2026/2027 Course Selection is open Jan 30 until February 22, 2026

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

Students need one 30 level English (ELA30 or ELB30) to meet graduation requirements. Speak to a counsellor about post-secondary requirements.

English Language Arts classes are dynamic courses that are filled with relevant themes and skills for the modern age. Our aim is to improve student literacy, and we focus on developing abilities, confidence, and competence across six key strands - READING, WRITING, SPEAKING, LISTENING, VIEWING, and REPRESENTING. Below are course thematic breakdowns to give you a sense of what to expect in ELA!

English Language Arts 10 (ELN10)

Prerequisite: ELA9/ELB9

English Language Arts 10 is a dynamic and engaging course that helps students develop critical thinking, take ownership of their learning, and reflect on their progress. By exploring relevant themes, students are encouraged to become active, thoughtful citizens and lifelong learners, both in school and beyond. They will build essential skills such as listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and representing. Learning experiences will support growth in comprehending and responding, composing and creating, as well as assessing and reflecting.

This course will explore two main themes:

The Challenges of Life -The challenges we experience prompt us to reflect on our existence and make decisions that shape both ourselves and the world around us. The world influences us, and we, in turn, influence the world.
The Mysteries of Life -We seek insight in different ways, such as nature, environment, science, faith and tradition. In our search, we journey into worlds unknown, worlds within, worlds beyond and worlds remembered.

English Language Arts 10: Through the Lens of Video Games (ELA10C)

Prerequisite: ELA9/ELB9

What you need to know:

Student will break down video game stories the same way we analyze novels and films, focusing on plot, character development, and theme
Examine big ideas like power, identity, oppression, justice, and personal growth in interactive worlds
Play and analyze video games alongside short stories, novels, and other texts
Build strong reading, writing, discussion, and creative thinking skills through a mix of traditional and digital texts

English Language Arts 20 (ELA20)

Prerequisite: ELN10

English Language Arts 20 is a dynamic and engaging course that helps students develop critical thinking, take ownership of their learning, and reflect on their progress. By exploring relevant themes, students are encouraged to become active, thoughtful citizens and lifelong learners, both in school and beyond. They will build essential skills such as listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and representing. Learning experiences will support growth in comprehending and responding, composing and creating, as well as assessing and reflecting.

This course will explore two main themes:

The Search for Self - Through powerful texts, we examine the human condition and the nature of the human mind and heart. Individually and collectively, we search for answers and strive to realize our hopes and dreams despite self-doubt and fear. In this unit, students consider who they are, how they relate to others, how identity develops throughout life and how they respond to joys, inspiration, doubts and fears.
Equity and Ethics-Life presents us with many challenges, and doing the right thing is not always easy or obvious. We are empowered when our ideas are valued, our needs are heard and addressed, our goals are clarified and we take action to achieve them. Through varied learning experience students will examine and continue the pursuit of what is just and what is fair.

Creative Writing 20 (ELW20)

Prerequisite: ELA9/ELB9

In this course, students will:

· Experiment with creative expression, take risks with language, and discover what kind of writer they might be.

· Approach writing as a craft and a practice, emphasizing exploration, experimentation, and growth through drafting, workshopping, revision, and refinement.

· Learn how writers generate ideas, shape voice, create imagery, and make intentional choices to communicate meaning and emotion.

· Explore a wide range of creative forms, including short fiction, poetry, drama and screenplays, and creative nonfiction.

· Build a creative portfolio that showcases their work and highlights their development as writers and storytellers.

Media Studies 20 (ELM20)

Prerequisite: ELA9/ELB9

In this course, students will:

Pull apart the media they actually use like video games, TikTok, streaming, ads, and AI to see what’s really going on, alongside classic media such as film and music.
Figure out how social media affects identity, friendships, and communities and what responsibility comes with being online.
Learn how to spot bias, manipulation, and misinformation instead of just scrolling past it.
Make their own media using both classic and digital tools to explore identity, social responsibility, and real-world issues.
Become competent and confident media users who know how language and media can be used to push change.

Creative Writing 30 (CRW30)

Recommended: Creative Writing 20 is recommended

In this course, students will:

Deepen their craft, develop independence, and take ownership of their creative voice.
Move beyond the experimentation of Creative Writing 20 into more intentional creation.
Design, draft, revise, and refine a wide range of writing, which includes short stories, poetry, scripts, hybrid and multi-genre pieces, and longer-form projects.
Explore how writers use structure, voice, tension, symbolism, and form and apply those techniques in their own writing.
Develop a curated portfolio that represents their strongest work and their growth as writers.

Debate and Public Speaking 30 (DEB30L)

Prerequisite: ELN10

In this course, students will:

Become skilled public speakers
Extend their abilities to decode and analyze essential arguments at the heart of democracy.
Learn to questions assumptions and learn to value diverse positions in debate
Learn skills in argument construction, deconstruction, research, logic and rhetoric and persuasive speaking through debate and public speaking.

English Language Arts 30A (ELA30)

Prerequisite: ELN20 - open to grade 12 only

ELA30 is about Canada and all things Canadian.

This course will explore two main themes:

Canadian Perspectives (Distinct and Rich) Sub-themes include: Define the Individual, Negotiate the Community; Celebrate the Glorious, Acknowledge the Scandalous; Shift Centres, Blur Margins; and Understand Beliefs, Initiate Action.
Canadian Landscapes (Diverse and Dynamic) Sub-themes include: Natural and Constructed; Psychological and Physical; Historical and Contemporary; and Personal and Social.

While examining these themes, students will strengthen their language skills by learning from influential First Nations, Metis, Saskatchewan, and Canadian writers, speakers, and multimedia creators.

English Language Arts 30B (ELB30)

Prerequisite: ELN20 - open to grade 12 only

ELB30 centers on global voices and perspectives found in traditional and contemporary world literature.

This course will explore two main themes:

The Search for Self. Sub-themes include: Sense of Self; Ideals; Joy and Inspiration; and Doubt and Fear.
The Social Experience. Sub-themes include: Dealing with Universal Issues; Ambition, Power, and the Common Good; Social Criticism; and Addressing the Issues.

While examining these themes, you will have the opportunity to learn from writers, speakers, and multimedia creators from different times, places, and perspectives, considering how language is used to transform both small and big worlds.

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