English & ELD
What Students Learn/Experience/Produce in the Department:
Throughout their time at VHS, students will engage with a variety of texts using various reading strategies that encourage critical thinking. Students will interact with both literature and expository texts on a personal level by using collaborative techniques, creating visual and written interpretations, participating in oral presentations and by demonstrating their thinking processes through creative projects. Students will work on developing in-depth analysis skills, and they will also evaluate and communicate reasoned judgments about fictional and non-fictional works through written and oral communication. Students will write coherent and focused essays that convey tightly reasoned arguments.
Students who are English learners also take a designated ELD class based on their typology, proficiency level and years in U.S. schools. In these classes, English learners receive support in developing the language needed for success in academic tasks across content areas. California ELD Standards are used as the focal standards in ways that build into and from content instruction.
English courses offered:
English 9, English 10, English 11, English 12- British Literature, Expository Reading and Writing 12,
English 9 Honors, English 10 Honors, AP 11, IB English 12
Creative Writing, Yearbook, Journalism in the Digital Age
ELD courses offered:
Foundations of English Language, Language Acquisition Support, Academic Language and Literacy,
Emerging Literacy and Culture
English Faculty
Cynthia Campbell |
cynthiacampbell@vistausd.org |
Catherine Connelly |
catherineconnelly@vistausd.org |
Melissa Cotter - Dept Chair |
melissacotter@vistausd.org |
Shanna Draves |
shannadraves@vistausd.org |
Kathleen Ellis |
kathleenellis@vistausd.org |
Jennifer Grainger |
jennifergrainger@vistausd.org |
Heidi Kern |
heidikern@vistausd.org |
Matthew McClure |
matthewmcclure@vistausd.org |
Linda Mitchell |
lindamitchell@vistausd.org |
Shaina Pardo |
shainapardo@vistausd.org |
Blaze Rogers |
blazerogers@vistausd.org |
Joei Smith |
joeismith@vistausd.org |
Crystal Terzic |
crystalterzic@vistausd.org |
Emilie Vancelette |
emilievancelette@vistausd.org |
Nathanael Veach |
nathanaelveach@vistausd.org |
Veronica Von Borstal |
veronicavonborstel@vistausd.org |