STUDENT FRIENDLY COURSE DESCRIPTIONS – ENGLISH
English, Grade 9 – locally developed
ENG 1L
The Grade 9 Locally Developed English course asks students to consider the Earth and our
connection to it. Through the study of resources such as Life as We Knew It and The Absolutely
True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, students will consider how people overcome challenges in
their homes and communities. Students will work on ways to make their writing clear, well
structured, and suited to their audience. Students will work on developing skills, especially
reading comprehension, needed for the Literacy Test. The locally developed program allows
students the opportunity to see how language, literature, and media are a part of our everyday
lives through the consideration and creation of different types of texts. The final evaluation will
be a culminating project completed over several classes that allows students to showcase what
they have learned this semester.
Prerequisite: None
English, Grade 9 - applied
ENG 1P
The Grade 9 Applied English course asks students to consider the Earth and our connection to it.
Through the study of various resources such as the novels Speak and The Maestro, students will
consider what it means to be a part of something and how we define our homes and ourselves.
Students will work on ways to make their writing clear, well structured, and suited to their
audience, as well as developing skills needed for the Literacy Test. The applied program allows
students the opportunity to see how language, literature, and media are a part of our everyday
lives through the analysis and creation of different types of texts. The final evaluation will be a
culminating project completed over several classes that allows students to showcase what they
have learned this semester.
Prerequisite: None
English, Grade 9 - academic
ENG 1D
The Grade 9 Academic English course asks students to consider the Earth and our connection to
it. Through a study of various resources such as the novels The Namesake, Ender’s Game and
The Hunger Games, students will consider what it means to be a part of something, and how we
define our homes and ourselves. Students will work on developing academic writing skills and
will be introduced to the fundamentals of essay writing. Students will review the components of
the Literacy Test. The academic program asks students to deconstruct how texts are created and
to apply this understanding to their own work. The final evaluation for this class will include an
example of academic writing and a formal exam.
Prerequisite: None
English, Grade 10 – locally developed
ENG 2L
The Grade 10 Locally Developed English course asks students to consider the Air as a metaphor
for our ability to see clearly and to develop perspective. Through the study of emotionallycharged resources such as The Breadwinner and Beverly Hills Maasai, students will discuss
multiculturalism. Students will review the principles covered in the Literacy Test, concentrating
in particular on sustaining their arguments over several paragraphs in their writing. The locally
developed program challenges students with the opportunity to analyze and create a variety of
texts while preparing them for the academic study needed in the Grade 11 Workplace program.
The final evaluation will be a culminating project completed over several classes that allows
students to showcase what they have learned this semester.
Prerequisite: A grade 9 English credit
English, Grade 10 - applied
ENG 2P
The Grade 10 Applied English course asks students to consider the Air as a metaphor for our
ability to see clearly and to develop perspective. Through the study of emotionally charged
resources such as Maus, Shaken and The First Stone, students will discuss how prejudice and
problems can blind people. Students will review the principles covered in the Literacy Test and
concentrate on sustaining their arguments over several paragraphs in their writing. The applied
program challenges students with the opportunity to analyze and create a variety of texts while
preparing them for the academic study needed in the Grade Eleven College course and the
practical skills needed in the Grade Eleven Workplace course. The final evaluation will be a
culminating project completed over several classes that allows students to showcase what they
have learned this semester.
Prerequisite: English , Grade 9, Academic or Applied (ENG 1D or ENG 1P)
English, Grade 10 - academic
ENG 2D
The Grade 10 Academic English course asks students to consider the Air as a metaphor for our
ability to see clearly and to develop perspective. Through the study of ambition, prejudice, and
greed in resources such as Pastwatch, The Book Thief and The Secret Life of Bees, students will
discuss how to rise above challenges. Students will review the basic academic essay form while
learning alternative methods of developing their arguments, such as through comparison and
contrast or cause and effect. Students will study various rhetorical devices and learn how to
apply these concepts in their own work. The final evaluation in this course will include an
academic essay and a formal exam.
Prerequisite: English , Grade 9, Academic or Applied (ENG 1D or ENG 1P)
English, Grade 11 – Workplace Preparation
ENG 3E
The Grade 11 Workplace course in English looks at Water as a sustaining, life-giving element
and as a powerful source of change. Novels such as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Night-time and Little Princes touch on the importance of change and the difference between
going with the current or against it. The workplace program focuses on the skills that students
need to excel in work environments: reading and processing both fiction and non-fiction, and
writing clearly for different audiences. Written tasks will include a variety of graphic organizers,
written reports, and a research paper. The final evaluation will be a culminating project
completed over several classes that allows students to showcase what they have learned this
semester.
Prerequisite: A Grade 10 English credit
English, Grade 11 – College Preparation
ENG 3C
The Grade 11 College course in English looks at Water as a sustaining, life-giving element and
as a powerful source of change. Novels such as Chanda’s Secrets, A River Runs Through It and
The Art of Racing in the Rain challenge students with questions about how people can cope with
destructive change in their lives while metaphorically learning to keep their heads afloat. The
college course prepares students for the types of academic analysis of both fiction and nonfiction that will be seen in post-secondary study. Students will look at developing a variety of
written essays and reports that incorporate both research and academic analysis. The final
evaluation in this course will include an independent study project and a formal exam.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 10, Academic or Applied (ENG 2D or ENG 2P)
English, Grade 11 – University Preparation
ENG 3U
The Grade 11 University course in English looks at Water as a sustaining, life-giving element,
and as a powerful source of change. It will address the question, “What is the difference between
living and surviving?” The novels Life of Pi, Water for Elephants and The Hero’s Walk explore
how people can cling to survival in desperate situations while risking alienation from the things
that define who they are. The university course challenges students with a high level of academic
analysis, with the specific goal of preparing students for the level of reading and writing that will
be expected in university. Students will continue to look at new methods of developing and
sustaining academic arguments in academic essays as well as in seminars and debates. The final
evaluation in this course will include an essay based on a paired author study and a formal exam.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 10, Academic (ENG 2D)
Media Studies, Grade 11 – open
EMS 3O
The Grade 11 Media course asks students to consider the ways in which we connect with the
world around us. Open to all students, this course will challenge students to analyze the way TV,
radio, the internet, and print media control and shape our lives. Students will be asked to analyze
popular examples of media and to create their own examples. Famous Canadian Marshall
McLuhan once suggested that, “The medium is the message.” Understanding how and why
different media affect us will help us develop our critical thinking and communication skills. The
final evaluation in this course will include an independent study project and a media log.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 10, Academic or Applied (ENG 2D or ENG 2P)
Canadian Literature, Grade 11 – University/College Preparation
ETC 3M
The Grade 11 Canadian Literature course in English focuses on the study and analysis of literary
texts by Canadian authors. Open to students with the Gr. 10 Academic or Applied prerequisite,
this course prepares students for the types of academic analysis of both fiction and non-fiction
that will be seen in post-secondary study. Students will study themes and stylistic elements of
various texts from different time periods, regions, and cultures of Canada. Responding
personally, critically and creatively to them, students will develop essays and reports that
incorporate both research and academic analysis. The final evaluation in this course will include
an independent study project and a formal exam.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 10, Academic or Applied (ENG 2D or ENG 2P)
English, Grade 12 – Workplace Preparation
ENG 4E
The Grade 12 Workplace course in English looks at Fire as both a destructive, post-apocalyptic,
or dystopian force, and a Promethean source of inspiration and activism. Novels such as The
Road and Breath, Eyes, Memory touch on how man can be destroyed or inspired by difficult
challenges in life, depending on the attitude used to address them. The workplace program
focuses on the skills that students need to excel in work environments: reading and processing
both fiction and non-fiction, and writing clearly for different audiences. Written tasks will
include a variety of graphic organizers, written reports, and a research paper. The final
evaluation will be a culminating project completed over several classes that allows students to
showcase what they have learned this semester.
Prerequisite: A Grade 11 Workplace (ENG 3E), College (ENG 3C) or University (ENG 3U)
credit.
English, Grade 12 – College Preparation
ENG 4C
The Grade 12 College course in English looks at Fire as both a destructive, post-apocalyptic, or
dystopian force, and a Promethean source of inspiration and activism. Novels such as King
Leary, Empire Falls and Bite of the Mango touch on how man can be destroyed or inspired by
difficult challenges in life, depending on the attitude used to address them. The college course
prepares students for the types of academic analysis of both fiction and non-fiction that will be
seen in post-secondary study. Students will look at developing a variety of written essays and
reports that incorporate both research and academic analysis. The final evaluation in this course
will include an independent study project and a formal exam.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 11, College or University Preparation(ENG 3C or ENG 3U)
English, Grade 12 – University Preparation
ENG 4U
The Grade 12 University course in English looks at Fire as both a destructive, post-apocalyptic,
or dystopian force, and a Promethean source of inspiration and activism. Novels such as The
Shipping News and Green Grass, Running Water touch on how man can be destroyed or inspired
by difficult challenges in life, depending on the attitude used to address them. The university
course challenges students with a high level of academic analysis, with the specific goal of
preparing students for the level of reading and writing that will be expected in university.
Students will continue to look at new methods of developing and sustaining academic arguments
in academic essays as well as in seminars and debates. The final evaluation in this course will
include an essay based on an independent study and a formal exam.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 11, University Preparation (ENG 3U)
The Writer’s Craft, Grade 12 – University Preparation
EWC 4U
The Grade 12 Writer’s Craft course in English emphasizes knowledge and skills related to the
craft of writing. Students will investigate models of effective writing, using a workshop approach
to write and edit a variety of works. The university course challenges students with a high level
of academic analysis, with the specific goal of preparing students for the level of reading and
writing that will be expected in university. Students will investigate opportunities for publication
and for writing careers. The final evaluation in this course will include a creative or analytical
independent study project and a formal exam.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 11, University Preparation (ENG 3U)
Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course, Grade 11/12 - Open
OLC 4O
The Grade 12 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course in English is designed to help students
acquire and demonstrate the literacy skills that are evaluated by the Ontario Secondary School
Literacy Test. Students who complete the course successfully will meet the provincial literacy
requirement for graduation. Students will read a variety of informational, narrative, and graphic
texts, and will produce a variety of forms of writing, including summaries, information
paragraphs, opinion pieces, and news reports. Students will also maintain and manage a literacy
portfolio containing a record of their reading experiences and samples of their writing. The final
evaluation in this course will include an independent study that showcases a variety of literacy
skills learned over the course of the semester.
Eligibility Requirement: Students who have been eligible to write the OSSLT at least twice
and who have been unsuccessful at least once are eligible to take the course.