Department Chair:

English/Language Arts 

One credit of English/Language Arts (ELA) is required in each of a student's four years at Brandywine High School. Four earned credits in ELA are required for graduation by the Brandywine School District and the State of Delaware. At least two course levels are offered each year. Elective courses are available to supplement the required courses. ELA courses provide each student with the opportunity to develop an aesthetic sense, to be exposed to various styles of excellent writing, and to develop personal ideas through reflection upon the ideas of others.

The English and language Arts curriculum at Brandywine is designed to connect the best of two worlds. We seek to prepare students for success in the twenty-first century by applying reading, writing, speaking and thinking to topics and disciplines relevant today while finding value in classic literature, drama and poetry. The approach is multi-disciplinary. Teachers use history, current news, student interests and internet literacy to encourage and enhance self-discovery and relevance between literary topics and life in the world today.

9th Grade English Curriculum:

Freshman English, Language and Literature focuses on developing the basics needed for skills development throughout high school and college. Our ninth graders are mindful of the skills required to become an excellent reader and writer. Students learn to keep careful notes and organized notebooks; they learn how to organize and develop written ideas and how to identify the basics of plot, character and setting in literature. Finally, students learn to make the leap from concrete to abstract concepts as they discuss symbolism, motif, character motivation, author's purpose and theme. Students learn to transfer these skills to the real world as they write about topics of current interest and read and write commentaries, essays and arguments.

10th Grade English Curriculum:

Sophomore English Language and literature builds upon the skills developed in the freshman course. Although the formal area of study is “World Literature”, students refine their ability to identify author's purpose, and how the author succeeds in arousing emotion in and persuading the reader. Students learn to transfer these observations to their own written work. Students write essays, position papers and learn to aptly structure an argument. Through activities, projects and research, students learn to refine their ideas and logical process and to aid other students in the development of their own. By the end of the course, students are aware of their personal strengths and of areas of challenge. They leave the course not only with a sense of value for literature, writing and authorship, but also with a concrete understanding of how to continue developing as a reader, writer and thinker over the course of their lives.

11th Grade English Curriculum:

The Eleventh Grade ELA course focuses on American Literature. The course uses works of fiction, non-fiction, essay and poetry to define the American Experience. The course acts as a ‘literary laboratory' wherein students research, discuss and discover why we think the way we think today. Students leave the course with an understanding of where they fit into the American tapestry.

12th Grade English Curriculum:

The Senior English Program builds upon the skills developed in the previous three years of English and Language Arts at Brandywine, providing the final steps necessary for college preparation. The curiculum focuses on British and Non-American Literature.  Students study the roots of our language and culture and apply this understanding to what makes the Western World unique among world cultures. Students bring refinement of research, analysis and writing skills to fruition in a final research project and paper. Our seniors leave the Brandywine ELA program prepared for the rigors of college reading, writing and thinking and for success adapting to and developing empathy for the world around them.