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Dear New AP Language Teacher,

Dear New AP Language Teacher, We need to talk. You’re about to fall madly in love with a course, and because I used to be married (and I mean this in almost every sense of the word) to said course, I need to prep you. Listen up. AP English Language…
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Teaching in June: Will You SLOG or SLAY?

If only I could draw. I have this image in my mind of a frazzled, frizzy-haired teacher (Think Professor Trelawney) dragging herself across a desert . . . in a mask. Strapped to her back is a laptop with a Zoom logo on it. Tied to her leg is a…
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Exam Day Strategies for AP Lang (Paper-Pencil)

I’m so thankful that some students will have the opportunity to take the paper-pencil exam May 12. It just feels . . . normal. It also feels normal to write an old-fashioned blog post about ways to tackle an analog anything. Thank you, trees, for giving your lives for this…
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ap ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAM

AP English Language Exam Rhetorical Analysis Review Tips

Argument gets attention, and synthesis gets a visit, but we all know that rhetorical analysis is where students tend to struggle, both with confidence and skills, while getting ready for the AP Language exam. Tip #1: Get Creative with Anchor Charts Have students create their own four-page anchor charts. Each…
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AP Language synthesis

AP Language Synthesis Review Tips

If you’re in AP Lang exam review mode, you probably plan to spend the least amount of time dealing specifically with Question 1. Why do I think that? But it needs a little love, and students still need a refresher going into the exam. Review Tip #1: Practice dealing with…
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AP English language study group

The Big Picture of AP Lang Argumentation Review

When reviewing for the AP Lang exam, we may need to review argumentation on these four levels: Analysis of an Argument on the Multiple Choice Section Look at argument as a frame. If the entire passage is clearly arguing a claim, there will probably be stems that are specific to…
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teenagers editing for sentence fragments

The 7 Types of Sentence Fragments

Because grammar has boundaries and rules, teaching it is actually a reprieve from the subjectivity of analysis. I’m fully aware (and teach) that language is a fluid, constantly evolving thing and that the rules themselves have their own cozy little home in classism, racism, and misogyny; but sometimes, a sentence…
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How to Explain Question Stems to Students

Let’s talk about closets. AP English Language teachers know that I love a good metaphor, and I throw them around willy nilly when it comes to multiple choice. Rods and Hangers In my small bedroom closet, I have one four-foot rod. I’m a clothing minimalist (mostly because no one sees…
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How to Practice AP Lang MC Remotely

As part of my AP Lang multiple choice series, I’d like to dive deep on just ONE synchronous strategy in this post. For this one, we’re looking at team competitions for practice. Remove the Incentive to Cheat on AP Lang Multiple Choice Rather than require a sudden moral evolution of…
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How to Outsmart the AP Language Multiple Choice Distractors

“Foils bought my house.” A friend whose husband writes standardized social studies tests said that line to me over lunch one day. Between expensive mouthfuls, she explained that anyone who is really good at writing THE foil answer choice can write his or her own ticket. Apparently, they are VERY…
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AP English Language multiple choice

5 Tips for AP Language Multiple Choice Prep

AP English Language multiple choice test prep can be miserable, but you can spread out the misery or even eliminate it. Because I am a nerd, I actually LIKE getting students ready for the multiple choice section of the AP exam. The clean-cut nature of time management and test-taking strategies…
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