Four
Ways to Succeed in High School English Class
Whether you love it or hate it,
high school English class is one of the most important classes a student can
take - if they make the most of it. Many will say that reading Charles Dickens
or Shakespeare and writing a five paragraph essay about it has no value to a
student's future. That's true if you don't think that critical reading and
analysis skills are important. The fact is, reading and writing go hand in
hand, each piggybacking on the other to take you to a higher skill level. No,
you won't have to write academic essays when you grow up to be in marketing -
but you will have to know how to organize ideas and sentences in a logical,
coherent manner if you want to be taken seriously in any job you undertake.
So what's the secret to mastering high school English class? These four tips can help.
Learn the 5 paragraph essay. Now!
Take the time to memorize the structure of a five paragraph essay. Many schools are teaching this as early as 5th or 6th grade but by the time students get to me in 9th grade, they're still shocked and overwhelmed when I present this concept to them. It seems like a lot but really it's not so hard. Your introduction lets the reader know what they'll be reading about, your three body paragraphs (or more) talk about the main points you're arguing and your conclusion sums up what you've said and tells us why it's important. See? Not so bad. The important thing to remember is that if you really take the time to master this concept early, writing all of your papers in high school and college will be a breeze. It doesn't hurt to have this skill in the workforce either - writing emails, reports and presentations is a snap when you understand how to structure your ideas and arguments.
Read a little bit everyday!
The more you read, the more you are exposed to new vocabulary and complex sentencing. Every time you read something - be it a classic of literature, an article on Facebook or even a graphic novel, you're expanding your knowledge store of what good writing looks like. Outside of school, there are relatively few occasions where you need to know the definition of a gerund or a past participle - you just have to know when a sentence either doesn't look or sound right. This also helps with any issues you may have with spelling - the more words you see, the easier it will be to either remember how to spell them or figure it out on your own. The stronger the reader, the stronger the writer.
What's important to remember is that it really doesn't matter what you read, as long as you make it a habit. Many students say that they hate reading. Well yes if all you've ever read is what you're required to read for school! Most movies come from books so if you can think of a movie you really enjoy, why not try out the book? Put in the effort to find something that appeals to you and spend 15-20 (or more!) minutes a day reading.
Journal!
It's like thinking... but writing. Whether I'm teaching a class or I'm tutoring one student, I always begin every lesson with a short journal entry. Journaling helps you get your ideas out into the universe without editing yourself - so don't worry if you have mistakes, the point is that you're jump-starting your writing skills by getting words out on paper. The best way to do this is to read and journal in tandem. So if your homework assignment is to read the first chapter of The Great Gatsby, spend five to ten minutes writing about what you read. What happened? Who was involved? What do you think about what's going on? Does it remind you of something else, something in the news, something that you saw on TV or something that happened to you? This activity can help you remember important points in the story which will ultimately help you do well on quizzes, essay tests or even class discussions.
Ask for help!
If grammar and punctuation is a problem, the best advice I can give you is to see your teacher or a tutor. You'd be amazed if I told you how rarely students come by at lunch or after school, even when they know they need help. If your papers are constantly getting marked up with red pen, make sure you ask for a private lesson on what you're doing wrong and how to fix it. There are also a number of good books out there that not only explain these concepts but allow you to practice. I really enjoy theCaught'ya! Grammar series by Jane Bell Kiester. Her books teach you how to fix broken sentences and improve your vocabulary - all while being really funny and entertaining.
Just remember, a lot of the things you read and write in English class may not seem especially important for your future. However, your teachers are trying to set up a frame work in which you understand how to read and write critically. You need those two skills for everything so go the extra mile!
So what's the secret to mastering high school English class? These four tips can help.
Learn the 5 paragraph essay. Now!
Take the time to memorize the structure of a five paragraph essay. Many schools are teaching this as early as 5th or 6th grade but by the time students get to me in 9th grade, they're still shocked and overwhelmed when I present this concept to them. It seems like a lot but really it's not so hard. Your introduction lets the reader know what they'll be reading about, your three body paragraphs (or more) talk about the main points you're arguing and your conclusion sums up what you've said and tells us why it's important. See? Not so bad. The important thing to remember is that if you really take the time to master this concept early, writing all of your papers in high school and college will be a breeze. It doesn't hurt to have this skill in the workforce either - writing emails, reports and presentations is a snap when you understand how to structure your ideas and arguments.
Read a little bit everyday!
The more you read, the more you are exposed to new vocabulary and complex sentencing. Every time you read something - be it a classic of literature, an article on Facebook or even a graphic novel, you're expanding your knowledge store of what good writing looks like. Outside of school, there are relatively few occasions where you need to know the definition of a gerund or a past participle - you just have to know when a sentence either doesn't look or sound right. This also helps with any issues you may have with spelling - the more words you see, the easier it will be to either remember how to spell them or figure it out on your own. The stronger the reader, the stronger the writer.
What's important to remember is that it really doesn't matter what you read, as long as you make it a habit. Many students say that they hate reading. Well yes if all you've ever read is what you're required to read for school! Most movies come from books so if you can think of a movie you really enjoy, why not try out the book? Put in the effort to find something that appeals to you and spend 15-20 (or more!) minutes a day reading.
Journal!
It's like thinking... but writing. Whether I'm teaching a class or I'm tutoring one student, I always begin every lesson with a short journal entry. Journaling helps you get your ideas out into the universe without editing yourself - so don't worry if you have mistakes, the point is that you're jump-starting your writing skills by getting words out on paper. The best way to do this is to read and journal in tandem. So if your homework assignment is to read the first chapter of The Great Gatsby, spend five to ten minutes writing about what you read. What happened? Who was involved? What do you think about what's going on? Does it remind you of something else, something in the news, something that you saw on TV or something that happened to you? This activity can help you remember important points in the story which will ultimately help you do well on quizzes, essay tests or even class discussions.
Ask for help!
If grammar and punctuation is a problem, the best advice I can give you is to see your teacher or a tutor. You'd be amazed if I told you how rarely students come by at lunch or after school, even when they know they need help. If your papers are constantly getting marked up with red pen, make sure you ask for a private lesson on what you're doing wrong and how to fix it. There are also a number of good books out there that not only explain these concepts but allow you to practice. I really enjoy theCaught'ya! Grammar series by Jane Bell Kiester. Her books teach you how to fix broken sentences and improve your vocabulary - all while being really funny and entertaining.
Just remember, a lot of the things you read and write in English class may not seem especially important for your future. However, your teachers are trying to set up a frame work in which you understand how to read and write critically. You need those two skills for everything so go the extra mile!
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