English

“If we had no language, we’d have nothing.” - Toni Morrison

It is almost impossible to imagine a world devoid of language. 

Equal measures poetic and productive, skillfully shaped language enables us to render the internal external, to make the abstract concrete, and to crystallize our individual experiences and release them into the world. More so than any other sensibility, human capacity for language remains our greatest means of connection. Here in the Roslyn English Department, we are bound together by a shared passion for language, literature, and the art of writing. In our English classes, we invite students to both wield language as a tool and recognize it as a weapon, celebrating its limitless capacity for beauty and wonder while respecting its tremendous power.  

A Message from English Chair Jennifer Sapir

Welcoming Language In: Literature & Stories

What makes literature great, and what makes great literature? We challenge our students to consider both of these questions as we guide them through analysis of canon old and new, savoring those texts that serve as our cultural touchstones. In our classrooms, students are tasked with slowing down – engaging in deliberate, intentional, and thoughtful reading of text and subtext. We take great pride and pleasure in leading students through this reiterative process of reading both the words on the page before them and the voices in the world that surrounds them.

Ushering Language Out: Writing & Speaking

When it comes to writing, we lead with Margaret Atwood’s definition: “A word after a word after a word is power.” Both an incredible art form and a necessary skill, writing does more than merely allow us to express what we think: it reveals our own thoughts to us. By supporting students as they learn to shape their written voices, we partner alongside them as they demystify their own selves, ultimately aiding them in finding the courage to share those selves with the wider world. 

Whether we greet students on their first day at Roslyn or their last, we take seriously the responsibility and privilege of educating them and preparing them for their future in a rapidly evolving world.  

Summer Reading

Summer Reading Letter
English 1H
AP Language and Composition 
AP Literature and Composition
 

Department Statement on the use of Generative AI