Page 121 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: English, 2007 (Revised)

Grade 12, College Preparation
3. Applying Knowledge of Conventions
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | English
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Diction
2.3 use appropriate descriptive and evocative words, phrases, and expressions imaginatively to make their writing clear, vivid, and interest- ing for their intended audience (e.g., develop a list of words used by writers to describe various settings, and consult the list when writing simi- lar types of descriptive passages;4 have a charac- ter in their play who is a hypochondriac use vivid words to describe his or her symptoms)
Teacher prompts: “What other words could you use to help the reader imagine the set- ting more vividly?” “Ask a peer to read your work and point out both weak and strong wording in it.” “What technical terms should you use in this piece?” “What effect are you trying to create in your poem through your use of these words and phrases?”
Sentence Craft and Fluency
2.4 write complete sentences that communicate their meaning clearly and effectively, skilfully varying sentence type, structure, and length to suit different purposes and making smooth and logical transitions between ideas (e.g., use short, direct statements in a report; vary the length and complexity of their sentences in a narrative; use a variety of appropriate transi- tional words to show logical connections between ideas and sentences in an essay5)
Teacher prompts: “Why have you used sen- tences of different types and lengths in this paragraph?” “How does the variety of sen- tences in your narrative help keep your read- ers engaged?”
Critical Literacy
2.5 explain how their own beliefs, values, and experiences are revealed in their writing (e.g., examine their writing to check for bias and to determine whether their language and ideas are inclusive and appropriate; ask themselves whether someone from a different background could have a different opinion of what is important in a sit- uation or issue described in their writing)
Teacher prompt: “Does your writing reflect a cultural bias? If so, what is it? What other points of view have you considered? How
could you include these other points of view in your writing?”
Revision
2.6 revise drafts to improve the content, organiza- tion, clarity, and style of their written work, using a variety of teacher-modelled strategies (e.g., add relevant details to support their thesis in a short analytical essay; reword a weak sentence to increase its effectiveness; employ writing techniques observed in advertisements and other persuasive texts where appropriate
in their own writing 6)
Teacher prompts: “Are there effective transi- tions between your main ideas?” “Does your topic sentence hook the reader’s attention?” “Would this piece of writing be improved if you varied the type, structure, and/or length of your sentences?”
Producing Drafts
2.7 produce revised drafts of texts, including increasingly complex texts, written to meet criteria identified by the teacher, based on
the curriculum expectations (e.g., adequate development of information and ideas, logical organization, appropriate use of form and style, appropriate use of conventions)
Teacher prompt: “What have you done in this opinion piece to try to convince your readers of your point of view? How could you make the piece more convincing?”
By the end of this course, students will:
Spelling
3.1 use knowledge of spelling rules and patterns, a variety of resources, and appropriate strat- egies to recognize and correct their own and others’ spelling errors (e.g., apply their knowl- edge of rules for the use of hyphens; maintain a list of words that do not follow normal spelling rules or patterns, and consult it regularly to check their spelling; consult print and electronic dictionaries to check their spellings;7 develop worksheets that demonstrate their understanding of spelling rules, patterns, and strategies, and consult these sheets frequently when writing8)
Teacher prompt: “Have you added this word, which has quite an unusual spelling, to your list of irregular spellings?”
4. TLE 10-12 “Sentence Starters” 46 5. TLE 10-12 “Revising and Editing: The Verb ‘To Be’” 56 6. TLCC 7-12 “Revising and Editing: Asking Questions to Revise Writing” 128 7. TLCC 7-12 “Proofreading Without Partners” 137 8. TLE 7-9 “Spelling Strategies Inventory” 51