English Language Arts

English Language Arts (ELA) is more than reading and writing. ELA involves: developing the skills to navigate a variety of texts and interpret them in a proactive manner. The goal is to help students to better understand the world around them and gain communication skills that will help them to express their ideas in clear, logical and creative modes.

Students will develop skills to enhance their…

• Understanding and appreciation of a broad range of texts (including multi-media, visual, oral, and print)
• Abilities to create a broad range of texts (including multi-media, visual, oral, and print)
• Communication skills in various contexts for various audiences
• Skills in selecting appropriate forms, structures and technology to suit a variety of communication contexts

English Language Arts Course Sequences (Each course is 5 credits)

Every student must complete a 30 level English course to satisfy graduation criteria. Students should enroll in the course level that best suits a student’s learning needs and post-secondary goals. 

ELA 10-1, 20-1 and 30-1

These are academically rigorous courses designed for students who are interested in the study, creation, and analysis of literary texts. Students registering in these courses should have demonstrated strengths in both their reading comprehension and writing skills. 30-1 is a requirement of most university programs (check with Student Services and/or post-secondary institutions for clarification regarding specific programs).   

ELA 10-2, 20-2 and 30-2

Focusing on practical skills for students heading towards college or trade school in post-secondary. ELA 30-2 is accepted by most college and trade school programs (check with Student Services and/or post-secondary institutions for clarification regarding the requirements of specific programs).   

ELA 10-4, 20-4 and 30-4 (K&E Knowledge and Employability) 

Please see Knowledge and Employability section.

Advanced Placement ELA 10-1/pre AP, 20-1/pre AP and 30-1/AP

More information can be found at the official Advanced Placement/College Board website

https://apcentral.collegeboard...

AP English Literature and Composition is pathway meant to introduce students to a university level approach to the English Language Arts. Students cultivate their understanding of literature through reading and analyzing texts as they explore concepts like character, setting, structure, perspective, figurative language, and literary analysis in the context of literary works. The AP English Literature and Composition courses focus on reading, analyzing, and writing about imaginative literature (fiction, poetry, drama) from various periods. Students engage in close reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature to deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure. As they read, students consider a work’s structure, style, and themes, as well as its use of figurative language, imagery, and symbolism. Writing assignments include expository, analytical, and argumentative essays that require students to analyze and interpret literary works.

While there is no official AP course at the grade 10 or 11 level; the 10-1preAp and 20-1peAP courses are intended to help students to ease into the AP approach. However, a student may enter the stream at any grade level. The focal point of the stream is in grade 12 where the course echoes an introductory university-level literary analysis course and prepares students for the AP Exam. The grade 12 class culminates in AP exam but the exam is optional. If a student does not write the exam they will still receive credit for the course.

Prerequisites

AP Recommended Prerequisites

There are no prerequisite courses for AP English Literature and Composition. Students should be able to read and comprehend college-level texts and write grammatically correct, complete sentences.

Environmental Humanities 20, 30

It is also possible to take English Language Arts and Social Studies 20 or 30 in the multidisciplinary Energy & Environmental Innovation (EEI) program. These courses are designed to be experiential for students. They will design projects related to their own interests that help to solve sustainable development issues in their community, province, country or globe. Students will learn how to become innovative change-makers in their communities.

These courses incorporate English Language Arts and Social Studies into their various environmentally focused projects and take up two periods either in the morning or afternoon of one semester.