AP Lang: Sept. 26-30

This week we will continue digging into critical reading and rhetorical analysis. Of all the skills in AP Language, this is usually the most challenging for the students. I would argue, however, that even though it’s hard, it’s the most valuable.  As I reminded the kids in class on Friday when we looked at recent tweets regarding the police shootings and unrest in Charlotte, NC, words can be used for many purposes: to inspire, to demean, to challenge, to critique, to belittle, to provoke change.  Learning how to effectively analyze someone’s rhetoric helps you understand what that person is trying to do with his words.  When you know someone’s purpose, it’s much easier to decide how to react.

Over the weekend students read three different texts about protest that represent different perspectives.  Students will engage in a discussion about those texts on Monday and then find a text on their own Monday or Tuesday to do their own rhetorical analysis. We will spend the remainder of the week analyzing the texts they’ve chosen, determining the author’s purpose and deciding how the author achieved that purpose.

By the end of the week, my hope is that students will have a clear idea of how to systematically approach a complex text, determine its purpose, and respond in writing. Please ask them about the texts they’re analyzing; they were eager to discuss on Friday, and I think it would be excellent extra practice for them to discuss their texts with you.

If you check MiStar, you’ll notice that a number of graded assignments have begun to fill in.  I’m very happy with the students’ progress as of right now. Please help them remember that a B or even a C at this point in the semester is perfectly fine. There are multiple chances to revisit skills and replace assessment scores as skills improve. The one area to be concerned about is Os in non-graded assignments. Some students may have been absent for one or two of those practice assignments, but a consistent pattern of missed practice assignments is something we should be addressing now!!

Enjoy the rest of this beautiful weekend!

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