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Non-Native English Speakers vs. AP Literature Exam

goldfish2goldfish2 22 replies12 threads- Junior Member
edited March 2012 in English
Those of you whose native language is NOT English, what do you expect to get on the AP Literature Exam coming up in May? How are you preparing for it? How long have you been speaking English?

Three years ago I knew only 3 words in English, with one of them being a curse word. And although I feel like I've made a huge progress over the past three years, there is absolutely no way that I am going to do well on this exam. I'm not familiar with many English writers, my vocabulary is not that flattering, which is why a WWIII has began between me and poetry at the beginning of the school year, and when in comes to English, I'm a slow reader. Yet, I think I'll still continue to prepare for the exam. You never know.

What's your attitude towards this exam?
edited March 2012
4 replies
Post edited by goldfish2 on
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Replies to: Non-Native English Speakers vs. AP Literature Exam

  • marvin100marvin100 8568 replies1249 threads Senior Member
    It's doable. I prep 40-50 kids in Seoul for the AP Lit exam. The big barrier is writing mechanics. The poetry stuff and essay structure/content can be taught quickly, but if your writing skills reveal lack of fluency, you're in trouble. Essentially, very smart non-native speakers can, with practice, get to 6-12 wrong on MCQ--but that means they need two 7s and a 6 at least to get a 5. My students' average the last two years is 4.84 :)
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  • goldfish2goldfish2 22 replies12 threads- Junior Member
    That's really impressive! And inspiring! What material do your students generally use for practice?
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  • jasongreenspanjasongreenspan 4 replies1 threads New Member
    English is technically my third language; I began learning to speak around seven, and now here I am preparing for the AP. Well, I am not as eloquent and able to read quickly as my AP English classmates, but I write well. I just hope that with enough practice, I can master the multiple choice to the point that even if my essays score low (because I can't write under time pressure) I can still walk out with a 5.
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  • marvin100marvin100 8568 replies1249 threads Senior Member
    I strongly believe that the opposite approach is more likely to yield a 5 on the AP English exams: Get 7s and 8s on the essay and accept that you're going to miss 6-12 MCQs.
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