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English Department 112
English Department
The Place of English in the Curriculum
 
To participate fully in the society and workplace of the twenty-first century, today’s students will need to be able to use language skillfully, confidently, and flexibly. The English curriculum offers a challenging program of the highest quality, one that recognizes the central importance of language and literature in learning and everyday life and prepares students for the literacy demands they will face as Canadians and members of the global community. Equally important, it should encourage students to develop a lifelong love of reading and writing.
 
Language is the basis for thinking, communicating, and learning. Students need literacy skills to enable them to receive and comprehend ideas and information, to inquire further into areas of interest and study, to express themselves clearly, and to demonstrate their learning. Literacy skills are important for higher education and for eventual entry into the workplace. Students who are preparing for postsecondary education must develop these skills in order to succeed in the challenging academic work of college and university programs. Students who are preparing for careers in business and industry also need these skills in order to adapt to a workplace that is constantly changing. Whatever their postsecondary destination, all students need the ability to express themselves clearly and effectively. Learning to communicate with clarity and precision, both orally and in writing, will help students to thrive in their future endeavours in the world beyond the school.
 
Literature is a fundamental element of identity and culture. As students read and reflect on a rich variety of literature, informational texts, and media works, they deepen their understanding of themselves and the world around them. In their study of literary works from many genres, historical periods, and cultures, students consider personal and societal aspirations and explore possibilities. Through the study of literature, students strengthen their own ability to use language as an effective tool for thought, expression, and communication.
 
Language is also an essential tool for learning across the curriculum. When students consider topics, issues, or themes in various subject areas, they use and develop important literacy skills. For example, in science and technology, students must communicate effectively to record observations, describe investigations, and present their findings in oral and written reports. They must also learn to use a range of technical terms and specialized language. In history, they debate interpretations of important past events. In family studies, students can conduct an interview, and in mathematics they can clarify a difficult concept by explaining it to a peer. Facility in language helps students to learn in all subject areas; at the same time, by using language for a broad range of purposes students increase their ability to communicate with precision and to understand how language works.
 
Subject matter from any course in English can be combined with subject matter from one or more courses in other disciplines to create an interdisciplinary course. The policies and procedures regarding the development of interdisciplinary courses are outlined in the interdisciplinary studies curriculum policy document.
 
Language learning is developmental and cumulative across the grades: students develop flexibility and proficiency in their language use over time. The secondary school English curriculum, therefore, builds on the expectations outlined in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Language, 1997 and provides students and teachers with clearly stated, rigorous, and increasingly demanding expectations for the literature studies and reading, writing, language, and media studies strands. As students move through the grades, they are required to use language with ever-greater fluency, proficiency, and accuracy in a broadening range of situations. They take greater responsibility for their own learning and apply their language skills in more challenging and complex ways.
 
In Grades 9 and 10, students may need to continue practicing certain skills introduced in the elementary curriculum. Teachers and students will recognize these expectations, which are repeated in increasingly complex forms to encourage students to refine and sharpen their reading, writing, and oral communication skills. In Grades 11 and 12, the emphasis shifts to help students develop the skills and knowledge they need to prepare for their postsecondary destinations. The focus in these senior grades will be on helping students to develop independence and to master the range of complex skills they will need for university and college programs and for the workplace.
 
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