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COURSE OUTLINE

Course Title: English
Course Code: ENG4C
Grade: 12
Course Type: College Preparation
Credit Value: 1
Prerequisite: ENG3C
Curriculum Policy Document: English, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, 2007 (Revised)
Department: English
Course Developer: Deb Homuth
Development Date: May 2008
Course Revised by: -
Revision Date: -

Course Description:

This course emphasizes the consolidation of literacy, communication, and critical and creative thinking skills necessary for success in academic and daily life. Students will analyse a variety of informational and graphic texts, as well as literary texts from various countries and cultures, and create oral, written, and media texts in a variety of forms for practical and academic purposes. An important focus will be on using language with precision and clarity and developing greater control in writing. The course is intended to prepare students for college or the workplace.

Unit	Titles and Descriptions	Time and Sequence
Unit 1	Shorter Literature and Non-Fiction This unit is designed as a series of tutorials. Each tutorial will require the student to read different types of writing and then to complete assignments for that tutorial. Students will analyze the form and structure of each type of text and comment on the text’s meaning as well. Students will have some choice with respect to assignments but all forms of writing must be addressed. At the end of the unit students will prepare a polished report where all the tutorial work plus a self-assessment will be compiled and submitted to the Dropbox.	30 hours
Unit 2	Drama This unit introduces students to the beauty and diversity of African literatures. Students will read works of literature from Southern, West, East, North, and Central Africa. They will also be exposed to the different genres of African literatures. Poems by Zimbabwean author Charles Mungoshi make up the first activity that focuses on Southern Africa. From the West African countries of Niger and Nigeria, students will be asked to read and listen to folk tales in the second activity. An excerpt from a novel by Kenyan author Ngugi wa Thiong'o is included as an example of East African literature in the third activity. A short story from Sudan is discussed in Activity Four, and in Activity Five students will read excerpts from an autobiography by Moroccan author Fatima Mernissi. Finally, students will read part of a play from Tanzania.	18 hours
Unit 3	Novel Study Students will select a novel to read from a provided list. After the novel is read a series of assignments will be completed. The assignments will involve students in developing their understanding of the heroic quest. In addition the activities will involve students in creative tasks such as letter writing in the persona of the main character, interviews to develop oral language skills, the external research of items, places or organizations found in the novel and an oral presentation of your research.	30 hours
Unit 4	Media Studies In this unit students will develop an understanding of what a documentary film is all about. They will conduct some research on documentaries including watching some. Then they will make a documentary and the advertising campaign that goes with it. Students will be the fictitious producers of a movie production company seeking someone to make a documentary film about a town or city. Students will apply to receive the contract and make the movie about the student’s hometown, city, or region. There are multiple parts to this assignment including writing the response memo to win the contract, confirming your commitment on company letterhead, determining the target audience, planning the movie storyboard, casting the movie, shooting and editing the movie and finally designing the multi-media advertising campaign to sell the movie. Students will be given instruction at each stage prior to preparing their products for assessment.	30 hours
	Final Evaluation The final evaluation consists of a two hour proctored final exam worth 30% of the student’s final mark. The exam will consist of four questions, one for each unit of the course.	2 hours
	Total	110 hours

Teaching / Learning Strategies:

Since the over-riding aim of this course is to help students use language skillfully, confidently and flexibly, a wide variety of instructional strategies are used to provide learning opportunities to accommodate a variety of learning styles, interests and ability levels. These include:

Reading various works	Independent research	Directed Reading Activities
Multimedia Production	Direct Instruction	Research Process
Independent Study	Writing Processes	Writing to Learn
Journal writing	Oral Presentation	Report
Discussions	Listening Activities	Expressing Another Point of View
Interviews	Guided Internet Research	Guided Writing
Comparative Essay Writing	Independent Reading	Reading Responses
Class Discussions	Media Analysis	Story Mapping
Role Playing	Creative Writing	Issue Based Analysis

Assessment and Evaluation Strategies of Student Performance:

Assessment is a systematic process of collecting information or evidence about student learning. Evaluation is the judgment we make about the assessments of student learning based on established criteria. The purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. This means that judgments of student performance must be criterion-referenced so that feedback can be given that includes clearly expressed next steps for improvement. Tools of varying complexity are used by the teacher to facilitate this. For the more complex evaluations, the criteria are incorporated into a rubric where levels of performance for each criterion are stated in language that can be understood by students.

Assessment is embedded within the instructional process throughout each unit rather than being an isolated event at the end. Often, the learning and assessment tasks are the same, with formative assessment provided throughout the unit. In every case, the desired demonstration of learning is articulated clearly and the learning activity is planned to make that demonstration possible. This process of beginning with the end in mind helps to keep focus on the expectations of the course as stated in the course guideline. The evaluations are expressed as a percentage based upon the levels of achievement.

Overall Expectations - ENG4C

ORAL COMMUNICATION
Overall Expectations
EOC.01	Listening to Understand: listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;
EOC.02	Speaking to Communicate: use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes;
EOC.03	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 AND LITERATURE STUDIES
Overall Expectations
ERL.01	Reading for Meaning: read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, informational, and graphic texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;
ERL.02	Understanding Form and Style: recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;
ERL.03	Reading With Fluency: use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;
ERL.04	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.
WRITING
Overall Expectations
EWR.01	Developing and Organizing Content: generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;
EWR.02	Using Knowledge of Form and Style: draft and revise their writing, using a variety of literary, informational, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;
EWR.03	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;
EWR.04	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.
MEDIA STUDIES
Overall Expectations
EMS.01	Understanding Media Texts: demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;
EMS.02	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;
EMS.03	Creating Media Texts: create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques;
EMS.04	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.

The Final Grade:

The evaluation for this course is based on the student's achievement of curriculum expectations and the demonstrated skills required for effective learning.

The percentage grade represents the quality of the student's overall achievement of the expectations for the course and reflects the corresponding level of achievement as described in the achievement chart for the discipline.

A credit is granted and recorded for this course if the student's grade is 50% or higher. The final grade for this course will be determined as follows:

• 70% of the grade will be based upon evaluations conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade will reflect the student's most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration will be given to more recent evidence of achievement.



• 30% of the grade will be on a two hour proctored final examination comprised of four questions. Each question targets one unit on the course.

The report card will focus on two distinct but related aspects of student achievement; the achievement of curriculum expectations and the development of learning skills. The report card will contain separate sections for the reporting of these two aspects.

A Summary Description of Achievement in Each Percentage Grade Range and Corresponding Level of Achievement
Percentage Grade Range	Achievement Level	Summary Description
80-100%	Level 4	A very high to outstanding level of achievement. Achievement is above the provincial standard.
70-79%	Level 3	A high level of achievement. Achievement is at the provincial standard.
60-69%	Level 2	A moderate level of achievement. Achievement is below, but approaching, the provincial standard.
50-59%	Level 1	A passable level of achievement. Achievement is below the provincial standard.
below 50%	Level R	Insufficient achievement of curriculum expectations. A credit will not be granted.

Achievement Chart: English, Grades 9-12

Categories	50-59% (Level 1)	60-69% (Level 2)	70-79% (Level 3)	80-100% (Level 4)
Knowledge and Understanding - Subject-specific content acquired in each course (knowledge), and the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding)
	The student:
Knowledge of content (e.g., forms of text; strategies used when listening and speaking, reading,writing, and viewing and representing; elements of style; literary terminology, concepts, and theories; language conventions)	demonstrates limited knowledge of content	demonstrates some knowledge of content	demonstrates considerable knowledge of content	demonstrates thorough knowledge of content
Understanding of content (e.g.,concepts; ideas; opinions; relationships among facts, ideas,concepts,themes)	demonstrates limited understanding of content	demonstrates some understanding of content	demonstrates considerable understanding of content	demonstrates thorough and insightful understanding of content
Thinking - The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes
	The student:
Use of planning skills (e.g., generating ideas, gathering information, focusing research, organizing information)	uses planning skills with limited effectiveness	uses planning skills with moderate effectiveness	uses planning skills with considerable effectiveness	uses planning skills with a high degree of effectiveness
Use of processing skills (e.g., drawing inferences, interpreting, analysing, synthesizing, evaluating)	uses processing skills with limited effectiveness	uses processing skills with some effectiveness	uses processing skills with considerable effectiveness	uses processing skills with a high degree of effectiveness
Use of critical/creative thinking processess (e.g., oral discourse, research, critical analysis, critical literacy, metacognition, creative process)	uses critical / creative thinking processes with limited effectiveness	uses critical / creative thinking processes with some effectiveness	uses critical / creative thinking processes with considerable effectiveness	uses critical / creative thinking processes with a high degree of effectiveness
Communication - The conveying of meaning through various forms
	The student:
Expression and organization of ideas and information (e.g., clear expression, logical organization) in oral, graphic, and written forms, including media forms	expresses and organizes ideas and information with limited effectiveness	expresses and organizes ideas and information with some effectiveness	expresses and organizes ideas and information with considerable effectiveness	expresses and organizes ideas and information with a high degree of effectiveness
Communication for different audiences and purposes (e.g., use of appropriate style, voice, point of view) in oral, graphic, and written forms, including media forms	communicates for different audiences and purposes with limited effectiveness	communicates for different audiences and purposes with some effectiveness	communicates for different audiences and purposes with considerable effectiveness	communicates for different audiences and purposes with a high degree of effectiveness
Use of conventions (e.g., grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage), vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline in oral, graphic, and written forms, including media forms	uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with limited effectiveness	uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with some effectiveness	uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with considerable effectiveness	uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with a high degree of effectiveness
Application - The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts
	The student:
Application of knowledge and skills (e.g.,literacy strategies and processes; literary terminology, concepts, and theories) in familiar contexts	applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with limited effectiveness	applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with some effectiveness	applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with considerable effectiveness	applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with a high degree of effectiveness
Transfer of knowledge and skills (e.g., literacy strategies and processes; literary terminology, concepts, and theories) to new contexts	transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with limited effectiveness	transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with some effectiveness	transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with considerable effectiveness	transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with a high degree of effectiveness
Making connections within and between various contexts (e.g., between the text and personal knowledge and experience, other texts, and the world outside school)	makes connections within and between various contexts with limited effectiveness	makes connections within and between various contexts with some effectiveness	makes connections within and between various contexts with considerable effectiveness	makes connections within and between various contexts with a high degree of effectiveness

Resources:

• ENG4C online course of study
• Writings: A number of short stories and various forms of writings
• Novel Study: One of Life of Pi by Yann Martel, or The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Kidd Monk, or The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini or CHARLIE WLSON’S WAR: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times by George Crile, or The Bourne Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum
• dictionary
• thesaurus
• various internet websites

Program Planning Considerations for English:

Teachers who are planning a program in English must take into account considerations in a number of important areas. Essential information that pertains to all disciplines is provided in the companion piece to this document, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12: Program Planning and Assessment, 2000. The areas of concern to all teachers that are outlined there include the following:

• types of secondary school courses
• education for exceptional students
• the role of technology in the curriculum
• English as a second language (ESL) and English literacy development (ELD)
• career education
• cooperative education and other workplace experiences
• health and safety

Considerations relating to the areas listed above that have particular relevance for program planning in English are noted here.

Education for Exceptional Students. In planning courses in English, teachers should take into account the needs of exceptional students as set out in their Individual Education Plan. English courses reflect the creative part of our literary world, which offers a vast array of opportunities for exceptional students. Students who use alternative techniques for communication may find a venue for their talents as writers. Just as English responds to the needs and demands of the greater world of work, English courses are largely shaped by the needs and demands of students who will all eventually end up in this greater world.

The Role of Technology in the Curriculum. Information technology is considered a learning tool that must be accessed by English students when the situation is appropriate. As a result, students will develop transferable skills through their experience with word processing, internet research, presentation software, and telecommunication tools, as would be expected in any business environment.

English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development (ESL/ELD). This English course can provide a wide range of options to address the needs of ESL/ELD students. Detailed analysis of the parts of speech, vocabulary and sentence, paragraph and essay structure will help ESL students in mastering the English language and all of its idiosyncrasies. In addition, since all occupations require employees with a wide range of English skills and abilities, many students will learn how their backgrounds and language skills can contribute to their success in the larger world.

Career Education. English definitely helps prepare students for employment in a huge number of diverse areas. The skills, knowledge and creativity that students acquire through this English course are essential for a wide range of careers. Being able to express oneself in a clear concise manner without ambiguity would be an overall intention of this English course, as it helps students prepare for success in their working lives.

Cooperative Education and Other Workplace Experiences. By applying the skills they have developed, students will readily connect their classroom learning to real-life activities in the world in which they live. Cooperative education and other workplace experiences will broaden their knowledge of employment opportunities in a wide range of fields. In addition, students will increase their understanding of workplace practices and the nature of the employer-employee relationship. Teachers of English should maintain links with community-based businesses to ensure that students have access to hands-on experiences that will reinforce the knowledge they have gained in school.

Health and Safety. The English program provides the reading skills for the student to be able to explore the variety of concepts relating to health and safety in the workplace. Teachers who provide support for students in workplace learning placements need to assess placements for safety and ensure that students can read and understand the importance of issues relating to health and safety in the workplace.