The Grade 9 English course builds on the elementary language program and is based on the same fundamental principles.
This course is designed to be inclusive to all students in order to facilitate their transition from the elementary grades to the secondary level. It offers opportunities for all students to build a solid foundation in language and literacy, broaden their knowledge and skills, and develop their identities as critically literate learners. This approach allows students to make informed decisions in choosing future English courses based on their interests, and in support of their future plans for apprenticeship training, university, college, community living, or the workplace.
Similar to the elementary curriculum, the Grade 9 English course adopts a strong focus on the foundational knowledge and skills that students need in order to establish a strong basis for language and literacy learning in the senior grades. Acquiring the knowledge and skills described in this course will enable students to understand, respond to, appreciate, and create a full range of texts in various forms, genres, modes, and media used to communicate meaning in various contexts and communities is considered essential to a robust English and literacy program.
This course continues the learning from Grade 8 and prepares students for success in all senior secondary English courses in all pathways moving forward. Students who successfully complete the Grade 9 English course may proceed to an English course in Grade 10. (The curriculum document is available HERE.)
1. Transferable Skills: demonstrate an understanding of how the seven transferable skills (critical thinking and problem solving; innovation; creativity, and entrepreneurship; self-directed learning; collaboration; communication; global citizenship and sustainability; and digital literacy) are used in various language and literacy contexts;
2. Digital Media Literacy: demonstrate and apply the knowledge and skills needed to interact safely and responsibly in online environments, use digital and media tools to construct knowledge, and demonstrate learning as critical consumers and creators of media;
3. Applications, Connections, and Contributions: apply language and literacy skills in cross-curricular and integrated learning, and demonstrate an understanding of, and make connections to, diverse voices, experiences, perspectives, histories, and contributions, including those of First Nations, Metis and Inuit individuals, communities, groups, and nations.
1. Oral and Non-Verbal Communication: apply listening, speaking, and non-verbal communication skills and strategies to understand and communicate meaning in formal and informal contexts and for various purposes and audiences;
2. Language Foundations for Reading and Writing: demonstrate an understanding of foundational language knowledge and skills, and apply this understanding when reading and writing;
3. Language Conventions for Reading and Writing: demonstrate an understanding of sentence structure, grammar, cohesive ties, and capitalization and punctuation, and apply this knowledge when reading and writing sentences, paragraphs, and a variety of texts.
1. Knowledge about Texts: apply foundational knowledge and skills to understand a variety of texts, including digital and media texts, by creators with diver identities, perspectives, and experience, and demonstrate an understanding of the patterns, features, and elements of style associated with various text forms and genres;
2. Comprehension Strategies: apply comprehension strategies before, during and after reading, listening to, and viewing a variety of texts, including digital and media texts, by creators with diverse identities, perspectives, and experience, in order to unde4rstand and clarify the meaning of texts;
3. Critical Thinking in Literacy: apply critical thinking skills to deepen understanding of texts, and analyze how various perspectives and topics are communicated and addressed in a variety of texts, including digital, media, and cultural texts.
1. Developing Ideas and Organizing Content: plan, develop ideas, gather information, and organize content for creating texts of various forms, including digital and media texts, on a variety of topics;
2. Creating Texts: apply knowledge and understanding of various text forms and genres to create, revise, edit, and proofread their own texts, using a variety of media, tools, and strategies, and reflect critically on created texts;
3. Publishing, Presenting, and Reflecting: select suitable and effective media, techniques, and tools to publish and present final texts, and critically analyze how well the texts address various topics.
In secondary schools, 70% of the final grade will be based on evaluation conducted throughout the course and will incorporate a variety of assessment strategies that are triangulated to include observation, student-teacher conversations, and student products to elicit information about student learning and achievement of the overall expectations.
In secondary schools, 30% of the final grade will be based on one or more final evaluation(s) administered at or towards the end of the course under the direct supervision of teachers and/or administration. The evaluation(s) of the achievement of the overall expectations will be based on evidence from one or a combination of the following: an examination, a performance, an essay, and/or (an)other method(s) of evaluation suitable to the course content.
IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS ATTEND AND COMPLETE THE FINAL EVALUATION AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER.