English language arts (ELA)

The English Department at Roman Catholic High School prepares young men for a life of critical thinking, confident public speaking, and appreciation for great literary work that spans every era, from Classical to modern times.

As students at Roman progress through ELA courses, they examine texts that will increasingly challenge them, developing their capacity to think and write at a level befitting a Roman graduate.

ELA Department Chair

Mr. Fitz-Gerald Gallagher '94

fgallagher@romancatholichs.com

ELA teachers

Mr. Christopher Buck '98

Mr. Colin Coyle

Mr. Fitz-Gerald Gallagher '94

Mr. Connor Henchey

Mr. John Pensabene

Dr. Blaise Tassone

ELA courses

English Language Arts I

  • This honors course is intended for the highly motivated learner. It is a foundation course designed to increase the student's knowledge of all genres of literature as it strengthens and develops essay skills with an emphasis on the structures of grammar. Critical thinking and strong organizational skills are necessary for the significant amount of independent work required.

  • This course provides the student with the opportunity to develop an appreciation and understanding of the literary genres through discussion and writing. He will be expected to master the elements of grammar and sentence structure as outlined in the Grammar for Writing Program, as he develops his essay skills. Intensive vocabulary study and emphasis on SAT preparation will be required.

  • The basic objectives of the course are similar to those outlined in College Prep; however, the teacher will modify the objectives whenever appropriate to accommodate the student's needs. Despite the modifications, this course is intended for the college-bound student.

English Language Arts II

  • This course is an accelerated course designed for the highly motivated, active learner. (Placement in this course will be assigned by the freshman Honors English teacher according to performance). Building upon ELA I, a wide selection of fiction and nonfiction texts will be studied in order to gain a fuller understanding of major literary themes and genres spanning the globe. A large portion of class time will be devoted to development of essay writing: personal, reflective, expository, argumentative, persuasive, comparison and contrast, and analytical.

    Additionally, the student will master the structures and mechanics of grammar while he continues to build his vocabulary and increase his basic understanding of successful SAT-taking strategies. Oral presentations based on independent research will be required. The student will be given opportunities to conduct subject-appropriate research on the internet. Overall, Honors English II is a comprehensive communications course.

  • The student will study a wide array of literary genres and works in order to gain a better understanding of world literary themes. He will be expected to master the structures of grammar as outlined in the Grammar for Writing Program and demonstrate this mastery in a series of essays. Additionally, he will continue to work on his SAT strategies, vocabulary development, oral presentation skills, and independent electronic research techniques. Overall, this course lays the foundation for active, independent learning while promoting mastery of oral and written communications.

  • The course objectives and expectations are similar to those for College Prep; the major difference will be the amount of independent work required and the speed at which the material will be read, taught, or researched. This course is designed for the college-bound student.

English Language Arts III

  • This Advanced Placement course (AP Language and Composition) will use many of the same essays and poetic forms as the honors track. However, the number of required readings will be increased in order to conform to the requirements of the Advanced Placement Examination in Language and Composition. In addition, classroom activities will center around extemporaneous composition writing based on difficult reading material (more often than not, nonfiction material), a skill needed for success in the AP examination. Grammatical elements, rhetorical modes, and significant vocabulary studies are special features of this course.

    In order to lay a solid foundation for the Advanced Placement Literature coursework, the sonnet and the novel will be stressed, particularly the difference between types of sonnets and the difference between the American novels of the 19th and 20th century. All students are required to take and to pay for the Advanced Placement Examination.

  • Course material will be made to challenge the reading and writing abilities of students. Focusing primarily (but not solely) upon the literature of America from the Colonial Period to the Modern Period, this course invites the student to contemplate the relevance of American history on our country’s literature as well as some uniquely American themes within a global context. Additionally, the student will continue to work on his SAT strategies, vocabulary development, oral presentation skills, and independent electronic research techniques. This course aims to see the student become a fully active, independent learner as well as a skilled communicator of the written and the spoken word.

  • The course content is the same as the Honors track. The material is covered at a slightly slower pace. The extra reading and writing assignments will be fewer. This course is designed for the college-bound student.

  • The course content is similar to the College Prep course, although the reading and writing assignments will be adjusted to meet students’ needs. This course is designed for the college-bound student.

English Language Arts IV

  • This Advanced Placement course will use some of the same essays and poetic forms as the Honors track. However, the number of required readings will be increased in order to conform to the requirements of the Advanced Placement Examination in Literature and Composition. There is also a summer reading requirement before the class begins.

    In addition, classroom activities will center on extemporaneous composition writing based on difficult reading material, a skill needed for success in the AP examination. Grammatical elements and significant vocabulary studies are special features of this course. All students are required to take and to pay for the Advanced Placement Examination.

  • This course will provide the student with a sense of global literary history. Readings will chronologically unfold the spectrum of thought from classical writers to contemporary authors. Selections will be made to challenge the reading and writing ability of the students. All readings will be geared toward well-designed writing assignments that will be modeled in class before they are assigned.

  • This course is similar in design to the Honors level, although course texts, vocabulary development, and writing assignments will be varied to meet the needs of students. This course is designed for those students who are college bound.

  • Various text selections will be presented in a way that allows the student to gain an appreciation of our global literary heritage, which is appropriate to the student’s learning style and skills. In addition, strong emphasis will be placed on the basic communication skills needed in practical life situations. This course is designed for those students who are college bound.