Page 71 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: English, 2007 (Revised)

Grade 11, College Preparation
4. Reflecting on Skills and Strategies
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | English
Punctuation
3.3 use punctuation correctly and appropriately to communicate their intended meaning (e.g., use the semicolon in compound sentences before certain transitional words such as however; use the colon to introduce a list)
Teacher prompt: “What punctuation mark would help readers see that you are intro- ducing a list of benefits to the consumer?”
Grammar
3.4 use grammar conventions correctly and appro- priately to communicate their intended mean- ing clearly and fluently (e.g., use a variety of sentence types correctly in their writing;8 use prepositions and conjunctions appropriately)
Teacher prompt: “If you read this sentence aloud, does it seem awkward to you or do you think it flows smoothly? If it seems awkward, how could you fix it?”
Proofreading
3.5 proofread and correct their writing, using guidelines developed with the teacher and peers (e.g., review drafts using an editing checklist based on the task rubric; read drafts aloud to listen for and correct errors)
Teacher prompt: “Why do you think that you can find errors in someone else’s writing, but not in your own?”
Publishing
3.6 use a variety of presentation features, includ- ing print and script, fonts, graphics, and layout, to improve the clarity and coherence of their written work and to heighten its appeal for their audience (e.g., select an appropriate title and appropriate fonts and graphics for the cover of a “book” they are publishing; use appropriate design features to enhance the text in a fact sheet about a social issue)
Teacher prompt: “What impression would you like your book cover to give prospective readers? Which font is most likely to help you convey that impression?”
Producing Finished Works
3.7 produce pieces of published work 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: “Are the steps in your procedure set out in a logical order? What additional changes could you make so that the procedure is easier to follow?”
By the end of this course, students will:
Metacognition
4.1 describe a variety of strategies they used before, during, and after writing; explain which ones they found most helpful; and identify appropriate steps they can take to improve as writers (e.g., describe how they used graphic organizers to order their ideas
at the drafting stage; describe how informally conferring with the teacher or peers at various stages of the writing process allowed them to see and correct specific problems; describe two specific areas in which they think their writing skills are weak, and set specific, time-limited goals for improving them)
Teacher prompts: “What do you do to prepare for a writing conference with your teacher?” “What have you realized about your own written work by reading the work of your peers?” “If you were to redo this writing assignment, what specific strategies would you use to improve your work?”
Interconnected Skills
4.2 identify a variety of skills they have in listening, speaking, reading, viewing, and representing, and explain how these skills help them write more effectively (e.g., describe specific ways in which listening to the work of peers has improved their own writing)
Teacher prompt: “What have you noticed about the way advertisers use words that you could apply to your persuasive writing?”
Portfolio
4.3 select a variety of types of writing that they think most clearly reflect their growth and competence as writers, and explain the reasons for their choice (e.g., select a finished piece of their writing for a class project on a specific topic, and explain why they think it is a good example of their work; explain why they feel more com- fortable using certain text forms than others)
Teacher prompts: “What pieces of your writing best demonstrate your improvement as a writer? Why did you choose these pieces?” “In what specific areas has your writing improved over time?”
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8. TLE 10-12 “Modelled Writing” 51