English Language Arts

The English Language Arts and Reading Departments in Seaford Schools are dedicated to mastery of all aspects of literacy: reading, writing, listening, speaking, as well as an appreciation of effective inter-personal communication skills. Mastery of these skills comprises the framework for the language arts program in Seaford. Using the New York State Next Generation Learning Standards as a guide, we teach students to read, achieve fluency, comprehend and appreciate literature in all genres and non-fiction texts. We teach various forms of writing: narrative, descriptive, memoir, expository, argument, and research. We emphasize the value of close textual analysis using text-based evidence and higher-order thinking skills to master and interpret the written word. The goal of the reading and English Language Arts departments is to provide literacy skills development across the grades - mindful of the specific needs of each student. Accordingly, we offer courses, grade-level curricula, and academic intervention support services for those in need of remediation. The ultimate learning goal of our language arts program is to prepare students for college and careers.

High School

With the New York State Next Generation Learning Standards as a guide, the English teachers provide students with instruction in effective written and oral communication, lifetime vocabulary building and good reading habits, appreciation for the arts, and the development of research competencies for success beyond high school. Additionally, the department’s curriculum design encourages students’ awareness of great literature and notable authors through activities that promote higher-level thinking and the development of literacy and research skills that apply to all curriculum areas. Since language is essential to all disciplines, the English language arts staff believes that a strong foundation in the English language arts will enable students to construct their own understanding in other subject areas as well as their future fields of endeavor. Specific courses and other valuable information pertaining to the high school English Department can be found in the Seaford High School Course Handbook and listed below.

Foundational English Courses

English 9

The English 9R curriculum is designed to develop a student’s ability to listen, read, and write for information and understanding, literary response and expression, and critical analysis and evaluation. Students will read practical selections such as articles and essays, and other works including short stories, plays, and novels. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information and issues and then present their findings through oral and written language. Major works studied include, but are not limited to Oedipus, Romeo and Juliet, Of Mice and Men.

English 9 Honors

In addition to the work covered in the 9R curriculum, this course provides students with the opportunity to do advanced work in reading, writing, and team projects. This course will offer course work designed to prepare students for the AP Capstone course offering for sophomores. Active participation is required. This course is intended for the advanced student who enjoys reading and has a solid writing foundation.
• Students are required to complete a summer assignment.
• Prerequisite: Minimum grade of 90% in English 8 or recommendation by 8th grade English teacher.

AP Seminar

AP Seminar provides sustained practice of investigating issues from multiple perspectives and cultivates student writing abilities so they can craft, communicate and defend evidence-based arguments. Students are empowered to collect and analyze information with accuracy and precision and are assessed through a team project and presentation, an individual written essay and presentation, and a written exam. Students can take AP Seminar in lieu of English 10. This course is the first part of the AP Capstone program.
• Students are required to complete a summer assignment.
• Prerequisite: Minimum grade of 90% in English 9 Honors, Global 9 Honors and/or teacher/counselor recommendation.

English 10

The general goals of the 10th grade Regents English program include the review and study of the mechanics of language, its composition, and the development of research skills. The student will study literature from anthologies and supplementary texts involving both fictional and non-fictional sources. Comprehension of situation, character, writer's intent, and appreciation of style are stressed. Major works studied include, but are not limited to Lord of the Flies, Animal Farm, Night, Othello, and The Color of Water. Although the New York State Comprehensive English Regents Examination is not required until the 11th grade, the components of this test are part of the developmental objectives. Specific rhetorical essay techniques such as comparison/contrast and argumentation will be taught as prescribed by departmental examination preparation strategies. This course is intended for the Regents student.

AP Language and Composition

AP Language and Composition is a college level course designed to help students become skilled readers of prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts and to become skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Both their writing and their reading should make students aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects as well as the way generic conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness of writing. Students will prepare to take the AP Language and Composition exam in May. Students will read a variety of fiction and non-fiction pieces with a focus on American literature. Full-length literary works to be read include, but are not limited to The Scarlet Letter, The Crucible, The Great Gatsby, The Things They Carried and The Catcher in The Rye. Student writing will be varied and demanding with an emphasis on synthesizing primary and secondary sources and citing them accurately using MLA. In addition to AP exam preparation, students will prepare to take the NYS English Regents and will complete a major research paper.
• Students are required to complete a summer assignment.
• Prerequisite: Minimum grade of 90% in English 10 Regents and/or teacher/ counselor recommendation.

English 11

In English 11R, students study a wide range of literature from the United States and develop their mastery of the English language. The course also prepares students for the statewide Regents Comprehensive Examination administered in January. The course will allow students to study the various forms of American literature including the short story, novel, poetry, play, and film. Also included will be a study and review of the techniques and skills that will best serve the students on the statewide exam as well as standardized tests such as the PSAT, SAT and ACT: vocabulary, reading and listening comprehension, essay and composition writing, research paper and college essay composition. Major works studied include, but are not limited to A Streetcar Named Desire, The Great Gatsby, Hamlet and The Things They Carried.

English 12 AP Literature and Composition

This course is designed to prepare its students for the AP Literature and Composition examination. The AP English course will engage students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature and poetry. Through the close reading of a wide variety of texts of recognized literary merit, students will deepen their understanding of the way writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. The course will include intensive study of representative titles from various genres and time periods. Writing will be an integral part of the course, as the AP examination assesses student writing of critical, analytical, and evaluative essays concerning literature. Major works studied include, but are not limited to Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights, Pride & Prejudice, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
• Students are required to complete a summer assignment.
• Prerequisite: Minimum grade of 85% in English 11AP or 90% in English 11 Regents and/or teacher/guidance counselor recommendation.

Advanced Placement Capstone Program

AP Capstone is an innovative program that equips students with independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges and careers. The program is built on the foundation of two new AP courses, AP Seminar and AP Research, and is designed to complement and enhance the in-depth, discipline-specific study provided through other AP courses. The AP Capstone curriculum fosters inquiry, research, collaboration, and writing skills through the intensive investigation of topics from multiple perspectives. Students will take AP Seminar in the 10th grade, followed by AP Research, as an elective, in the 11th or 12th grade (preferably 11th grade). Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing will receive the AP Capstone Diploma. This signifies their outstanding academic achievement and attainment of college-level academic and research skills. Alternatively, students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research will receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate signifying their attainment of college level academic and research skills. The AP Capstone program is comprised of AP Seminar and AP Research.

AP Seminar

AP Seminar provides sustained practice in investigating issues from multiple perspectives and cultivates student writing abilities so they can craft, communicate and defend evidence-based arguments. Students are empowered to collect and analyze information with accuracy and precision and are assessed through a team project and presentation, an individual written essay and presentation, and a written exam. Students can take AP Seminar in lieu of English 10. This course is the first part of the AP Capstone program.
• Students are required to complete a summer assignment.
• Prerequisite: Minimum grade of 90% in English 9 Honors, Global 9 Honors and/or teacher/counselor recommendation.

AP Research

In AP Research, students develop the skills and discipline necessary to conduct independent research to produce and defend a scholarly academic thesis. The second course in the AP Capstone experience allows students to explore deeply an academic topic, problem, or issue of individual interest and through this inquiry, students design, plan, and conduct a year-long mentored, research-based investigation. The course culminates in an academic thesis paper of approximately 5,000 words and a presentation, performance, or exhibition with an oral defense. Students will take AP Research as an English elective preferably in 11th grade (offered in conjunction with AP Language and Composition) or in 12th grade (in conjunction with AP Literature and Composition).
• Students are required to complete a summer assignment.
• Prerequisite: Successful completion of AP Seminar.

English 11 AP Language and Composition/AP Capstone Research

This course is for 11th grade students who have successfully completed AP Capstone Seminar. The elements of AP Language and Composition as well as AP Capstone Research will be combined, with an emphasis on enhancing the core skills of argumentation, prose analysis, and research methods. A variety of fiction and non-fiction texts will be studied, with a focus on American writers. Students will also conduct independent research to produce and defend a scholarly academic thesis. Students will take the NYS English Regents as well as the AP English Language and Composition Exam and will write an academic thesis paper of approximately 5000 words as well as prepare a presentation, performance or exhibition with an oral defense. Students will have the opportunity to complete 2 AP credits through this class.
• Students are required to complete a summer assignment.
• Prerequisite: Successful completion of AP Seminar in 10th grade.

Senior English Half-Year Courses

Students must take 2 half-year senior English courses to fulfill the 12th grade English requirement necessary for graduation (if they are not taking English 12AP). Students must take one senior half-year course in the fall and one in the spring. Both courses must be successfully passed to satisfy the English graduation requirement. Seniors who are enrolled in English 12AP Literature and Composition can take a senior English half-year course for elective credit.

Horror, Suspense, & Dystopian Literature

This literature-based course is designed to explore the impact of horror and suspense on society as well as the emergence of science-fiction and dystopian literature as a reaction to our changing world. Through literary analysis and written assignments, students will develop critical reading and writing skills necessary for college readiness. Legends, myths, and the macabre will be examined and scrutinized by examining and analyzing the works of well-known authors in the genres. The emergence of science fiction will be looked at through the lens of Mary Shelley and Ray Bradbury as well as more current works such as The Hunger Games. The class is literature-based, although we will also analyze and compare scenes from movies based upon the literature examined.

The Athlete in Literature

This course will explore how sports has taken hold of the American imagination over the last 100 years and how it has impacted literature and culture. In particular, we will look at the sports hero in writing and compare this to other literary heroes. We will also examine the ethical issues that have impacted sports and sports figures. Although the course will be literature based, we will examine relevant scenes from sports movies and media clips that are relevant to our content.

New York City in Literature

From the earliest years of the city’s history, artists, writers and musicians have endeavored to capture its particular magic. In this course, we will choose from among a number of literary works that treat the city not only as a place, but also as the repository of the dreams and desires of those who have come seeking to become part of the excitement, the hope, and indeed the infinite possibilities that the city seems to offer. We hope to better understand how New York City has come to serve as a metaphor for artists and writers. Our readings will include fiction, poetry, essays and novels from American writers. The class is literature-based, although we will also analyze and compare scenes from movies based upon the literature examined.

Social Media and News Literacy

In a world saturated with media messages, digital environments, and social networking, concepts of historical and civic literacy must expand to include all forms of media. This course aims to help students become more thoughtful, educated, and active citizens in our democracy by becoming better consumers and users of news and social media. Students will engage in projects, activities, and case studies to build critical thinking, writing, and reading skills required in a media-rich and increasingly techno-centric world not only to understand the world around them, but to also look to the future and participate in their communities and shape the futures they want.
*Partnership with Stony Brook University/optional college-credit earning opportunity

English Elective Courses

Electives are available to students in 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade, unless otherwise stated, who have successfully passed the prior year’s English course. Electives cannot be substituted for the core English requirements.

Literature in Film

This course will examine the relationship between fiction and non-fiction texts and their film adaptations. Students will study film adaptations to develop a deeper understanding of literary texts as well as historical events and figures. We will also examine “stand alone” films to analyze how the aspects of cinematography help to tell the story. Students will be required to read about, write about, do research on, and view films.

Creative Writing for New Media

This class is for the student who has something to say and the desire to say it - creatively. In this class students will develop their individual voice through the craft of writing. Students will consider and write for a real audience and have opportunities to publish written work online. The types of pieces students may write include poems, songs, short stories, screenplays, blogs, editorials, memes, etc.

Public Speaking and Acting Fundamentals

This course is designed to introduce students to the basics of public speaking and acting. Ample time is given for students to develop public speaking skills. Students looking to improve their speaking skills, as well as students who find public speaking to be intimidating, will grow through activities such as individual speaking opportunities, speech writing, acting exercises, memorization, critiquing, and large and small group activities.
*Partnership with Long Island University/optional college-credit earning opportunity

Readers' & Writers' Workshop

This course will enhance the English classroom experience for students by pre-teaching and reinforcing the skills necessary for students to succeed in their English Regents classes. Emphasis will be placed on reading comprehension skills and strategies, vocabulary acquisition and mastery, and expository and argumentative writing. Research techniques and presentational skills will also be addressed.

The Seaford High School
ELA Department

Go to Teacher Information Pages for your teacher's information.

Liaison - John Panus

Tania Cintorino

Kimberly Flood

Christine Lindquist

Justin McCormack

Kathryn Miedl