Electives:
1. Art, Society and Literature
2. Literature and Technology
3. AP English Literature
4. World Literature
5. Shakespeare Studies
6. Modern Novel
7. English for Technology
8. Film & Literature
9. Journalism
10. Oral English
11. Modern Drama
12. Advanced Writing
13. English for the Business World
Course Descriptions
Art, Society, and Literature: Students interested in the relationship between literature and culture may particularly enjoy this course. The elective deals with fundamental human questions as they recur throughout history and with man's attempts to answer them as they appear in the changing forms of art, philosophy and literature. Through reading, writing, and discussion, students investigate and reflect upon the history of ideas. In particular, they discover how the scientific, philosophical, and aesthetic assumptions of one age interact with each other and how they evolve over time. Throughout the year, students will be expected to respond to the literature, art, music, science, and philosophy in a variety of oral and written forms.
Literature and Technology: Through the study of various works of utopian fiction, science fiction, non-fiction and poetry, Literature and Technology investigates the impact that changing technology has always exerted upon human society. Discussions will center around such important questions as whether our increasing reliance upon technology has a positive or a negative effect on our lives, our social interactions, and our aspirations. Students will read early 20th-century “classics” such as Brave New World as well as later Nebula and Hugo Award winning novels such as Dune and The Left Hand of Darkness. Students will also see films of the same genre. All students will be expected to write both regular interpretive essays and some creative science fiction or utopian pieces.
AP English Literature: This course is for highly motivated and capable students looking for an intellectually challenging literature course. Students must be willing to devote the energy and time necessary to complete a course more rigorous and demanding than other English electives. Texts are drawn from various genres and periods of English Literature. To be successful in this course, students must demonstrate the ability to read closely, sensitively and analytically, think independently and make substantive and insightful contributions to class discussions. They are also asked to write cogent, well-developed essays in class (under time pressure). For students interested in taking the AP English Literature exam, this course will provide good preparation. However, it is not limited to students planning to take the AP exam. For more information, see the English Department Head.
World Literature: World Literature is an elective for students who wish to broaden their awareness of the wide variety of cultures around the world through the study of works by writers, both modern and classical, mostly from outside the US and Great Britain. A range of works in various genres by writers from Africa, Asia, Australia, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East will give students the opportunity to read both short and longer works in a variety of forms from many cultures. This is a challenging course for students who want to stretch themselves in terms of reading, writing, and understanding literature. Students should be prepared for a variety of types of writing as well as reading, including but not limited to literary essays.
Shakespeare Studies: This elective concentrates on a selection of the plays of William Shakespeare, with occasional reference to his poetry as well. A selection of prose, poetry and drama by other Elizabethan writers will also be studied. In this elective the performing of Shakespeare’s plays is not emphasized, even though there will be some performance and students will present scenes from the various plays studied during the year. Students will be expected to write essays, both in and outside of class. They will also have the opportunity to write creative and personal response pieces inspired by the plays they study. Students who take this course should have a good command of English.
Modern Novel: This is a course designed for the “real readers” who actually read novels for pleasure and who enjoy discussing them. While the majority of the works will be written in English, there may also be a couple of books translated from other languages. The reading load will be comparable to that of AP English Literature, although the writing demands of the course will not be as great as in that course. Also, Modern Novel will focus mostly on books written in the last few decades of the twentieth century rather than on “classics” of the modern period. Perhaps even more than the other ‘A’ electives, it offers a strong preparation for AP English Literature.
English for Technology: English for Technology is a course designed for students who prefer a non-fiction course and who are interested in the effect of science and technology in the modern world. Students will read many articles from scientific and popular journals about new theories and applications for science and technology. This course can be ideal for serious science students who are studying for the Turkish University Entrance Exam and do not have much time for reading and writing outside of class as much of the work will be done in the classroom. It is also a good course for students who feel they lack the time or interest to take a literature course in their L12 year.
Film and Literature: This elective is designed for students who have an interest in film history and would like to use the knowledge they obtain while studying it to plan and shoot their own short video films. Students learn about the history of the art of film making and are introduced to the basic principles of film aesthetics. They read short selections about film criticism and film theory and are expected to write their own intelligent, sensitive film reviews. They also learn how to do a shot-by-shot analysis of a scene from a film. Students learn how to use a video camera to shoot their own short films. In preparation for this, they practice making storyboards and filming short sequences based upon the knowledge they have gained during their study of film history.
Journalism: This course is not being offered next year, but will be offered the following year as a completely redesigned one.
Oral English: The development of oral expression is the primary purpose of this course. Public speaking skills will be developed through the delivery of both informal and formal speeches. Oral interpretation of fiction and poetry is also integral. Discussion of films and literature will grow out of written responses. Small group activities emphasize current social and political affairs, which students will read about in magazine articles.
Modern Drama: In this elective students are introduced to different techniques and philosophies of drama and theater through the process of practical exercise and improvisation. At the same time, students develop an awareness of self, of human character, and of responsibility, as they examine character and motivation in self-disciplined improvisation groups. Students both read and interpret one act plays and are asked to demonstrate understanding of dramatic technique, characterization and plot development. They will be asked to research and present a playwright from the last 100 years. They then begin to develop their own improvisations based on assigned topics. Later, they create their own presentations from scratch. Students are expected to do some writing based upon their experiences, for example a short response piece to class performances or a journal in which they record their experiences, feelings and development as a performer during the course.
Advanced Writing: In this course students will concentrate on improving all aspects of their writing and to develop their repertoire of styles and forms . Students may be expected to read and model some compositions on essays, stories, poems, scripts, etc. that are provided, but reading homework will be light. Class time will be devoted to a variety of writing activities involving individual, pair, and group composition. Each student will assemble a personal writing portfolio. During the year, students will read short texts and analyze texts in order to understand how different authors use rhetoric. This provides good practice for students who might wish to take the AP English Language exam. Students who plan to take the Turkish university entrance exams can also improve their analytical skills in this course.
English for the Business World: Students who choose English for Economics tend to be those with a strong interest in business or economics. The reading material and topics chosen will be non-fiction articles taken from publications such as The Economist and Newsweek and from newspapers. The course will focus on the language skills necessary to read, write about, and discuss topics of interest in business or economics. Students will learn to read analytically, to distinguish fact from opinion, to think critically about the ideas presented, and to respond orally or in writing. As they become familiar with the language, vocabulary, style, and forms used in business documents and economic prose, they will develop their skill in writing essays, critiques, summaries, reviews, and reports on these topics. A textbook, Business Assignments, will offer the students a chance to enter into some simulated business negotiations and marketing techniques.
Revised September 2009
|
