English
Success in the modern world depends more than ever on communication skills. The St. John’s Prep English Department helps students acquire the skills necessary for successful communication: reading, thinking, analyzing, and writing. Through literature, writing assignments, and class discussions, we introduce students to the important issues and ideas that will help them to explore their own identity and the nature of the world around them.
Relevant grade-level themes come to life in our courses, helping students find meaning and a connection to what they learn. Through the exploration of grade-appropriate novels, short stories, poetry, memoir, drama, and nonfiction prose, Middle School students increase their reading fluency and strengthen their critical reading ability. They learn to express themselves clearly and cultivate their own unique writing voice. Students also practice effective dialogue and discussion, deliver polished oral presentations, and learn research methods in preparation for the depth of high school inquiry. The ongoing studies of grammar and vocabulary provide additional support for the development of foundational English skills.