Page 38 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: English, 2007 (Revised)

Health and safety issues must be addressed when learning involves cooperative education and other workplace experiences. Teachers who provide support for students in workplace learning placements need to assess placements for safety and ensure students understand the importance of issues relating to health and safety in the workplace. Before taking part in workplace learning experiences, students must acquire the knowledge and skills needed for safe participation. Students must understand their rights to privacy and confidentiality as outlined in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. They have the right to function in an environment free from abuse and harassment, and they need to be aware of harassment and abuse issues in establishing boundaries for their own personal safety. They should be informed about school and community resources and school policies and reporting procedures with respect to all forms of abuse and harassment.
Policy/Program Memorandum No. 76A, “Workplace Safety and Insurance Coverage for Students in Work Education Programs” (September 2000), outlines procedures for ensuring the provision of Health and Safety Insurance Board coverage for students who are at least 14 years of age and are on placements of more than one day. (A one-day job-shadowing or job-twinning experience is treated as a field trip.) Teachers should also be aware of the minimum age requirements outlined in the Occupational Health and Safety Act for persons to be in or to be working in specific workplace settings. All cooperative education and other workplace experiences will be provided in accordance with the ministry’s policy document entitled Cooperative Education and Other Forms of Experiential Learning: Policies and Procedures for Ontario Secondary Schools, 2000.
PLANNING PROGRAM PATHWAYS AND PROGRAMS LEADING
TO A SPECIALIST HIGH-SKILLS MAJOR
English courses are well suited for inclusion in programs leading to a Specialist High- Skills Major (SHSM) or in programs designed to provide pathways to particular appren- ticeship or workplace destinations. In an SHSM program, English courses can be bundled with other courses to provide the academic knowledge and skills important to particular industry sectors and required for success in the workplace and postsecondary education, including apprenticeship. English courses may also be combined with cooperative educa- tion credits to provide the workplace experience required for SHSM programs and for various program pathways to apprenticeship and workplace destinations. (SHSM pro- grams would also include sector-specific learning opportunities offered by employers, skills-training centres, colleges, and community organizations.)
HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE ENGLISH PROGRAM
Although health and safety issues are not usually associated with language education, they may be important when the learning involves fieldwork. Out-of-school fieldwork can provide an exciting and authentic dimension to students’ learning experiences. Teachers must preview and plan these activities carefully to protect students’ health and safety.
SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING
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