Introduction

This course will prepare students for the Reading, Writing and Language, and Essay sections of the SAT. It will address requirements of the redesigned SAT, which will be administered beginning in March 2016. The course will focus on skills development, test-taking strategies, and familiarization with the format, content, and questions in the English Language Arts sections of the SAT.

Course Content

Practice tests and essays

Analysis and discussion of sample tests, including essays

Analysis and discussion of a variety of texts on subjects represented on the SAT (humanities, history and social studies, science)

Instruction and practice in textual analysis, rhetoric, Standard English Conventions (sentence structure, grammar, usage, punctuation), the writing process, development and organization of essays, methods and critique of argument

Modes of writing: narration, exposition, analysis, argument

Peer editing and instructor feedback for student essays

Format, structure, content of the SAT; types of questions on the SAT; test-taking strategies

Individual attention from the instructor

Skills Development

The course will focus on the two broad skill categories emphasized on the SAT English Language Arts sections: Expression of Ideas and Standard English Conventions.

Reading comprehension skills:

Identify main ideas and themes

Determine meanings of words in context

Analyze how ideas are supported with evidence

Synthesize graphic information (graphs, charts, etc.) with text

Identify rhetorical strategies (diction, tone, etc.)

Identify methods and elements of argument

Writing and Language skills for the analysis of essays:

Support analysis with textual evidence

Analyze methods of argument: evidence, appeal to reason and logic, appeal to emotion, appeal to authority

Analyze rhetorical strategies

Evaluate clarity of ideas and how effectively they are supported

Critique arguments: identify contradictions, gaps in logic, unsupported assumptions, biased tone, etc

Identify and correct errors in Standard English Conventions: sentence structure, grammar, usage, punctuation

Writing and Language skills for the writing of essays:

Utilize the writing process: planning, drafting, revising, editing

Organize essays with a clear thesis and well-placed topic sentences, logical progression of ideas, smooth transitions between ideas, and effectively crafted introductions and conclusions

Develop ideas with evidence (facts, examples, statistics, comparisons, etc.), reasons, and logic

Understand and use effective rhetorical strategies

Use language effectively: precision, clarity, conciseness, connotation and denotation, tone

Follow Standard Conventions of English: sentence structure, grammar, usage, punctuation

Goals and Objectives

Students will:

Gain familiarity with the format, structure, content, and questions on the English Language Arts sections of the SAT

Learn and practice test-taking strategies

Be able to write well-organized and well-developed expository and argumentative essays

Be able to analyze and critique argumentative essays

Be able to analyze and use effective rhetorical strategies

Develop critical reading, writing, and thinking skills

Increase knowledge of Standard English Conventions (sentence structure, grammar, usage, punctuation)

Course Materials and Resources

Comprehensive SAT study guides with sample tests (print and online)

A variety of texts in the humanities, history and social sciences, and science for reading comprehension and analysis

Print and online instructional materials on Standard English Conventions