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English & Foreign Languages

The Language Arts Department at Goldendale High School consists of 5 certified teachers. These teachers provide many different opportunities for students. Language Arts offered at GHS:

  • Applied English (All Year, Placement by Counselor Only): Remedial course for students to strengthen their English skills.
  • English I (All Year, 9th Grade Requirement): Course emphasizes reading, writing, public speaking, listening and logical thinking. Included are techniques of good library usage, basic grammar skills, vocabulary building, and creative writing. Various types of literature are read and evaluated.
  • English II (All Year, 10th Grade Requirement, Prerequisite: English I): This course is designed to improve the various language art skills: spelling, punctuation, sentence and paragraph writing, dictionary usage, library research, basic grammar and vocabulary building, among others. English II is the second-year sequence of language arts for most students.
  • English III (All Year, 11th Grade Requirement, Unless Pathway is Non-College, Prerequisite: English II): Course includes essay and creative writing, as well as short stories, poetry, drama and novels written by American authors from the settlement of America to the present. English III is the third-year sequence of language arts for many students, although Business English will also fulfill this requirement for students who are not planning on attending college. 
  • Honors English III (All Year, 11th Grade Requirement, Unless Pathway is Non-College, Prerequisite: English II & Teacher Approval)
  • English IV (All Year, 12th Grade, Prerequisite: Successful Completion of English I and II; And of Either English III or Another Level of Junior Level English Course): English IV is designed to cover 12th grade Common Core Standards for College and Career Readiness in the areas of reading and writing. 12th grade English Language Arts includes the study of British and World literature and informational texts. Students will read fiction, nonfiction, poetry and drama. In addition, students will continue to develop and use vocabulary and grammar skills. English IV students are expected to produce coherent and well-organized writing using the writing process. Students will write analysis, narrative, and informational pieces. Students will research a topic and produce a completed research project that includes a written paper, oral presentation and visual aids.
  • Business English (One Semester or All Year, 11th & 12th Grade Elective or Requirement, Prerequisite: English II, Not Approved for NCAA Sports): This course prepares students to communicate effectively as a future business employer, employee within the public or private sector by learning how to create and present a variety of business documents such as memos, emails, business plans, website literature and formal presentations to company stockholders. Students will also practice verbal communication skills through marketing campaigns, interviews and public announcements.
  • Film Analysis (One Semester, 11th or 12th Grade Elective or English, Prerequisites: Successful Completion of English I and II, and Grade-Level Reading): This course will focus on literature through film and comparing and contrasting the two formats related to each novel/film. Students will be required to read novels and write comparison essays after watching films in this class.
  • Young Adult Literature (One Semester, 11th or 12th Grade Elective or English, Prerequisites: Successful Completion of English I and II, and Grade-Level Reading): Contemporary Young Adult Literature is an introduction to young adult literature as an evolving branch of literary study. It provides an overview of current genres in the field, including contemporary realistic fiction, science fiction, dystopia, graphic novels, mystery, and memoir. Text focus on a survey of literature for secondary students grades 10-12. Emphasis will be critical analysis, evaluation, and use of books in various genres. Students will be expected to keep pace with the reading and participate in all class discussions. 

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

  • Spanish I (All Year, 9th-12th Grade, Prerequisite: "B" or Higher in English): This course should enable the student to understand and speak Spanish at a basic level.
  • Spanish II (All Year, 10th-12th Grade, Prerequisite: Spanish I): The emphasis shifts to expanding vocabulary and reading skills, but also develops further the student's skils in understanding and speaking Spanish and understanding the structure of the language.
  • ESL: Support course for students with Spanish as their primary language.

COLLEGE IN HIGH SCHOOL

All Year, 11th & 12th Grade, Prerequisite: English III & Teacher Recommendation

Students who wish to receive college credit pay a tuition fee of $65/credit, which includes tuition, fees, and textbooks. This is a savings of $1,265 for a 5-credit course.

  • English 101 (Prerequisites: Writing Placement Test & Teacher Recommendation): Provides opportunities for students to develop and enhance their written communication skills. Stresses the organization, development and support of ideas and perspectives in exposition and argumentation as public discourse, familiarization with library resources and application of the rules and conventions of standard American English. Students who take this course through Eastern Washington University will earn both high school credit and 5 college humanities credits. 
  • English 170, Introduction to Literature Through Eastern Washington University (Prerequisites: Completion of English III With a Grade of "B" or Higher or By Teacher Recommendation): Designed to review and enhance students' understanding of the literary genres of fiction, poetry and drama. Through reading assignments, class discussion and written work, students will sharpen their interpretive and analytical skills. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify the fundamental elements and stylistic attributes of these three genres, and also offer and consider a variety of interpretive perspectives. Students who take this course through Eastern Washington University will earn both high school credit and 5 college humanities credits.