Program Overview
Information About English At CAL
Within English classes at CAL, students have the opportunities to earn different types of both high school and college English credit. Some students select a college-preparatory curriculum, while others choose a general high school curriculum. Some choose to earn college writing credit, while others do not. English courses are designed with flexibility to meet the different needs and interests of all CAL students. All English classes are tied to CAL program areas, so that curriculum and materials can be connected to each student's interest.
High School Credit Options
For your high school English credit, you have two choices: Junior English/Senior English or College Prep/College Composition.
Junior/Senior English
Designed to build reading, writing and research skills for students at a variety of levels in English.
Non-College-Prep Students
Types of Writing: Students should have completed at least one sample of each of the following forms of writing:
Expository
Persuasive
Narrative
Resume
Workplace Correspondence
College-Prep Students
For students wanting MHCC credit
Introduction to College Writing (WR115)
This course introduces students to college-level writing that is informed by critical thinking and the ideas of others as found in texts. The primary focus is on writing short analytical, expository essays based on readings, outside materials and, to a lesser extent, personal experiences. Summary writing, organization, development, sentence style, grammar and beginning documentation also are stressed. Information literacy is introduced. WR115 is a preparatory course for students who need to improve their writing skills before they begin the standard transfer college composition sequence.
English Composition (WR121)
WR121 presents writing as a means of exploring, developing, and communicating ideas. Students compose essays that support and develop a thesis, and learn to develop critical reading and analytical skills. They learn clear and effective communication with an emphasis on understanding audience and the process of written reasoning through the development of information literacy skills.
English Composition: Critical Thinking (WR122)
WR122 focuses on specific ways to develop critical augmentative essays in response to the challenges of increasingly complex contexts, competing arguments, and issues in politics, rhetoric and commercial media. Students practice further how to develop effective theses and reasoning. Students will learn the skills to find an appropriate subject and evaluate a variety of sources to write a major research assignment.
