Most AP English teachers now find themselves well into this critical second half of the school year. With the AP exam quickly approaching in May (I know, I didn’t need to remind you), I know your months ahead must be purposeful, strategic, and student-centered. The challenge is striking the right balance between skill reinforcement, exam preparation, and fostering a love of reading and writing. Having talked to a lot of teachers and students and done a lot of thinking and writing about it all, below I have compiled my top suggestions for AP English teachers as they navigate the second semester.
As you dive into the next phase of instruction, take time to assess where your students stand. Use data from AP Classroom, first-semester essays, multiple-choice assessments, and class discussions to identify strengths and weaknesses. Are students struggling with rhetorical analysis? Do they need more practice with timed writing? Are they actively engaging with complex texts? Identifying gaps early allows you to tailor instruction accordingly.
Consider: Create a run chart of class performance (if you can use to motivate and not frustrate) that you keep on the wall of your room. Set goals for certain performance levels and strategize with your students about how to get there. Help them own the work while you teach, support, and provide strategies.
While students have likely written multiple essays in the first semester, the second semester should emphasize timed writing. Maybe not the entire essay each time—and certainly not if you are still introducing essay types—but sometimes a 20 minute thesis and paragraph can be as good of an assessment of their ability as the full essay (and they still learn to manage time and you don’t have as much to read). You know that he AP English exams demand strong, organized, and analytical writing under pressure.
Consider: Regularly writing in-class timed essays—followed by review, self-reflection, and targeted revision—help students develop stamina and confidence. Model effective planning strategies, reinforce thesis-driven argumentation, and encourage students to move beyond formulaic responses.
For AP English Language, the multiple-choice section assesses students’ ability to analyze nonfiction passages, while for AP Literature, it tests literary analysis skills. Many students struggle with these sections, so talking through them, doing read and think alouds, answer-elimination techniques, and close-reading strategies are essential. Reminding them that getting a 60% is doing very very well can also help relieve some of the pressure they may be feeling. Integrating short, focused multiple-choice practice at the start of class a few times a week can make a big difference over time.
Consider: Give full-credit for any practice that scores 60% or higher and then asking anyone below that to complete “test corrections” where they also get to practice their analysis skills as the pull out evidence and then use their commentary skills to explain it.
In both AP English Language and AP Literature, strong essays hinge on well-selected, well-explained information or examples that become evidence. Practice incorporating their examples/evidence seamlessly: making it a part of their own ideas instead of taking up large parts of their paragraphs with quotes or anecdotes. How can they make the examples/evidence part of their own ideas? Then develop commentary that moves beyond summar and, instead, explains how the examples/evidence support their thinking and justify their claims. It may surprise you to learn that they don’t always know what it means to analyze or argue, so they need to see how explanations and descriptions show their thinkings
Consider: Encourage students to revise and refine past essays with a critical eye on evidence and commentary. Also, model unpacking an effect paragraph (from your class and on a text they know, so they can take part), labeling each part and explaining how each helps make it effective.
For AP Language students, the synthesis essay requires them to integrate multiple sources into a coherent argument. Many struggle with selecting, citing, and weaving sources smoothly. In AP Literature, making connections between different works, historical contexts, and critical lenses strengthens literary analysis.
Consider: Practice synthesis and connection skills through in-class debates, comparative literature/poetry discussions, Socratic seminars, or quick writes that require engagement with multiple perspectives.
Students must engage with texts at a deeper level, whether analyzing rhetorical choices or literary elements and techniques. Reinforce active reading through modeling and thinking aloud, annotation, guided discussion, and collaborative analysis. You may have been doing these things all year, but students need to continue facing increasingly difficult and complex texts. Model how to move from surface-level observations to complex interpretations. Regularly exposing students to a variety of texts—including speeches, op-eds, poetry, and fiction—will build their analytical agility.
Consider: Give—or ask students to find—an excerpt from a text they know is hard for them and then they do a think aloud in front of their peers to force them to think about their own thinks but also reinforce for their reluctant peers that it takes time and work to read well.
As May nears, students must take ownership of their learning. Gradually shift responsibility onto them through independent study groups, practice prompts with self-scoring rubrics, and structured peer feedback. Encourage them to reflect on their progress, set personal goals, and engage in metacognitive strategies that foster growth. Offer encouragement, but also push them to engage deeply with their own learning process.
Consider: Ask them to revsisit past essays and/or multiple choice practice and then revise/correct those things for a higher score/grade in this current term. Encourage reflection on how they used what they have leared since to do that.
Avoid cramming! Implement a structured review plan well before the exam. Identify key skills and content areas to revisit weekly. In February or March, set aside time for full-length Mock exam to simulate exam conditions. Review past FRQs and analyze sample high-scoring responses. Create low-stakes, student-driven review activities, such as trivia games, essay tournaments, and collaborative study sessions, to keep engagement high.
Consider: Give that mock exam and then use what you learn from that—the data and the feedback—to target areas for learning.
As the pressure builds, it’s important to maintain a healthy, engaging, and motivating classroom environment. While exam prep is crucial, avoid making the classroom solely about test performance. Continue fostering creativity through student-led discussions, independent reading, and engaging writing assignments. Celebrate small wins, acknowledge effort, and remind students that their growth as thinkers and writers matters beyond a single test.
Consider: A weekly time for celebrating growth, announcing wins, eating treats, or nerding out on something interesting. This can help relieve pressure as exam day approaches.
Finally, remember that AP success is about long-term skill-building, not just exam scores. While rigorous preparation is necessary, avoid fostering anxiety. Remind students that their ability to read critically, write persuasively, and think analytically will serve them well beyond the AP classroom. Approach this second semester with a mindset of growth, adaptability, and enthusiasm.
By keeping these priorities in mind, AP English teachers can help students approach the exam with confidence, skill, and a deep appreciation for the power of language and literature. The next few months are crucial, but they can also be some of the most rewarding as students make meaningful strides in their understanding and abilities.