High school English, unlike science or math or history, has more than one text book. “English†or “Language Arts†covers more than one topic. It means reading and, more specifically, reading literature. It means writing. It means grammar, not just in writing, but the actual rules of grammar itself. It means spelling, in the lower grades, or vocabulary, in the upper grades. One class, four subjects.
I am not agitating for four classes. Who in their right mind would want a grammar class every day of high school? (Okay, you classicists might. Not me, though.)
I actually have separate English classes for each of those subjects in homeschooling. We do literature and writing, but not necessarily together. We cover vocabulary and grammar, again not necessarily together.
So on their transcripts for last year they have “English†and “American Novels.†I didn’t give them a class labeled grammar or vocabulary though.