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ALTERNATIVE ENGLISH
SYLLABUS FOR HIGHER SECONDARY FIRST YEAR COURSE

Background
The course is intended to give students a high level of competence in English with an emphasis on
the study of literary texts. The course will provide extensive exposure to a variety of rich texts from world
literature as well as Indian writings in English, including classics. It also aims at developing a sensitivity to
the creative and imaginative use of English in students and giving them a taste for reading with delight and
discernment.
Objectives:
The general objectives at the initial stage are:-
i) to provide extensive exposure to a variety of writings in English, including some classics to
develop a sensitivity to literary and creative use of the language.
ii) to further expand the learners' vocabulary through the use of dictionary, thesaurus and
encyclopedia.
iii) to develop a taste for reading.
iv) to critically examine a text.
v) to develop proficiency in English both in receptive and productive skills.
At the end of this course, the learner
i) grasps the global meaning of the text, its gist and understands how its theme and sub-themes
relate.
ii) relates to the details provided in the text. For example, how the details support a generalization
or the conclusion either by classification or contrast and comparison.
iii) comprehends details, locates and identifies facts, arguments, logical relationships, generalization,
conclusion in the texts.
iv) draws inferences, supplies missing details, predicts outcomes, grasps the significance of particular
details and interprets texts.
v) assesses and analyzes the attitude and bias of the author.
vi) infers the meanings of words and phrases from the context; differentiates between apparent
synonyms and appreciates the nuances of words.
vii) appreciates stylistic nuances, the lexical structure--its literal and figurative uses and analyses a
variety of texts.
viii) identifies different styles of writing like humorous, satirical, contemplative, ironical and burlesque.
ix) can produce text-based writing (writing in response to questions or tasks based on prescribed
as well as 'unseen' texts.)
x) develops the advanced skills of reasoning, inferring, analysing, evaluating and creating.
xi) develops familiarity with the poetic uses of language including features of the language through
which artistic effect is achieved.
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Methods and Techniques

The techniques used for teaching should promote habits of self-learning and reduce dependence on
the teacher. The multi-skill, learner-centred, activity based approach already recommended for the previous
stages of education, is still in place, though it will be used in such a way that silent reading of prescribed
selected texts for comprehension will receive greater focus as one of the activities. Learners will be trained
to read independently and intelligently, interacting actively with texts and other reference materials
(dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, etc.) where necessary. Some pre-reading activity will generally be
required, and course books should suggest those activities. The reading of texts should be followed by
post reading activities. It is important to remember that every text can generate different reading strategies.
Students should be encouraged to interpret texts in different ways while presenting their views.
Some projects may also be assigned to students from time to time.
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ALTERNATIVE ENGLISH
SYLLABUS FOR HIGHER SECONDARY FIRST YEAR COURSE
One Paper Time : Three hours Marks : 100

Unitwise Distribution of Marks & Periods :

Unit Topics Marks Periods

Unit-I Reading an unseen passage and a poem 15 25
Unit-II Poetry 25 50
Unit-III Prose 25 50
Unit-IV Grammar 20 35
Unit-V Creative Writing Skill 15 20
Total : 100 180
Prescribed text : CHINAR Published by Cambridge University Press Pvt. Ltd. on behalf of AHSEC

Unitwise Distribution of Course Contents:

Unit-I : Reading an unseen passage and a poem 15 marks

1. Very Short and Short Answer type Questions: Literary or discursive passage of about
900- 950 words.
i. Four very short answer type questions of 1 mark each 4×1 mark = 4 marks
ii. Three short Answer Type questions of 2 marks each 3×2 mark = 6 marks
2. Very short Answer Questions: A poem of about 08-12 lines.
i. Five very short Answer Type questions of 1 marks each 5×1 marks= 5 marks
Unit-II : Poetry 25 marks
Selected pieces:
1. The Daffodils William Wordsworth
2. When Autumn Came Faiz Ahmed Faiz
3. The Listeners Walter De La Mare
4. Once Upon A Time Gabriel Okara
No.1 : One out of two extracts from the text to test the students skills of comprehension and appreciation.
• Two out of three short answer type questions to test comprehension of 1 mark each.
2 × 1 mark = 2 marks
• One out of two short answer type questions of 3 marks to test the students understanding
of the text. 1 × 3 marks = 3 marks
No.2 : One out of the two long answer type questions based on the text to test the students skills of
global comprehension in about 80 words. 1 × 5 marks = 5 marks
No.3 : Three out of five short answer type questions of 2 marks each on the lessons within 25 words.
3 × 2 marks = 6 marks
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No.4 : Two out of four short answer type questions of 3 marks each on the lessons in about 30 words.
2 × 3 marks = 6 marks
No.5 : Three out of five very short answer type questions of 1 mark each on the lessons in one
sentence each. 3 × 1 mark = 3 marks
Unit-III : Prose 25 marks
Selected pieces
1. The Suitor and Papa Anton Chekhov
2. The Rule of the Road A G Gardiner
3. The Many and the None Bansuri Taneja and Ashish Kothari
4. Box and Cox John Maddison Morton
No.6: One out of two extracts from the text to test the students skills of comprehension and appre-
ciation. (Explanation)
• Two out of three short answer type questions to test the students skills of comprehension
of 1 mark each. 2 × 1 mark = 2 marks
• One out of two short answer type questions to test the students skills of appreciation of
3 marks. 1 × 3 marks = 3 marks
No.7: One out of two long answers type questions based on the text to test the students skills of global
comprehension in about 80 words / summary. 1 × 5 marks = 5marks
No 8: Two out of four short answer type questions of 2 marks each on the lessons within 25 words.
2 × 2 marks = 4 marks
No.9: Two out of four short answer type questions of 3 marks each on the lessons within 30 words.
2 × 3 marks = 6 marks
No.10: Word meaning (1 mark), synonyms (2 marks), antonyms (2 marks) from the text.
1 + 2 + 2 = 5 marks
Unit-IV : Grammar Mark 20

Language Items Marks No. of Questions Total Marks

i) Use of Articles ½ mark 6 3 marks
ii) Tenses using conditionals 1 mark 3 3 marks
iii) Prepositions ½ mark 6 3 marks
iv) Question tags ½ mark 4 2 marks
v) Identifying nouns and adjectives
in a given passage ½ mark 1
5 noun
5 adjective 5 marks
vi) Pairs of words 2 mark 2
@ 2 marks per pair
of words 4 marks
Total marks 20 marks
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Unit-V : Creative Writing Skill : 15 marks

1. Developing a story from the given outline 5 marks
2. Paragraph writing 5 marks
3. Substance writing 5 marks

Weightage to Questions:
Type of Questions No of Questions Marks
LA Type 5 mark 5 25
SA Type 3 marks 6 18
2 marks 12 24
VSA Type 1 marks 20 20
½ mark 26 13
Total 65 nos. 100 marks

Weightage to Objectives:

Objectives Marks %
Knowledge 20 20%
Understanding 30 30%
Application 50 50%