Course Description/Rationale
This course emphasizes the consolidation of the literacy, communication, and critical and creative thinking skills necessary for success in academic and daily life. Students will analyze a range of challenging literary texts from various periods, countries, and cultures; interpret and evaluate informational and graphic texts; and create oral, written, and media texts in a variety of forms. An important focus will be on using academic language coherently and confidently, selecting the reading strategies best suited to particular texts and particular purposes for reading, and developing greater control in writing. The course is intended to prepare students for university, college, or the workplace.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 11, University Preparation
SPECIFIC STRANDS OF STUDY AND EXPECTATIONS INCLUDE:
Listening to Understand : listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;
Speaking to Communicate : use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes;
Reflecting on Skills and Strategies : reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.
Reading for Meaning: read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of informational, literary, and graphic texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;
Understanding Form and Style: recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;
Reading With Fluency: use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;
Reflecting on Skills and Strategies: reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading.
Developing and Organizing Content : generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;
Using Knowledge of Form and Style: draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;
Applying Knowledge of Conventions : use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;
Reflecting on Skills and Strategies : reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.
Understanding Media Texts : demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;
Understanding Media Forms, Conventions, and Techniques: identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with them are used to create meaning;
Creating Media Texts : create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques;
Reflecting on Skills and Strategies : reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creating media texts.
EFFORTS WILL BE MADE TO MEET THE INDIVIDUAL LEARNING NEEDS OF STUDENTS IN ORDER TO
ENSURE THAT THESE EXPECTATIONS ARE BEING MET.

UNITS OF STUDY:
Unit 1: Short Fiction/Language Study
TEXTS/RESOURCES:
Reference Points, Viewpoints12
Resources:
Students are responsible for borrowed resources and will be required to pay replacement costs for lost or damaged materials.
Unit 2: Writing/Essays/Media/
Literary Criticism
Unit 3: Drama
Unit 2: Novel study
Unit 4: Culminating Performance Task
Act of Essay Writing
Assigned readings
Hamlet or King Lear
A Streetcar Named Desire
Oedipus Rex
Fifth Business, 1984, or The Kite Runner
Evaluation Structure:
Knowledge 20%
Thinking 30%
Communication 30%
Application 20%
The above is reflected both in the term work
(worth 70% of the final mark) and the summative work (worth 30% of the final mark). Summative work consists of the Final
Exam (15) and a Culminating Activity (15)
(15%)
Evaluation Policy
Students will be assessed & evaluated according to the work produced & skills displayed. Methods of providing feedback will include assessing work in process & evaluating completed assignments, tests, cooperative learning activities, simulations and presentations. Peer & self-evaluations will also be utilized. Student marks will be determined by evaluating process & product according to 4 categories & 4 levels. Please see the chart below for specific skills and key words used to determine student competency in the different categories.
CATEGORY LEVEL 1: 50-59% LEVEL 2: 60-69% LEVEL 3: 70-79% LEVEL 4: 80-100%
Knowledge:
Knowledge of content and understanding of content
Thinking:
Use of planning, processing and critical/creative thinking skills
Communication:
Expression and organization of ideas for different audiences/purposes, and use of conventions, vocabulary and terminology of the discipline in oral, graphic and written forms.
Application:
Application and transfer of knowledge and skills.
Making connections within and between various contexts.
Limited display of knowledge and content
Uses thinking skills with limited effectiveness
Some success of knowledge and content
Uses thinking skills with some effectiveness
Considerable display of knowledge and content
Uses thinking skills with considerable effectiveness
Communicates ideas with limited effectiveness
Communicates ideas with some effectiveness
Communicates ideas with considerable effectiveness
Transfers and applies knowledge and skills to unfamiliar contexts and makes connections with limited effectiveness
Transfers and applies knowledge and skills to unfamiliar contexts and makes connections with some effectiveness
Transfers and applies knowledge and skills to unfamiliar contexts and makes connections with considerable effectiveness
Thorough display of knowledge and content
Uses thinking skills with a high degree of effectiveness
Communicates ideas with a high degree of effectiveness
Transfers and applies knowledge and skills to unfamiliar contexts and makes connections with a high degree of effectiveness
Feedback will also be provided for student learning skills including: Responsibility , Independent Work , Collaboration , Organization, Initiative , and
Self-Regulation . Assessment of these skills will occur independent from student achievement using the following letter grades:
E – Excellent G - Good S – Satisfactory N - Needs Improvement
OTHER EVALUATION ISSUES:
LATE ASSIGNMENTS -
The due dates for major assignments will be clearly articulated by the teacher when the task is assigned. The teacher will establish a deadline and an acceptance period for the assignment. If a student does not hand in the assignment by the deadline, a mark reduction will be applied to the assignment submitted thereafter up to a total of 10%. If the assignment is not submitted by the end of the acceptance period the student may receive a mark of zero. Refer to the Student Handbook for further details.
INCOMPLETE ASSSIGNMENTS -
Assignments will be graded according to the extent with which they meet the criteria established in the rubric or evaluation structure.
MISSED TESTS -
Teachers will give the class ample notice for upcoming tests/evaluations. If the student is aware of an absence on the date of an assessment, it is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements for an alternative assessment date (which may not be during class time) with the teacher before the scheduled time for the test/evaluation. If a test is missed due to a legitimate reason, verification (note only to be handed in on the day of the student’s return) from a parent/guardian must be given to the subject teacher indicating that the parents are aware the student missed a test.
The student is expected to write the test on the day of their return. If a test is missed as a result of truancy, a mark of zero will be assigned with no opportunity for a re-write.
PLAGIARISM -
Any form of plagiarism reflects academic dishonesty and may result in a mark of zero for the assignment in question. Refer to the
Student Handbook for further details.
ATTENDANCE -
It is the responsibility of each student to be punctual and in attendance, with proper materials, in all classes and scheduled activities.
Students who miss classes may put their credit in jeopardy. It is the student’s responsibility to catch up on missed work when absent.