Course Description
This course is a study of rhetoric and effective writing processes with an emphasis on expository evaluative writing. Students in this course must pass with a C or better to move on to ENGL 1023.
Course Goals
English Composition I seeks to develop each student’s ability to write effectively, recognizing components of the rhetorical situation in various types of writing situations. Students will learn to analyze different types of audiences and write purposefully, taking a specific stance within different genres.
Students will demonstrate their ability to:
The application deadline for dual credit enrollment in this course is Monday, August 11. LETU will not accept applications after this date, and any students who register afterward will be ineligible for dual credit.
Please view prerequisites and required supplies below.
Special Note 1: This course is available as dual credit; however, a student does not have to dual enroll to take the class. This is a rigorous course intended for students ready to handle university-level content and pace. Please contact the teacher if you have any questions about academic readiness, placement, or to have a recent writing sample reviewed.
Special Note 2: Extensive use of camera and microphone is expected in this course.
Special Note 3: Students enrolled in LETU/Honors courses, regardless of dual credit status, will communicate directly with their instructors. Parents will not be copied on emails or included in course correspondence. These courses are designed to promote independent learning and responsibility, aligning with college-level expectations as well as FERPA and privacy regulations. Parents should address any questions before the semester begins. Instructors will use the student email provided during registration for all course communication.
See description above. This is a rigorous course intended for students ready to handle university-level content and pace.
ISBN: 9780393655803
Jess Woods graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor's degree in English Education and from Arizona State University with a Master's degree in English. She began her career teaching in a public high school; however, since 2013, she has been teaching middle school and high school English courses online. Jess is a life-long reader and writer. She comes alive in the company of words and music, and she has a passion for literature that reaches through every part of her being. She believes wholeheartedly that each person has a relevant voice and perspective, and she eagerly teaches her students to embrace their individual voices by exploring their own thoughts and learning to confidently articulate them. It is her desire to encourage growth in all students (regardless of their love for English courses…or lack thereof). She considers it a tremendous success if she can awaken a love of literature and/or composition in her students. Jess currently resides in Alabama with her pastor-husband, Josh and their three kids. They also have a lot of animals and plants. While reading and writing are clearly on the top of her hobby list, Jess also enjoys all things musical, cooking competition shows, gardening, hiking, and traveling.
Student C. –
As a student in the class, this was the highlight of my school weeks. The class was very well organized and consistent with its schedule and with its homework load. The class was exactly what I expected regarding types of assignments and topics we studied. The topics and level of difficulty of the topics were challenging, but still understandable. The class consisted of a variety of levels of experience in the writing and studying requirements and skills, but everyone seemed to communicate well and help each other out when required. Everyone was super friendly, and the class flowed well, even with the chat always open. I would definitely recommend this class to someone who likes more academic or formal writing and, even though the majority of the writing and reading assignments were nonfiction, the homework still consisted of multiple opportunities to enjoy some writer’s liberties. Advanced Comp. A is a great introduction class or even a great improvement class, if you already have experience in English writing!
Student J. –
Jess Woods is a great teacher. She is very approachable and is good at helping students understand new material. In this class you learn about different genres of writing and have to write various papers in these genres. There is a lot of writing, but it is definitely do-able. This was a great class.
Student O. –
This class was a great way for me to learn different styles of writing than those that I’ve learned so far, and it has made me go outside of my writing comfort zone. Mrs. Woods is a great teacher and I’m really glad that I was able to have her for a teacher. I can tell that she loves what she does!
Parent L. –
My daughter has loved having Jess Woods as a teacher. She has taken multiple classes with her over the past few years, so she was excited to take this course for dual credit. We were very happy with the workload, rigor, and feedback on assignments. My daughter really enjoyed the variety of assignments, and Mrs. Woods teaching style. I would highly recommend this course!
Student A. –
I loved ACA! Class was fun and engaging and I felt prepared when working on my assignments during the week. Mrs. Woods is amazing and always is quick to respond whenever I reached out with a question. I learned a lot and felt like the pace of the class was good. Highly recommend.
Student L. –
Mrs. Woods has been an amazing teacher, and she has helped me grow in my writing skills! Through her Advanced Comp A class, I have had the opportunity to try new types of writing to develop my strengths and pinpoint my weaknesses. I highly recommend this class to anyone unsure of what English class to take next. I have been taking every opportunity to enroll in a class with Mrs. Woods because I know that she is excellent at what she does and how she does it.
Parent K. –
This was the first college level class for my son, and it was a perfect start. Most dual enrollment does not offer live interaction with a teacher and classmates and this element was really helpful for him. The live classes were engaging and he looked forward to them each week. The course was appropriately challenging, but the step by step instruction kept it from being overwhelming. Mrs. Woods was very responsive to email, so any questions he had were answered quickly. I would definitely recommend this class. We’ve signed him up for the next level!
Student A. –
As a student, Advanced Composition A has been an amazing learning experience. From memoirs to informational reports and everything in between, this class has familiarized me with many different types of writing and has helped me feel more prepared for other college-level courses. I would recommend this class for anyone who wishes to expand their writing experience, as Mrs. Woods makes it a fun and comfortable learning environment for all students while keeping the workload manageable.
B. K. –
Advanced Composition has been an amazing experience and I am so glad I was able to take it. It taught me many great writing techniques that I will use moving forward in life. Jess Woods is an amazing teacher and I will be forever grateful for all the work she does.
Student E. –
I am a student at Excelsior Classes, and have loved all the classes I have taken with Mrs. Woods. She is engaging and fun, and although Advanced Comp A has been a vigorous course, Mrs. Woods has made it so enjoyable. I would encourage any students interested in writing to take this course.
B. K. –
Jess Woods is one of my kids all time fav Excelsior teachers! Her classes are always fun and engaging. My daughter really enjoyed taking Advanced Comp. She took it as a dual credit. It’s my 3rd daughter taking this class and all of them had a great experience. 2 of them are already in college and this class truly prepared them for writing in college.
Student L. –
Advanced Composition was an incredible opportunity for both me and my sister to grow as writers and thinkers. The schedule was thoughtfully designed, offering a perfect balance between engaging class discussions and manageable homework assignments that reinforced what we learned. Our teacher, Mrs. Woods stood out for her excellent teaching skills and ability to make complex concepts easy to understand. On top of that, she’s a fair and insightful grader who provides constructive feedback that genuinely helps improve our writing. It was a rewarding and enriching experience. Highly recommend.
Virginia S –
Advanced Comp A was an excellent choice for my daughter. She is generally not a fan of English courses, but really loved Mrs. Woods as a teacher. She took English III with her and asked me to sign her up immediately when she learned Mrs. Woods would be teaching Advanced Comp A. This was a great introduction to dual-enrollment for her, as this was her first DE course. She was attentive and motivated to succeed in this course, and we felt it provided an appropriate level of rigor. She rated it 4-stars as a student (which is saying a lot for her!) and I rate it 5 stars as a parent. This was a top-notch Excelsior course (like all we have taken) and the dual-enrollment option made it an easy choice.