ENGLISH 8: This course focuses on improving sentence structure, expanding vocabulary, and perfecting the paragraph. In addition, students will review basic punctuation, spelling and parts of speech. As well, various genres (poetry, the
short story, the novel, and mythology) will be studied.

ENGLISH 9: This course reviews the basic skills of English 8. Again, the students will read short stories, novels, non-fi ction, and poetry. The focus in writing will be on expanding ideas, writing more complex sentences, and organizing ideas. Students will continue to improve their mastery of the paragraph. 

ENGLISH 10: This course reviews the basic skills of English 9. The writing focus will be the multi-paragraph composition. In literature, the students will be introduced to more interpretive stories as well as to their fi rst complete Shakespearean play. English 10 students will write a provincial fi nal exam worth 20% of their final grade.

ENGLISH 11: Furthering the basic skills introduced in the junior grades, the English 11 student will learn to write formal and informal essays. There will be greater emphasis on interpretive literature and literary terminology through the study of various genres.

COMMUNICATIONS 11: Communications is for students who have significant skill defi cits and need a course in essential English skills to address their diffi culties. This course may be taken in place of English 11 with parental permission, but interested students should make sure Communications 11 fulfills the English requirements for their postsecondary plans. A student who successfully completes Communications 11 may then take Communications 12.

ENGLISH 12: This course is designed to refi ne the student’s knowledge of language. The focus is on literary analysis and evaluation as well as on the conventions of language. Students will be required to write a 2 hour government examination worth 40% of their overall mark.

ENGLISH 12 / LITERATURE: This combined course allows students to earn credit for both English 12 and Literature 12. Students will first write the government exam for English in January and then write the government exam for Literature in June. The section of the course specific to English 12 ends in mid November. The section of the course specific to Literature 12 runs from mid November to June. Because the beginning of the Literature 12 course covers poetry and drama (also requirements for English 12) the student will be well prepared for the English examination while being exposed to the Literature 12 curriculum at the same time. This combined course shrinks some of the material specific to English 12; however, the extra time devoted to Literature 12 ensures that students are not short-changed. Literature 12 surveys the history of English literature from Anglo-Saxon to modern times. Poetry is the dominant genre, but there are several plays and novels. Students should have a solid background in English with a B (or better) average to enroll in this course.

MYTHOLOGY 10: Mythology 10 is a course offered as an alternative to English 10. Students will study stories that have informed not only literature, but also our social values. Students will discover similarities in the beliefs and ethical aspirations of a variety of cultures. They will also receive instruction in reading, writing and grammar, thus fulfi lling the prescribed learning outcomes of English 10. Students will be fully prepared to write the English 10 provincial exam.

WRITING 12: This elective, senior-level English course is for students who are genuinely interested in further exploring writing and creative processes. Students will be expected to produce quality work in a variety of genres. This course is open to English 11 students with permission, and grade 12 students.

AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION 12: The AP English Language and Composition course is designed to help students become skilled readers of prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts and to become skilled writers who can compose for a variety of purposes. By their writing and reading in this course, students should become aware if the interactions among a writer’s purpose, audience expectations, and subjects, as well as the way generic conventions and the resources of language contribute to effective writing. Students successfully completing this course will receive credit for both English 12 and AP.