Explorer Hop Academy

DEPARTMENT: English

DEPARTMENT HEAD: Hasina Lookman

COURSE DEVELOPMENT DATE: August 2021 (Revision August 2022)

COURSE: Grade 12 English, University Preparation

COURSE CODE: ENG4U

COURSE TYPE: Online

PREREQUISITE: Grade 11 English, University Preparation

COURSE CREDIT:  1

COURSE CURRICULUM: Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: English, 2007 (revised). A copy of this document is available online at: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/english1112currb.pdf 

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 analyse 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. 

CURRICULUM EXPECTATIONS                                                                                                        By the end of this course, students will: • listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes; use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes; • reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations; read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, informational, and graphic texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning; recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning; use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently; reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading;  • generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;  • draft and revise their writing, using a variety of literary, informational, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;  • use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;  • 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;  • demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;  • identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with them are used to create meaning;  • create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques;  •  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.

COURSE TOPICS

COURSE STRANDS

The course will cover the following strand as outlined in The  Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: English, 2007 (revised). A copy of this document is available online at: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/english1112currb.pdf 

The details of the strands are included in the above link.

• Oral Communication

• Reading and Literature Studies

• Writing

• Media Studies

Teaching and Learning Strategies

Throughout the course, students are exposed to a variety of genres, and they develop skills to

evaluate the effectiveness of texts which include short stories, non-fiction texts, poems, videos, and other media and texts from a wide range of resources and periods.

Students will identify and use various strategies that include building vocabulary, learning to understand the organization of texts, and developing knowledge of conventions. Throughout the course, students develop into stronger readers, writers, and oral communicators by connecting literature and language to real world experiences. 

Teachers will differentiate instruction to meet the diverse learning needs of students. Through the resources in the learning management system and weekly meets, students will have the opportunity to track their growth and progression, to reflect on the achievements, and to set goals for the journey ahead in order to develop their 21st century skills.

Using a variety of instructional strategies, teachers will provide numerous opportunities for students to develop skills of inquiry, problem solving, and communication as they investigate and learn fundamental concepts. The integration of critical thinking and critical literacy will provide a powerful tool for reasoning and problem solving, and will be reflected in a meaningful blend of both process and content. 

Throughout the course, students will:

- Think Critically: students will learn to critically analyze texts and to use implied and stated evidence

from texts to support their analyses. Students use their critical thinking skills to identify perspectives in

texts, including biases that may be present.

- Generate ideas and topics: students will be encouraged to design their own approaches to the material

by maintaining frequent online communication with teachers who will facilitate choice in how students

respond to topics and questions, and by encouraging students' independent thinking through discussions.

- Research: various approaches to researching will be practiced. Students will learn how to cite sources

and provide a Works Cited page at the end of longer assignments using MLA formatting.

- Identify and develop skills and strategies: through modeling of effective skills, students will learn to

choose and utilize varied techniques to become effective readers, writers, and oral communicators.

- Communicate: numerous opportunities will be given to students to write and communicate orally, as well as develop listening skills.

- Produce published work and make presentations: students will engage in the editing and revising

process, including self-revision, peer revision, and teacher revision all of which strengthen texts with

the aim to publish or present student work.

- Reflecting: through the use of weekly reflections, drafts, discussions, and other elements of the course,

students will reflect on the learning process, focus on areas for improvement, set goals, and make

extensions between course content and their personal experiences.

ASSESSMENT, EVALUATION AND REPORTING STRATEGIES OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE

Our school's assessment and evaluation policy is based on seven fundamental principles, and follows the guidelines in the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Growing Success document. Teachers are expected to understand and follow these seven principles in order to guide the collection of purposeful information that will guide instructional decisions, promote student engagement, and improve student learning.

To ensure that assessment, evaluation, and reporting are valid, reliable, and they lead to the improvement of all students, teachers use assessment and evaluation strategies that:

1. are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students
2. support all students
3. are related to curriculum expectations, learning goals, and whenever possible, are related to the

interests, learning styles, preferences, needs, and experiences of students

4. are clearly communicated to students and parents at critical points throughout the academic year
5. are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities

for students to demonstrate the potential and learning

6. provide descriptive feedback that is meaningful and timely to support learning, growth, and

achievement

7. develop student self-assessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set goals, and plan

next steps for their learning

There are three forms of assessment that will be used throughout this course:

Assessment for Learning: Assessment for learning will directly influence student learning by reinforcing the connections between assessment and instruction, and provide ongoing feedback to the student. Assessment for learning occurs as part of the daily teaching process and helps teachers form a clear picture of the needs of the students because students are encouraged to be more active in their learning and associated assessment. Teachers gather this information to shape their classroom teaching.

Assessment as Learning: Assessment as learning is the use of a task or an activity to allow students the opportunity to use assessment to further their own learning. Self and peer assessments allow students  to reflect on their own learning and identify areas of strength and need. These tasks offer students the chance to set their own personal goals and advocate for their own learning.

The purpose of assessment as learning is to enable students to monitor their own progress towards achieving their learning goals.

Assessment of Learning: Assessment of learning will occur at or near the end of a period of learning; this summary is used to make judgments about the quality of student learning using established criteria, to assign a value to represent that quality and to communicate information about achievement to students and parents. 

Evidence of student achievement for evaluation is collected over time from three different sources – observations, conversations, and student products. Using multiple sources of evidence will increase the reliability and validity of the evaluation of student learning.

For a full explanation of assessment, evaluation, and reporting, kindly refer to the Growing Success document (https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/growSuccess.pdf). 

Course Expectation: This course is based on curriculum expectations found in the Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: English, 2007 (revised). A copy of this document is available online at: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/english1112currb.pdf 

Program Planning Considerations: 

INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES 

The English curriculum is based on the premise that all students can be successful language learners. One of the keys to student success in mastering language skills is high-quality instruction. 

Teachers who provide quality instruction respect students’ strengths and address their learning needs, using assessment information to plan instruction. They clarify the purpose for learning, help students activate prior knowledge, and differentiate instruction for individual students and small groups according to need. Teachers explicitly teach and model learning strategies and encourage students to talk through their thinking and learning processes. They also provide many opportunities for students to practise and apply their developing knowledge and skills. 

Effective teaching approaches involve students in the use of higher-level thinking skills and encourage them to look beyond the literal meaning of texts and to think about fairness, equity, social justice, and citizenship in a global society. 

Motivating students and instilling positive habits of mind, such as a willingness and determination to persist, to think and communicate with clarity and precision, to take responsible risks, and to question and pose problems, are also integral to high-quality language instruction. 

Language is best learned through activities that present stimulating ideas, issues, and themes that are meaningful to students. Since no single instructional approach can meet all the needs of each learner, teachers select classroom activities that are based on an assessment of students’ individual needs, proven learning theory, and best practices. In effective English programs, teachers introduce a rich variety of activities that integrate expectations from different strands and provide for the explicit teaching of knowledge and skills. They also provide frequent opportunities for students to rehearse, practise, and apply skills and strategies, and to make their own choices. 

PLANNING ENGLISH PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS Classroom teachers are the key educators of students who have special education needs. They have a responsibility to help all students learn, and they work collaboratively with special education teachers, where appropriate, to achieve this goal. Special Education Transformation: The Report of the Co-Chairs with the Recommendations of the Working Table on Special Education, 2006 endorses a set of beliefs that should guide program planning for students with special education needs in all disciplines. Those beliefs are as follows: 

• All students can succeed. 
• Universal design and differentiated instruction are effective and interconnected means of meeting the learning or productivity needs of any group of students. 
• Successful instructional practices are founded on evidence-based research, tempered by experience. 
• Classroom teachers are key educators for a student’s literacy and numeracy development. 
• Each student has his or her own unique patterns of learning. 
• Classroom teachers need the support of the larger community to create a learning environment that supports students with special education needs. 
• Fairness is not sameness. 

In any given classroom, students may demonstrate a wide range of learning styles and needs. Teachers plan programs that recognize this diversity and give students performance tasks that respect their particular abilities so that all students can derive the greatest possible benefit from the teaching and learning process. The use of flexible groupings for instruction and the provision of ongoing assessment are important elements of programs that accommodate a diversity of learning needs. 

In planning English courses for students with special education needs, teachers should begin by examining the current achievement level of the individual student, the strengths and learning needs of the student, and the knowledge and skills that all students are expected to demonstrate at the end of the course, in order to determine which of the following options is appropriate for the student:

• no accommodations or modifications; or 
• accommodations only; or 
• modified expectations, with the possibility of accommodations; or
• alternative expectations, which are not derived from the curriculum expectations for a course and which constitute alternative programs and/or courses.

If the student requires either accommodations or modified expectations, or both, the relevant information, as described in the following paragraphs, must be recorded in his or her Individual Education Plan (IEP). More detailed information about planning programs for students with special education needs, including students who require alternative programs and/or courses, can be found in The Individual Education Plan (IEP): A Resource Guide, 2004 (referred to hereafter as the IEP Resource Guide, 2004). For a detailed discussion of the ministry’s requirements for IEPs, see Individual Education Plans: Standards for Development, Program Planning, and Implementation, 2000 (referred to hereafter as IEP Standards, 2000). (Both documents are available at www.edu.gov.on.ca.)

Students Requiring Accommodations Only

Some students are able, with certain accommodations, to participate in the regular course curriculum and to demonstrate learning independently. Accommodations allow access to the course without any changes to the knowledge and skills the student is expected to demonstrate. The accommodations required to facilitate the student’s learning must be identified in his or her IEP (see IEP Standards, 2000, page 11). A student’s IEP is likely to reflect the same accommodations for many, or all, subjects or courses. 

Providing accommodations to students with special education needs should be the first option considered in program planning. Instruction based on principles of universal design and differentiated instruction focuses on the provision of accommodations to meet the diverse needs of learners. 

There are three types of accommodations: 

• Instructional accommodations are changes in teaching strategies, including styles of presentation, methods of organization, or use of technology and multimedia. 
• Environmental accommodations are changes that the student may require in the classroom and/or school environment, such as preferential seating or special lighting. 
• Assessment accommodations are changes in assessment procedures that enable the student to demonstrate his or her learning, such as allowing additional time to complete tests or assignments or permitting oral responses to test questions (see page 29 of the IEP Resource Guide, 2004, for more examples). 

If a student requires “accommodations only” in English courses, assessment and evaluation of his or her achievement will be based on the appropriate course curriculum expectations and the achievement levels outlined in this document. The IEP box on the student’s Provincial Report Card will not be checked, and no information on the provision of accommodations will be included.

Students Requiring Modified Expectations 

Some students will require modified expectations, which differ from the regular course expectations. For most students, modified expectations will be based on the regular course curriculum, with changes in the number and/or complexity of the expectations. Modified expectations represent specific, realistic, observable, and measurable achievements and describe specific knowledge and/or skills that the student can demonstrate independently, given the appropriate assessment accommodations. 

It is important to monitor, and to reflect clearly in the student’s IEP, the extent to which expectations have been modified. As noted in Section 7.12 of the ministry’s policy document Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 9 to 12: Program and Diploma Requirements, 1999, the principal will determine whether achievement of the modified expectations constitutes successful completion of the course, and will decide whether the student is eligible to receive a credit for the course. This decision must be communicated to the parents and the student. 

When a student is expected to achieve most of the curriculum expectations for the course, the modified expectations should identify how the required knowledge and skills differ from those identified in the course expectations. When modifications are so extensive that achievement of the learning expectations (knowledge, skills, and performance tasks) is not likely to result in a credit, the expectations should specify the precise requirements or tasks on which the student’s performance will be evaluated and which will be used to generate the course mark recorded on the Provincial Report Card. 

Modified expectations indicate the knowledge and/or skills the student is expected to demonstrate and have assessed in each reporting period (IEP Standards, 2000, pages 10 and 11). The student’s learning expectations must be reviewed in relation to the student’s progress at least once every reporting period, and must be updated as necessary (IEP Standards, 2000, page 11). 

If a student requires modified expectations in English courses, assessment and evaluation of his or her achievement will be based on the learning expectations identified in the IEP and on the achievement levels outlined in this document. If some of the student’s learning expectations for a course are modified but the student is working towards a credit for the course, it is sufficient simply to check the IEP box on the Provincial Report Card. If, however, the student’s learning expectations are modified to such an extent that the principal deems that a credit will not be granted for the course, the IEP box must be checked and the appropriate statement from the Guide to the Provincial Report Card, Grades 9–12, 1999 (page 8) must be inserted. The teacher’s comments should include relevant information on the student’s demonstrated learning of the modified expectations, as well as next steps for the student’s learning in the course. 

PROGRAM CONSIDERATIONS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS 

Ontario schools have some of the most multilingual student populations in the world. The first language of approximately 20 percent of the students in Ontario’s English language schools is a language other than English. Ontario’s linguistic heritage includes several Aboriginal languages; many African, Asian, and European languages; and some varieties of English, such as Jamaican Creole. Many English language learners were born in Canada and raised in families and communities in which languages other than English were spoken, or in which the variety of English spoken differed significantly from the English of Ontario classrooms. Other English language learners arrive in Ontario as newcomers from other countries; they may have experience of highly sophisticated educational systems, or they may have come from regions where access to formal schooling was limited.

When they start school in Ontario, many of these students are entering a new linguistic and cultural environment. All teachers share in the responsibility for their English language development.

English language learners (students who are learning English as a second or additional language in English-language schools) bring a rich diversity of background knowledge and experience to the classroom. These students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds not only support their learning in their new environment but also become a cultural asset in the classroom community. Teachers will find positive ways to incorporate this diversity into their instructional programs and into the classroom environment.

Most English language learners in Ontario schools have an age-appropriate proficiency in their first language. Although they need frequent opportunities to use English at school, there are important educational and social benefits associated with continued development of their first language while they are learning English. Teachers need to encourage parents to continue to use their own language at home in rich and varied ways as a foundation for language and literacy development in English. It is also important for teachers to find opportunities to bring students’ languages into the classroom, using parents and community members as a resource. 

During their first few years in Ontario schools, English language learners may receive support through one of two distinct programs from teachers who specialize in meeting their language-learning needs: 

English as a Second Language (ESL) programs are for students born in Canada or newcomers whose first language is a language other than English, or is a variety of English significantly different from that used for instruction in Ontario schools. 

English Literacy Development (ELD) programs are primarily for newcomers whose first language is a language other than English, or is a variety of English significantly different from that used for instruction in Ontario schools, and who arrive with significant gaps in their education. These students generally come from countries where access to education is limited or where there are limited opportunities to develop language and literacy skills in any language. Some Aboriginal students from remote communities in Ontario may also have had limited opportunities for formal schooling, and they also may benefit from ELD instruction. 

In planning programs for students with linguistic backgrounds other than English, teachers need to recognize the importance of the orientation process, understanding that every learner needs to adjust to the new social environment and language in a unique way and at an individual pace. For example, students who are in an early stage of English-language acquisition may go through a “silent period” during which they closely observe the interactions and physical surroundings of their new learning environment. They may use body language rather than speech or they may use their first language until they have gained enough proficiency in English to feel confident of their interpretations and responses. Students thrive in a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment that nurtures their self-confidence while they are receiving focused literacy instruction. When they are ready to participate, in paired, small-group, or whole-class activities, some students will begin by using a single word or phrase to communicate a thought, while others will speak quite fluently.

With exposure to the English language in a supportive learning environment, most young children will develop oral fluency quite quickly, making connections between concepts and skills acquired in their first language and similar concepts and skills presented in English. However, oral fluency is not a good indicator of a student’s knowledge of vocabulary or sentence structure, reading comprehension, or other aspects of language proficiency that play an important role in literacy development and academic success. Research has shown that it takes five to seven years for most English language learners to catch up to their English-speaking peers in their ability to use English for academic purposes. Moreover, the older the children are when they arrive, the greater the language knowledge and skills that they have to catch up on, and the more direct support they require from their teachers.

Responsibility for students’ English-language development is shared by the classroom teacher, the ESL/ELD teacher (where available), and other school staff. Volunteers and peers may also be helpful in supporting English language learners in the language classroom. Teachers must adapt the instructional program in order to facilitate the success of these students in their classrooms. Appropriate adaptations include:

• modification of some or all of the subject expectations so that they are challenging but attainable for the learner at his or her present level of English proficiency, given the necessary support from the teacher; 
• use of a variety of instructional strategies (e.g., extensive use of visual cues, graphic organizers, scaffolding; previewing of textbooks, pre-teaching of key vocabulary; peer tutoring; strategic use of students’ first languages); 
• use of a variety of learning resources (e.g., visual material, simplified text, bilingual dictionaries, and materials that reflect cultural diversity); 
• use of assessment accommodations (e.g., granting of extra time; use of oral interviews, demonstrations or visual representations, or tasks requiring completion of graphic organizers or cloze sentences instead of essay questions and other assessment tasks that depend heavily on proficiency in English).

When learning expectations in any course are modified for an English language learner (whether the student is enrolled in an ESL or ELD course or not), this information must be clearly indicated on the student’s report card. 

Although the degree of program adaptation required will decrease over time, students who are no longer receiving ESL or ELD support may still need some program adaptations to be successful. 

For further information on supporting English language learners, refer to The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9–12: English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development, 2007 and the resource guide Many Roots, Many Voices: Supporting English Language Learners in Every Classroom (Ministry of Education, 2005). 

Antidiscrimination Education in the English Program 

Learning resources that reflect the broad range of students’ interests, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences are an important aspect of an inclusive English program. In such a program, learning materials involve protagonists of both sexes from a wide variety of backgrounds. Teachers routinely use materials that reflect the diversity of Canadian and world cultures, including those of contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, and make them available to students. Short stories, novels, magazine and newspaper articles, television programs, and films provide opportunities for students to explore issues relating to their self-identity. In inclusive programs, students are made aware of the historical, cultural, and political contexts for both the traditional and non-traditional gender and social roles represented in the materials they are studying. 

Stories, novels, informational texts, and media works relating to the immigrant experience provide rich thematic material for study, as well as the opportunity for students new to Canada to share their knowledge and experiences with others. In addition, in the context of the English program, both students and teachers should become aware of aspects of intercultural communication – for example, by exploring how different cultures interpret the use of eye contact and body language in conversation and during presentations. 

Resources should be chosen not only to reflect diversity but also on the basis of their appeal for both girls and boys in the classroom. Recent research has shown that many boys are interested in informational materials, such as manuals and graphic texts, as opposed to works of fiction, which are often more appealing to girls. Both sexes read Internet materials, such as website articles, e-mail, and chat messages, outside the classroom. Me Read? No Way! A Practical Guide to Improving Boys’ Literacy Skills (available on the Ministry of Education website) provides a number of useful literacy strategies that focus on engaging boys in reading and writing and that can enhance the learning environment for both female and male students.

The development of critical thinking skills is integral to the English curriculum. In the context of what is now called “critical literacy”, these skills include the ability to identify perspectives, values, and issues; detect bias; and read for implicit as well as overt meaning. In the English program, students develop the ability to detect negative bias and stereotypes in literary texts and informational materials. When using biased informational texts, or literary works containing negative stereotypes, for the express purpose of critical analysis, teachers must take into account the potential negative impact of bias on students and use appropriate strategies to address students’ responses. 

Critical literacy also involves asking questions and challenging the status quo, and leads students to look at issues of power and justice in society. The program empowers students by enabling them to express themselves and to speak out about issues that strongly affect them. 

Literature studies and media studies also afford both students and teachers a unique opportunity to explore the social and emotional impact of bullying, violence, and discrimination in the form of racism, sexism, or homophobia on individuals and families. Teachers can help students link the understanding they gain in this regard to messages conveyed through the school’s antibullying and violence-prevention programming.

LITERACY, MATHEMATICAL LITERACY, AND INQUIRY/RESEARCH SKILLS 

Literacy, mathematical literacy, and inquiry/research skills are critical to students’ success in all subjects of the curriculum and in all areas of their lives. 

The acquisition and development of literacy skills is clearly the focus of the English curriculum, but the English program also builds on, reinforces, and enhances mathematical literacy. For example, clear, concise communication often involves the use of diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs, and the English curriculum emphasizes students’ ability to interpret and use graphic texts. 

Inquiry is at the heart of learning in all subject areas. In English courses, students are encouraged to develop their ability to ask questions and to explore a variety of possible answers to those questions. As they advance through the grades, they acquire the skills to locate relevant information from a variety of sources, such as books, newspapers, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, interviews, videos, and the Internet. The questioning they practised in the early grades becomes more sophisticated as they learn that all sources of information have a particular point of view and that the recipient of the information has a responsibility to evaluate it, determine its validity and relevance, and use it in appropriate ways. The ability to locate, question, and validate information allows a student to become an independent, lifelong learner.

THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY IN THE ENGLISH PROGRAM 

The school library program can help to build and transform students’ knowledge to support lifelong learning in our information- and knowledge-based society. The school library program supports student success across the language curriculum by encouraging students to read widely, teaching them to read for understanding and enjoyment, and helping them to improve their research skills and to use information gathered through research effectively. 

The school library program enables students to: 

• develop a love of reading for learning and for pleasure; 
• acquire an understanding of the richness and diversity of literary and informational texts produced in Canada and around the world; 
• obtain access to programs, resources, and integrated technologies that support all curriculum areas; 
• understand and value the role of public library systems as a resource for lifelong learning

The school library program plays a key role in the development of information literacy and research skills. In collaboration with classroom or content-area teachers, teacherlibrarians develop, teach, and provide students with authentic information and research tasks that foster learning, including the ability to: 

• locate, select, gather, critically evaluate, create, and communicate information; 
• use the information obtained to solve problems, make decisions, build knowledge, create personal meaning, and enrich their lives; 
• communicate their findings for different audiences, using a variety of formats and technologies; 
• use information and research with understanding, responsibility, and imagination.

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE ENGLISH PROGRAM 

Information and communications technologies (ICT) provide a range of tools that can significantly extend and enrich teachers’ instructional strategies and support students’ language learning. ICT tools include multimedia resources, databases, Internet websites, digital cameras, and word-processing programs. Tools such as these can help students to collect, organize, and sort the data they gather and to write, edit, and present reports on their findings. Information and communications technologies can also be used to connect students to other schools, at home and abroad, and to bring the global community into the local classroom. 

Whenever appropriate, therefore, students should be encouraged to use ICT to support and communicate their learning. For example, students working individually or in groups can use computer technology and/or Internet websites to gain access to museums and archives in Canada and around the world. Students can also use digital cameras and projectors to design and present the results of their research to their classmates. 

Although the Internet is a powerful learning tool, there are potential risks attached to its use. All students must be made aware of issues of Internet privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the potential for abuse of this technology, particularly when it is used to promote hatred. 

Teachers will find the various ICT tools useful in their teaching practice, both for wholeclass instruction and for the design of curriculum units that contain varied approaches to learning to meet diverse student needs.

THE ONTARIO SKILLS PASSPORT AND ESSENTIAL SKILLS 

Teachers planning programs in English need to be aware of the purpose and benefits of the Ontario Skills Passport (OSP). The OSP is a bilingual web-based resource that enhances the relevancy of classroom learning for students and strengthens school–work connections. The OSP provides clear descriptions of Essential Skills such as Reading Text, Writing, Computer Use, Measurement and Calculation, and Problem Solving and includes an extensive database of occupation-specific workplace tasks that illustrate how workers use these skills on the job. The Essential Skills are transferable, in that they are used in virtually all occupations. The OSP also includes descriptions of important work habits, such as working safely, being reliable, and providing excellent customer service. The OSP is designed to help employers assess and record students’ demonstration of these skills and work habits during their cooperative education placements. Students can use the OSP to identify the skills and work habits they already have, plan further skill development, and show employers what they can do. 

The skills described in the OSP are the Essential Skills that the Government of Canada and other national and international agencies have identified and validated, through extensive research, as the skills needed for work, learning, and life. These Essential Skills provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. For further information on the OSP and the Essential Skills, visit http://skills.edu.gov.on.ca. 

CAREER EDUCATION 

Expectations in the English program include many opportunities for students to apply their language skills to work-related situations, to explore educational and career options, and to become self-directed learners. To prepare students for the literacy demands of a wide array of postsecondary educational programs and careers, English courses require students to develop research skills, practise expository writing, and learn strategies for understanding informational reading materials. Making oral presentations and working in small groups with classmates help students express themselves confidently and work cooperatively with others. Regardless of their postsecondary destination, all students need to realize that literacy skills are employability skills. Powerful literacy skills will equip students to manage information technologies, communicate effectively and correctly in a variety of situations, and perform a variety of tasks required in most work environments. 

COOPERATIVE EDUCATION AND OTHER FORMS OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Cooperative education and other forms of experiential learning, such as job shadowing, field trips, and work experience, enable students to apply the skills they have developed in the classroom to real-life activities in the community and in the world of business and public service. Cooperative education and other workplace experiences also help to broaden students’ knowledge of employment opportunities in a wide range of fields, including publishing, advertising, and media-related industries. In addition, students develop their understanding of workplace practices, certifications, and the nature of employer–employee relationships. Teachers of English can support their students’ learning by maintaining links with community-based businesses to ensure that students have access to hands-on experiences that will reinforce the knowledge and skills gained in school.

Health and safety issues must be addressed when learning involves cooperative education and other workplace experiences. Teachers who provide support for students in workplace learning placements need to assess placements for safety and ensure students understand the importance of issues relating to health and safety in the workplace. Before taking part in workplace learning experiences, students must acquire the knowledge and skills needed for safe participation. Students must understand their rights to privacy and confidentiality as outlined in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. They have the right to function in an environment free from abuse and harassment, and they need to be aware of harassment and abuse issues in establishing boundaries for their own personal safety. They should be informed about school and community resources and school policies and reporting procedures with respect to all forms of abuse and harassment. 

Policy/Program Memorandum No. 76A, “Workplace Safety and Insurance Coverage for Students in Work Education Programs” (September 2000), outlines procedures for ensuring the provision of Health and Safety Insurance Board coverage for students who are at least 14 years of age and are on placements of more than one day. (A one-day job-shadowing or job-twinning experience is treated as a field trip.) Teachers should also be aware of the minimum age requirements outlined in the Occupational Health and Safety Act for persons to be in or to be working in specific workplace settings. All cooperative education and other workplace experiences will be provided in accordance with the ministry’s policy document entitled Cooperative Education and Other Forms of Experiential Learning: Policies and Procedures for Ontario Secondary Schools, 2000.

PLANNING PROGRAM PATHWAYS AND PROGRAMS LEADING TO A SPECIALIST HIGH-SKILLS MAJOR 

English courses are well suited for inclusion in programs leading to a Specialist HighSkills Major (SHSM) or in programs designed to provide pathways to particular apprenticeship or workplace destinations. In an SHSM program, English courses can be bundled with other courses to provide the academic knowledge and skills important to particular industry sectors and required for success in the workplace and postsecondary education, including apprenticeship. English courses may also be combined with cooperative education credits to provide the workplace experience required for SHSM programs and for various program pathways to apprenticeship and workplace destinations. (SHSM programs would also include sector-specific learning opportunities offered by employers, skills-training centres, colleges, and community organizations.)

HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE ENGLISH PROGRAM 

Although health and safety issues are not usually associated with language education, they may be important when the learning involves fieldwork. Out-of-school fieldwork can provide an exciting and authentic dimension to students’ learning experiences. Teachers must preview and plan these activities carefully to protect students’ health and safety.

Program Planning Considerations: These considerations are based on the directives mentioned in the  Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: English, 2007 (revised). A copy of this document is available online at: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/english1112currb.pdf 

RESOURCE MATERIALS: 

Trillium bookstore:  Imprints 12 © 2002 

YouTube Resources: 

Faisal Ahmad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbNVXmLpaJE 

Explorer Hop Academy Program Materials

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. The Achievement Chart: English, Grades 9–12 will guide all assessment and evaluation.

Term Evaluation = 70% of total grade broken up as follow:

The final grade will be determined as follows: 

Term work and project  = 70% of final mark
Final exam = 30% of final mark

LEARNING SKILLS

The six learning skills reported on the provincial report card are: Responsibility, Organization, Independent Work, Collaboration, Initiative, and Self-Regulation. These are reported using a letter system of (E) excellent, (G) good, (S) satisfactory and (N) needs improvement. These will be assessed using checklists, student self-assessment, and teacher assessment. Learning skills assessment does not count toward the course mark but proficiency with these skills is essential for achieving success.

ONLINE LEARNING ETIQUETTE

Participating in online courses is a privilege. You are expected to behave in an appropriate manner while logged into your online course(s). Any inappropriate use of language, use of the site facilities for purposes other than course related activities or malicious actions taken against others through these facilities are not permitted. These violations will be dealt with in a severe manner and may result in suspension or expulsion from online learning. Please remember, your actions within the site can and will be monitored. Any communications on the Internet, whether through email, private chat room, or other methods are not private. Be aware that anything you communicate may be viewed by others. If you don't want it known, do not type it into your computer.

ATTENDANCE

Students are expected to take responsibility in the completion of their course by creating a schedule in advance and meeting deadlines. You are expected to write every test/evaluation as well as complete all summative assessments. 

Notebooks need to be well kept and organized. You will get homework for every lesson. If you are having trouble with the homework or with concepts covered in class, reach out to your instructor for support.