AP Lang. Writing

Book excerpt: This book condenses thorough research, my experience as an AP Reader, and my own classroom practice, into a guide that provides practical and ready-to-use information, which is organized systematically and comprehensively, and is accompanied by a variety of student essay samples, as well as scored student essays - all to show, simply, how one teacher teaches his AP English Language and Composition class. This concise, instructional manual, can be used by either the instructor of the class or by those who have the time and interest in instructing themselves. The sections of this text are designed for students, who want condensed information, that can help clarify their classwork or pacify their concerns about the material covered in the course. The information herein can also be used by instructors, for all classroom purposes, such as handouts, worksheets, and curriculum advice and is especially ideal for instructors who want ideas on how to re-structure their class or want to freshen up their material and pedagogy for the upcoming year, or for those teaching this course for the first time, who may want some guidance. To both, the teacher and the student, this guide will save you time and effort. After publishing the first edition of the book, titled, "AP Lang. for Students and Their Teachers," I decided to use the it in my own class, as a way of pacing my own instruction and as a test of the book's efficacy. The result of the experiment was this second edition. While I had initially only intended to give this edition a facelift, the process of rewriting, rewording and revising resulted in the addition of new sections and fresher and altogether clearer material. The bulk of the information is otherwise unchanged, but the explanations and examples are sharper, the new scoring guidelines are simplified and meticulously illustrated, and the content, I can now proudly say, has stood the test of classroom instruction. My experience as an AP Reader for the English Language and Composition exam has helped me get a feel for the pulse of Lang. classes around the country and has furthered my understanding of what many teachers and students are doing in the classroom. With this new perspective, I believe that this new edition will better capture the expectations of the class and more effectively instruct students to become better writers and better thinkers.