Ministry of Education Curriculum Documents
This course emphasizes analytic reading, writing, oral communication, and thinking skills that students need for success in secondary school academic programs and their daily lives. Students will study and interpret texts from contemporary and historical periods, including plays, short stories, and short essays, and will investigate and create media works. An important focus will be the correct and effective use of spoken and written language.
Theme or Genre: Elizabethan
Core Texts: Cue for Treason, The Merchant of Venice, Nelson Anthology
Summative: media project based on core text
This course emphasizes key reading, writing, oral communication, and thinking skills that students need for success in secondary school and their daily lives. Students will study plays, short stories, and newspaper and magazine articles, and will describe and create media works. An important focus will be the correct use of spoken and written language.
Theme or Genre: Maturation
Summative: media project based on core text
This course extends the range of analytic, reading, writing, oral communication, and thinking skills that students need for success in secondary school academic programs. Students will study and interpret challenging texts from contemporary and historical periods, including novels, poems, plays, and opinion pieces, and will analyse and create effective media works. An important focus will be the thoughtful use of spoken and written language.
Theme and or Genre: Conflict Resolution
Core Texts: Flowers for Algernon, Romeo and Juliet, Prentice-Hall Anthology
Summative: research project based on core text
This course extends the range of key reading, writing, oral communication, and thinking skills that students need for success in all areas of the curriculum. Students will study novels, poems, magazines, and reports, and will describe, design, and produce effective media works. An important focus will be the clear and coherent use of spoken and written language.
Theme or Genre: Racism & Prejudice
Core Texts: In the Heat of the Night and/or Gentle Hands, Marigolds, Gage Crossroads 10
Summative: research project based on core text
This course emphasizes the development of literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills. Students will analyse challenging texts from various periods; conduct research and analyse the information gathered; write persuasive and literary essays; and analyse the relationship among media forms, audiences, and media industry practices. An important focus will be on understanding the development of the English language.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 10, Academic
Theme or Genre: Men and Women
Core Texts: The Great Gatsby, Othello, Streetcar Named Desire, Prentice-Hall Viewpoints 11
Summative: Victorian novel study
This course emphasizes the development of literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills. Students will study the content, form, and style of informational texts and literary works from Canada and other countries; write reports, correspondence, and persuasive essays; and analyse media forms, audiences, and media industry practices. An important focus will be on establishing appropriate voice and using business and technical language with precision and clarity.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 10, Applied
Theme or Genre: The Dark Side
Core Texts: The Chrysalids, Macbeth, Gage Passages 11
Summative: Dystopian or Horror Novel Study
This course emphasizes consolidation of literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills. Students will analyse a range of challenging texts from various time periods, countries, and cultures; write analytical and argumentative essays and a major paper for an independent literary research project; and apply key concepts to analyse media works. An important focus will be on understanding academic language and using it coherently and confidently in discussion and argument.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 11, University Preparation
Theme or Genre: Aging
Core Texts: The Stone Angel; King Lear; The Old Man and the Sea or Silas Marner; Death of a Salesman
Summative: Extended Studies in Literature
This course emphasizes consolidation of literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills. Students will analyse informational texts and literary works from various time periods, countries, and cultures; write research reports, summaries, and short analytical essays; complete an independent study project; and analyse the interactions among media forms, audiences, and media industry practices. An important focus will be on establishing appropriate style and using business and technical language effectively.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 11, College Preparation
Theme or Genre: Friendship
Core Texts: Of Mice and Men, Julius Caesar, The Glass Menagerie, Gage Passages 12
Summative: Independent Novel Study (choices: Duddy Kravitz, Lord of the Flies, Catcher in the Rye, Huck Finn)
This course emphasizes knowledge and skills that will enable students to understand media communication in the twenty-first century and to use media effectively and responsibly. Through analysing the forms and messages of a variety of media works and audience responses to them, and through creating their own media works, students will develop critical thinking skills, aesthetic and ethical judgement, and skills in viewing, representing, listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 10, Academic or Applied
Theme or Genre: Various
Core Texts: TBA
Summative: TBA
This course is for students with a special interest in literature and literary criticism. The course may focus on themes, genres, time periods, or countries. Students will analyse a range of forms and stylistic elements of literary texts and respond personally, critically, and creatively to them. They will also assess critical interpretations, write analytical essays, and complete an independent study project.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 11, University Preparation
Theme or Genre: Extended studies in Literature
Core Texts: The Taming of the Shrew, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Cyrano de Bergerac, several other genre novels
Summative: Extended Studies in Literature
This course emphasizes knowledge and skills related to the craft of writing. Students will analyse models of effective writing; use a workshop approach to produce a range of works; identify and use techniques required for specialized forms of writing; and identify effective ways to improve the quality of their writing. They will also complete a major paper as part of a creative or analytical independent study project and investigate opportunities for publication and for writing careers.
Prerequisite: English, Grade 11, University Preparation
Theme or Genre: Various
Core Texts: TBA
Summative: Extended Studies in the craft of writing