St. Theresa Catholic Secondary School
ENG 2D
Course Outline
Department: English
Course Title: Grade Ten Academic
Credit Value: 1.0
Teacher: Ms M. Doyle
Date: February, 2007
Course Description
This course extends the range of analytic, reading, writing, oral communication, and thinking skills that students need for success in secondary school academic programs. Students will study and interpret challenging texts from contemporary and historical periods, including novels, poems, plays, and opinion pieces, and will analyze and create effective media works. An important focus will be the thoughtful use of spoken and written language.
How This Course Supports the Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations
The primary goal of Catholic education is to educate for life and to facilitate young people to become discerning believers who demonstrate a Catholic openness and a commitment to social justice. Education in the Catholic school system nurtures the vision that the glory of God is realized when each person is able to reach his/her potential while acknowledging human weakness and limitations as creations of God. Subsequently, this course encourages students to find and value their own voice through the integration of a variety of literature, media and communication. The Grade 10 curriculum is another stage in the students’ journey towards completing the Catholic Graduate Expectations and their life long partnerships with God.
How This Course Supports the Competencies of Choices Into Action
This study of English supports the areas of student interpersonal and career development. Students will develop and apply a wide variety of skills and learning strategies to achieve the expectations of the course. Students will demonstrate appropriate critical thinking skills and sound decision making. This course, in partnership with Student Services, will also provide students with an opportunity to explore the variety of employment opportunities available to them.
Overall Expectations for Student Learning
By the end of this course students will demonstrate an understanding and provide evidence of their understanding of course expectations through their study of the following:
1. Literature Studies and Reading
By the end of this course, students will:
* read and demonstrate an understanding of a range of literary and informational texts, both contemporary and from historical periods;
* demonstrate an understanding of the elements of a range of literary and informational forms, 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 informational texts.
- Writing
By the end of this course, students will:
* use a range of print and electronic sources to gather information and explore ideas for written work;
* identify the literary and informational forms suited to various purposes and audiences and use the forms appropriately in their own writing, with an emphasis on adopting a suitable voice;
* use a variety of organizational techniques to present ideas and information logically and coherently in written work;
* revise their written work, independently and collaboratively, with a focus on support for ideas and opinions, accuracy, clarity, coherence, and effective use of stylistic devices;
* 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 the support of print and electronic resources when appropriate.
- Language
By the end of this course, students will:
* use knowledge of vocabulary and language conventions to speak, write, and read competently and effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences, using a level of language appropriate to the context;
* use listening techniques and oral communication skills to participate in classroom discussions and more formal activities, such as dramatizing, presenting, and debating, for a variety of purposes and audiences.
- Media Studies
By the end of this course, students will:
* analyze a range of media forms to identify their elements, audiences, and production practices, 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.
Expectations Regarding Learning Skills
An important key to success in this course is a positive attitude toward learning. Effective use of class time is crucial to obtain the support of teacher and peers. Homework will be the continuation of work begun in class and should be completed to obtain the reinforcement needed to succeed on summative evaluations. Parents will be contacted when unsatisfactory learning skills place a student’s credit in jeopardy. Learning skills will be assessed in the following areas:
- Independent working skills
- Teamwork
- Organization
- Work Habits/Homework Completion
- Initiative
A student’s demonstration of learning skills will be reported separately from achievement of curriculum expectations using a four -point scale: E-excellent, G-good, S-satisfactory, and N-needs improvement. Although learning skills may have an affect on achievement, evaluation of the learning skills will not be included in the determination of the student’s percentage grade.
Supports for Higher Learning
Whenever accommodations are made to address student learning needs, or alternative or modified expectations are identified for a student, these accommodations, modifications, or alternative expectations will be outlined in an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and will be communicated with parents.
Assessment and Evaluation of Student Achievement
Assessment practices will be aligned with curriculum expectations and will incorporate a variety of assessment methods, strategies and instruments. Students will be given a variety of opportunities, appropriate for their learning needs, to demonstrate what they know and can do. Student achievement will be evaluated among the four learning categories in accordance with the following percentages:
- Knowledge and Understanding-25%
- Communication-25%
- Thinking-25%
- Application-25%
Evaluation of the course is based on the following percentages:
- Term Work-70% (expository writing, creative writing, presentations)
- Final Evaluation-30% (exam and culminating activity)
All summative evaluation activities are due on the date specified by the teacher. Once the assignments have been returned to students, a teacher is under no obligation to accept the late work. If a student misses a summative evaluation, it is the responsibility of the student to discuss completion of the activity with the teacher.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Students learn best when they are engaged in a variety of ways of learning. This course, lends itself to a wide range of approaches required students to research, think critically, work co operatively, discuss and problem solve. Some of the strategies used will include large and small group work and discussion, role playing, brainstorming, creative scenarios, independent research, personal reflection, presentations and creative dialogue.
Learning Resources and Programming
Texts will vary according to the unit of study. These include:
- Short Stories-Sightlines 10
- Novel Study-To Kill a Mockingbird
- Dramatic Works-Romeo and Juliet
Material and Supplies for Class
Students will need to bring the following to class:
- all required texts
- a three ring binder with lined paper (keep each subject in separate binder);
- pens, pencils, pencil crayons, highlighter and white out
- school agenda ( to record homework assignments, notes from home and other important information)
- reading material for silent reading
*PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU CAN VIEW THE COURSE HOMEPAGE INCLUDING HOMEWORK, ASSIGNMENTS, TESTS,SCHOOL CALENDAR, ETC.
1. Go to the board website at
2. Click once on the URL address and enter the following: schools.alcdsb.on.ca/teachers/doylemar
3. At this point you can view the school calendar; click GRADE 10 ACADEMIC ENGLISH under LINKS on the right side of the page. Please feel free to contact me regarding this site or your child’s progress at any time.
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