Page 174 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: English, 2007 (Revised)

Researching and Evaluating Critical Interpretations
4.3 assess critical interpretations found in print and electronic sources and use those that seem most appropriate, helpful, or convincing to extend their understanding of specific works in the course (e.g., write a brief synopsis of a critical review and assess the degree to which
it provides insight into a play; using a graphic organizer, compare different book reviews, including a review they have written, in terms of what issues or aspects of a literary text they focus on)
Teacher prompt: “What does the essayist/ reviewer think about the text and what evidence or arguments does he or she use to support the interpretation?”
Assessing Peer Critical Responses
4.4 compare peers’ critical responses with their own to clarify and extend their understanding of literary texts (e.g., record, reflect on, and com- ment on group members’ responses to a section of a novel; participate in a group discussion about the validity of a critic’s interpretation of
a text)
Teacher prompt: “To what extent do you agree with your classmates’ analyses of the text? Which of their interpretations of the novel do you find problematic, and why?”
5. The Role of of Literature in Society
By the end of this course, students will:
Fostering Social, Cultural, and Political Awareness
5.1 explain how literary texts raise awareness about a range of topics, issues, ideas, cultures, events, and people (e.g., in a presentation to the class, describe how a particular literary text has altered their view of, or provided insight into, a social injustice, a contemporary issue, a cultural or religious conflict, or the legacy of an impor- tant historical figure; identify the issues addressed in a controversial literary text and explain how the text challenges social, cultural, or political norms with respect to those issues; identify texts they have studied that bring marginalized voices to the attention of a mainstream audience)
Teacher prompts: “Did the novel offer a valid perspective on the issue that you hadn’t encountered in your research?” “Can you name a literary text that has generated con- troversy? Why was it controversial? How did the text – or the controversy that surrounded the text – contribute to the public’s under- standing of the issues it raised?”
Engaging the Intellect and Imagination
5.2 identify ways in which literary texts can pro- mote readers’ intellectual and imaginative growth (e.g., in a small group discussion, identi- fy ideas in a literary text that cast new light on some aspect of their own lives; explore, in role, the subconscious or conscious motivations of a character in a text; use a teacher-provided prop that suggests the theme of a text as the focus of a short dramatic presentation about the text)
Teacher prompt: “How has a specific author managed to grab your interest and make you think about a particular topic or issue?”
Promoting Personal and Social Change
5.3 identify ways in which literary texts might promote social and personal change (e.g., write and deliver a speech based on a famous example of political rhetoric to encourage an audience to take social action; write a journal entry about ways in which literature has inspired or might inspire people to change their minds or their behaviour; write an editorial, incorporating ref- erences from a text, recommending a remedy for an injustice depicted in the text)
Teacher prompts: “How has one text studied in the course prompted you to reconsider your own attitudes or beliefs?” “How has the reading of a specific text helped you to better understand those whose life experi- ences are significantly different from your own experiences?”
Exploring Human Nature
5.4 explain how the study of literature has con- tributed to their understanding of human nature (e.g., in a class discussion, debate the validity of quotations about human nature found in texts studied in the course; relate the educa- tional opportunities available to various charac- ters in a novel to the characters’ moral, intellec- tual, or emotional development in the novel; identify similarities and differences in how myths from around the world portray human motivations and behaviour; identify, and share with the class, text passages that seem to capture or express some truth about human emotions such as loss, joy, pride, regret, or anticipation)
Teacher prompts: “What recurring themes have emerged in this course that would shed light on what it means to be human?” “Is there a specific text that has helped you understand better those whose life experiences are signif- icantly different from your own?”
STUDIES IN LITERATURE
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Studies in Literature
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