Language Arts Course Descriptions
Every CAL student takes a yearlong, Common Core-aligned Language Arts course in both 11th and 12th grade, earning high school credit and the option to apply for transferable college credit
Junior English/ Semester 1
First semester English class introduces students to high-level reading, thinking, and writing according to 11th grade Common Core standards. Students will engage with informational texts with the intention of learning to interpret, summarize, analyze, and respond in an informed and convincing manner. Students will also learn to reference and integrate source material effectively.
.5 High School Language Arts Credit
Junior English/ Semester 2
As a continuation of 11th grade Common Core standards, second semester focuses on the study of fiction in a way that makes more clear, and also more complex, what it might mean to be human. Students will engage with a wide range of authors and explore differing perspectives from diverse eras to develop their skills in literary analysis, critical thinking, and close reading strategies.
.5 High School Language Arts Credit
4 MHCC Credits for ENG104
Senior English/ Semester 2
Students will utilize the rhetorical concepts learned in Semester 1 through the development of research and argumentation. Students will also apply their rhetorical skills through the research process. This process includes developing research questions, synthesizing primary and secondary sources, and ultimately going through the full writing process to develop thorough and purposeful research papers.
.5 High School Language Arts Credit
4 MHCC Credits for WR122
Senior English/ Semester 1
This semester is guided by Common Core standards which introduce students to the study of various rhetorical concepts. These concepts lend themselves to students learning the basics of rhetorical analysis, argumentation, and the production of rhetorical compositions. Students will also explore the writing process that lends itself to purposeful revision.
.5 High School Language Arts Credit
4 MHCC Credits for WR121
Our Team
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Josh Zimmerman
I’m passionate about helping students find their voice through storytelling and critical thinking. When I’m not in the classroom, you’ll find me watching films, running trails, climbing, or paddleboarding on the Columbia River.
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Robert Bielling
I was born in the backwoods of Arkansas, educated in the Everglades of Florida, and ultimately migrated to the evergreen hills of Oregon, which I’ve called home for more than a decade. Another place I call home is CAL, where I teach Language Arts, and Audio Engineering, an opportunity CAL gave me after learning about my background in recording and performing music for over 20 years.
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Aidan Gibson
I love sharing my passion for books and stories with my students, especially in finding stories that students find authentic and representative of their own experience. Beyond that, I am a cyclist, as well as a diehard support of Arsenal and the New York Mets.
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Lindsey Spadoni
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and Asian Studies, and a Masters Degree in Teaching English, Social Studies, and ESOL. I’ve traveled to 22 countries and love exploring new places, gardening, cooking, hiking, music festivals, and reading good books. When I’m not teaching, I run an Airbnb, host trivia, and spend time with my fiancé and our two dogs.
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Paul Vanek
I earned my M.A. in English from the University of Idaho and I've taught at schools in Idaho, California, Alaska, and now Oregon. I have been privileged to teach language, literature, and logic to high school students for all of my adult life.