Page 5 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: English, 2007 (Revised)

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | English
information, expressing world views, and realizing and communicating artistic vision. Students learn that language can be not only used as a tool but also appreciated and enjoyed.
Language is the basis for thinking, communicating, learning, and viewing the world. Students need language skills in order to comprehend ideas and information, to interact socially, to inquire into areas of interest and study, and to express themselves clearly and demonstrate their learning. Learning to communicate with clarity and precision will help students to thrive in the world beyond school.
Language is a fundamental element of identity and culture. As students read and reflect on a rich variety of literary, informational, and media texts,1 they develop a deeper under- standing of themselves and others and of the world around them. If they see themselves and others in the texts they study, they will be more engaged in learning and they will also come to appreciate the nature and value of a diverse, multicultural society. They will develop the ability to understand and critically interpret a range of texts and to recognize that a text conveys one particular perspective among many.
Language skills are developed across the curriculum and, cumulatively, through the grades. Students use and develop important language skills as they read and think about topics, themes, and issues in various subject areas. Language facility helps students to learn in all subject areas, and using language for a broad range of purposes increases both their ability to communicate with precision and their understanding of how language works. Students develop flexibility and proficiency in their understanding and use of language over time. As they move through the secondary school program, they are required to use language with ever-increasing accuracy and fluency in an expanding range of situations. They are also expected to assume responsibility for their own learning and to apply their language skills in more challenging and complex ways.
PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THE ENGLISH CURRICULUM
The English curriculum is based on the belief that language learning is critical to responsible and productive citizenship, and that all students can become successful language learners. The curriculum is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills that they need to achieve this goal. It aims to help students become successful language learners.
Successful language learners:
understand that language learning is a necessary, life-enhancing, reflective process;
communicate – that is, read, listen, view, speak, write, and represent – effectively and with confidence;
make meaningful connections between themselves, what they encounter in texts, and the world around them;
think critically;
understand that all texts advance a particular point of view that must be recognized, questioned, assessed, and evaluated;
appreciate the cultural impact and aesthetic power of texts;
use language to interact and connect with individuals and communities, for personal growth, and for active participation as world citizens.
1. The word text is used in this document in its broadest sense, as a means of communication that uses words, graphics, sounds, and/or images to convey information and ideas to an audience.
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