A different type of English class

Is Google making us stupid? That’s debatable, but I know Advanced Placement (AP) Language is making my classmates and I sharper in both book and street smarts. I’m enmeshed in current events, politics and ethical dilemmas. The format reminds me of a roundtable debate, involving an assembly of students and our teacher, Susan Lettieri, who is ready to discuss and evaluate world happenings.

The class watched “Digital Nation” a week ago. This documentary depicts the positive and negative aspects of living in a technological society, portraying “Internet Rescue Centers” and students opting to “read” Shakespearean classics through Sparknotes.com. We were perturbed, fascinated by the cultural decay. More importantly, we were aware of the rhetorical strategies employed in the film that provoked such emotion and thought.

The goal of our AP Language class is simple: to embrace differences, to discover through debate. The students of the class are exposed to multiple perspectives in order to broaden personal opinion, perhaps changing one’s mind. We are taught to write succinctly and persuasively, formulating our views into potent arguments. The interpersonal, hands-on nature of the class enhances its purpose: to present precise and convincing appeals.

That my class consists of eight students, a characteristic unique to Lawrence Woodmere Academy, allows everyone to participate easily. Such an accessible form of discussion renders the content easier to absorb. Mrs. Lettieri facilitates these discussions with an enthusiastic spark, enabling us to understand linguistic applications while infecting us with her energy.

“This is definitely a different type of English class,” stated Ayanna Hall, a senior and student in the class. “[The class] explores language in ways I had never thought of before.” It’s true. Instead of fiction study, AP Language is the exploration of the real and practical usages of rhetoric. Using multiple styles of texts and videos, the goal of the class is to determine the purpose of a work and how it is, or is not, achieved.

In addition to “Digital Nation,” we viewed President Obama’s speech to Congress in order to scrutinize a political and persuasive address. The class members were all intrigued by his keen linguistic tactics and their impact. We felt uplifted, though still attentive to, the approaches used to elicit that hopefulness.

I’ve never exited the class without uttering a “Hmm ...” during the period. I’m sure my classmates have had many moments of second-guessing as well. The stimulation of thought is constant—a theme consistent in all disciplines offered at Lawrence Woodmere Academy.