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

On recommendation by Educational Services only

In this course, students focus on extending their literacy and communication skills to prepare for success in their daily lives, in the workplace, in the English, Grade 11, Workplace Preparation course, or in the English: Contemporary Aboriginal Voices, Grade 11, Workplace Preparation course. The course is organized by strands that extend listening and talking skills, reading and viewing skills, and writing skills. In all strands, the focus is on refining foundational literacy skills and on using language clearly and accurately in a variety of authentic contexts. Students build on their strategies and engage in the processes involved in talking, listening, reading, viewing, writing, and thinking. Students reflect regularly upon their growth in these areas.

This course extends the range of key reading, writing, oral communication, and thinking skills that students need for success in all areas of the curriculum. Students will study novels, poems, magazines, and reports, and will describe, design, and produce effective media works. An important focus will be the clear and coherent use of spoken and written language.

This course emphasizes the development of literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills. Students will analyse challenging texts from various periods; conduct research and analyse the information gathered; write persuasive and literary essays; and analyse the relationship among media forms, audiences, and media industry practices. An important focus will be on understanding the development of the English language.

This course emphasizes the strengthening of essential reading and writing skills. Students will read short plays, short stories, novels, poems and newspaper and magazine articles and opinion supporting details, extending personal knowledge, responding imaginatively, and using specific strategies to expand vocabulary. An important focus will be on writing clear, accurate, and coherent narratives, summaries, reports, letters, and short essays, using correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

This course emphasizes consolidation of literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills. Students will analyse a range of challenging texts from various time periods, countries, and cultures; write analytical and argumentative essays and a major paper for an independent literary research project; and apply key concepts to analyse media works. An important focus will be on understanding academic language and using it coherently and confidently in discussion and argument.

This course is designed to help students acquire and demonstrate the cross-curricular literacy skills that are evaluated by the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. Students who complete the course successfully will meet the provincial literacy requirement for graduation. Students will read a variety of informational, narrative, and graphic texts and will produce a variety of forms of writing, including summaries, information paragraphs, opinion pieces, and news reports. Students will also maintain and manage a literacy portfolio containing a record of their reading experiences and samples of their writing.

Eligibility: Students who have been eligible to write the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) at least twice, and have been unsuccessful at least once, are eligible to take this course to achieve both a grade 12 credit and their literacy credential for graduation.