Tues. Sept. 5, 2017: Introduction

English Language Arts B30

Teacher: Ms. Benoit

September/January, 2018

Contact Information:

 E-mail: dawn.benoit@nwsd.ca

Blogger homework check:

Elab30fall2017.blogspot.com

Welcome to ELA B30. In this course, you will gain a greater understanding and competency at being able to comprehend and respond, compose and create, and assess and reflect when presented with various genres and a wide range of texts including visual, auditory, and written.

Homework, assignments, essays, readings, presentations, discussions, group and individual work, quizzes, and exams, are all regular parts of this course, so expect them. You are also expected to conduct yourself with maturity and respect in both your behaviour and your work. Your attendance and effort are critical components for your success in this subject. If you fall behind or find that you don’t understand something, it is important that you speak to me so that we can get you back on track. I will make every effort to help or guide you, but ultimately YOU are responsible for YOU.

Objectives

This course focuses on all six of the strands of communication present in English Language Arts: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, Viewing, and Representing.

1.      Speaking to recognize that talk is an important tool for communicating, thinking, and learning. Speak to practice the behaviours of effective speakers. Speak fluently and confidently in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes and audiences.

2.      Listening to recognize listening as an active, constructive process. Practice the behaviours of effective listeners. Listening effectively in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes.

3.      Writing to recognize writing as a constructive and recursive process. Practice the behaviours of effective writers. Write fluently and confidently for a variety of purposes and audiences.

4.      Reading to recognize reading as an active, constructive process. Read to practice the behaviours of effective, strategic readers. Read a variety of texts for a variety of purposes.

5&6.    Representing and viewing to create appropriate nonverbal aids and visual images to enhance communication. Represent and view to recognize nonverbal aids and visual representations as tools for communicating and learning.

UNITS OF STUDY:

Unit One:                   The Human Condition in Search of Self (Understanding

                                                            the human condition and self-discovery )

We can only truly understand who we are through self-reflection. In doing so, in exploring the nature of our humanness and our purposes in life, we are able to fully develop our potential. We need to ask ourselves who and what we are, what are the common human qualities and ideals that we hold, what roles do other people (e.g., family, friends) play in our lives, what brings us joy, inspiration, and a sense of completeness, and what doubts and fears do we have. By examining our lives and searching for answers to these and other questions, we can find meaning and a sense of completeness as human beings.

Unit Two:                               World Perspectives and the Social Experience (Holding

                                                                        a mirror to the human condition and to show

us the nature of the human mind and heart)

By addressing and describing the issues of life, literature shows us the admirable side of humanity – the dignity, the valour, the integrity, the selflessness, as well as the ignoble side – the envy, the conceit, the vanity, and the greed. Individuals are always searching for answers and striving to realize dreams. However, they are often filled with self-doubt and come up short of their expectations. In the final analysis, we must ask “what makes us who we are?”

 EVALUATION

Compose and Create (5 minimum: includes novel study,               

            essays (formal and personal), creative responses                    25%

Assess and Reflect (5 minimum: includes self reflection

            Learning/improvement plans and assessments)                      20%

Comprehend and Respond (4 minimum: includes unit

            Exams)                                                                                    25%

Final Exam                                                                                        30%

The minimum guide for the ELA B30 resource selection includes:

Short Stories (3 intensive, 3 extensive)           Essays (3 intensive, 3 extensive         

Poems (5 intensive, 5 extensive)                     Plays (1 intensive, 1 extensive)

Novels (1 intensive, 1 extensive)                    Other Media (video, TV, radio)

CLASSROOM POLICIES AND EXPECTATIONS

ATTENDANCE:

Attendance has a direct bearing on success. The goal of Carpenter High School’s attendance policy is to keep students in class to help them be as successful as possible by developing lifelong attendance habits. As such, after five absences (excused or not), the Student Services Worker will be contacted to determine a course of action. After fifteen absences, the recommendation will be removal from this class.

TARDINESS:

Students must be punctual for a minimum of 85 per cent of classes.  There is a fifteen tardy classes – excused or unexcused – maximum.  Exceeding fifteen tardy classes will result in a recommendation to be removed from this class.

MISSED ASSIGNMENTS/QUIZZES/EXAMS: 

Quizzes/Exams must be written on the scheduled dates.  If a student misses a quiz/exam, the student must make arrangements with the teacher to write the quiz/exam no later than three days after the student returns to school. In most situations, alternative assignments and/or exams will be available to replace the ones missed, thus removing the NHI. This, however, must be requested in a timely manner by the student and before final quarterly and year-end deadlines. Students will know what they have missed if they keep up with their readings on Blogger.

CLASS ASSIGNMENTS:

Sufficient time will be given for the completion of all assignments.  Readings, however, often involve student directed learning as students read at different speeds. It will be up to each student to organize his or her time appropriately.

Hand-Written assignments for editing: must be submitted in blue or black ink (not felt or pencil).

Grammar and multiple choice assignments must be submitted in pencil.

BEHAVIOUR:

While in this school, and by extension, this classroom, RESPECT is the #1 rule.  All students are required to display polite, courteous manners towards teachers, office and maintenance staff as well as fellow peers.  All students are to respect the dress code at Carpenter High School as specified in the student agenda book.  Behaviour deemed inappropriate will not be tolerated and administration will be notified immediately.

Respect must also extend to the room itself. Please leave it without adding your environmental footprint (put garbage where it belongs; don’t write on desks, etc.).

Be here on time and prepared. Disruptions, such as leaving for a drink or the washroom can be avoided with a bit of pre-planning. These disruptions affect your classmates and are discouraged.

SUBMISSION EXPECTATIONS

First and Last name, date of submission, and class designation (B30) MUST appear in the upper right hand of all assignments being handed in. The only exceptions to this rule is if an assignment supplies a spot where your name is indicated to go or if you are following MLA layout expectations on an essay. If an assignment is submitted without meeting this basic objective, it will be returned for revision or a mark will be deducted. If an assignment is submitted in pencil when it is supposed to be in pen or in pen when it is supposed to be in pencil, it will be returned for revision or a mark will be deducted. It is expected that students at this grade level can follow basic submission expectations. If you are in doubt about the expectations for an assignment, ask.

PLAGIARIZISM:

Plagiarism is a serious offence.  Any grade 12 student caught plagiarizing will receive a zero per cent on the assignment in question.  Offences will also be referred to administration.  Teachers have access to Internet sites that can detect plagiarism and often do so randomly.

CELL PHONES:

Cell phones are not allowed in the room. They are distracting to the person who has one and to others, including the teacher. Emergency calls can come to your via the office. If you choose to bring the phone in, turn it off and put it in the daycare behind the door. The phones can be plugged in and charged (added advantage: use it).

                                                                       

SUPPLIES

There are a number of supplies that you will need to get. I expect that you will be able to do this for Tuesday, September 11, 2017. This gives you the week and the weekend to accomplish this. The supplies needed are as follows:

·         pens: dark blue or black ink only (ball point, no felt tips as they bleed)

·         Highlighters (a pack of four distinct colours)

·         binder with dividers (four dividers minimum)

·         loose leaf paper (pack of 100 minimum)

·         pencils and erasers

·         a USB stick for saving work