English

Newburyport High School requires that all students complete 4 years of study in English.

 

The English Department has implemented the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and Common Core Standards – a national curriculum guideline for learning, teaching, and assessment in English/Language Arts as accepted by the Board of Education.  All students must follow the sequence of required courses listed below. 

 

For enrollment in an Honors or AP course, please refer to the Prerequisites for Honors Placement outlined on page 9 of the Program of Studies.  Please note that certain courses and electives may have additional prerequisites, which are detailed in their respective course descriptions. 

 

Through the English Language Arts course curriculum at Newburyport High School, students read and interpret a wide range of complex informational and literary texts and strive to become skilled authors of expository, persuasive, and narrative writing; confident, effective speakers and presenters; and active, empathetic listeners. Using a humanities approach, literature is examined in its social, cultural, and historical context. Writing instruction focuses on the supported mastery of all steps of the writing process, the skilled use of standard English conventions, and MLA format and citation. The development of vocabulary to enhance the ability to interpret complex texts and to speak and write with clarity and precision is stressed. Media literacy and the ethical use of media, research, and technology are also emphasized. Finally, the curriculum pathway supports the growth of reading and writing as skills for lifelong pleasure and learning; students will be encouraged to select some of their own texts, and to read and discuss these texts independently of the teacher.