American Short Stories and Poems (432 total classroom hours)

This course is designed to meet the needs of the high- intermediate and advanced students. The variety of short stories selections allows to expand the literary horizons of the students. Short stories by Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway to Langston Hughes, Ray Bradbury, or Shirley Jackson are often a springboard to reading other stories and novels by the same authors. The understanding of the structure and content of stories creates a higher level of communication for the student. Students who understand variety of stories can better understand the world around them. In learning how to appreciate short stories, students also develop writing skills. Students improve grammar skills and vocabulary choice by reading "real" famous American literature instead of depending on textbooks.