be taken both semesters)
AP Literature and Composition is a college-level course which stresses the development of individual style in critical and personal writing and the use of criticism in developing a comprehensive knowledge of the history of literature. Students prepare for the AP exam through a close study of poems, plays, and novels of significant literary merit from 1600 to the present, as well as reviewing the major works of literature which students have already read.
Skills Developed (from The College Board AP course guide):
Knowledge Developed
Required Prerequisites:
A passing score on an entrance essay (see department chair to schedule) and completion of AP Application
Recommendation from English 3 teacher
85 in AP English Language and Composition or 90 in English 3
English 4
English IV is composed of seminar style courses with teacher option of semester based or year long content. Past courses include such topics as Shakespeare, World Mythology, Spec Fiction, Southern Literature, Byronic Heroes, and many others. Students are required to use both rhetorical and literary analytical skills in short and lengthy written responses. Courses include genres of literature such as poetry, short stories, novels, speeches, plays, and even graphic novels. Students are required to use research skills for multimedia presentations as well as traditional essays and compositions. This course is developed to prepare seniors for the college-level English courses and their chosen careers.
