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Welcome to the English Department
Ms. Austin started as a substitute in 1998 and early 2000s at the high school. She started teaching as a middle school teacher in 2007. She transitioned up to the high school in 2009 and has been here since. Ms. Austin teaches teaches 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade ELA courses for students. Starting last year,
Mr. Westrich has been working at DISHS since 2022. Mr. Westrich teaches 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade ELA courses to students.
One area of academics we have identified in the high school that would benefit from a year-long curriculum would be the students' reading and writing skills. Every student at DISHS has a year-long ELA class. Students will have both Ms. Austin and Mr. Westrich in their 9th and 10th grade school years. 11th and 12th-grade students will have either Ms. Austin or Mr. Westrich for the school year, dependent on the classes students decide to take. While below you will see that there are topics, books, and objectives covered in each ELA class, it is important to note that Ms. Austin and Mr. Westrich both adapt the topics, books, and objectives depending on the group of students they are teaching. The differentiation between groups of students and classes is one of the best parts of our English Department, and demonstrates the teacher's willingness to understand where students are at and push them to succeed from there.
9th Grade
ELA
Students starting high school will all take 9th grade ELA. The class focuses primarily on identity and how the world focuses on social organization. Books that will be read during this class include The Outsiders, Of Mice and Men, Lord of the Flies, and much more.
Pre-Requisites: None
10th Grade
ELA
Once students have completed their 9th grade ELA class they will move into 10th grade ELA. The class will focus on what it means to be a human, the human condition, the human predicament, and mortal existence. Books that will be read during this class include Hamlet, Call of the Wild, Hollow Kingdom, and many more.
Pre-Requisites: 9th Grade ELA
11th Grade
ELA
In 11th-grade ELA, students' reading will focus on plot, characterization, point of view, and more. Their writing involves analysis, interpretation, and making well-defended claims. Books that will be read during this class include Flowers for Algernon, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and many more.
Pre-Requisites: 9th Grade ELA and 10th Grade ELA
12th Grade
ELA
In 12th grade, ELA students will focus on college preparation, composition, and digital literacy. Books that will be read during this class include short stories and newspaper articles. Each year varies depending on the direction of news and the world.
Pre-Requisites: 9th Grade ELA, 10th Grade ELA, and 11th Grade ELA
Books, Screens, & Scripts
This ELA course is co-taught by Ms. Austin and Mr. Lincoln. Students will analyze literary sources and then review various adaptations, both movies and short films. The films are meant to be used as a teaching tool to make connections to the theme and provide differentiation. Students will read books such as Shawshank Redemption, Shakespeare, The Great Gatsby, and many more.
Pre-Requisites: 10th Grade ELA and Teacher Recommendation
ENG 101: College Composition
Students taking ENG 101 will be analyzing different types of writing, including argumentative, persuasive, and much more. Students will read books such as Frankenstein and The Kite Runner, along with reading short stories and non-fictional articles.
Pre-Requisites: 10th Grade ELA and Teacher Recommendation
ENG 102: College Literature
Students taking ENG 102 will be covering topics such as critical terminology, literary theory, and much more. Instruction for this class is lecturing, discussion, individual conferences, and online support. Books that could be read during this class include The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, and more.
Pre-Requisites: ENG 101 and Teacher Recommendation
If you are interested in learning more about our English classes that are also Dual Enrollment classes, please click here.
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