Policy to Practice

Part Four: (B) The Planning Cycle - (i) Unpacking the Curriculum - English
Note: The responses and interpretations have been provided by the English subject association.

1. Curriculum Focus, Goal or Purpose

i) What resides in the heart of the English curriculum and what is the underlying focus, goal, or purpose of the curriculum?

§ The effective and reflective use of the complement of language skills provides students with a foundation for success in their
future endeavours both in school and in the world beyond school.

ii) What in the curriculum is critical for the student to know and be able to do and will have enduring value beyond the classroom?

In English courses, students will be able to:

§ select, read, and understand a variety of texts (using appropriate strategies) to inform and educate the imagination;
§ use a variety of print and electronic sources to explore, gather, select, and organize information effectively;
§ know, understand, and use the writing process to create a variety of written forms depending on audience and purpose;
§ use listening techniques and oral communication skills to participate in classroom discussions and more formal activities; and
§ assess critically the assumptions, perspectives, and quality of a variety of texts (including media), and recognize persuasive
devices.

2. Curriculum Structure and Format

Strands
i) What does a strand represent in the English curriculum document? Is it different for various courses?

The following four strands represent the key elements of the English program. They are::
§ Literature Studies and Reading,
§ Writing,
§ Language, and
§ Media Studies.

§ All four strands are considered integral to the curriculum in English; no strand may be weighted at less than 20%.

ii) Describe the structure of the strands in the curriculum document in relationship to each course.

§ Expectations are repeated from year to year in increasingly complex forms to encourage students to refine and sharpen their
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reading, writing, and oral communication skills. The verbs are often key indicators of the complexity of the expectations from one
grade to another and one level of course to another.

Curriculum Expectations
i) How do the overall expectations and specific expectations relate to one another?

§ There is a direct relationship among the overall expectations and the clusters of specific expectations as identified by sub-headings.
In the specific expectations, the parentheses and accompanying examples assist in identifying the complexity of the learnings
designated by the expectations; however, these examples do not prescribe or limit the teacher’s choices.

ii) Are there curriculum expectations for learning not integrated into the overall or specific expectations? If so, how do these relate to
the overall and specific expectations?

§ Generally speaking, there are no other expectations for learning that are not integrated into the overall and specific expectations.
However, the Catholic Graduate Expectations act as an umbrella of additional curriculum expectations that must be integrated into
all subject areas including English.

3. Scope and Sequence of the Curriculum

i) What do teachers need to know about the continuum of learning from grade to grade? (e.g., skills and/or concepts continuum)

Literature Studies Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12

and Reading
Knowledge: § Understand the elements of a variety of forms of texts
(across all courses) § Understand the use of conventions, terminology, and elements of style
§ Understand and apply appropriate reading strategies

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Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
Skills: § Read plays, short § Read novels, poems, § Read novels and poems § Read plays and essays
Differentiated Focus stories, and short plays, and opinion (ENG 3U) (ENG4U)
(suggestions are not essays (ENG1D) pieces (ENG2D) § Read opinion pieces and § Read research articles
restrictive) § Read plays, short § Read novels, poems, novels (ENG3C) and plays (ENG4C)
stories, and newspaper magazines, and § Read fiction, non-fiction, § Read fiction, non-fiction,
and magazine articles reports (ENG2P) drama, poetry and drama, poetry, and
(ENG1P) informational material informational material
(ENG3E) (ENG4E)

Writing Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12

Knowledge: § Gather information
(across all courses) § Identify forms
§ Use organizational techniques to produce logical, coherent, and effective writing
§ Revise for accuracy, clarity, and unity
§ Edit and proofread
Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
Skills: § Support opinions or § Adopt suitable voice § Write essays, narratives, § Write analytic and
Differentiated Focus interpretations and stylistic devices and poems with argumentative essays, and
(ENG1D) (ENG2D) consistent use of voice narrative/dramatic scenes
§ Communicate § State and support an (ENG3U) with effective style and
information accurately opinion (ENG2P) § Write reports, sufficient development of
(ENG 1P) correspondence, and content (ENG4U)
persuasive essays with § Research and write
consistent use of voice reports, summaries, and
(ENG 3C) short analytical essays with
§ Use appropriate forms for effective style (ENG4C)
purpose and audience § Use appropriate forms,
(ENG3E) voice, and style for purpose
and audience (ENG4E)
Language Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
Knowledge: § Use knowledge of vocabulary and conventions to speak, write, read, and present
(across all courses) § Use listening and oral communication skills to participate in a variety of activities, including classroom and
small group discussion

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Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
Skills: § Use level of language § Use language § Apply knowledge of § Apply knowledge of
Differentiated Focus appropriate to purpose appropriate to context vocabulary, structures, vocabulary, structures, and
and audience for for dramatizing, and conventions of conventions of standard
storytelling, role- presenting, and standard Canadian Canadian English; use
playing, and reporting/ debating (ENG2D) English; use academic academic language in
presenting (ENG1D) § Use language specific language in panel seminars, and ISU
§ Use clear and correct to purpose and discussions, speeches, presentations (ENG34U)
language in storytelling, audience for and group presentations § Choose, develop, and
roleplaying, and storytelling, (ENG3U) sustain appropriate style;
reporting/ presenting roleplaying, and § Identify, develop and use business and technical
(ENG1P) reporting/ presenting sustain appropriate language in interviews,
(ENG2P) voice; use business and portfolio presentations, and
technical language in oral ISU’s (ENG4C)
reports and presentations § Use appropriate voice and
(ENG3C) tone; use specialized
§ Use appropriate diction language in interviews,
and syntax in personal, reports, and meetings
creative, and workplace- ENG4E)
related communications;
use specialized language
appropriately (ENG3E)
Media Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
Knowledge § Understand the elements, intended audiences, and production practices of a variety of media forms
(across all courses) § Create media works independently and/or collaboratively based on issues in the course
Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
Skills: § Analyse and create § Analyse and draw § Analyse representation § Analyse representation
Differentiated Focus media works and conclusions; create and forms and techniques forms and techniques, and
describe their effect assess media works (ENG3U) their implications for society;
(ENG1D) using established § Analyse media works assess effectiveness of their
§ Identify, describe, and criteria (ENG2D) (ENG3C) own media works (ENG4U)
create media works § Describe and explain; § Analyse media § Explain how media works; &
(ENG1P) create media works works(ENG3E) communicate ideas ENG4C)
and explain their effect § Assess media works
(ENG2P) (ENG4E)

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4. Achievement Chart Categories

Achievement Chart Knowledge Thinking Communication Application
Category
i) What are the Knowledge/ Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application
names of the Understanding
category in the
English document?
ii) What are the § Knowledge of forms of § Critical thinking skills (e.g., § Communication of § Application of language
criteria for each texts, information, analyzing, assessing, information and ideas conventions
category? ideas, concepts, and classifying, extrapolating, (e.g., formulating § Application of oral
themes formulating, identifying bias opinions/theses and communication and
and inaccuracy, organizing, selecting supporting media conventions
synthesizing) details) § Application of reading
§ Creative thinking skills, or § Communication for strategies
critical thinking which is: different audiences and § Application of the writing
original, divergent, lateral, purposes (e.g., process
flexible, empathetic, choosing appropriate or § Application of
imaginative; and which specialized language technology
demonstrates aesthetic and a style to suit a § Making connections
appreciation; eg., workplace interview) between experiences
brainstorming, expressing, § Use of various forms of and texts, other
creating original works of a communication (e.g., subjects, and the world
variety of types oral, media, written,
§ Inquiry skills (e.g., formal, and informal)
formulating questions,
planning, accessing
information, selecting
strategies and resources,
analyzing, interpreting, and
assessing information,
forming conclusions)

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iii) What do the § Understanding of § Inquiry skills relate to parts § Communication skills § “Making connections”
criteria mean? information, ideas, of the writing process, as include both clarity of tends to involve
concepts, and themes well as to oral presentations expression and an Thinking and Inquiry as
§ Understanding of and media works understanding of the students relate what
relationships among power and aesthetics they have learned to
facts, ideas, concepts, of language in oral, their personal mental
and themes written, and media schema.
§ Understanding of the forms.
uses and effects of
aesthetic elements
iv) How do the § Curriculum § Verbs such as “investigate, § Verbs such as “select, § Verbs such as “revise,
curriculum expectations cross locate and summarize, sort communicate, use, edit, proofread,
expectations fit into categories in the and label, develop, describe, explain, construct, connect,
each category? achievement chart consider, select, organize, demonstrate” may adapt, format, provide,
depending on the analyse, assess, evaluate, indicate the design, correct” may
purpose and task. reflect, compare, contrast, Communication indicate Application
However, some verbs cite” may indicate the category. category.
such as “describe, Thinking /Inquiry category.
demonstrate, explain,
identify” may indicate
the Knowledge/
Understanding
category.

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5. Working with the Achievement Chart Categories
i) What is the English subject association’s interpretation of the relative importance and emphasis of the achievement chart categories
for each grade/course/destination?

§ The achievement chart categories constitute the underlying structure of all assessment and evaluation
§ In English, a variety of approaches have been used to record the level of student achievement.
§ Some boards use a range for each achievement category (e.g., 20-30% per category).
§ Some boards have cross-referenced achievement chart categories with strands for cross-matched weighting. Teachers give
specific feedback on achievement chart categories by means of rubrics on specific demonstrations of achievement of expectations,
which are linked to strands. Weights are assigned to each strand from a range of 20-30%. Certain strands may be weighted more
or less heavily, depending on the needs of students in each course and destination.
§ The weighting of the Knowledge/Understanding and Thinking/Inquiry categories may be heavier in Grades 9 and 10 Academic
courses, while Communication and Application categories may be weighted more heavily in Grades 9 and 10 Applied courses and
the Grade 11 Literacy Course.

ii) How are the relative importance and emphasis determined? (e.g., amount of assessment/evaluation done, time spent learning)

§ All four categories are essential to the learning and expression of language. Overall, no one category is more important than
another; however, achievement categories may be weighted differently from one demonstration of student learning to the next. The
relative weights assigned each category will depend on how the expectations for the task are clustered (e.g., some categories may
not be reflected at all, while some may be weighted much more heavily than others).

iii) How can teachers of English courses ensure that sufficient evidence is gathered for all four categories in the achievement chart?

§ Effective assessment and evaluation planning, linking curriculum expectations to the appropriate methods, strategies and tools will
ensure that evidence is gathered for all four categories of the achievement chart. It is essential that students have clear targets with
descriptions of criteria and performance indicators that provide purposeful detailed feedback to allow them to develop
demonstrations and products that reflect higher-level thinking.

§ In English, there is a range of practice that allows a certain amount of freedom for teachers to address the knowledge and skills
that need to be addressed with particular groups of students. For example, a teacher may choose to have students focus on
Knowledge and Thinking in one Media assignment, and focus on Communication and Application in the next Media assignment.
Although the individual assignment’s evaluation rubric will not indicate all four Achievement Chart categories, the students will have
addressed all four categories within the body of Media work assigned and completed.

§ Boards which cross-reference achievement chart categories with strands use rubrics as their primary assessment tool. All
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categories of the achievement chart are represented and evaluated, and linked specifically to expectations from within a strand or
strands.
6. Learning Skills
i) When are learning skills explicitly stated as part of the English curriculum in the form of curriculum expectations?

§ While many expectations assume implicit learning skills such as working independently, and demonstrating organization, there are
almost no explicit references to learning skills in the expectations for the English curriculum. The one clear match is noted below
under “Teamwork.”

ii) What could teachers look for to track learning skills (listed below) in this curriculum document?

§ The chart below outlines how the learning skills look in the English curriculum.

Works Independently § Reference is made to independent work in a few areas (e.g., “Independently selects, evaluates, and uses
appropriate learning materials, resources, and activities”.)
§ In English, students are given opportunities to work both independently and collaboratively; however, most
evidence of a student’s independence will be assessed within the context of the assigned work. Therefore,
English teachers will report on independence, for the most part, under separate learning skills.

Teamwork There is a fair amount of cross matching between Teamwork and English expectations under the Language
strand, specifically “Developing Listening and Speaking Skills.” At each grade level, there is an expectation
referencing listening techniques and oral communication skills to participate in group discussions. In Grades
11 and 12 especially, the expectation references “fulfilling roles as required; preparing for discussion; asking
questions to extend understanding; completing assigned tasks for the group; working towards consensus; and
accepting group decisions when appropriate.” This language is very reflective of items under the Learning
Skill “Teamwork” such as “accepts various roles…; takes responsibility for his or her own share of the work to
be done; works to help achieve the goals of the group or the class; in discussion, paraphrases, points of view
and asks questions to clarify meaning and promote understanding; seeks consensus and negotiates
agreement before making decisions.”)

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Organization § For English, organization within the curriculum expectations is specific to the merits of the assigned task. As
a learning skill, English teachers do not evaluate organizational skills outside of the context of the assigned
task.

Work Habits/Homework § As a learning skill, English teachers do not evaluate homework simply for completion. A student’s record of
homework completion may be reported under learning skills. The evaluation of homework assignments must
be based upon the curriculum expectations.

Initiative § In English, a student’s extra effort will be reflected in the overall quality of his/her work and evaluated within
that context.

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