What is the best prep for AP English?

[Jonibee]

I am talking about the AP English Composition test. I am not talking about using an AP prep book liking "Cracking the AP" but rather the preparing before that point -- say the 2 years leading up to taking an AP class.

 

Other than lots of reading of good literature, what have you found as essential resources for a good background for an AP English course?

[nancy in nj]

My daughter is taking AP English Language right now with PA Homeschoolers. It is a great class, and my daughter appears to be doing well in the class and so far is not putting in anywhere near the expected 12 hours per week time commitment. I have a couple of suggestions.

 

1. Save AP Language for Junior (or senior) year. Mature readers and writers are going to have an easier time than younger students.

 

2. In addition to reading,analyzing and discussing good literature, strong academic writing skills are essential. There is a lot of writing required for an AP English Language class. This would be a very difficult, time consuming class for a student who could not write a strong 5 paragraph essay in 30-40 minutes.

 

3. I personally would recommend taking an AP history course prior to AP Language. The material is more concrete, and it will fine tune the writing skills. Also, there are similarities in the types of essays required (e.g., the DBQ in history is similar to the synthesis essay in Eng. Lang).

 

4. Consider teaching formal argumentation skills prior to AP Language. There is one of the three essay types that seems to require these skills. My daughter has no prior experience with this at all, and she will definitely need to master this prior to test time.

 

Nancy

[Chez J]

3. I personally would recommend taking an AP history course prior to AP Language. The material is more concrete, and it will fine tune the writing skills. Also, there are similarities in the types of essays required (e.g., the DBQ in history is similar to the synthesis essay in Eng. Lang).

 

4. Consider teaching formal argumentation skills prior to AP Language. There is one of the three essay types that seems to require these skills. My daughter has no prior experience with this at all, and she will definitely need to master this prior to test time.

 

Nancy

 

What is a DBQ? And, what is the formal argumentation skill you feel is necessary?

[tofugirl101]

Hello! I'm taking APUSH and AP Lang with PA Homeschoolers right now. I'm in 10th grade. I'm doing good in both classes, and I am handling it. But, on the other hand, I am working my butt off and doing EVERY required assignment.

 

In APUSH, a DBQ is a Document-Based-Question. Basically, you write an essay and consider a lists of documents to write your essay with.

[merylvdm]

I used Sonlight all through high school and that was all for English (OK - it is actually a lot ,and tons of writing). Two weeks before my oldest two went through the Princeton Review book - and both scored 5s. They both said the test was easy - the easiest of the APs and felt very well prepared by doing Sonlight.

[MomsintheGarden]

My dd self-studied for AP English Language in 11th, and AP English Literature in 12th. She did WTM-style history and literature for 7th-10th, and felt it was good prep. She did IEW writing in those years, but that was just so-so for prep because it seemed rather formulaic to her.

 

For my next dc (son, in 8th), I'll have him read classics for 9th and 10th, then read more classics and study for the AP English exams in 11th and 12th. In 9th and 10th I'll have him study Essential Literary Terms by Sharon Hamilton (ISBN 978-0-393-92837-2). It's recommended by SWB. I will be using the hard-to-find answers to exercises for ELT, ISBN 978-1-4138-8423-4.

 

For writing in 9th and 10th grades, I plan to have him follow the recommendations for rhetoric found in the WTM, 3rd edition.

 

HTH,

GardenMom

[ValRN]

Nanycy in NJ - Which teacher did you use for AP English Language and Composition - Mrs. K. Walker, Mrs. M. Inspektor, Mrs. L. Serbicki, or Mrs. Debra Bell?

 

I am considering this class for my 12th grade son who needs much improvement in writing before he goes off to college.

[nancy in nj]

She likes, but doesn't love the class. Her writing was strong before taking the class, and Mrs. I has clearly taken both her writing and critical thinking to a higher level. She now analyzes nuances rather than the black & white in her analysis essays, and she feels that going through the Peace Essay contest was extremely valuable and that alone makes the class worth taking.

 

Having said that. There are many creative-writing types in this class, and Mrs. I excels at taking the creative-writing types and honing their formal essay skills. You can see a drastic improvement in many of the kids academic writing throughout the year. My daughter has no interest in creative writing and, therefore, doesn't feel like she really fits in with the class very well. Additionally, the class is huge (35 kids). If not for the Peace Essay contest (based on talking to friends from her other AP classes that are more her type of kids), she would choose Mrs. Walker's class had she had to do it over again.

 

She has made some wonderful friends in the class, and it has been a worthwhile experience, but she has chosen to go to Mrs. Green's class for AP Literature next year even though her friends are staying with Mrs. I. Don't get me wrong, Mrs. I's class is excellent by any standard, but the "creative-writing" personality of this class should be considered in making your decision.

 

Nancy

[brandigirl]

I am taking AP Lang now (OH MY GOD THE EXAM IS IN 1 MONTH :willy_nilly:) As far as prepping just read , read, read and write till your fingers fall off. Also if you can write 5 paragraphs in 15 min your are in. I have been doing prep books like my life depended on it.Other than that I have no advice.

 

ps Just remember AP Exams is like every high schoolers punishment some escape the pain and others like me are forced to go through every single possible one :D

[Jane Elliot]

I am talking about the AP English Composition test. I am not talking about using an AP prep book liking "Cracking the AP" but rather the preparing before that point -- say the 2 years leading up to taking an AP class.

 

Other than lots of reading of good literature, what have you found as essential resources for a good background for an AP English course?

 

We've been using IEW's Succeeding on the AP Literature Exam all year. It's a self-study course, not a "prep book." I think it's fabulous, but ds hasn't taken the exam yet, so I can't say how well it has prepared him.

 

In March IEW came out with Succeeding on the AP Language Exam by the same author, and it looks just as good. I wish it had been published sooner because ds plans to take both exams next month.

[ValRN]

Nancy in nj - thank you for your reply. Oh, no, more to think about (the creative writing slant).

 

Mrs. Walker has so much literature included in her class. My son read Beowulf in 9th (or 10th, can't remember) grade and he absolutely loathed it. This is one of the books that Mrs. Walker uses, so I'm afraid that he not like the class as soon as he sees that.

[jibaker103]

We've been using IEW's Succeeding on the AP Literature Exam all year. It's a self-study course, not a "prep book." I think it's fabulous, but ds hasn't taken the exam yet, so I can't say how well it has prepared him.

 

In March IEW came out with Succeeding on the AP Language Exam by the same author, and it looks just as good. I wish it had been published sooner because ds plans to take both exams next month.

 

Was using the IEW material successful in a great score? Did your ds feel prepared or does he feel something else should have been used?

[ThelmaLou]

Kind of late to the conversation, but my son scored a 4 on the AP Lang. and Comp. exam. I was thrilled. He's never had an AP class. To be honest, I'm not really sure how he did it. Just lots of reading and writing over the years, I suppose? I gave him a prep book about 2 weeks before the exam, and he barely touched it at all. I really thought he was going to bomb it. He's not exactly an Einstein, either. I'm guessing he did very well on the writing section. We've used some IEW over the years, but not in a very disciplined manner at all. I had heard that this was one of the easier ones, and figured it would contain the least technical knowledge. I'm not sure what I'll have him take next year. Maybe APUSH?

[Allegro]

Just wanted to chime in with a different view on Mrs. Inspektor's class. I took AP Lit last year, not AP Lang, but I did not see a focus on creative-writing people (of which I am certainly not one!). She did do an optional two-week unit during her maternity leave in which we could write a short story or begin a novel, but not everybody did this and this was the first time she'd ever done this in class. Considering that AP Lit is even more of a creative class than AP Lang because we studied fiction instead of nonfiction, perhaps this might be helpful to those considering either one.

[ks-sunflower]

My ds doesn't like on-line classes so he has been using BJU Literature 9 & 10 to delve into literary analysis as well as reading complete works using Kolbe Modern Literature program (12th grade level). He's also starting the IEW Succeeding on the AP Literature Exam by Mary Pryor to learn how to write the essays required on the AP Literature exam which he'll take in May as a senior. We have switched out one or two of the Kolbe books and replaced them with works covered in Pryor's book.

 

Seems to be working well and may be a good alternative to on-line classes especially for a mom who isn't well versed in literary analysis or the format of AP exams. The BJU Literatue 9 & 10 can be started early in high school so the student will be familiar with the literary terms in Pryor's book which can then be done in 11th or 12th grade depending on when your student will take the exam.

[readwithem]

NOTE that the OP is 2 years old - I feel sure Jonibee has found a solution for her student. :D

 

Maybe she'll report back on what her student used.

[Jane Elliot]

Was using the IEW material successful in a great score? Did your ds feel prepared or does he feel something else should have been used?

 

It's funny when these old threads resurrect. I see I never answered  this question, for whatever reason. He got a 4 on the lit exam and a 5 on the language exam. It's hard to say if he would have gotten a 5 on the lit had he used more or different prep material. The poetry was a killer. I'd use IEW's AP books again though, definitely.