Literary Analysis & Composition

Introduction to Literary Analysis & Composition is a foundational English course designed to help students become confident readers, thoughtful thinkers, and clear communicators. Students learn how to read literature attentively, recognize key literary elements, and express their ideas in structured, well-supported writing.

This course operates on a two-year rotating curriculum, allowing students to be introduced to new literary works, writing assignments, projects, and discussions each year. While core analytical and writing skills are reinforced annually, the literature selections and application activities vary so that students who remain in the program continue to encounter fresh material and increasingly sophisticated challenges.

Through the study of carefully selected short stories, novels, poetry, and drama, students are introduced to essential concepts of literary analysis, including plot, character, theme, conflict, symbolism, and author’s purpose. 

Class discussion emphasizes comprehension, interpretation, and respectful engagement with ideas, helping students move beyond plot summary toward meaningful insight.

Composition instruction focuses on building strong writing habits from the ground up. Students practice paragraph structure, thesis statements, evidence selection, and basic commentary, while learning the writing process of planning, drafting, revising, and editing. Writing instruction is intentionally scaffolded to prepare students for more advanced academic writing in upper-level courses.

Grammar, usage, and mechanics are taught using the IEW Fix It! Grammar program, which is directly linked to students’ writing assignments. Rather than isolated drills, grammar concepts are applied immediately within student compositions, reinforcing correct usage, sentence structure, punctuation, and clarity. This integrated approach strengthens writing proficiency while also preparing students for standardized assessments such as the ACT and SAT.

In addition to reading and writing, students participate in group projects, individual projects, and oral presentations designed to strengthen collaboration, critical thinking, and public speaking skills. These projects encourage students to present ideas clearly, support claims with evidence, and engage confidently with an audience.

This course emphasizes skill development rather than mastery, preparing students for more advanced literary analysis and composition in upper-level English courses. Instruction is guided within a Christian worldview, encouraging discernment, moral reflection, and thoughtful engagement with literature while fostering a lifelong appreciation for reading, writing, and effective communication.

IMPORTANT: Literary Analysis & Composition English classes have a rotating curriculum, suitable for grades 9-10. This enables students to fulfill all their English graduation requirements.