Department Members:
| Staff Name |
|---|
| Mr. M. Przemieniecki - Department Head |
| Ms. M. Curran - Assistant Department Head |
| Ms. M. Xithalis |
| Ms. S. Hallworth |
| Ms. C. Hawkswell |
| Ms. P. Rush |
| Mr. K. Salamanchuk |
| Ms. S. Makarenko |
| Ms. S. Mendelson |
| Ms. T. Chilova |
| Ms. B. Humphrey |
| Ms. S. Hunter Gazaneo |
Strands and Expectations
Ministry Strands and Overall Expectations for all English Courses
Oral Communication
By the end of this course, students will:
- 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 and Literature Studies
By the end of this course, students will:
- 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.
Writing
By the end of this course, students will:
- 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.
Media Studies
By the end of this course, students will:
- 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.
Tips to Be Successful in English Courses
Do your homework consistently. Don’t rush to get the homework completed. Instead, take your time to develop your answers. Homework is assigned to reinforce the skills and to provide practice for tasks which will later be evaluated. The homework is a form of assessment. It is not only a way for your teachers, but also for you to track your learning. If you are having difficulty with the homework or you find that your answers are consistently incorrect, that is a strong indication that you need to set up a time with your teacher to meet for extra help.
Correct homework accurately. Make the corrections in a different colour so that you have a visual cue to track areas for improvement. Write the correct answer in detail so that you have a good exemplar of how to answer a question. Remember your notes will provide a foundation for future tests and/or tasks. If you need further clarification, ask your teacher for help.
Listen attentively and take notes during classroom discussions. Be an active listener by:
- copying down information/notes off the board;
- taking notes during classroom discussions;
- jotting down questions to ask for clarification.
Read, review and reflect. Try to build in some time to read over your notes and review new terms, course material, etc. on a regular basis. Reflect on the lesson done in class and jot down questions or concerns you may have. Address these with your teacher the next day while the information is still fresh in your mind.
“Learn” the material. Try to understand what is being taught (the learning goals) and why. Make sure you understand what you are reading, studying, discussing, writing, etc. For example, you cannot write an essay on a play if you don’t understand the major ideas in the play that are discussed in class. Therefore, participate in class by volunteering to read, answer questions and ask questions.
Review feedback. Often, your teachers will give you various forms of feedback, some oral and some written. Listen carefully during student-teacher conferences by taking down notes and asking questions for clarification. Read over the written feedback provided and cross-reference it with the specific portion of the task the feedback is addressing. Make sure you understand the feedback. Ask questions if you don’t understand the feedback provided.
Manage your time and be organized. Know your due dates (not just for English, but all your courses) and record them either in an agenda or your phone. This way, you can plan ahead, prioritize and manage your time and workload. Do not procrastinate Start early so that you have time to ask questions, edit your work and revise it.
Seek help early. Don’t wait until a test or a due date to ask for help. Be proactive and get help immediately if you find that you are struggling. Come with specific and targeted questions about what it is you don’t understand. For example, do not say, “I don’t understand the whole play.” A specific and targeted question would be, “Can you help me with the concept of irony in the play?” Communication is essential to your success, so please keep your teacher informed about your struggles and concerns.