English | The Dunham School, Baton Rouge, LA

English 5 is a comprehensive study of grammar, usage, mechanics, and sentence construction that builds on the foundation students received through the Shurley method in lower school. Working from Warriner's framework, students progress through the parts of a sentence, the eight parts of speech, capitalization, phrases and clauses, complements, subject-verb agreement, punctuation, and the correct use of verbs, pronouns, and modifiers, culminating in sentence diagramming. Writing is embedded throughout the course: students practice the five stages of the writing process across multiple genres, including description, nonfiction and fiction narration, literary analysis, workplace writing, research, persuasion, exposition, and poetry, developing the habits of prewriting, drafting, revision, editing, and publication that will serve them across disciplines.

Literature 5 develops reading fluency, comprehension, and literary analysis through the study of short stories, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and folk literature, with sustained attention to the literary elements that shape meaning. Students examine foundational concepts such as plot structure, characterization, point of view, conflict, theme, setting, tone, and figurative language across a range of texts, including short fiction selections and the novels A Father's Promise and Tuck Everlasting. Writing is woven into the course through the RACES essay framework, literary analysis essays, research reports, and persuasive writing, ensuring that students develop both as readers who engage texts closely and as writers who can articulate and support an argument drawn from what they have read.

English 6 continues the systematic study of grammar and conventions begun in English 5, using the Dunham Grammar Handbook — grounded in Warriner's — as the central reference for instruction and practice. Students work through each of the eight parts of speech in sequence, then move into sentence types and structure, subject-verb agreement, objects and complements, phrases, verbal phrases, appositives, modifiers, capitalization, and punctuation, with the goal of building confident, accurate command of the English language. Writing is integrated throughout the course: students draft, revise, edit, and publish a full autobiographical narrative across the year, applying grammatical principles directly to their own prose and developing the skills of peer editing, self-correction, and intentional revision.

Literature 6 develops reading fluency, comprehension, and literary analysis through the study of short stories, poetry, drama, and novels, building on the skills established in Literature 5 with greater attention to complexity and craft. Students examine character, conflict, theme, figurative language, and authorial technique across varied genres, with major works including A Christmas Carol and A Wrinkle in Time; the course concludes the first semester with a Reader's Theater workshop of A Christmas Carol. Vocabulary development is sustained throughout the year through the systematic study of academic vocabulary. Writing is embedded in the course through responses to literature, analytical essays, and other genre-appropriate written work, so that students practice not only how to read carefully but how to construct arguments about what they have read.

English 7 incorporates literature, grammar, and writing into one cohesive course. Major texts — Treasure Island and The Hiding Place — along with a variety of short stories and poetry enrich the yearlong theme of empathy. Students build writing skills in order to write multiple text-referenced, five-paragraph essays and a research report written in conjunction with seventh-grade science.

English 8 is a survey of literary genres with an emphasis on academic writing and organization. Students study To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the Flies, and Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, in addition to a variety of short stories and poems. This course provides an introduction to the Harkness method of learning as students grapple with the theme of identity across a diverse selection of classic literature.

English I is a survey of classical mythology, Greek and Roman literature, and the early canon of Western Literature. From the creation accounts in Genesis and Gilgamesh to the stories of Sophocles, Homer, and Virgil, to Beowulf and Dante, students will explore the elements of a story and the notion of hero as it evolved through cultural development of Western Europe. The Harkness method of discussion, with a heavy reliance on close reading and analysis, is the primary method of instruction (1 credit).

English I MAC covers the same survey of Ancient to Medieval Literature in an individual or small group setting, with discussion and close reading as the primary method of instruction (1 credit).

English I Honors covers the same survey as English I with greater depth of analysis. Students are expected to expand vocabulary, master diagramming, and hone essay-writing skills through literary analysis. (1 credit; weighted on maximum 4.5 point scale).

English II MAC covers the same chronological examination of British Literature in an individual or small group setting (1 credit).

English II Honors covers the same chronological survey as English II with extensive Harkness discussion and written evaluation at a higher level of critique and appraisal (1 credit; weighted on maximum 4.5 point scale).

English III is an examination of the formation of the American identity through the study of American literature, exploring both dominant and marginalized voices. Students discuss the use and effectiveness of rhetorical devices and techniques in American writing during Harkness discussions. The course culminates with a research paper that situates a particular piece of literature within its historical context (1 credit).

English III MAC covers the same examination of American Literature in an individual or small group setting (1 credit).

English IV is a study of cultural reflections and literature of prominent writers from the last 100 years. Through reading quality fiction and poetry, students examine important individual and societal moralities from all corners of the world. Significant course emphasis is placed on understanding the voices with which the writers tell their stories and the artistry with which they write their tales and verse (1 credit).

English IV MAC covers the same study of Modern World Literature in an individual or small group setting (1 credit).

Advanced Placement English Language and Composition is modeled on a comparable college course and centers on primarily non-fiction pieces, concentrating on famous speeches and persuasive articles that lend themselves to rhetorical analysis. Students annotate text for rhetorical appeals and devices, and writing is expected in a variety of genres, including personal logs, analytic logs, structured paragraphs, and formal essays. Students completing the course are required to take the AP exam in May (1 credit; weighted on maximum 5 point scale).

Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition incorporates the study of British, American, and World literature from the 15th century to the present day. Students read, annotate, analyze, discuss, and write about various texts, and practice close readings of both poetry and prose. The course builds foundational writing techniques through syntax variation, specific diction, and the incorporation of detail and text to hone students' distinct writing styles. Students completing the course are required to take the AP exam in May  (1 credit; weighted on maximum 5 point scale).