Emphasize the development of students’ analytical and critical thinking skills through the study of communication processes and strategies such as: close reading, discussing, presenting, and writing. Allow students to explore and analyze themes in a blend of classic and contemporary literature written in different styles and forms and from diverse cultures. Through the analysis of literature and language, students will create, refine, and present their own argumentative, informative, and narrative compositions that adhere to the conventions of formal English and Modern Language Association (MLA) formatting.