Humberside ENGLISH Department
2025 - 2026
Embedded Files
"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world " - Ludwig Wittgenstein
Program scope and purpose
Program scope and purpose
English is all about communication: speaking, listening, reading, writing, and creating.
English is all about communication: speaking, listening, reading, writing, and creating.
Humberside English gives our students an opportunity to learn the critical thinking and self-advocacy skills that they'll need to realize their goals in future classes, and beyond secondary school.
Humberside English gives our students an opportunity to learn the critical thinking and self-advocacy skills that they'll need to realize their goals in future classes, and beyond secondary school.
Reading collectively in class is a joyful time!
HCI English is a department full of wonderful educators!
We collaborative on lesson-planning, on the development of assessments and evaluations and reflect in concert on our practices.
We employ an iterative, responsive, metacognitive approach to the subject of English, which allows students to hone and sharpen the fundamental skills of written and oral communication.
Ms. Akram
qudsia.akram@tdsb.on.ca
Grades 11, 12
Ms. Fenn
Grades 11, 12
Ms. Léger
mallory.leger@tdsb.on.ca
Grades 9, 10
Ms. Abdi
Grades 10, 11
Ms. Dolan
nicole.dolan@tdsb.on.ca
Grade 9, 12
Mr. Tremblay
daniel.tremblay@tdsb.on.ca
Grades 10, 11, 12
Assistant Curriculum Leader
Mr. Wells
stephen.wells@tdsb.on.ca
Grades 11, 12
Courses Offered
Courses Offered
Grade 9
Grade 9
Grade 10
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 11
Grade 12
Grade 12
Expectations & Essential Skills
Expectations & Essential Skills
Grade 9 English
Grade 9 English
This unit of study reflects the Ontario Ministry of Education’s new, de-streamed grade 9 curriculum for ENL1W (2023).
One salient difference between this new document and the previous curriculum, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: English (2007), is its emphasis on traditional literacy as foundational to all other variants.
The 2007 document commenced from a broad conception of literacy, based on the United Nations’ contention that literacy “is about more than reading or writing – it is about how we communicate in society. It is about social practices and relationships, about knowledge, language and culture” (Ministry of Education 3). The updated document emphasizes the importance of scaffolding to cultural literacy by returning to the building blocks of literacy, or, “the ability to understand and express thoughts or ideas in a given language” and “the ability to read and write” (Ministry of Education).
This course is designed to develop the oral communication, reading, writing, and media literacy skills that students need for success in their secondary school academic programs and in their daily lives. Students will analyse literary texts from contemporary and historical periods, interpret informational and graphic texts, and create oral, written, and media texts in a variety of forms. An important focus will be on the use of strategies that contribute to effective communication.
· creative thinking
· creative thinking
· reading strategies
· reading strategies
· writing as process; using all stages to improve final products
· writing as process; using all stages to improve final products
· media literacy
· media literacy
· collaborative knowledge building; valuing diverse ideas
· collaborative knowledge building; valuing diverse ideas
· stories as central to our lived experiences
· stories as central to our lived experiences
· co-curricular subject connections (bigger picture concepts)
· co-curricular subject connections (bigger picture concepts)
Grade 11 English
Grade 11 English
NBE3U1 - Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Metis and Inuit Voices
Explores the themes, forms, and stylistic elements of a variety of literary, informational, graphic, oral, cultural, and media text forms emerging from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures in Canada
Examines the perspectives and influence of texts that relate to those cultures
Students are given an opportunity to understand contemporary text forms and their themes of identity, relationship, and self-determination, sovereignty, or self governance, while honing their literacy skills in preparation for ENG4U1.
This course has replaced ENG3U at Humberside Collegiate Institute, and will be the board's sole course for grade 11 English beginning in 2024/25.
EMS3O1 - Media Studies
Grade 11 Media Studies is an "Open" course which is suitable for students pursuing university, college, an apprenticeship or the workplace after secondary school.
The course examines:
Advertising: Industry, Audience, Basic Media Studies Concepts
Social Media: Medium, Identity and Entrepreneurship
Images and Image Makers: Representations, Reality and The Dominant Narrative
Documentary Film Making & Short Films
Grade 12 English Options
Grade 12 English Options
EWC4U1 - The Writer's Craft
This course emphasizes the knowledge and skills related to the craft of writing. Students will analyze models of effective writing; use a workshop approach to produce a range of works; identify and use techniques required for specialized forms of writing; and identify effective ways to improve the quality of their writing.
Personal Essay writing and Author Exploration
Short Stories
Poetry
Writing for stage and screen
Independent study project (The Zine)
IDC4U1 - Interdisciplinary Studies: Media
Investigating The Media Landscape
Media Shaping Messages: You shape your tools, then your tools shape you
Media and Citizenship: News Media and social/political implications
Audience Profiling
Film: Storytelling and Unique Aesthetic of a Medium
literacy
literacy
Course Expectations: Essential Skills
These skills and expectations are develping throughout high school. Students have the opportunity to reflect on their own learning goals in conversation with their teachers.
Reading Comprehension Strategies
We review and encourage active reading, annotating texts, and getting active with making understanding
TDSB offers ways to assess students' reading comprehension, speed, and vocabulary acquision.
What are we reading?
What are we reading?
As educators in English we model a profound love of literature for our students to instill in them the importance of the written word!
Ms. Howard
How to Kidnap the Rich by Rahul Raina -- it takes place in Delhi and is pretty fun and funny so far.
Mr. Tremblay
A student recommended this to me last year and I think it might be my favourite collection of short stories ever. Most of these stories contain characters who are new to Canada and trying desperately to keep sight of their culture as they assimilate into Canadian culture; they all remind me of my family.
Ms. Dolan
Over the summer I read Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. I had been reading a lot of novels so I thought I'd try some non-fiction. The book is about how we experience, and cope with, suffering and death. The surgeon who wrote the book was direct and also compassionate, and gives readers a lot to think about.
Dr. Prior
I've just finished Colson Whitehead's The Underground Railroad (2016). In the novel, Whitehead imagines that there really was an railway going underground (stations concealed below houses, tunnels going off into the darkness) from the South into the northern states. Its protagonist, Cora, escapes slavery when she finds it. Her journey is harrowing, sometimes magical, sometimes violent, sometimes grotesque and tragic. I enjoyed the book for several reasons: it is tough and gripping; the plot moves like a, well, train; it is full of fascinating characters; it's poetic; and, because it moves its protagonist through historical settings and events, it explores the past and the present with eloquent directness. Moreover, Whitehead has an extraordinary imagination and writes novels like this one that give it room to fly.What are we reading Together?
What are we reading Together?
Our book stores are overflowing with novels, plays, short stories, and other media, from the classics to contemporary works. These titles are from an array of voices and experiences which offer our students a chance to find the stories that speak to them.
Ms. Dallas
I am really interested in exploring stories in authentic voices. I am also interested in intersecting identities where people are viewed through a variety of lenses. Chris Bosh provides good advice to young athletes. He eloquently outlines ways to improve oneself overall; developing your mind as well as your body and the importance of effort in, results out!
Mr. Tremblay
I read Falen Johnson's Salt Baby in one sitting, which is something I don't do very often. The play's protagonist navigates the world of dating, leaving a Six Nations Reserve and finding someone outside of the culture. Salt Baby explores the varied and rich experiences which comprise the identity of the play's titular character.
Mr. Smith
I've been taking advantage of the time on my commute to listen to some audiobook autobiographies. In the spring I listened to Trevor Noah's biography, Born a Crime, which I think is incredible because of the effortless, humorous storytelling ability of Noah as he describes his life growing up in South Africa during Apartheid. The author gives the reader a personal insight into a very complex and dark time in South Africa's history along with a heart warming account of his family and his unique place within it.
literacy & Success
literacy & Success
Poetry in Voice
Poets in the Classroom WorkshopsPoetry in Voice
Published Writers
We celebrate students and staff memebers who have published pieces in journal and book formats. Published Writers
Shakespeare in Action Workshops
Shakespeare in Action Workshops
The Garnet
The Garnet
student school newspaper
student school newspaper
This is a student-run newspaper. They work hard to cover relevant and engaging stories representative of school culture and beyond.
Book Talk Video Project
Book Talk Video Project
This project began as a way to promote reading throughout Humberside. Staff volunteered to highlight a particular book of their choice. The need to document the talks provided a harmonious partnership with Mr. Libedinsky, who is a documentary film-maker and students who wanted to learn editing, lighting, and camera work under his guidance. Teachers also played instruments as the background musical accompaniment. It is a beautiful way to celebrate reading, share books, and commit to our collective community of life-long learners.
Virtual Library - Online Resources to Explore
Virtual Library - Online Resources to Explore
This list includes a suite of useful links that students will use throughout high school.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” -Maya Angelou.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” -Maya Angelou.
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