Strategies for Retaining AP Lang and AP Lit Skills After Class Ends

Many students find that once their AP Lang or AP Lit classes finishes, the skills they worked hard to develop start to fade. This can be frustrating, especially when those skills are essential for exam performance and college readiness. As a parent, you want to help your student keep those skills fresh between now and the exams in May. I’ve put together a practical plan to maintain those valuable skills over the next few months.

Keep Reading Actively

Reading is the foundation of both AP Lang and AP Lit. Encourage your student to keep reading regularly, but with a purpose. Instead of just reading for fun, they should practice analyzing texts like they did in class.

• Choose a mix of poetry and fiction for AP Lit and a mix of nonfiction - including speeches, opinion pieces, historical documents, memoirs, news articles and graphics for AP Lang

• Annotate while reading: underline key ideas, note rhetorical devices, or mark confusing passages

• Discuss what they read with you or peers to deepen understanding

  
  

For example, if your student reads a news article, they can identify the author’s tone or persuasive techniques. This keeps their analytical skills sharp and connected to real-world texts.

Practice Writing Regularly

Writing essays under timed conditions is a big part of AP Lang and AP Lit test prep. After class, students often stop writing, which weakens their ability to organize and express ideas clearly.

Set up a weekly writing schedule with prompts similar to those on the AP exams. These can be:

• Rhetorical analysis of a speech or editorial

• Literary analysis of a poem or short story

• Argument essays on current events or ethical questions

  
  

Encourage your student to time themselves and then review their work critically or with a tutor. This builds stamina and confidence for future tests or college assignments.

Use Flashcards for Key Terms and Devices

Both AP Lang and AP Lit require knowledge of literary and rhetorical terms. Flashcards are a simple, effective way to keep this vocabulary fresh.

• Create physical or digital flashcards with definitions and examples

• Review them in short daily sessions

• Quiz each other or use apps like Quizlet for interactive practice

  
  

This method helps students quickly recall terms during multiple choice questions or when writing essays.

Join or Form a Study Group

Learning doesn’t have to be solo. Study groups provide motivation and different perspectives on texts and writing.

• Meet weekly to discuss readings or essay prompts

• Share feedback on writing assignments

• Practice multiple choice questions together

  
  

This social approach makes test prep more engaging and less isolating.

Set Realistic Goals and Track Progress

Maintaining skills requires commitment, but it shouldn’t feel overwhelming. Help your student set clear, manageable goals like:

• Reading one article or chapter per week

• Writing one essay every two weeks

• Reviewing flashcards three times a week

  
  

Use a calendar or app to track these activities. Celebrate milestones to keep motivation high.