Page 200 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: English, 2007 (Revised)

of new communications technologies on corpo- rate expectations of employees; the impact of new communications technologies on the ecological “footprints”of various businesses)
Teacher prompts: “How possible is it to have a paperless office?” “What are some examples of waste in the workplace?” “Has technology helped us to save time or has it made work more demanding than ever?” “Give an exam- ple of a communications technology that has increased efficiency in the workplace or home. Do you know of any examples that have decreased rather than increased effi- ciency? In what way?”
Understanding Business Culture and Issues
1.5 read and demonstrate an understanding of
a variety of articles and interviews related to business and technology issues, innovations, individuals, organizations, perspectives, and practices (e.g., interviews with and articles by and about corporate leaders, small business owners, information technology professionals, entrepre- neurs, and investment counsellors; articles on legal and ethical issues, such as communications patent infringement, or legislation related to Internet use)
Teacher prompts: “Why is it important to know about legal or ethical issues related to this business?” “What company or businessper- son’s ‘profile’did you find most interesting, or informative, or inspirational, and why?”
By the end of this course, students will:
Text Forms and Patterns
2.1 identify key elements of text forms and com- mon organizational patterns used in business and technological communications, and explain how they help clarify the message and/or make information easier to find (e.g., the role of vari- ous elements found in different types of texts – such as tables of contents or online navigational guides with hyperlinks, introductions, the body of the text, appendices, and contact information; the function of headings in a report or of labels in a diagram; the use of sequential order in instructions; the role of words that identify loca- tions or indicate spatial relationships in an instruction manual or a website; the use of side- bars for background information in a marketing proposal or company profile; the use of lists in reports and brochures; the order of items in a slide package for a business presentation)
Teacher prompts: “What is provided in each of these documents to help the reader locate information quickly?” “What elements do you see in common between these two different types of texts?” “How is this organized? Is this targeted to a reader within the company or a customer outside the company? How can you tell?”
Text Features
2.2 identify a variety of text features and explain how they are used to enhance the effectiveness of business and technological communications (e.g., the contribution of illustrations and graph- ics in a multimedia presentation for a general audience; the use of boldface and/or italics to highlight key terms and other important infor- mation in a brochure; the use of colour coding and/or pictograms and symbols to communicate basic information succinctly and help consumers navigate a brochure or manual)
Teacher prompts: “What features make this brochure helpful and appealing to the reader?” “What value is added by the illustrations in this text?”
Audio-Visual Features
2.3 identify audio-visual features used in business and technological communications and evalu- ate their contribution to the clarity and effec- tiveness of the text (e.g., explain how sound clips, animation, illustrations, and/or charts clarify information in a report to employees or shareholders; explain how presentation software helps emphasize key points in a sales pitch; determine whether the use of sound enhances a presentation)
Teacher prompts: “Did you find that the video clips distracted your attention from the speaker?” “Did the audio-visual aids provide essential support or were they pleasant but non-essential ‘add-ons’ to the main message?”
Oral Presentation Techniques
2.4 explain how volume, pace, pitch, tone of voice, eye contact, facial expression, posture, dress, movement, and gesture enhance or weaken the effectiveness of oral business com- munications (e.g., determine the suitability and effectiveness of the body language and tone of voice used in a motivational speech; identify speech patterns – such as falling or rising into- nation – and determine whether or not their use is appropriate to the message and effective in engaging the interest of the audience)
INVESTIGATING BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGICAL COMMUNICATIONS AND CULTURE
2. Analysing Business and Techological Communications
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Communication
Business and Technological
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