Many teachers are familiar with Applied Practice materials for AP English classes and know that specific titles from literary and nonfiction selections never have been designed specifically for either AP English Language or AP English Literature. It has been the position of Applied Practice that teachers should decide which courses individual titles might be appropriate for.
But because these new instructional tools are aligned to the framework described in the College Board’s Course and Exam Description document, titles chosen for these versions will be designated as either AP Language or AP Literature, based on which course framework best aligns to the title. In addition, the new guides are more focused and therefore are condensed. Each new guide contains only five targeted and abbreviated passages, each of which contains 8 to 11 multiple choice questions, for a total of 40 to 55 questions – similar to the number of questions included in actual AP English exams.
Applied Practice in Hamlet is the first Aligned Edition to be released in Fall 2022. Additional titles will follow.
Applied Practice in Hamlet available Fall 2022.
Keep reading to view a draft version.
Revised and newly written questions make up these new versions of the guides and offer fresh, aligned material to help teachers more clearly focus their classroom practices, while not taking up excessive class time. Teachers can utilize the content of a guide within the span of a single class and provide a profitable opportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge of the selected work. In addition, essential critical reading and thinking skills can be introduced and reinforced to lead to success both in the course and on the AP exams.
Teachers should be mindful of the following features of the newly revised and aligned version:
- Questions are modeled after actual AP English exam questions, with similar format, question type, and terminology.
- Knowledge of the entire work is preferable before administering the practices since relevant context will aid students in responding to questions.
- Multiple choice questions illustrate the relationship between the College Board’s AP English course frameworks and the exams.
- Free response questions include the “stable wording” used on AP English exams, and student work can be evaluated with the same 6-point scale used on the exam.
- All multiple-choice questions draw from five specifically excerpted passages of the work.
- All three free response questions are based on an understanding of the work, with poetry and prose analysis questions focused on short passages of the play with the literary argument question drawing upon a big idea from the play.