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
