English, Grade 11, College Preparation
Curriculum Policy:
English, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, 2007 (Revised)

Course description:
This course emphasizes the development of literacy, communication, and critical and creative thinking skills essential for success in academic and everyday life. Students will explore the content, form, and style of various informational and graphic texts, as well as literary works from Canada and around the world. They will create oral, written, and media texts for both practical and academic purposes. A key focus will be on using language with precision and clarity. This course is designed to prepare students for the compulsory Grade 12 college preparation course.

Chapters and Description:

• Effective Communication Skills
  This unit focuses on listening, note-taking, and presentation skills, which are crucial for success in college and the workplace. The themes highlight the rich intersections that emerge when people move and cultures collide. Students will listen to inspiring stories of individuals who have rebuilt their lives in new lands and will prepare and deliver a presentation of their own.
• Exploring Youth Narratives
  In this unit, students will read the classic novel Catcher in the Rye and produce a series of short writing pieces, which they will edit and publish as a presentation. The second module will explore film as students watch Rebel Without a Cause and analyze the differences between the issues faced by the youth in the story and those of today’s generation. They will also select a current film that addresses youth issues and investigate its representation. The unit culminates in an essay that synthesizes research and reflections on how youth issues have evolved over time while maintaining certain consistencies.
• Crafting Practical Instructions
  This unit emphasizes the elements necessary for creating effective instructional texts. Students will apply critical thinking skills to evaluate various sets of instructions and will conclude the unit by writing and publishing their own set of “how-to” instructions.