Four years of language arts classes are required to complete high school. There really is not much variety in the language arts choices, as you need to show that you took 9th grade, 10th grade, 11th grade, and 12th grade language arts to show you have earned a “diploma”. Of course, classes can be taken at a general or advanced level, and also at community college or AP levels as well.
Ninth grade Language arts are composed primarily of grammar skills and poetry, and every day skills.
Everyday skills a student should have are proofreading, reading the newspaper, analyzing propaganda, reading and creating advertising.
In literature, as student must be familiar with drama and film, analyzing poetry, understanding dramatic poetry, using poetry anthologies, reading novel and short stories, folklore and myths, structure of a plays, parables and allegory, as well as interpretation of literature.
Communication students should have are listening skills, be able to have effective discussion techniques and questioning skills, preparing a speech, as well as public speaking and debate.
Ninth graders should also have good research skills and must be able to use the unabridged dictionary, know appropriate vocabulary, including knowledge of foreign words used in English.
Grammar skills 9th grades should learn include fundamentals of composition, report writing, extended reference skills, and using special indexes.
It is rare to find a community college equivalent for 9th grade.
Tenth grade language arts are primarily comprised of American literature and writing. For this reason, your homeschooler may be able to substitute a community college course on American Literature for high school credit. The basic curriculum is as follows:
American literary heritage including cross-cultural literature, folklore and ballads, regional customs, traditions, folkways, and language.
Students must be able to have literary interpretation and critique, and read novels, short stories, dramas, and essays. They must also be able to understand poetry such as lyric poetry, and the sonnet.
Important skills a tenth grader should learn and/or continue to practice are distinguishing between fact and opinion, persuasion and argumentation, listening skills, public speaking and debate.
Basic grammar and language skills include extending dictionary skills, history of the alphabet, vocabulary and etymology, geographical dialects, and basic grammar.
Writing skills include learning the history of writing, techniques of writing, journal writing, writing short stories, poetry, and plays, writing term papers and constructing footnotes.