The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 and 10 EnglishEnglish,Grade 10,Applied (ENG2P) . . . . . . . . . . ....

Ministry of Educationand Training

The Ontario CurriculumGrades 9 and 10

English

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Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2The Place of English in the Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

The Program in English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Teaching Approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Curriculum Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Strands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

CoursesEnglish, Grade 9,Academic (ENG1D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

English, Grade 9,Applied (ENG1P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

English, Grade 10,Academic (ENG2D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

English, Grade 10,Applied (ENG2P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Some Considerations for Program Planning in English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

The Achievement Chart for English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Explanatory Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

This publication is available on the Ministry of Education andTraining’s World Wide Web site at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca.

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Introduction

The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: English, 1999 will be implemented in Ontario secondary schools starting in September 1999 for students in Grade 9 and in September 2000for students in Grade 10. This document replaces the sections in The Common Curriculum:Policies and Outcomes, Grades 1–9, 1995 that relate to English in Grade 9, and the parts of thecurriculum guideline English, Intermediate and Senior Divisions (Grades 7–12), 1987 that relateto Grade 10.

This document is designed for use in conjunction with its companion piece, The OntarioCurriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Program Planning and Assessment, 1999, which contains informationrelevant to all disciplines represented in the curriculum. The planning and assessment docu-ment is available both in print and on the ministry’s website, at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca.

The Place of English in the Curriculum

To participate fully in the society and workplace of the twenty-first century, today’s studentswill need to be able to use language skilfully, confidently, and flexibly. The English curriculumoffers a challenging program of the highest quality, one that recognizes the central importanceof language and literature in learning and everyday life and prepares students for the literacydemands they will face as Canadians and members of the global community. Equally impor-tant, 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 skillsto enable them to receive and comprehend ideas and information, to inquire further into areasof interest and study, to express themselves clearly, and to demonstrate their learning. Literacyskills are important for higher education and for eventual entry into the workplace. Studentswho are preparing for postsecondary education must develop these skills in order to succeedin the challenging academic work of college and university programs. Students who arepreparing for careers in business and industry also need these skills in order to adapt to aworkplace that is constantly changing. Whatever their postsecondary destination, all studentsneed the ability to express themselves clearly and effectively. Learning to communicate withclarity and precision, both orally and in writing, will help students to thrive in their futureendeavours in the world beyond the school.

Literature is a fundamental element of identity and culture. As students read and reflect on arich variety of literature, informational texts, and media works, they deepen their understand-ing 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 andexplore possibilities.Through the study of literature, students strengthen their own ability touse language as an effective tool for thought, expression, and communication.

3I N T R O D U C T I O N

Language is also an essential tool for learning across the curriculum. When students considertopics, 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 recordobservations, 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 aninterview, 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 withprecision and to understand how language works.

Subject matter from any course in English can be combined with subject matter from one ormore courses in other disciplines to create an interdisciplinary course. The policies and proce-dures regarding the development of interdisciplinary courses are outlined in the interdiscipli-nary studies curriculum policy document.

Language learning is developmental and cumulative across the grades: students develop flexi-bility and proficiency in their language use over time. The secondary school English curricu-lum, 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 increas-ingly demanding expectations for the literature studies and reading, writing, language, andmedia studies strands. As students move through the grades, they are required to use languagewith ever-greater fluency, proficiency, and accuracy in a broadening range of situations. Theytake greater responsibility for their own learning and apply their language skills in more chal-lenging and complex ways.

In Grades 9 and 10, students may need to continue practising certain skills introduced in theelementary curriculum. Teachers and students will recognize these expectations, which arerepeated in increasingly complex forms to encourage students to refine and sharpen theirreading, writing, and oral communication skills. In Grades 11 and 12, the emphasis shifts tohelp students develop the skills and knowledge they need to prepare for their postsecondarydestinations. The focus in these senior grades will be on helping students to develop indepen-dence and to master the range of complex skills they will need for university and college pro-grams and for the workplace.

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Overview

The English program includes courses that are compulsory for graduation, and optionalcourses, which are elective credits. Compulsory courses emphasize strong core competenciesin reading, writing, use of language, and media awareness. As part of their program in Grades 9and 10, students must take a compulsory course in English in each grade. They may choosebetween two types of courses in Grades 9 and 10: academic and applied. (See The OntarioCurriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Program Planning and Assessment, 1999 for a description of the dif-ferent types of secondary school courses.)

Courses that students may take as electives are offered only in Grades 11 and 12. They providestudents with opportunities to explore individual interests and to deepen and extend some ofthe knowledge and skills acquired in their compulsory courses through more thematic andspecialized study.

Courses offered in English must be delivered as full courses, rather than as half-credit courses.

Courses in English, Grades 9 and 10

Course Course Course Credit Grade Name Type Code Value Prerequisite*

9 English Academic ENG1D 1

9 English Applied ENG1P 1

10 English Academic ENG2D 1 Grade 9 English, Academic or Applied

10 English Applied ENG2P 1 Grade 9 English, Academic or Applied

* Prerequisites apply only to Grade 10, 11, and 12 courses.

Teaching Approaches

Language is best learned through activities that present stimulating ideas, issues, and themesthat are meaningful to students. Since no single instructional approach can meet all the needsof each learner, teachers should select classroom activities that are based on an assessment ofstudents’ individual needs, proven learning theory, and best practices. In their English pro-grams, teachers should introduce a rich variety of activities that integrate strands and providefor the explicit teaching of knowledge and skills.

The ability to work both independently and collaboratively is integral to success in both theworkplace and postsecondary education and is equally relevant in the context of family andcommunity. It is therefore important for students to have opportunities to develop theirEnglish skills and knowledge independently, in pairs, in small groups, and as a class. Studentsmust be able to demonstrate that they have acquired the specified knowledge and skills.Collaborative work is useful to achieve some of these objectives and has inherent value inteaching students to take on a variety of roles within a team.

The Program in English

5T H E P R O G R A M I N E N G L I S H

Curriculum Expectations

The expectations identified for each course describe the knowledge and skills that students areexpected to develop and demonstrate in their class work, on tests, and in various other activi-ties on which their achievement is assessed and evaluated.

Two sets of expectations are listed for each strand, or broad curriculum area, of each course.The overall expectations describe in general terms the knowledge and skills that students areexpected to demonstrate by the end of each course. The specific expectations describe theexpected knowledge and skills in greater detail.

The specific expectations are organized under subheadings. This organization is not meant toimply that the expectations in any one group are achieved independently of the expectationsin the other groups. The subheadings are used to help teachers focus on particular aspects ofknowledge and skills as they plan learning activities for their students.

Many of the expectations are accompanied by examples, given in parentheses. These examplesare meant to illustrate the kind of skill, the specific area of learning, the depth of learning,and/or the level of complexity that the expectation entails. They are intended as a guide forteachers rather than as an exhaustive or mandatory list.

Strands

The strands for English are as follows: Literature Studies and Reading,Writing, Language, andMedia Studies.

Literature Studies and Reading.While many students entering the Grade 9 English programare fluent, independent readers, some may need additional support to develop their readingskills and to monitor their own progress. In addition, all students need instruction to copewith the more challenging reading demands of the secondary school curriculum, whichrequires students to consider increasingly abstract concepts and to use language structures thatare more complex and vocabulary that is more specialized than in earlier grades. The Englishprogram will help students learn to read efficiently and to absorb information quickly.Students will also learn to switch from one genre to another, and to use a range of readingskills to suit their purpose and the materials they are reading as they move from subject to sub-ject. Students should be encouraged to read independently for pleasure and information.

The study of literature is central in the English curriculum; it offers students opportunities toexpand their intellectual horizons and to extend and strengthen their literacy skills. As a cre-ative representation of life and experience, literature raises important questions about thehuman condition, now and in the past. As students increase their knowledge of accomplishedwriters and literary works and vicariously experience times, events, cultures, and values differ-ent from their own, they deepen their understanding of the many dimensions of humanthought and human experience.

All students, regardless of their postsecondary plans, need to read a balance of exemplary liter-ary and informational works that nourish the imagination, promote intellectual growth, con-tribute to a sense of aesthetic appreciation, and provide a broad range of language models fortheir own writing. Literary works drawn from many genres, historical periods, and cultures

6 T H E O N T A R I O C U R R I C U L U M , G R A D E S 9 A N D 1 0 : E N G L I S H

reflect the diversity of Canada and the world. Such works include poetry (poets such asAtwood, cummings, Dickinson, Frost, Layton, MacEwen, Neruda, Souster,Thomas,Wordsworth), novels (novelists such as Kogawa, Mowat, Philip, Steinbeck,Tolkien,Wyndham),plays (playwrights such as Gibson, Lawrence, Lee, Shakespeare,Wilder), myths and legends(selections should represent many cultures, such as Anglo-Saxon, Celtic, Chinese, Greek,Native Canadian, Norse), short stories (writers such as Atwood, Bradbury, Callaghan,Chekhov, Conan Doyle, De Maupassant, Hawthorne, Jackson, Munro, Nowlan, O’Flaherty,Saki), biographies, journals, letters, and essays. (The preceding lists of authors are provided toindicate the level of challenge that programs in literature studies should entail, and are notintended to suggest prescribed reading.) Literary works enrich students’ understanding ofthemes and issues and enhance their appreciation of the power and beauty of language. Tohelp students become confident, proficient, flexible readers, a balanced literature program alsoincludes a range of informational texts, such as academic textbooks, technical manuals, news-papers and magazines, reference materials, memos, bulletin-board notices, CD-ROMs, data-bases, and websites.

When choosing literature for study, teachers must consider the genres designated for specialemphasis in the course expectations, as well as an appropriate balance between contemporaryand historical texts and Canadian and world literature.

Writing. Students use writing to record information and ideas, to express themselves, to com-municate with others for various purposes, and to reflect and learn. In personal, academic, andworkplace situations, students need to be able to write clearly and coherently, with precisionand an engaging style. A central goal of the Writing strand is to promote students’ growth asconfident writers and researchers who can communicate competently using a range of formsand styles to suit specific purposes and audiences and correctly applying the conventions oflanguage – grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation. These conventions are best learned inthe context of meaningful and creative writing activities that allow students to develop theability to think and write clearly and effectively.

Writing, from initial musings to final publication, is a complex process that involves a range ofcomplementary thinking and composing skills, as well as other language processes, includingreading, speaking, and listening. As writers compose, they consider their audience; make deci-sions about form, style, and organization; and apply their knowledge of language use. Todevelop these competencies, students need a supportive classroom environment, with opportu-nities to extend and refine their skills in using the writing process and doing research. Theyalso need opportunities to apply these skills and to write daily, in many forms and genres, for avariety of purposes and audiences, and within different time constraints. The forms and genresexplored may include essays, reports, short stories, poetry, scripts, journals, letters, biographies,children’s stories, articles, reviews, précis, explanations, instructions, notes, procedures, résumés,and advertisements. Because postsecondary institutions and employers require clear, well-organized writing, on demand and within strict timelines, students also need to learn andpractise strategies for writing effectively and correctly in the context of examinations and in-class writing assignments.

To help them in their writing and research, students need access to a range of print and elec-tronic resources, including general and specialized dictionaries, thesauri, manuals of style,word-processing and graphics software, desktop publishing programs, e-mail, and the Internet.Students should be encouraged to write frequently for pleasure and personal purposes.

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Language.The language strand sets out expectations for vocabulary development, knowledgeof the history of the English language, knowledge of grammar and the conventions of standardCanadian English, and oral communication skills.

Knowledge of vocabulary helps students improve their reading, writing, and speaking skills.The study of the development of the English language – the influence on English of otherlanguages, dialects, and contemporary events and trends – helps students appreciate the evolv-ing nature of language. Knowledge of the rules of grammar and the conventions of spellingand punctuation helps students understand, write, and speak standard Canadian English confi-dently and correctly in all subject disciplines. Thus, the study of the conventions of grammar,usage, spelling, and punctuation of standard Canadian English are components of all compul-sory English courses.

Oral language is a fundamental means for communicating with others and the cornerstone oflearning in all subjects. Students listen and speak in order to understand concepts, solve prob-lems, provide information, and express thoughts. When they converse about information andideas, they become aware of forms, styles, imagery, language structures, and conventions usedby other speakers and writers. As they work towards the expectations for this strand, studentswill improve their ability to explore and communicate ideas in both classroom and formalspeaking situations. Students should be encouraged to appreciate and take pleasure in thepower and beauty of language.

Media Studies. Because of the pervasive influence in our lives of print and electronic media, itis important for students to learn how to understand and interpret media works. In theEnglish program, students should have frequent opportunities to analyse various aspects ofmedia communications, including key elements of the works themselves, the audience, andproduction codes and practices. Students should also learn about the media through theprocess of creating their own media works, using a range of technologies to do so. By workingin the various media to communicate their own ideas, students will develop critical thinkingskills and understand at first hand how media works are designed to influence audiences andreflect the perspectives of their creators. Students will also develop production skills that mayopen up career opportunities in the entertainment and communications industries. Studentsshould be encouraged to appreciate the media as sources of personal information and pleasure.

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English, Grade 9,Academic (ENG1D)

This course emphasizes analytic reading, writing, oral communication, and thinking skills thatstudents need for success in secondary school academic programs and their daily lives. Studentswill study and interpret texts from contemporary and historical periods, including plays, shortstories, and short essays, and will investigate and create media works. An important focus willbe the correct and effective use of spoken and written language.

9E N G L I S H , G R A D E 9 , A C A D E M I C ( E N G 1 D )

Literature Studies and Reading

Overall Expectations

By the end of this course, students will:

• read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary and informational texts, fromcontemporary and historical periods;

• demonstrate an understanding of the elements of a variety of literary and informationalforms, with a focus on plays, short stories, and short essays;

• identify and explain the effect of specific elements of style in a variety of literary and infor-mational texts.

Specific Expectations

Understanding the Meaning of Texts


– describe information, ideas, opinions, andthemes in print and electronic texts theyhave read during the year from differentcultures and historical periods and in avariety of genres, including novels, shortstories, plays, poems, biographies, shortessays, and articles from newspapers, maga-zines, and encyclopedias;

– select and read texts for different purposes,with an emphasis on recognizing the ele-ments of literary genres and the organiza-tion of informational materials, collectingand assessing information, respondingimaginatively, and exploring human expe-riences and values (e.g., read a play byShakespeare to interpret a character forperformance; read a full-length expositorytext to research a topic for a short essay);

– describe a variety of reading strategies andselect and use them effectively before, dur-ing, and after reading to understand texts(e.g., preview vocabulary; create key ques-tions about the text; self-question to mon-itor comprehension; relate prior knowl-edge and experiences to the ideas andinformation in texts; visualize places, peo-ple, and events in a text; reread key pas-sages to clarify meaning; write a series ofquestions or a letter to an author);

– locate explicit information and ideas intexts to use in developing opinions andinterpretations (e.g., identify the keydetails in a mystery story that provideclues to the solution; locate informationin a chart or diagram related to a passagein a text);

– analyse information, ideas, and elements intexts to make inferences about meaning(e.g., analyse key elements in a short storyto determine the theme; distinguishbetween topic and thesis in a short essay);

– use specific evidence from a text to sup-port opinions and judgements (e.g., role-play a court trial of the antagonist in astory; formally debate issues raised in atext; use direct quotations in an answer toa homework question; use explicit infor-mation and implicit ideas to answer ques-tions about a sight short essay);

– explain how readers’ different back-grounds might influence the way theyunderstand and interpret a text (e.g., com-pare group members’ personal responsesto texts; explain differences in how indi-vidual readers perceive examples of stereo-typing in texts; make inferences about thereadership of a newspaper by analysing anumber of its editorials or columns);

– explain how the background of the authormight influence the information and ideasin a text (e.g., chart historical information


as background for the study of aShakespeare play; find clues in a shortessay about experiences and beliefs of theauthor that might influence his or herinterpretation of the topic).

Understanding the Forms of Texts


– use knowledge of elements of drama, suchas plot and subplot, character portrayal,conflict, dramatic structure, dramatic pur-pose, dramatic irony, dialogue, and stagedirections, to understand and interpretexamples of the genre (e.g., explain thedramatic purpose of a speech or scene in aplay; rewrite a dialogue between twocharacters as two separate monologues;stage a scene from a play to highlight dra-matic irony);

– use knowledge of elements of the shortstory, such as plot, characterization, setting,conflict, theme, mood, and point of view,to understand and interpret examples ofthe genre (e.g., discuss alternative solutionsto the central conflict of a story; rewrite asection of a story from a different point ofview);

– use knowledge of elements of short essays,such as introductions, thesis statements,topic sentences, supporting details, con-necting words, and conclusions, to under-stand and interpret examples of the genre(e.g., locate the thesis statement in a shortessay; explain how the details in a shortessay support the thesis).

Understanding the Elements of Style


– explain how authors use diction andphrasing to achieve particular effects intheir writing (e.g., highlight key wordsand phrases in a poem or short story andgive reasons for their use; explain howdiction and phrasing are used to create aformal tone in a short essay);

– explain how authors use stylistic devices,such as simile, metaphor, personification,imagery, foreshadowing, onomatopoeia,oxymoron, alliteration, and symbol, toachieve particular effects in their writing(e.g., identify how the similes andmetaphors in a selection of song lyricshelp communicate the theme; describethe imagery used to create mood in anovel; create an advertisement featuringexamples of alliteration);

– explain how authors and editors usedesign elements to help communicateideas (e.g., different fonts and typefacesindicate different degrees of formality;margin notes draw attention to or sum-marize text; charts and graphs simplifycomplex or unwieldy data).




• use a variety of print and electronic sources to gather information and explore ideas fortheir written work;

• identify the literary and informational forms suited to various purposes and audiences anduse the forms appropriately in their own writing, with an emphasis on supporting opinionsor interpretations with specific information;

• use a variety of organizational techniques to present ideas and supporting details logicallyand coherently in written work;

• revise their written work, independently and collaboratively, with a focus on support forideas and opinions, accuracy, clarity, and unity;

• edit and proofread to produce final drafts, using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation,according to the conventions of standard Canadian English, with the support of print andelectronic resources when appropriate.


Generating Ideas and Gathering Information


– investigate potential topics by formulatingquestions, identifying information needs,and developing research plans to gatherdata (e.g., generate focus questions; iden-tify key words and electronic search termsto narrow a topic; use graphic organizersto connect possible topics and a variety ofsources of information);

– locate and summarize information fromprint and electronic sources, including ver-tical files, periodicals, dictionaries, encyclo-pedias, electronic newsgroups, e-mail mes-sages, and electronic databases (e.g., recordimpressions of an event on audiotape, for astory; use focus questions to narrow asearch on a broad topic; summarizeresearch notes on index cards; recordsources of information);

– group and label information and ideas;evaluate the relevance, accuracy, and com-pleteness of the information and ideas; anddiscard irrelevant material (e.g., outline thedevelopment of a character for a story;order and chart information by subtopic;group data under headings);

– use the information and ideas generatedby research to develop the content ofwritten work.

Choosing the Form to Suit the

Purpose and Audience


– demonstrate an understanding of literaryand informational forms, such as myths,poems, short stories, scripts, advertise-ments, formal letters, reviews, and sup-ported opinion essays, by selecting andusing forms of writing appropriate to dif-ferent purposes and audiences (e.g., writea poem for a class anthology or to exploretheir own feelings; summarize informa-tion from a newspaper article for a group;create a children’s storybook to informand entertain a primary class; review afilm or play for a school newspaper; out-line a proposal to the school administra-tion for a new gymnasium);

– select first or third person and an appro-priate level of language to suit the form,purpose, and audience of written work(e.g., use the first-person singular toexpress an opinion about an issue; use the

Writing


third-person singular to interpret andanalyse information, ideas, and issues; useformal language to make and supportgeneralizations in a letter to the editor).

Organizing Ideas and Information

in Written Work


– use a unifying image, mood, or voice tostructure descriptive paragraphs or poems;

– use changes in time, place, speaker, orpoint of view to structure narrative para-graphs;

– use a single controlling idea and connect-ing words to structure a series of para-graphs;

– use key words from questions or promptsto organize ideas, information, and evi-dence in homework answers;

– structure expository paragraphs using atopic sentence, supporting sentences todevelop the topic, connecting words tolink the sentences, and a concluding sentence;

– provide an introduction, body, and con-clusion in written reports and short essays.

Revising Drafts


– revise drafts to ensure that ideas are ade-quately developed with relevant support-ing details and to achieve clarity and unity(e.g., read written work aloud as theintended reader to check for clarity; trydifferent ways of sequencing ideas; insertappropriate connecting words at thebeginning of paragraphs in a series toensure logical continuity; refer to theintroduction in the concluding paragraphof a letter to strengthen unity; add exam-ples to support the main point; removeirrelevant or confusing details);

– revise drafts to ensure consistency in useof first or third person and use of anappropriate level of language;

– make constructive suggestions to peers(e.g., use established criteria when dis-cussing a piece of writing; point out con-fusing words, sentences, or paragraphs);

– consider reactions from teachers, peers,and others in revising and editing writtenwork.

Editing, Proofreading, and Publishing


– identify sources of ideas, information, andquotations in writing and independentresearch projects (e.g., use quotation marksaround borrowed words and phrases andname the source; create a brief bibliogra-phy of reference materials, following aprescribed style sheet);

– select the publication method or vehiclemost accessible or appealing to theintended audience (e.g., a writingexchange with peers; an author reading;publication in a class anthology);

– assess their facility with the writingprocess, documenting their use of differentgenres and forms in personal and assignedwriting and identifying goals for writingimprovement and growth (e.g., maintain aprint or electronic writing folder showingwriting in various stages of development;identify preferences and aptitudes for par-ticular writing forms; compare their cur-rent writing and goals to previous ones,identifying successes and concerns);


– edit and proofread their own and others’writing, identifying and correcting errorsaccording to the requirements for gram-mar, usage, spelling, and punctuation listedbelow:

Grammar and Usage– use parts of speech correctly: nouns,

pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives,conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections;

– construct complete and correct com-pound and complex sentences, usingthe following sentence components asrequired: subject, predicate, object, sub-ject complement; main and subordinateclauses; prepositional and participialphrases;

– identify and correct sentence fragments,run-on sentences, and comma splices;

– make compound subjects agree withverbs in simple and compound sentences;

– make pronouns agree with theirantecedents in number and gender;

– use consistent and appropriate verbtense and voice (i.e., active and passive)for clarity in narrative and expositorywriting;

Spelling– use knowledge of a wide range of

spelling patterns and rules to identify,analyse, and correct spelling errors (e.g.,recognize when a word doesn’t lookright; generate alternative spellings; useknowledge of syllabification to spellunfamiliar words);

– use and spell homophones correctly;– use the apostrophe correctly when

spelling contractions and possessives;– use a variety of resources to correct

errors in spelling (e.g., dictionaries,electronic spell checkers);

Punctuation– use punctuation correctly, including

period, question mark, exclamationmark, comma, dash, apostrophe, colon,quotation marks, parentheses, andellipses;

– adapt punctuation and capitalization forthe special requirements of direct quo-tations, scripts, dialogue, and poetry.


Language



• use knowledge of vocabulary and language conventions to speak, write, and read compe-tently using a level of language appropriate to the purpose and audience;

• use listening techniques and oral communication skills to participate in classroom discussionsand more formal activities, such as storytelling, role playing, and reporting/presenting, forspecific purposes and audiences.


Developing Vocabulary and Knowledge of

Language Structures and Conventions


– describe strategies used to expand vocabu-lary (e.g., using roots, prefixes, and suffixesto determine the meaning of unfamiliarwords) and provide evidence of othervocabulary-building activities (e.g., lists ofreferences consulted for the meaning ofunfamiliar or specialized language; lists ofnew words encountered in works readduring the year; personal lists of commonprefixes and suffixes and effective wordsand phrases);

– identify and explain examples of slang, jar-gon, dialect, and colloquialism, as well as ofstandard Canadian English, in literary textsand their own oral and written work;

– identify words borrowed from other lan-guages and words and terms recentlyintroduced to describe new ideas, inven-tions, and products, and explain their ori-gins (e.g., use a dictionary to find the ety-mology of unfamiliar words in history andscience textbooks; create a personal orclass dictionary of newly encounteredwords);

– select words and phrases appropriate toinformal and formal styles, to suit the pur-pose and intended audience of oral andwritten work;

– recognize, describe, and use correctly, inoral and written language, the languagestructures of standard Canadian Englishand its conventions of grammar and usage,including:– parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, verbs,

adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, prepo-sitions, interjections;

– simple, compound, and complex sentences;

– components of sentences: subject, pred-icate, object, subject complement,prepositional and participial phrases,main and subordinate clauses;

– agreement between subject and verb,and between pronoun and antecedent;

– consistency of verb tense and voice;

– recognize, describe, and correct sentenceerrors in oral and written language (e.g.,sentence fragment, run-on sentence,comma splice);

– recognize, describe, and use correctly, inoral and written language, the conventionsof standard Canadian English for spelling,capitalization, and punctuation, including:– spelling: homophones and possessive

pronouns and adjectives;– capitalization: of proper nouns and in

direct quotations, scripts, dialogue, andpoetry;

– punctuation: period, question mark,exclamation mark, comma, dash, apos-trophe, colon, quotation marks, paren-theses, ellipses.


Developing Listening and Speaking Skills


– communicate orally in group discussionsfor different purposes, with a focus onidentifying key ideas and supportingdetails, distinguishing fact from opinion,asking clarifying questions, and followinginstructions;

– communicate in group discussions bysharing the duties of the group, speakingin turn, listening actively, taking notes,paraphrasing key points made by others,exchanging and challenging ideas andinformation, asking appropriate questions,reconsidering their own ideas and opin-ions, managing conflict, and respecting theopinions of others;

– plan and make oral presentations to asmall group or the class, selecting andusing vocabulary and methods of deliveryto suit audience and purpose (e.g., identifypurpose and audience; gather ideas andinformation; plan, create, rehearse, revise,and assess presentations such as dramatiza-tions, reports, and speeches);

– use specific examples, facial expressions,gestures, intonation, humour, and visualaids and technology, as appropriate, toengage the audience’s interest during oralpresentations;

– practise with cue cards and relaxationexercises (and with visual aids and tech-nology, if used) to ensure confident deliv-ery in oral presentations;

– explain how oral communication skillscan contribute to success in all curriculumareas and the world outside the school(e.g., interview teachers in other subjectareas and prepare an oral report on howthese skills are used in the various disci-plines; do research for a written report onthe oral communication skills required ina variety of occupations);

– analyse their own and others’ oral presentations to identify strengths andweaknesses, and plan ways to improvetheir performance.


Media Studies



• use knowledge of the elements, intended audiences, and production practices of a variety ofmedia forms to analyse specific media works;

• use knowledge of a variety of media forms, purposes, and audiences to create media worksand describe their intended effect.


Analysing Media and Media Works


– demonstrate critical thinking skills byidentifying the differences between explicitand implicit messages in media works (e.g.,make an oral presentation to the classabout the differences between family life asdepicted in a television series and as expe-rienced in real life; identify and evaluatethe variations in treatment and emphasis ofdifferent covers that have been designedfor the same book);

– identify how elements of media forms areused in a variety of media works andexplain the effects of different treatments(e.g., use of camera angles, sound effects,and dialogue in films; use of headlines,photographs, and captions in newspaperand magazine layouts);

– compare and explain their own and theirpeers’ reactions to a variety of mediaworks;

– identify factors that influence media pro-duction and distribution and explain theeffect of these factors on specific mediaworks (e.g., read government regulationsand industry codes governing advertisingaimed at children; consult copyright laws).

Creating Media Works


– adapt a work of literature to anothermedia form and determine what aspectshave been strengthened and/or weakenedby the adaptation (e.g., recast a short story,novel, or poem as a storyboard, bookjacket, or song, using available resources);

– create media works for different purposesand explain how each has been designedto achieve its particular purpose (e.g., planand write a sample web page on how touse a provincial park campsite responsiblyand another on the pleasures of camping);

– create media works appropriate to differ-ent audiences and explain why a particulardesign should appeal to a particular audi-ence (e.g., design advertisements to sellsimilar products to children and to adults;design two different book covers for thesame novel, one for the teen market andone for the adult market).

17

English, Grade 9, Applied (ENG1P)

This course emphasizes key reading, writing, oral communication, and thinking skills that stu-dents need for success in secondary school and their daily lives. Students will study plays, shortstories, and newspaper and magazine articles, and will describe and create media works. Animportant focus will be the correct use of spoken and written language.





• read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary and informational texts;

• demonstrate an understanding of the elements of a variety of literary and informationalforms, with a focus on plays, short stories, and newspaper and magazine articles;

• identify and explain the effect of specific elements of style in a variety of literary and infor-mational texts.




– describe information, ideas, opinions, andthemes in texts they have read during theyear from a variety of print and electronicsources, including biographies, short sto-ries, poems, plays, novels, brochures, andarticles from newspapers, magazines, andencyclopedias;

– select and read texts for a variety of pur-poses, with an emphasis on recognizing theelements of literary genres and the organi-zation of informational materials, collect-ing and using information, extending per-sonal knowledge, and respondingimaginatively (e.g., explain complicationsin the plot of a play or short story; choosepoems to be used as models for writing;select and summarize a magazine article ona figure of personal interest; find andreport on information from electronicsources);

– describe a variety of reading strategies andselect and use them effectively before, dur-ing, and after reading to understand texts(e.g., preview vocabulary; predict content;connect prior knowledge and personalexperiences to the ideas and informationin texts; visualize places, people, and eventsin a text; reread to check first impressions;restate information, ideas, and plot);

– locate and use explicit information andideas from texts in forming opinions anddeveloping generalizations (e.g., find factsin a newspaper article to help form anopinion; use information from a chart ordiagram for a report; find specific infor-mation about a character in the speech ofother characters);

– make inferences based on the informationand ideas presented in texts (e.g., infer thevalues of the main character in a newsstory; suggest underlying causes of a con-flict in a contemporary play);

– use specific references from a text to support opinions and judgements (e.g.,support a position on a current issue presented in the newspaper; assess thesuitability as a role model of a character in a play);

– identify how readers’ different back-grounds might influence the way theyunderstand and interpret a text (e.g.,exchange responses to a text with a part-ner and note similarities and differences ininterpretation; discuss the appeal of magazines to readers of a particular age or gender).

19E N G L I S H , G R A D E 9 , A P P L I E D ( E N G 1 P )



– use knowledge of elements of drama, suchas plot and subplot, character developmentand revelation, conflict, dialogue, and stagedirections, to understand and interprettexts in the genre (e.g., write additionaldialogue to reveal new information abouta character; interpret stage directions topresent a scene from a play);

– use knowledge of elements of the shortstory, such as plot, character, setting, con-flict, theme, and atmosphere, to under-stand and interpret texts in the genre (e.g.,plan and deliver a group presentationexplaining the theme of a short story;make a map or model to represent the set-ting of a short story);

– use knowledge of elements of newspaperand magazine articles, such as headlines,leads, the five W’s (who, what, where, when,and why), titles, subtitles, and photographs,to understand and interpret texts in thegenre (e.g., write headlines for articles inthe school newspaper; scan the title andsubtitles of a magazine article to predictthe content; create their own magazinebased on a character in a short story studied).



– explain how authors use stylistic devices,such as simile, metaphor, personification,imagery, and foreshadowing, to achieveintended effects (e.g., identify images inadvertisements that appeal to the senses;explain how the use of foreshadowingcreates suspense in a novel);

– explain how authors choose words andphrases to achieve intended effects (e.g.,compare the vocabulary used to conveythe message in a newspaper article and apoem; identify repeated words and phrasesused for emphasis in a magazine article);

– explain how authors and editors usedesign elements to help convey meaning(e.g., headings highlight the main idea;margin notes draw attention to or sum-marize text; colour emphasizes key ideas;charts make information easier to grasp;pictures supplement or clarify text).


Writing



• use print and electronic sources to gather information and explore ideas for their writtenwork;

• identify the literary and informational forms suited to specific purposes and audiences anduse the forms appropriately in their own writing, with an emphasis on communicatinginformation accurately;

• use a variety of forms of writing to express themselves, clarify their ideas, and engage theaudience’s attention, imagination, and interest;

• revise their written work, collaboratively and independently, with a focus on support forideas, accuracy, clarity, and unity;

• edit and proofread to produce final drafts, using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation,according to the conventions of standard Canadian English specified for this course, with thesupport of print and electronic resources when appropriate.




– investigate potential topics by asking ques-tions, identifying information needs, anddeveloping research plans to gather data(e.g., create focus questions; identify keywords to narrow a topic; use a graphicorganizer to connect possible topics andsources of information);

– locate and record information and ideasfrom print and electronic sources, includ-ing newspapers and magazines, dictionar-ies, encyclopedias, vertical files, and elec-tronic databases (e.g., search an electroniclibrary catalogue for information and ideasfor an English assignment; request infor-mation about a product from two manu-facturers for a comparative report; useindex cards to summarize information andrecord sources of information);

– sort and group information and ideas,assess their relevance and accuracy, anddiscard irrelevant material (e.g., highlightrelated information in a brainstormed list;group data under headings; create agraphic organizer to establish an initialwriting plan; create a graphic organizer toshow similarities and differences betweentwo characters in a story);

– use the information and ideas generatedby research to explore topics for writtenwork (e.g., read; list; brainstorm; discuss ina group; role-play; make notes from printand electronic sources).


Choosing the Form to Suit the Purpose

and Audience


– identify the purpose for each piece ofwriting (e.g., a personal essay communi-cates ideas, thoughts, and feelings; a reportdemonstrates the student’s understandingof a topic studied; research notes provide arecord of information gathered);

– identify the specific audience for eachpiece of writing (e.g., self, teacher, peers,or family members);

– demonstrate an understanding of literaryand informational forms of writing, suchas letters, personal narratives, short stories,answers to homework questions, sum-maries, and reports on research topics, byselecting a form appropriate to the spe-cific purpose and audience for each pieceof writing (e.g., create dialogues to illus-trate character conflicts in a short story forthe class; outline instructions to explain aprocedure to a parent or guardian);

– use the third-person singular and anappropriate level of language in expositoryforms requiring objectivity (e.g., in a para-graph summarizing information from anelectronic source; in a report for theschool newspaper).


in Written Work


– use key words in questions or prompts toorganize information and ideas in home-work answers;

– structure expository paragraphs using atopic sentence, supporting sentences todevelop the topic, connecting words tolink the sentences, and a concluding sentence;

– use a unifying image, emotion, or sensa-tion to structure descriptive paragraphs orpoems;

– use changes in time, place, or speaker tostructure narrative paragraphs;

– use a single controlling idea to structure aseries of paragraphs;

– provide an introduction, body, and con-clusion in written reports;

– present directions, instructions, and reportsof investigations in a logical order, usingan organizational pattern such as exam-ples, chronological order, or comparison.

Revising Drafts


– revise drafts to ensure that ideas are ade-quately developed with supporting details,and to achieve clarity and unity (e.g., add,delete, and rearrange information; readwritten work aloud as the intended readerto check for clarity; insert connectingwords in sentences to ensure continuity ofthought; refer to the topic sentence in theconcluding sentence of a paragraph toimprove unity; add examples to clarify thefindings of a report);

– revise drafts to ensure consistency in useof first or third person and use of anappropriate level of language;

– make constructive suggestions to peers,using prompts, checklists, open-endedstatements, and questions (e.g., Give mesome more details about…, I’m confusedabout…, Does this piece of writing have abeginning, middle, and end?);

– consider reactions from teachers, peers,and others in revising and editing writtenwork.




– identify sources of ideas, information, andquotations in written work (e.g., use quo-tation marks around borrowed words andphrases and name the source; create abrief bibliography of reference materialsconsulted);

– select the publication method or vehiclemost accessible or appealing to theintended audience (e.g., bulletin-boarddisplay; performance of a script or speech;writing exchange; electronic posting);

– provide documentation showing their useof the writing process (e.g., lists of genresand forms used in personal and assignedwriting; samples of exploratory drafts;notes about peer and teacher conferences;lists of reference materials consulted; writ-ten self-assessments of strengths and weak-nesses; lists of writing goals and next stepsfor improvement);


Grammar and Usage– identify and use parts of speech cor-

rectly: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs,adjectives, conjunctions, prepositions,and interjections;

– construct complete and correct com-pound and complex sentences, usingthe following sentence components asrequired: subject, predicate, object, sub-ject complement; main and subordinateclauses; prepositional phrases;

– identify and correct sentence fragments,run-on sentences, and comma splices;

– make compound subjects agree withverbs in simple and compound sentences;

– make pronouns agree with theirantecedents in number and gender;

– use consistent and appropriate verbtense and voice (i.e., active and passive)for clarity in narrative and expositorywriting;


spelling patterns and rules to identify,analyse, and correct spelling errors (e.g.,recognize when a word doesn’t lookright; generate alternative spellings;break unfamiliar words into syllables toassist in spelling);

– use and spell homophones correctly;

– use the apostrophe correctly whenspelling contractions and possessives;

– use a variety of resources to correcterrors in spelling (e.g., dictionaries,electronic spell checkers);

Punctuation– use punctuation correctly, including

period, question mark, exclamationmark, comma, dash, apostrophe, colon,quotation marks, parentheses, andellipses;

– adapt punctuation and capitalization forthe special requirements of direct quo-tations, scripts, dialogue, and poetry.


Language



• use knowledge of vocabulary and language conventions to speak, write, and read clearly andcorrectly;






– describe strategies used to expand vocabu-lary (e.g., using roots, prefixes, and suffixesto determine the meaning of unfamiliarwords) and provide evidence of othervocabulary-building activities (e.g., lists ofreferences consulted about word meanings;lists of new words encountered from worksread during the year; personal word lists);

– identify and explain examples of slang, jar-gon, dialect, and colloquialism, as well as ofstandard Canadian English, in literary textsand their own oral and written work;

– identify words borrowed from other lan-guages, and words and terms recentlyintroduced to describe new ideas, inven-tions, and products, and explain their ori-gins (e.g., use a dictionary to find the ety-mology of unfamiliar words in history andscience textbooks; create a personal orclass dictionary of newly encounteredwords);

– select words and phrases appropriate toinformal and formal styles, to suit the pur-pose and intended audience of oral andwritten work;

– recognize, describe, and use correctly, inoral and written language, the languagestructures of standard Canadian Englishand its conventions of grammar and usage,including:– parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, verbs,

adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, prepo-sitions, and interjections;

– simple, compound, and complex sen-tences;

– components of sentences: subject, pred-icate, object, subject complement,prepositional phrases, main and subordi-nate clauses;



– recognize, describe, and correct sentenceerrors in oral and written language (e.g.,sentence fragment, run-on sentence,comma splice);


– recognize, describe, and use correctly, inoral and written language, the conventionsof standard Canadian English for spelling,capitalization, and punctuation, including:– spelling: homophones and possessive

pronouns and adjectives;– capitalization: of proper nouns and in

direct quotations, scripts, dialogue, andpoetry;

– punctuation: period, question mark,exclamation mark, comma, dash, apos-trophe, colon, quotation marks, paren-theses, ellipses.



– use listening techniques and oral commu-nication skills to participate in group dis-cussions (e.g., listen actively; take notes;restate key points; ask questions; recon-sider ideas and opinions; solicit and reactto information; follow instructions);

– use techniques of effective listening (e.g.,make eye contact with the speaker; listencourteously; make notes) and demonstratean understanding of oral presentations byrestating the main ideas presented andidentifying the strengths and weaknessesof presentations;

– work with a partner to plan and make oralpresentations to a small group, selectingand using vocabulary and methods ofdelivery to suit audience and purpose(e.g., identify purpose; gather ideas andinformation; plan, create, rehearse, andrevise presentations such as interviews,role plays, and short reports);

– use eye contact, specific examples,humour, and visual aids and technology, asappropriate, to engage the audience’sinterest during oral presentations;

– practise with cue cards, use breathingexercises, and rehearse with peers (andwith visual aids and technology, if used), toensure confident delivery in oral presentations;

– identify examples of the use of oral com-munication skills in school and the worldoutside the school (e.g., do a survey ofteachers and students to determine howthese skills are used in the curriculum;record instances where different levels oflanguage are used in radio and televisionprograms);

– analyse their own and others’ oral com-munication skills, identifying strengths andweaknesses and suggesting ways toimprove.


Media Studies



• identify and describe the elements, intended audiences, and production practices of a varietyof media forms;

• use knowledge of a variety of media forms, purposes, and audiences to create media works.




– demonstrate critical thinking skills byidentifying the differences between explicitand implicit messages in media works (e.g.,write a report describing discrepanciesbetween the presentation of a product inadvertising material and its use by a con-sumer; read packaging for similar productsto assess its effectiveness and appeal topotential purchasers);

– identify and describe the elements used tostructure media works in a variety offorms (e.g., sound effects and music in atelevision drama; the number of editingcuts and shots in a documentary video;colour, images, and text in magazine advertisements);

– compare the reactions of different peopleor groups to a variety of media works(e.g., interview or survey peers and familyabout reactions to a particular media workand produce a written report of the results;read and compare reviews of a book);

– identify factors that influence media pro-duction, distribution, and advertising (e.g.,the audience for a magazine; characteris-tics of the target audience and sponsors ofspecific television programs).



– adapt a work of literature for presentationin another media form (e.g., re-create amyth or legend as a news report or adver-tisement, using available resources; use astoryboard to depict a scene from a novel);

– create media works for different purposes(e.g., create a poster to promote a schoolevent and a poster instructing peers howto use a CD-ROM encyclopedia; make acollage to express a point of view about acurrent event);

– analyse the characteristics of differentaudiences and create media worksdesigned specifically for them (e.g., designtwo advertisements for a product that willappeal to two different audiences).

26

English, Grade 10,Academic (ENG2D)

This course extends the range of analytic, reading, writing, oral communication, and thinkingskills that students need for success in secondary school academic programs. Students willstudy and interpret challenging texts from contemporary and historical periods, includingnovels, 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.

27E N G L I S H , G R A D E 1 0 , A C A D E M I C ( E N G 2 D )




• read and demonstrate an understanding of a range of literary and informational texts, bothcontemporary and from historical periods;

• demonstrate an understanding of the elements of a range of literary and informationalforms, with a focus on novels, poems, plays, and opinion pieces;

• identify and explain the effect of specific elements of style in a range of literary and infor-mational texts.




– describe information, ideas, opinions, andthemes in print and electronic texts theyhave read during the year from differentcultures and historical periods and in arange of genres, including novels, plays,short stories, poetry, opinion pieces,reports, short essays, full-length non-fictionworks, newspapers, magazines, and refer-ence materials;

– select and read a range of texts for differentpurposes, with an emphasis on recognizingthe elements of literary genres and theorganization of informational materials,evaluating print and electronic materials assources of information, and comparingpersonal ideas and values with those intexts (e.g., read multicultural short fictionto deepen their understanding of Canada’sdiversity; assess the usefulness of a manualfor a software application; develop a “pro-file” of a character in a play by Shakespeareor a novel and then role-play an interviewwith the character);

– select and use a variety of reading strate-gies before, during, and after reading tounderstand texts (e.g., preview a text; pre-dict main ideas or outcomes; use priorknowledge and personal experiences tointerpret and assess ideas and information;

list unanswered questions while reading;role-play alternative solutions to conflictspresented in the text);

– use relevant, significant, and explicit infor-mation and ideas from texts to supportinterpretations (e.g., use relevant evidenceto support an explanation of the theme ofa poem or short story; select quotationsfrom an essay that best communicate theauthor’s arguments);

– analyse information, ideas, and elements intexts and synthesize and communicatetheir findings (e.g., read a biography andmake a speech about the person to theclass; create a fictitious newspaper reportabout the events and issues in a novel orshort story);

– present sufficient significant evidence froma text to support opinions and judgements(e.g., defend in a debate a controversialstatement from a short essay, or an actionby a character in a story; incorporate quo-tations from a play in an essay about thepattern of imagery in the text);

– explain how the values and perspectives ofreaders might influence their responses toa text and interpretations of it (e.g., recordindividual responses of group members toa poem, note similarities and differences in the responses, identify patterns, andsuggest explanations for their findings;


compare the implicit perspectives in two letters to the editor about the samearticle);

– explain how historical or cultural contextsshape the information and ideas in a text(e.g., research the historical or culturalcontext of a novel and suggest how it gaverise to the social attitudes depicted; com-pare nineteenth-century and modern atti-tudes to the theme of a novel by Dickens).



– use knowledge of elements of the novel,such as plot and subplot, characterization,setting, conflict, theme, point of view, andcultural and historical contexts, to under-stand and interpret examples of the genre(e.g., rewrite a passage from a novel,adopting the point of view of anothercharacter; use knowledge of the culturalor historical context of a novel to under-stand the language and events in the work);

– use knowledge of elements of poetry, suchas stanza forms, rhyme, rhythm, punctua-tion, free verse, imagery, and sounddevices, to understand and interpretexamples of the genre (e.g., write a lyricor ballad in rhyming couplets; present achoral reading of a poem, emphasizingonomatopoeia);

– use knowledge of elements of opinionpieces, such as overt statement of a posi-tion or opinion, type of diction, tone,paragraphing, transition words andphrases, selective supporting detail, allu-sions, and appeals to authority, to under-stand and interpret examples of the genre(e.g., relate the position taken to the toneused in an editorial; refer to an encyclo-pedia to clarify a historical allusion used ina newspaper column; write an opinionpiece for the school newspaper).



– compare the use of diction and syntax inthe work of different authors and explainhow these elements enhance the theme ormessage (e.g., compare the use of sentencevariety in paragraphs by two differentauthors; identify examples of archaic diction in literature from any historicalperiod and give modern-English equivalents);

– explain how authors use stylistic devices,such as allusion, contrast, hyperbole,understatement, oxymoron, irony, andsymbol, to achieve particular effects intheir writing (e.g., explain the effects ofthe contradictory emotions or qualitiesexpressed in an oxymoron; compare thepoetic devices used in two poems on asimilar theme; do research to understand amythical allusion in a piece of literature oran advertisement and explain how theallusion enhances the theme or message inthe text);

– explain how authors and editors usedesign elements to help communicateideas (e.g., explain how typography andlayout contribute to meaning in a con-crete poem; prepare a title page and bibli-ography template for an academic paperand defend their design decisions; createelectronic links showing where and howto find related material).


Writing



• use a range of print and electronic sources to gather information and explore ideas for writ-ten work;

• identify the literary and informational forms suited to various purposes and audiences anduse the forms appropriately in their own writing, with an emphasis on adopting a suitablevoice;

• use a variety of organizational techniques to present ideas and information logically andcoherently in written work;

• revise their written work, independently and collaboratively, with a focus on support forideas and opinions, accuracy, clarity, coherence, and effective use of stylistic devices;





– investigate potential topics by formulatingquestions, identifying information needsand purposes for writing, and developingresearch plans to gather data (e.g., identifyand rank focus questions; identify keywords and electronic search terms to struc-ture research; determine which sources ofinformation are most relevant to the purpose for writing);

– locate and summarize information andideas from print and electronic sources,including interviews, surveys, statisticaldata banks, reports, periodicals, and news-groups (e.g., conduct an electronic searchfor information on regional Canadianauthors; summarize and paraphrase infor-mation and ideas in point-form notes andin graphic organizers);

– sort and label information, ideas, and data;evaluate the accuracy, ambiguity, relevance,and completeness of the information; andmake judgements and draw conclusionsbased on the research (e.g., verify data by

using multiple sources; identify and recon-cile inconsistencies; identify significantomissions that need to be addressed);

– use the information and ideas generated,researched, and evaluated to develop thecontent of written work.




– demonstrate an understanding of a rangeof literary and informational forms, suchas poems, narratives, comparison-and-con-trast and cause-and-effect essays, speeches,and research reports, by using forms ofwriting appropriate to different purposesand audiences (e.g., rewrite an episode ofa story from the point of view of a differ-ent character; use a formal, objective voicein a short essay; write a speech for a classdebate);

– produce written work for a variety ofpurposes, with a focus on interpreting andanalysing information, ideas, themes, andissues and supporting opinions with con-vincing evidence (e.g., state and support


an opinion; compare and contrast thetreatment of similar themes in two differ-ent works; explain how the images or set-ting in a work of fiction contribute to theoverall theme);

– consider the characteristics of theintended audience in selecting an appro-priate form and developing the content ofwritten work (e.g., use examples orimages familiar to their peers in a poem tobe read in class; include backgroundinformation the audience needs to knowin the introduction to an essay);

– select a voice and an appropriate level oflanguage to suit the form, purpose, andaudience of their writing (e.g., use animpersonal voice and formal language inan academic essay; use everyday vocabu-lary and colloquial phrasing to engage theinterest of an audience of peers).


in Written Work


– use plot structure and character portrayalto develop themes in short stories (e.g.,use flashbacks to develop the theme ofmemory in a short story);

– structure the introductory paragraphs ofshort essays using a clear statement of thetopic or thesis, a device to engage thereader’s interest, and an overview of themain points to be covered;

– use a pattern such as comparison and con-trast, cause and effect, or classification tostructure short essays;

– use plot structure and character portrayalto present conflicts in a short story (e.g.,introduce a conflict in the first half of ashort story and provide the resolution ofthe conflict in the second half; describetwo characters’ different reactions to thesame event to prepare for a later clashbetween them).

Revising Drafts


– revise drafts to ensure that ideas are ade-quately supported by relevant details andfacts and to achieve clarity, unity, andcoherence (e.g., reinforce a mood or feel-ing by elaborating the imagery in a poemor short story; read a supported opinionpiece aloud with a partner or in a smallgroup to check for coherence and effec-tiveness; remove redundancies and expandsupporting detail in a report);

– revise drafts to ensure consistency in theuse of first or third person and use of anappropriate level of language;

– make constructive suggestions to peers ina writing conference (e.g., identify ways toaddress problems of control in writingsuch as redundancies or inappropriatelevel of language; create checklists basedon established criteria and use them whendiscussing a piece of writing);

– consider reactions of teachers, peers, andothers in revising and editing writtenwork.



– identify borrowed information, ideas, andquotations and use a variety of techniquesto incorporate them smoothly into writ-ten work and independent research pro-jects (e.g., provide a context for quotedmaterial; use transition words and phrasesto link information from different sources;include a brief bibliography to identifyreference materials consulted);

– select the publication method or vehiclemost accessible or appealing to theintended audience, using technology in avariety of ways where appropriate (e.g.,write a letter or e-mail message to recom-mend a book to a friend; submit work to


a writing contest in the required format;write and format a concrete poem for theschool yearbook);

– assess their facility with the writingprocess, documenting their use of genresand forms in personal and assigned writ-ing and identifying goals for writingimprovement and growth (e.g., use sam-ples from their writing folder to demon-strate their growth and achievement inwriting; produce and carry out an actionplan to improve their use of language con-ventions);

– edit and proofread their own and others’writing, correcting errors according to therequirements for grammar, usage, spelling,and punctuation listed below:

Grammar and Usage– use parts of speech correctly, including

the infinitive and the gerund;– construct a variety of complete and

correct sentences (including com-pound-complex sentences), usingprepositional, adjective, and adverbphrases; infinitive, participial, andgerund phrases; and noun, adjective, andadverb clauses;

– use verb voice (i.e., active and passive)to suit purpose and audience;


spelling patterns, rules, and strategies toanalyse and correct spelling errors;

– spell specific historical, academic, andtechnical terms correctly;

– use a variety of resources to correcterrors in spelling (e.g., dictionaries, spellcheckers);

Punctuation– use punctuation correctly, including the

semicolon (e.g., use the semicolon tojoin principal clauses and to separateelements in a list that contains com-mas);

– use the comma, dash, and parenthesescorrectly to set off non-restrictive ele-ments in a sentence;

– use punctuation correctly when quot-ing short passages from texts.


Language



• use knowledge of vocabulary and language conventions to speak, write, and read compe-tently and effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences, using a level of languageappropriate to the context;

• use listening techniques and oral communication skills to participate in classroom discussionsand more formal activities, such as dramatizing, presenting, and debating, for a variety ofpurposes and audiences.





– identify examples of the use of idioms,euphemisms, slang, dialect, acronyms, acad-emic language, technical terms, and stan-dard Canadian English in oral and writtenwork, and explain why the usage is effec-tive in its context;

– identify ways in which technology, otherlanguages, and the media have influencedthe English language (e.g., explain whenand why particular nouns and verbsentered the language, both in earlier cen-turies and in recent years; give examples oftechnical terms and media phrases used ina variety of contexts);

– select words and figurative expressionswith understanding and sensitivity toenhance the persuasive or expressive powerof their speech and writing (e.g., selectwords and phrases for their sound andrhythm in a speech; select words withsymbolic associations for a poem);

– select words and phrases consistent withthe particular voice and tone required for avariety of informal and formal situations(e.g., for a dramatization of a scene depict-ing the central conflict in a novel; for adebate on the motivation of a character ina drama);

– recognize, describe, and use correctly, inoral and written language, the languagestructures of standard Canadian Englishand its conventions of grammar and usage,including:– parts of speech, including infinitives and

gerunds;– types of sentences, including com-

pound-complex sentences;– components of sentences, including

prepositional, adjective, and adverbphrases; infinitive and gerund phrases;noun, adjective, and adverb clauses;



– recognize, describe, and correct sentenceerrors in oral and written language (e.g.,run-on sentence, comma splice, danglingmodifier);

– recognize, describe, and use correctly, inoral and written language, the conventionsof standard Canadian English for the fol-lowing:– spelling: historical, academic, and tech-

nical terms;– punctuation: semicolon; non-restrictive

phrases and clauses; quotations fromtexts.




– communicate orally in group discussionsfor different purposes, with a focus onidentifying explicit and implicit ideas andcomparing and contrasting key conceptsand supporting details;

– communicate in group discussions byassigning tasks fairly and equitably; usingverbal and non-verbal cues to signal achange in topic or speaker; contributingideas, supporting interpretations and view-points; extending and questioning theideas of others; summarizing the progressof the group’s work; checking for under-standing; and negotiating consensus whenappropriate;

– apply techniques of effective listening anddemonstrate an understanding of oral pre-sentations by summarizing presenters’arguments and explaining how vocabulary,body language, tone, and visual aidsenhance presentations (e.g., make andconfirm or revise predictions; identify thepurposes and perspective of a presenta-tion; analyse the ideas and arguments pre-sented; discuss the use of visual aids in apresentation);

– plan and make oral presentations indepen-dently, adapting vocabulary and usingmethods of delivery to suit audience, pur-pose, and topic (e.g., identify purpose andaudience; gather ideas and information;plan, create, rehearse, and revise presenta-tions such as dramatizations, panel discus-sions, and debates; assess their work inde-pendently and with help from peers);

– use rhetorical questions, emotionalappeals, gestures, intonation, and visualaids and technology, as appropriate, toengage the audience’s interest during oralpresentations;

– rehearse with visual aids and props, studyaudio- and videotaped rehearsals, and usemnemonic devices and visualization tech-niques to ensure confident delivery in oralpresentations;

– identify the oral communication skillsrequired in a variety of postsecondaryprograms and occupations and cite spe-cific examples of their use (e.g., interviewrecent school graduates about the impor-tance of these skills for success in collegeand university programs and report theirfindings);

– analyse their own and others’ oral presen-tations, identifying strengths and weak-nesses and developing and carrying outplans for improvement.


Media Studies



• analyse a range of media forms to identify their elements, audiences, and production prac-tices, and draw conclusions about how these factors shape media works;

• use knowledge of a range of media forms, purposes, and audiences to create media works,and use established criteria to assess the effectiveness of the works.




– demonstrate critical thinking skills byidentifying the differences between explicitand implicit messages in media works (e.g.,write a report comparing unique featuresof several newspapers to assess their appealto readers; explain the satire in a parody ofa media work);

– identify key elements and techniques usedto create media works in a variety of forms(e.g., illustrations and captions in politicalcartoons; narrative and characterization ina film or television drama; the choice ofsymbols and colours used to convey healthand safety warnings on the packaging of arange of products) and analyse how theseelements and techniques contribute to thetheme or message;

– analyse the elements of a variety of mediaworks, in order to identify and describethe intended audience(s) for the works(e.g., analyse advertising in a range ofnewspapers and magazines to identify thetarget audiences);

– analyse the relationship between mediaworks and the production and marketingof related products (e.g., explain in a writ-ten or oral report how the target audiencefor a film determines the range of productsmarketed with it, and how this marketing,in turn, helps shape the film).



– adapt an idea, theme, or issue from a workof literature for presentation in two relatedmedia forms, and assess the presentationsto determine what aspects of the originalhave been strengthened and/or weakenedby the adaptations (e.g., write a scriptadapting a short story or scene from anovel for radio and television; create apersonal anthology of poetry in print andas a web page with links to related sites);

– create media works for different purposesand explain how the design decisions foreach were shaped by the purpose (e.g.,create a public-service video to informpeople about a health hazard; construct acollage of print advertisements to illustratethe media’s concept of a teenager);

– design media works appropriate to differ-ent audiences and explain why certainelements will appeal to a particular audi-ence (e.g., design a magazine for a specificaudience, and explain how it differs fromtypical magazines).

35

English, Grade 10,Applied (ENG2P)

This course extends the range of key reading, writing, oral communication, and thinking skillsthat 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. Animportant focus will be the clear and coherent use of spoken and written language.





• read and demonstrate an understanding of a range of literary and informational texts;

• demonstrate an understanding of the elements of a range of literary and informationalforms, with a focus on novels, poems, magazines, and reports;

• identify and explain the effect of specific elements of style in a range of literary and informational texts.




– describe information, ideas, opinions, andthemes in texts they have read during theyear from a variety of print and electronicsources, including novels, short stories,plays, poems, magazines, reports, biogra-phies, and manuals;

– select and read texts for a variety of pur-poses, with an emphasis on extendingknowledge of the elements of literary gen-res and the organization of informationalmaterials, collecting and assessing informa-tion, responding imaginatively, and relatingliterary experiences to personal experience(e.g., gather and evaluate information fromseveral newspaper articles; compare theearly years of a historical figure or fictionalcharacter with their own);

– select a variety of reading strategies anduse them effectively before, during, andafter reading to understand texts (e.g., usea graphic organizer to focus reading; referto text elements such as tables of contentsand indexes to locate information; useprior knowledge and personal experiencesto interpret and respond to informationand ideas; reread confusing passages; sum-marize key points);

– demonstrate understanding of a text byciting explicit information and ideas fromit (e.g., create a character profile based ona character’s words and actions; list keysteps from a technical manual to create aquick-reference guide);

– analyse the information and ideas pre-sented in texts and make inferences basedon the analysis (e.g., analyse a student-created website in order to give it anappropriate title; contrast a character’swords and actions in a play to explainirony; identify the interests an author rep-resents in an article on an environmentalissue);

– use evidence from a text to support judge-ments about an issue (e.g., debate an issuediscussed in a magazine or newspaper;debate the appropriateness of the resolu-tion of a story);

– describe how readers’ different values andperspectives might influence the way theyrespond to and interpret texts (e.g., createand share visual responses to a text andsuggest reasons for similarities and differ-ences in interpretations; choose afavourite character from a novel and givereasons for the choice; describe and givereasons for a personal interpretation of ashort story);

37E N G L I S H , G R A D E 1 0 , A P P L I E D ( E N G 2 P )

– suggest ways in which an author’s experi-ence might influence information andideas in a text (e.g., compare the perspec-tives of two authors who differ on anissue; compare poems on the same themeby authors such as Atwood and Ondaatje).



– use knowledge of elements of the novel,such as plot and subplot, characterization,setting, conflict, theme, and point of view,to understand and interpret texts in thegenre (e.g., explain the use of a limitedpoint of view to create suspense in anovel; develop and present a monologuebased on a character’s actions and choicesin a novel; visualize and describe people,places, and events depicted in a novel);

– use knowledge of elements of poetry, suchas stanza forms, rhyme, rhythm, punctua-tion, free verse, imagery, and sounddevices, to understand and interpret textsin the genre (e.g., illustrate the singleimage of a haiku; identify similes andmetaphors in a sight poem and explainwhat is being compared in each example);

– use knowledge of elements of magazinesand reports, such as editorials, regularcolumns, letters to the editor, advertise-ments, foldouts, cover art, table of con-tents, layout, columns, headings, and sub-headings, to understand and interpret textsin the genre (e.g., present a display illus-trating the key features of a popular maga-zine; create a table of contents for a classmagazine; use understanding of magazinelayout to read articles with columns andwraparound text).



– explain how authors adapt diction andphrasing and use specialized vocabulary tocommunicate ideas, emotions, and infor-mation and achieve intended effects (e.g.,compare the colloquial language of a per-sonal letter to the formal language of abusiness letter; compare the technical lan-guage of a computer manual to the lan-guage in a poem about computers);

– explain how authors use stylistic devices,such as varied sentence structures, ono-matopoeia, alliteration, and symbol, tocommunicate ideas, emotions, and infor-mation and achieve intended effects (e.g.,explain how the symbolic language usedin an advertisement persuades consumersto buy a product; explain how theimagery in a poem helps engage thereader’s interest);

– explain how authors and editors usedesign elements in texts to clarify andreinforce meaning (e.g., explain the use ofheadings in a technical manual; explainthe use of frames and buttons on a webpage to organize content and providedirection).


Writing



• use a variety of print and electronic sources to gather information and explore ideas for theirwritten work;

• identify literary and informational forms suited to a variety of purposes and audiences anduse the forms appropriately in their own writing, with an emphasis on stating and support-ing an opinion;

• use a variety of organizational techniques to present ideas and supporting details logicallyand coherently in written work;

• revise their written work, collaboratively and independently, with a focus on support forideas, accuracy, clarity, and coherence;





– consider potential topics and developresearch plans by asking questions andidentifying information needs (e.g., createand rank focus questions; identify keywords and electronic search terms to nar-row a topic; connect possible topics andsources of information);

– locate and summarize information andideas from print and electronic sources,including newspapers and magazines,reports, dictionaries, encyclopedias, verticalfiles, and multiple electronic databases(e.g., create a graphic organizer for dataacquired from a textbook and an elec-tronic database; chart information bysubtopic; list sources of information);

– sort and label information and ideas; assessthe relevance, accuracy, and completenessof the information and ideas; discard irrelevant material; and find additionalinformation as needed (e.g., relate data tofocus questions; verify data by consulting

multiple sources; identify and reconcileinconsistencies; use a storyboard tosequence information from a narrative);

– use the information and ideas generated todevelop the content of written work (e.g.,free write; create graphic organizers; dofurther research).




– demonstrate an understanding of literaryand informational forms, such as personalessays, dramatizations, descriptions, poems,research reports, newspaper columns ormagazine articles, and formal letters, byselecting forms appropriate to differentpurposes and audiences to use in theirown writing (e.g., use a journal entry toexplore a personal opinion; compose aformal letter to persuade a communitypartner to sponsor a school project; writea letter to a newspaper editor about a localissue; write a children’s story for a Grade 2class; use essay form to describe theirresponse to a group of poems by oneauthor);


– consider the characteristics of theintended audience in selecting the formand developing the content for each pieceof writing (e.g., list information the audi-ence will need and identify the mostappropriate way to present it; consider theaudience’s age, gender, and probableknowledge of the topic in writing areport);

– select first or third person and an appro-priate level of language to suit the form,purpose, and audience of their writing(e.g., use the first-person singular to com-pare their own views with those in a text;use the third-person singular to summa-rize information from an encyclopedia;use formal language in a letter to the editor).

Organizing Ideas and Information in

Written Work


– use key words in questions or prompts toorganize ideas, information, and evidencein written answers;

– use a single, controlling idea and connect-ing words and phrases to structure a seriesof paragraphs (e.g., establish chronologicalorder with words such as in the beginning,second, and finally for a short report);

– provide an introduction, body, and con-clusion to present information sequen-tially, support an opinion, or develop anargument in reports and short essays;

– use a pattern such as sequential order,comparison and contrast, or cause andeffect to present directions, instructions,and the results of investigations in a clearand logical manner.

Revising Drafts


– revise drafts to ensure that ideas are ade-quately developed and supported by rele-vant details and facts, and to achieve clar-ity and unity (e.g., use a checklist to verifythe content of a report and the logic of itsstructure; insert connecting words in para-graphs of a report or personal essay toimprove unity; refer to the introduction inthe concluding paragraph of a personalessay to improve unity);

– revise drafts to ensure consistency in theuse of first or third person and use of anappropriate level of language;

– make constructive suggestions to peers ina writing conference (e.g., use checklistsbased on established criteria when dis-cussing a piece of writing);

– consider reactions of teachers, peers, andothers in revising and editing writtenwork.



– identify borrowed information, ideas, andquotations and use a variety of techniquesto incorporate them smoothly into writ-ten work and research projects (e.g., writean introduction to set up a quotation; usetransition words to link information fromdifferent sources; create a bibliography toidentify reference materials consulted);

– select the publication method or vehiclemost accessible or appealing to theintended audience, using technology in avariety of ways where appropriate (e.g.,write and send a letter requesting infor-mation; write a column for the schoolnewspaper; create and format advertisingand promotional posters and brochures);


– provide documentation showing their useof the writing process (e.g., lists of genresand forms used in personal and assignedwriting; lists of writing goals and nextsteps for improvement; notes about resultsof peer and teacher conferences; a writingfolder with examples of strengths, weak-nesses, and interests in writing);


Grammar and Usage– use parts of speech correctly, including

the participle;– construct a variety of complete and

correct sentences (including com-pound-complex sentences), using adjec-tive and adverb phrases and noun,adjective, and adverb clauses;

– identify and correct sentence errors,including comma splices and run-onsentences;

– make collective nouns used as subjectsagree with verbs in simple and com-pound sentences;

– use verb tense and voice (i.e., active andpassive) to suit purpose and audience;


spelling patterns, rules, and strategies toanalyse and correct spelling errors;

– spell specific historical and technicalterms correctly;

– use a variety of resources to correcterrors in spelling (e.g., dictionaries,electronic spell checkers);

Punctuation– use punctuation correctly, including the

semicolon (e.g., use the semicolon tojoin principal clauses and to separateelements in a list that contains commas).


Language



• use knowledge of vocabulary and language conventions to speak, read, and write clearly, cor-rectly, and competently for specific purposes and audiences;






– describe changes in English language usecaused by influences such as technology,other languages, and the media (e.g., use ofacronyms as nouns; conversions of otherparts of speech into verbs; increasing use ofspecific technical terms);

– use appropriate concrete and figurativelanguage from a variety of sources to maketheir speech and writing vivid, precise, andinteresting to its intended audience;

– modify their vocabulary and phrasing inoral and written work to suit specificinformal and formal situations (e.g., adapta discussion with a friend to suit therequirements of a simulated job interview);

– identify when it is appropriate to use slang,dialect, colloquialisms, idioms, acronyms,technical terminology, and standardCanadian English in oral and writtenwork;

– recognize, describe, and use correctly, inoral and written language, the languagestructures of standard Canadian Englishand its conventions of grammar and usage,including:– parts of speech, including participles;– types of sentences, including com-

pound-complex sentences;– components of sentences, including

adjective and adverb phrases; noun,adjective, and adverb clauses;



– recognize, describe, and correct sentenceerrors in oral and written language (e.g.,comma splice, run-on sentence);

– recognize, describe, and use correctly, inoral and written language, the conventionsof standard Canadian English for spelling,capitalization, and punctuation, including:– spelling: historical and technical terms;– capitalization: of proper nouns, and in

scripts, dialogue, and poetry;– punctuation, including semicolon.




– use listening techniques and oral commu-nication skills to participate in group dis-cussions (e.g., stay on topic; contributeideas; support opinions; build on the ideasof others; solicit and classify information;identify key ideas and supporting details;and distinguish between fact and opinion);

– use techniques of effective listening (e.g.,make and confirm or revise predictions;identify the purpose and perspective of apresentation; make notes to identify mainideas and supporting evidence) anddemonstrate an understanding of oral pre-sentations by summarizing presenters’arguments and identifying and evaluatingthe techniques used to make presentationseffective;

– plan and make oral presentations, adaptingvocabulary and methods of delivery to suitaudience and purpose (e.g., identify pur-pose; gather ideas and information; plan,create, rehearse, revise, and assess presenta-tions such as interviews, dramatizations,and reports);

– use specific examples, facial expressionsand body language, emotional appeals, andvisual aids and technology, as appropriate,to engage the audience’s interest duringoral presentations;

– rehearse with peers (with visual aids andtechnology, if used), study audio- andvideotaped rehearsals, use voice and relax-ation exercises, and make modifications inresponse to constructive criticism toensure confident delivery in oral presenta-tions;

– identify the oral communication skillsrequired in college programs and theworkplace and cite specific examples oftheir use (e.g., interview parents orguardians for a report on how they usethese skills on the job; investigate part-time jobs that require these skills; conductan electronic search to identify collegeprograms that require these skills);

– analyse their own and others’ oral presen-tations, identifying strengths and weak-nesses and developing and carrying outplans for improvement.


Media Studies



• describe the elements, intended audiences, and production practices of a range of mediaforms and explain how these factors shape media works;

• use knowledge of a range of media forms, purposes, and audiences to create media worksand explain their intended effects.




– demonstrate critical thinking skills byidentifying the differences between explicitand implicit messages in media works (e.g.,read and compare the front pages of twodifferent newspapers to determine theirappeal to readers; explain the appeal ofpopular film genres to mass audiences);

– identify key elements and techniques usedto create media works in a variety of forms(e.g., rapid editing in a television commer-cial; plot in a comedy; juxtaposition ofcolour and text in posters), and explainhow these elements contribute to thetheme or message;

– analyse the elements of media works inorder to explain the reactions of differentaudiences to the works (e.g., write a reportexamining the sponsors of selected televi-sion programs to determine which groupsof people the programs are aimed at; writean essay or report identifying stereotypesin television shows and suggest how spe-cific audiences might react to them);

– describe and explain how and why mediaworks are used to market related products(e.g., how and why books are reissued inconjunction with film releases).



– adapt an idea or theme from a work of lit-erature for presentation in another mediaform and determine what aspects havebeen weakened and/or strengthened bythe adaptation (e.g., recast a conflict froma novel as a debate on a television or radiotalk show, a theme or images from a poemas a CD cover with liner notes);

– create media works for different purposesand explain how the design has beeninfluenced by the purpose (e.g., create aninformational pamphlet and a promotionalpamphlet for the same product or service);

– design media works appropriate to differ-ent audiences and explain which elementswill make a work appeal to a particularaudience (e.g., design brochures marketinga product to consumers with differentincome levels and explain the appeal ofeach).

44

Some Considerations for Program Planning in English

Teachers who are planning a program in English must take into account considerations in anumber of important areas. Essential information that pertains to all disciplines is provided inthe companion piece to this document, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: ProgramPlanning and Assessment, 1999. The areas of concern to all teachers that are outlined thereinclude 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 apply exclusively to program planning inEnglish are noted here.

Education for Exceptional Students. In English courses, accommodations to meet the needs ofexceptional students as set out in their Individual Education Plan may include the use of spe-cialized equipment and learning aids such as Braille, magnification aids, voice-activated com-puters, audiotapes, and specialized computer programs, as well as the assistance of oral or sign-language interpreters or scribes. Some students may benefit from using alternative resources(some less complex, others more challenging), communicating through sign language, orworking in flexible grouping arrangements.

The Role of Technology in the Curriculum. Using information technology will assist studentsin the achievement of many of the expectations in the English curriculum. Information tech-nology helps students in their written work and in the analysis of literary and informationaltexts. Students should use word processing to draft, organize, revise, edit, and format writtenwork. In their research, students should use multimedia resources to find, process, and reorga-nize information and ideas. Presentation software and audio-visual technologies will enhancethe effectiveness of oral and visual presentations.

English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development (ESL/ELD).The secondaryEnglish curriculum can be very demanding for second-language learners. Their relatively lim-ited vocabulary in English may make it difficult for them to read certain materials, and theirrelative inexperience with the conventions of English and with complex sentence patterns in asecond language may make it difficult for them to write as fluently or correctly as some oftheir peers. Also, these students may not be familiar with some of the traditional literary worksand common literary themes that their English-speaking peers have already studied.

45S O M E C O N S I D E R A T I O N S F O R P R O G R A M P L A N N I N G I N E N G L I S H

Students who are learners of English as a second language will have the best chance of successin English programs where there are many opportunities for oral interaction with English-speaking peers. Teachers can make an asset of linguistic and cultural diversity in the classroomby encouraging students to share information about their respective languages and literaryinheritances. Teachers should focus on the content and organization of ideas in students’ writ-ten work, as well as on word choice, grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation.

Career Education. Expectations in the English program include many opportunities for stu-dents to apply their language skills to work-related situations, to explore educational andcareer options, and to become self-directed learners. To prepare students for the literacydemands of a wide array of postsecondary educational programs and careers, English coursesrequire students to develop research skills, practise expository writing, and learn strategies forunderstanding informational reading materials. Small-group work and oral presentations helpstudents to express themselves confidently and to work cooperatively with others. Regardlessof their postsecondary destination, all students need to realize that literacy skills are employa-bility 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.

Cooperative Education and Other Workplace Experiences.The knowledge and skills studentsacquire in English courses will assist them in their cooperative-education and work-experi-ence placements. In all placements, students will be required to read and listen, carefully andwith attention to detail, to messages, instructions, and information, in order to perform place-ment-related tasks and duties efficiently, responsibly, and safely. In some placements, studentswill need to apply the specialized knowledge acquired in the optional courses on technicalcommunication and presentation and speaking skills. Certain placements will have a specificfocus on English literacy skills. For example, in placements with newspapers, television andradio stations, schools, and libraries, students will use their knowledge and skills to analysetexts, to conduct research, to write and revise texts, and to create media works.

46

The achievement chart that follows identifies four categories of knowledge and skills inEnglish: Knowledge/Understanding,Thinking/Inquiry, Communication, and Application.These categories encompass all the curriculum expectations in courses in the discipline. Foreach of the category statements in the left-hand column, the levels of student achievement aredescribed. (Detailed information on the achievement levels and on assessment, evaluation, andreporting policy is provided in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Program Planning andAssessment, 1999.)

The achievement chart is meant to guide teachers in:

– planning instruction and learning activities that will lead to the achievement of the curricu-lum expectations in a course;

– planning assessment strategies that will accurately assess students’ achievement of the cur-riculum expectations;

– selecting samples of student work that provide evidence of achievement at particular levels;

– providing descriptive feedback to students on their current achievement and suggestingstrategies for improvement;

– determining, towards the end of a course, the student’s most consistent level of achievementof the curriculum expectations as reflected in his or her course work;

– devising a method of final evaluation;

– assigning a final grade.

The achievement chart can guide students in:

– assessing their own learning;

– planning strategies for improvement, with the help of their teachers.

The achievement chart provides a standard province-wide method for teachers to use inassessing and evaluating their students’ achievement. Teachers will be provided with materialsthat will assist them in improving their assessment methods and strategies and, hence, theirassessment of student achievement. These materials will contain samples of student work(exemplars) that illustrate achievement at each of the levels (represented by associated percent-age grade ranges). Until these materials are provided, teachers may continue to follow theircurrent assessment and evaluation practices.

To ensure consistency in assessment and reporting across the province, the ministry will pro-vide samples of student work that reflect achievement based on the provincial standard, andother resources based on the achievement charts. As these resources become available, teacherswill begin to use the achievement charts in their assessment and evaluation practices.

The Achievement Chart for English

47T H E A C H I E V E M E N T C H A R T F O R E N G L I S H

To support this process, the ministry will provide the following:

– a standard provincial report card, with an accompanying guide

– course profiles

– exemplars

– curriculum and assessment videos

– training materials

– an electronic curriculum planner

When planning courses and assessment, teachers should review the required curriculumexpectations and link them to the categories to which they relate. They should ensure that allthe expectations are accounted for in instruction, and that achievement of the expectations isassessed within the appropriate categories. The descriptions of the levels of achievement givenin the chart should be used to identify the level at which the student has achieved the expec-tations. Students should be given numerous and varied opportunities to demonstrate theirachievement of the expectations across the four categories. Teachers may find it useful to provide students with examples of work at the different levels of achievement.

The descriptions of achievement at level 3 reflect the provincial standard for student achieve-ment. A complete picture of overall achievement at level 3 in a course in English can be con-structed by reading from top to bottom in the column of the achievement chart headed“70–79% (Level 3)”.


Categories

Knowledge/Understanding

– knowledge of forms,of texts (e.g., stories,essays, poems) con-ventions, terminol-ogy, and strategies(e.g., for reading andwriting)

– understanding ofinformation, ideas,concepts, and themes

– understanding of rela-tionships among facts,ideas, concepts, andthemes

– understanding of theuses and effect of aes-thetic elements (e.g.,stylistic devices, voice)in literary and infor-mational texts

Thinking/Inquiry

– critical and creativethinking skills (e.g.,reflecting, analysing,hypothesizing, explaining)

– inquiry skills (e.g.,formulating questions;planning; selectingstrategies andresources; analysing,interpreting, andassessing information;forming conclusions)

50–59% (Level 1)

– demonstrates limitedknowledge of forms,conventions, terminology, andstrategies

– demonstrates limitedunderstanding ofinformation, ideas,concepts, and themes

– demonstrates limitedunderstanding of rela-tionships among facts,ideas, concepts, andthemes

– demonstrates limitedunderstanding of theuses and effect of aes-thetic elements

– uses critical and creative thinking skillswith limited effectiveness

– applies few of theskills involved in aninquiry process

60–69% (Level 2)

– demonstrates someknowledge of forms,conventions, terminology, andstrategies

– demonstrates someunderstanding ofinformation, ideas,concepts, and themes

– demonstrates someunderstanding of rela-tionships among facts,ideas, concepts, andthemes

– demonstrates someunderstanding of theuses and effect of aes-thetic elements

– uses critical and creative thinking skillswith moderate effectiveness

– applies some of theskills involved in aninquiry process

70–79% (Level 3)

– demonstrates consid-erable knowledge offorms, conventions,terminology, andstrategies

– demonstrates consid-erable understandingof information, ideas,concepts, and themes

– demonstrates consid-erable understandingof relationships amongfacts, ideas, concepts,and themes

– demonstrates consid-erable understandingof the uses and effectof aesthetic elements

– uses critical and creative thinking skillswith considerableeffectiveness

– applies most of theskills involved in aninquiry process

80–100% (Level 4)

– demonstrates thor-ough knowledge offorms, conventions,terminology, andstrategies

– demonstrates thor-ough and insightfulunderstanding ofinformation, ideas,concepts, and themes

– demonstrates thor-ough and insightfulunderstanding of rela-tionships among facts,ideas, concepts, andthemes

– demonstrates thor-ough and insightfulunderstanding of theuses and effect of aes-thetic elements

– uses critical and creative thinking skillswith a high degree of effectiveness

– applies all or almost allof the skills involvedin an inquiry process

Achievement Chart – Grades 9–10, English

The student:

The student:

49T H E A C H I E V E M E N T C H A R T F O R E N G L I S H

Categories

Communication

– communication ofinformation and ideas(e.g., through logicalorganization)

– communication fordifferent audiencesand purposes (e.g.,choice of languageand style)

– use of various formsof communication(e.g., narratives,debates, poems,reports, essays)

Application

– application of lan-guage conventions(e.g., grammar, usage,spelling, punctuation)

– application of oralcommunication andmedia conventionsand techniques

– application of readingstrategies (e.g., skim-ming, scanning, usingcues from context)

– application of thewriting process (e.g., choice of topic,revision, use ofresources)

– application of tech-nology (e.g., choiceof tools and software,ethical use)

– making connections(e.g., between experi-ences and texts,between English andother subjects, and between Englishand the world outsidethe school)

50–59% (Level 1)

– communicates infor-mation and ideas withlimited clarity

– communicates with alimited sense of audi-ence and purpose

– demonstrates limitedcommand of the various forms

– uses the required lan-guage conventionswith limited accuracyand effectiveness

– uses oral communica-tion and media con-ventions and tech-niques with limitedeffectiveness

– uses reading strategieswith limited compe-tence

– uses the writingprocess with limitedcompetence

– uses technology withlimited appropriate-ness and effectiveness

– makes connectionswith limited effectiveness

60–69% (Level 2)

– communicates infor-mation and ideas withsome clarity

– communicates withsome sense of audi-ence and purpose

– demonstrates moder-ate command of thevarious forms

– uses the required lan-guage conventionswith some accuracyand effectiveness

– uses oral communica-tion and media con-ventions and tech-niques with someeffectiveness

– uses reading strategieswith moderate com-petence

– uses the writingprocess with moderatecompetence

– uses technology withmoderate appropriate-ness and effectiveness

– makes connectionswith moderate effectiveness

70–79% (Level 3)

– communicates infor-mation and ideas withconsiderable clarity

– communicates with aclear sense of audi-ence and purpose

– demonstrates consid-erable command ofthe various forms

– uses the required lan-guage conventionswith considerableaccuracy and effectiveness

– uses oral communica-tion and media con-ventions and tech-niques effectively

– uses reading strategieswith considerablecompetence

– uses the writingprocess with consider-able competence

– uses appropriate technology with considerable effectiveness

– makes connectionswith considerableeffectiveness

80–100% (Level 4)

– communicates information and ideaswith a high degree of clarity, and with confidence

– communicates with astrong sense of audi-ence and purpose

– demonstrates extensivecommand of the various forms

– uses the required lan-guage conventionsaccurately and effec-tively all or almost allof the time

– uses oral communica-tion and media con-ventions and tech-niques effectively andcreatively

– uses reading strategieswith a high degree ofcompetence

– uses the writingprocess with a high degree of competence

– uses appropriate technology with ahigh degree of effectiveness

– makes connectionswith a high degree ofeffectiveness

The student:

The student:

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Explanatory Notes

The following definitions of terms areintended to help teachers and parents/guardians use this document. It should benoted that examples provided are suggestionsand are not meant to be exhaustive.

Academic essay. An essay written in a formal style for an academic audience.

Academic language.The oral and writtenvocabulary, language patterns and structures,and grammatical forms appropriate for a for-mal essay, debate, or presentation. (See alsospecialized language, technical language.)

Acronym. A pronounceable word formedfrom the first letter or letters in a phrase orname (e.g., CUPE for Canadian Union ofPublic Employees, radar for radio detectingand ranging).

Alliteration.The deliberate repetition ofsounds or syllables, especially initial conso-nants, for stylistic effect (e.g., recreational reading and writing ).

Allusion. A brief reference, explicit orimplicit, to a place, person, or event. The ref-erence may be historical, literary, religious, ormythological.

Antidiscriminatory language. Languagethat conveys respect for all people and avoidsstereotyping based on gender, race, religion,culture, social class, sexual orientation, ability,or age. (See also inclusive language.)

Antonym. A word opposite in meaning toanother word (e.g., hot/cold ).

Assonance.The deliberate repetition ofsimilar vowel sounds for stylistic effect (e.g., feel/clean ).

Audience.The intended readers, listeners,or viewers of a particular work. In planninga piece of writing, writers must take intoaccount the purpose and audience in choos-ing an appropriate form of writing.

Body language. Non-verbal communica-tion through gestures, facial expressions, andbody movement.

Coherence.The underlying logical con-nectedness of the parts of an oral, written, orvisual text. A paragraph is coherent if all ofits sentences are connected logically so thatthey are easy to follow. An essay is coherentif its paragraphs are logically connected.

Collage. A form of art in which a variety ofmaterials, such as photographs, fabric,objects, and printed text, are attached to asurface. Students can demonstrate theirunderstanding of many themes and issuesthrough the choice of materials and designelements of a collage.

Colloquialism. A word or expression usedin everyday conversation but not in formallanguage (e.g., Gimme a break! ).

Comma splice. A sentence error caused byusing a comma instead of a stronger punctu-ation mark or a conjunction to join twomain clauses (e.g., The picnic is an annualevent, this year it will be held at the lake).

Commonly confused words.Words oftenmistaken for other words that are spelled orpronounced in the same or almost the sameway (e.g., compliment/complement, effect/affect ).

Controlling idea. An important or centralconcept, theme, or argument that is used tounify a written, oral, or media text.

Conventions. Accepted practices or rules inthe use of language. In the case of written orprinted materials, some conventions helpconvey meaning (e.g., punctuation, type-faces, capital letters) and other conventionsaid in the presentation of content (e.g., tableof contents, headings, footnotes, charts, cap-tions, lists, pictures, index).

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Creative thinking.The process of thinkingabout ideas or situations in inventive andunusual ways in order to understand thembetter and respond to them in a new andconstructive manner. Students think cre-atively in all subject areas when they imag-ine, invent, alter, or improve a concept orproduct.

Critical thinking.The process of thinkingabout ideas or situations in order to under-stand them fully, identify their implications,and/or make a judgement about what is sen-sible or reasonable to believe or do.

Diction.The choice of words or phrases inspeech or writing; the particular words cho-sen to express an idea.

Editing. In writing, the process of correct-ing grammatical, usage, punctuation, andspelling errors to ensure that the writing isclear, coherent, and correct. In media, theselection and juxtaposition of sounds andimages. (See also proofreading, revising,writing process.)

Electronic link. An electronic connectionthat allows users to move quickly within orbetween documents, files, or websites on acomputer.

Elements of media works.The elementsof media works may be grouped in the fol-lowing way:– Audio elements. Speech, music, background

sounds, sound effects, volume, dialects andaccents, silence, narration, pace, sequenceof sounds.

– Visual elements. Lighting, colour, images,size and type of lettering, size of images,sequence (e.g., of images, symbols, graphics,camera angles, or logos), props (e.g., cos-tumes, furnishings), speed of presentation,shape or design, credits, details of sponsor-ship, animation, live action.

– Compositional elements. Plot, form (struc-ture), theme, setting, atmosphere, point ofview, characterization.

Essay. A prose composition that discusses asubject or makes an argument. This type ofwriting often presents the writer’s own ideason a topic. (See also academic essay,personal essay.)

Etymology.The origin and history of theform and meaning of a word. Dictionariesoften provide etymologies of words.

Explicit information and ideas.Information and ideas that are stated clearlyand directly. (Compare implicit meaning.)

Figurative language.Words or phrasesused in a non-literal way to create a desiredeffect (e.g., metaphors, similes, personifica-tion, oxymoron). (See also literary device.)

Five W’s.The five basic journalistic ques-tions (who, what, where, when, and why? ),which are usually answered at the beginningof a newspaper report.

Flowchart. A visual way of organizinginformation and ideas to show relationships(e.g., to show the sequence of events in anovel; to describe relationships among char-acters in a situation comedy). (See alsographic organizer.)

Foreshadowing. A literary device in whichan author provides an indication of futureevents in the plot.

Forms of literature. Imaginative formsinclude story, short story, myth, novel, lyricpoem, ballad, play, and script. Informationalforms include newspaper, magazine, article,editorial, report, pamphlet, brochure, andmanual. (See also genres.)

Forms of media. Media forms includenewspaper, magazine, brochure, editorial,advertisement, television or radio drama, sit-uation comedy, news report, sports program,nature program, travelogue, cartoon, docu-mentary, commercial, interview, film, video,and website.

Forms of oral communication. Forms oforal communication include speech, debate,seminar, panel discussion, proposal, formaljob interview, meeting, simulation, story,drama, role play, and monologue.


Forms of writing. Forms of writinginclude narrative, dialogue, script, poetry,description, set of instructions, advertise-ment, personal essay, supported opinion,expository essay, persuasive or argumentativeessay, research essay or report, summary, pro-posal, résumé, editorial, speech, letter,brochure, manual, agenda and minutes of ameeting, set of notes, diary, journal, list, sur-vey, and chart.

Free verse. Poetry written without a regu-lar metrical pattern. Free verse may berhymed or unrhymed. A free-verse poem isbased on natural rhythms of speech and freeexpression rather than on a predeterminedform.

Free writing. A technique that is used fordeveloping possible content for a piece ofwriting and that involves recording thoughts,images, and ideas without restraint.

Genres.The types or categories into whichliterary works are grouped. Examplesinclude novel, short story, essay, poetry, anddrama. (See also forms of literature.)

Graphic organizer. A visual representationsuch as a chart, table, timeline, flowchart, ordiagram used to record, organize, analyse,synthesize, and assess information and ideas.

Homonym. A word that has the samespelling as another word but a differentmeaning (e.g., ear, meaning the organ of hear-ing, and ear [e.g., of corn], meaning the seed-bearing head of a cereal plant ).

Homophone. A word that has the samesound as another word but a different mean-ing (e.g., seas and seize ).

Hyperbole. A literary device in whichexaggeration is used deliberately for effect oremphasis (e.g., a flood of tears, piles of money).

Idiom. A group of words that, throughusage, has taken on a special meaning differ-ent from the literal meaning (e.g., Keep yourshirt on! or It’s raining cats and dogs ).

Imagery. Descriptions and figures of speech(e.g., metaphors, similes, and other figurativelanguage) used by writers to create vividmental pictures in the mind of the reader.

Implicit meaning. Ideas and concepts thatare present but stated indirectly. (Compareexplicit information and ideas.)

Inclusive language. Language that is equi-table in its reference to people, therebyavoiding stereotypes and discriminatoryassumptions (e.g., police officer includes bothmales and females, whereas policeman refersonly to males). (See also antidiscriminatorylanguage.)

Inference. A conclusion drawn from evidence.

Informational texts.Works created primarily to communicate information.Examples are reports, business letters,résumés, articles, book reviews, brochures,instructional videos, e-mail messages. (Seealso forms of literature.)

Irony. A statement or situation that has anunderlying meaning different from its literalor surface meaning.

Jargon. Another term for specialized language, usually used pejoratively.

Level of language. A style of language(e.g., formal, colloquial) appropriate to a spe-cific purpose, audience, or situation. Thestyle is determined by the degree of formal-ity in a particular social situation, the rela-tionship among the individuals involved inthe communication, and the purpose of theinteraction. Sometimes referred to as register.

Literary (or stylistic) device. A particularpattern of words, a figure of speech, or atechnique used in literature to produce aspecific effect (e.g., rhyme, parallel structure,analogy, comparison, contrast, irony, fore-shadowing, simile, metaphor, personification,pun, oxymoron, symbol).

Literary texts.Works written with an artis-tic purpose, rather than mainly to conveyinformation (e.g., poetry, novels, myths,plays, short stories).


Media techniques. Means of producingparticular effects, such as the use of voice-over narration, animation, simulation, cameraangles (high, normal, low), close-ups, zoomshots, telephoto shots, fade-in and fade-outof sounds or images, juxtaposition or super-imposition of sounds or images, time-lapsephotography, juxtaposition of colour andblack-and-white photography, live action,special effects, volume, speed, motion, flash-backs, collages, and dialogue.

Multimedia presentation. A work thatuses a combination of media to presentinformation and ideas (e.g., a presentationusing slides, computer graphics, posters, andvideo clips).

Onomatopoeia.The use of a word havinga sound that suggests its meaning (e.g., splash,murmur, buzz, twitter).

Oxymoron. A combination of words withcontradictory meanings, used deliberately foreffect (e.g., delicious torment, living death).

Paraphrase. A restatement of an idea ortext in one’s own words.

Parenthetical referencing. A technique ofcitation in which an acknowledgement isplaced in parentheses and inserted into aresearch essay wherever the writer has takenwords, facts, or ideas from another source.Usually the author’s last name and a pagereference are used to identify the source.Each source cited in parenthetical referencesmust have a corresponding entry in the listof works cited.

Personal essay (also referred to as a reflectiveessay). An essay written in an informal styleon a subject of personal interest to thewriter. This type of writing usually presentsthe writer’s own ideas or reflects aspects ofthe writer’s personality.

Point of view. In fiction, the position ofthe narrator in relation to the story andaudience (e.g., a limited, omniscient, third-person, or first-person narrator; multiplenarrators).

Précis. A concise summary of the ideas in awritten text.

Prior knowledge.The background experi-ence and knowledge that a student brings toclassroom learning. Instruction builds onprior knowledge in order to introduce newlearning. Since students come to school witha wide variety of prior knowledge, teachersneed to be aware of their students’ back-ground in planning lessons. Sometimesreferred to as background knowledge.

Proofreading.The careful reading of a finaldraft of written work to eliminate typo-graphical errors and to correct errors ingrammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation.(See also editing, revising, writing process.)

Reading strategies. Skills and approachesused before, during, and after reading todetermine meaning and increase understand-ing of a text. Examples are: using priorknowledge to predict content and deter-mine meaning; skimming text for informa-tion or detail; scanning text to determinepurpose of text or type of material; adjustingspeed in silent reading according to the pur-pose of reading or the difficulty of the text;making inferences; confirming or revisingpredictions; using information from the con-text to understand the meaning of specificwords; using phonics to sound out unfamil-iar words; using root words to determine themeaning of unfamiliar words; rereading;using graphic organizers; recording keypoints and organizing them in a sequence;monitoring comprehension.

Report. An oral or written account oropinion formally expressed, based on thefindings from an investigation or inquiry.

Research. A systematic investigation involv-ing the study of materials and sources inorder to establish facts and seek out thetruth. Such an investigation generally has thefollowing stages: selecting a topic, narrowingthe focus, locating appropriate resources,gathering information, analysing materialand forming conclusions, presenting theinformation in written and/or oral form,and documenting the sources of informationand ideas.


Revising.The process of making majorchanges to the content, structure, and word-ing of a draft to improve the organization ofideas, eliminate awkward phrasing, correcterrors, and generally ensure that the writingis clear, coherent, and correct. (See also edit-ing, proofreading, writing process.)

Rhetorical devices and techniques.Elements of style used in speech or writingto achieve special effects, usually in order topersuade or impress an audience (e.g.,rhythm, repetition, rhetorical question,emphasis, balance, dramatic pause).

Rhetorical question. A question asked notfor information but for dramatic effect. Theanswer may be self-evident (Why should I carewhat they think?) or immediately provided bythe questioner (What should be done? Well, firstwe should...).

Role playing. A dramatic technique inwhich participants act the part of anothercharacter, usually in order to explore thecharacter’s thoughts, feelings, and values.

Run-on sentence.Two or more sentencesrun together and punctuated as one, or aseries of main clauses not separated by therequired conjunctions or punctuation.

Slang.Very informal language patterns orvocabulary used by particular groups, or inspecial contexts, or to reflect trends.

Sound devices. Literary techniques inwhich words are selected for the sounds theymake (e.g., rhyme, assonance, consonance,alliteration, and onomatopoeia).

Specialized language.Words and phrasesthat have a particular meaning because of thecontext in which they are used (e.g., cine-matic terms such as close-up or fade out usedin a film review). (See also technical language.)

Standard Canadian English. Oral andwritten English that follows accepted rulesand practices of grammar, usage, spelling, andpunctuation and that is used across a broadspectrum of Canadian society (e.g., in gov-ernment, educational, medical, legal, science,business, and media communications).

Storyboard. A sequence of images used toplan a film, video, television program, ordrama.

Strands.The major areas of study intowhich the English curriculum is organized.The four strands for the core courses areLiterature Studies and Reading,Writing,Language, and Media Studies. The optionalcourses have different strands.

Style. A manner of writing or speaking orperforming. In a literary work, style usuallyrefers to distinctive characteristics of the dic-tion, figurative language, literary devices,language patterns, and sentence structures ofthe work.

Symbol. Something that stands for or rep-resents an abstract idea.

Synonym. A word that has the same oralmost the same meaning as another word(e.g., clean/pure).

Synopsis. A brief summary providing ageneral view of a topic, subject, or work.

Syntax.The way in which words arearranged to form larger grammatical struc-tures, such as phrases, clauses, and sentences.

Technical language.The terminology usedin a discipline or understood by a trade, pro-fession, or group of people (e.g., in metal-working, the term pig means a mould forcasting metals). (See also academic lan-guage, specialized language.)

Template. A document with a predeter-mined form, included in most word-processing and presentation software (e.g.,calendar, memo, and letter templates).

Text. A spoken, written, or media work thatcommunicates meaning to an audience.

Thesis statement.The statement in anessay that communicates the writer’s mainpoint and purpose. The thesis statement usu-ally appears at the beginning of an essay.

Tone. A manner of speaking or writing thatreveals the speaker’s or author’s attitudetowards a subject and/or audience.


Topic sentence.The sentence thatexpresses the central idea in a paragraph.

Unity. Adequate interconnection and coher-ence among the parts of a work, achievedwhen the details relate clearly to the con-trolling idea of the work.

Usage.The generally accepted ways inwhich language is used to communicatemeaning (e.g., single negatives preferred todouble negatives, as in I don’t see any reason,rather than I don’t see no reason ).

Vertical files. A collection of newspaperand magazine articles, photographs, maps,and pamphlets on specific topics.

Voice. In writing: a work’s distinctive style ofexpression, personal or impersonal, conveyedthrough the author’s use of vocabulary, sen-tence structure, and imagery. In oral commu-nication: the quality of sound produced by aspeaker. In grammar: a property of verbs. Theactive voice indicates that the subject does oracts upon something; the passive voice showsthat the subject is acted upon.

Works cited (also referred to as references orbibliography). An organized list of all thesources used in preparing a research essay(e.g., books, articles, interviews, websites,CD-ROMs). An annotated bibliographyincludes a brief description or assessment ofeach source. (See also parenthetical referencing.)

Writing process.The process involved inproducing a polished piece of writing. Thewriting process comprises several stages,some of which may be repeated as theprocess unfolds. The main stages of the writ-ing process are: generating ideas; choosing aform of writing to suit topic, purpose, andaudience; developing a plan for writing;organizing ideas; writing and revising drafts;editing; proofreading; and producing orpublishing a final draft.

Writing skills.The skills needed to produceclear and effective writing. Writing skillsinclude: choosing a form appropriate to thepurpose for writing; identifying the level oflanguage appropriate to the purpose forwriting and the audience being addressed;organizing and developing ideas logicallyand coherently; choosing words, phrases, andstructures that are both appropriate for thecontext and effective in conveying one’smessage; using language structures and pat-terns correctly; attending to point of view,voice, style, and tone; revising to improve the development and organization of ideas;editing and proofreading to improve styleand correct errors in grammar, usage,spelling, and punctuation; and formattingthe final copy for publication.

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The Ministry of Education and Training wishes toacknowledge the contribution of the many indi-viduals, groups, and organizations that participatedin the development and refinement of this curriculum policy document.

The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 and 10 EnglishEnglish,Grade 10,Applied (ENG2P) . . . . . . . . . . ....

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