Course Overview
This course focuses on preparing students to enter Advanced Placement English courses. While the course will emphasize concepts covered in the AP Language course, it will support both the Language and Literature courses.
Our main focus will be to develop students’ abilities in rhetorical analysis through close examination of nonfiction texts; students will learn to analyze the rhetorical situation of each text by posing questions about its argument, claims, evidence, and stylistic choices. Using these texts as models, students will also practice writing rhetorically effective arguments of their own. We will also pursue some literary analysis: students will engage in close readings of short pieces of literature, and explore methods of critically analyzing these works. Students will learn to communicate evidence-based interpretations of texts in writing and in discussion.
Each week, students will read an assigned text or texts prior to class, and come prepared to engage in a seminar-style discussion with the instructor and other students. Students will also submit a piece of writing prior to each class; the instructor will correct and comment on this submission before meeting with students.
Mentor: Dr. Prusko
Dr. Prusko is a university educator with over two decades’ experience teaching literature, writing, and communications courses. She is currently a lecturer in the Department of English and Film Studies at the University of Alberta. She is the recipient of a Faculty of Arts Teaching Award and the William Hardy Alexander Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. While teaching is her main focus, she also researches and publishes in the areas of Shakespeare, early modern drama, and children’s literature.
Ph.D. in English
Award-winning university educator
Shakespearean/early modern drama/children's literature scholar
Lesson Plan
Module 1 The rhetorical situation
Module 2 Analyzing arguments and evidence
Module 3 Analyzing rhetorical strategies: narrative as evidence
Module 4 Analyzing rhetorical strategies: appeals
Module 5 Analyzing short fiction
Module 6 Analyzing poetry
Testimonials
"At first I thought my writing skills were really bad because for all of 8th grade I had no idea what I was doing whenever we had a writing assignment, but I think this course helped me practice my writing and made me feel a bit better about writing. I've always been a slow reader, but having reading assignments every week helped me learn how to read faster and helped prepare for high school. Also, if I hadn't taken this course, my writing would've been really rusty going into 9th grade (since I wouldn't have done any English-related things otherwise during the summer), so it helped me transition into the new school year. Dr. Prusko was also really nice and patient."
“Dr. Prusko embraces and celebrates innovative and novel ideas, which allows her students to truly thrive in their own explorations of literature. She has been a huge inspiration in both the academic and personal facets of my life.”
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"I liked the open-ended discussions about the different topics of technology intersecting with humanities. The instructor listened to all I had to say, and tried to get me to elaborate on what I thought, and tried to challenge the views (to help me think through them), which I really enjoyed."
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“The writing methods she introduced have proven to be invaluable across a variety of subjects and situations; when my friends are struggling with their writing, I recommend the techniques I learned from Dr. Prusko. Her enthusiasm and skill are truly remarkable.”
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“I absolutely loved this course. Dr. Prusko is an amazing teacher who really cares about her students and takes time to make sure they understand the material. She is always willing to help and provide constructive feedback and is great at promoting class community and discussion.”
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“Dr. Prusko is an incredible teacher and clearly knowledgeable and passionate about literature. Her class was challenging, but she provided constructive and helpful feedback and really encouraged us to do our best. She encouraged class discussions which were always interesting and helpful to the topic we were discussing.”
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“I found myself working hard in this class because I felt compelled by the topic, and because I felt Dr. Prusko was very invested in our advancement in the class.”
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“I think that the way Dr. Prusko is prepared, honest, humorous, and knowledgeable made learning more interesting and I enjoyed it. She was easily my best teacher.”
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"I liked Dr. Prusko teaching method because she would use lots of figurative language which helped with my learning."
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"I noticed that my daughters writing skills improved significantly and she seemed more interested in the subject too."
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"Great class. My child said it was very interesting, and thought-provoking."