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CURR GD
HIST
KNOWLEDGE AND EMPLOYABILITY
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
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Policy: Knowledge and Employability courses provide students who meet the criteria with
opportunities to experience success and become well-prepared for employment, further studies,
citizenship and lifelong learning (Knowledge andEmployability Courses Policy 1.4.2).
VISION • when meaningful connections are made
between schooling and personal
Through Knowledge and Employability courses, experiences.
students become active, responsible citizens,
achieve their educational and career goals, Knowledge and Employability courses assist
improve the quality of life for themselves and students to make the transition from school to
their families, and positively impact their the workplace and community, prepare for
communities. responsible citizenship, and be recognized,
respected and valued by employers and further
PHILOSOPHY AND RATIONALE education providers. The skills, abilities and
work effort that Knowledge and Employability
The development of a distinctive sequence of courses promote include:
courses such as Knowledge and Employability
• academic and occupational skills of a
is based on input about the ne^ds of learners standard determined by the workplace to be
gathered from consultations with education
necessary forsuccess
stakeholders throughout the province.
• practical applications through on- and off-
campus experiences and/or community
To meet the educational needs of students,
partnerships
Knowledge and Employability courses are
• career development skills to explore careers,
designed forthe student who learns best:
develop a career-focused portfolio and
• when the focus is on the development and assess careerskills
application of reading, writing and • interpersonal skills to ensure respect,
mathematical literacy,1 and essential support and cooperation with others.
employability skills
• throughexperiential learning activities
1. Mathematicalliteracy: Selectingandapplyingappropriate mathematicaloperations, problem-solvingstrategies, toolsand
technology, andcommunicatingusingmathematicalvocabularyinhome, workplaceandcommunityexperiences.
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©AlbertaEducation,Alberta,Canada (2005 Draft)
Ex
LlBRIS
Universitatis
Albertensis
Aboriginal Pen de thematic units, subject
For historical, o ts and/or projects in other
an understanding 01 nn>i rsauuio, mens auu 5UUJCV.13.
Inuit (FNMI) experiences and perspectives, and
recognition that First Nations, Metis and Inuit Community and Workplace Connections
students have particular needs and requirements Knowledge and Employability courses provide
is necessary to enable all students to be students with practical and applied opportunities
respectful and responsible citizens. to develop basic reading, writing and
mathematical literacy. Community and
workplace connections ensure learning within
Knowledge and Employability courses serve to
applied contexts and connect the school with
facilitate positive experiences that will help
environments beyond school, and may include
Aboriginal students better see themselves in the
tours to local business and industry,
curriculum and assist non-Aboriginal students to mentorships, job shadowing and work
develop a better understanding ofAlberta's First experience.
Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples.
Knowledge and Employability courses promote
GOALS OF KNOWLEDGE AND the development of career portfolios. Career
EMPLOYABILITY COURSES portfolios help students connect their school
experience to the world beyond school. Each
portfolio will include exemplars ofthe student's
Knowledge and Employability courses provide
on- and off-campus experiences and can be used
students with practical and applied opportunities when the student is seeking employment or
to develop competencies necessary to meet or
other post-secondary opportunities. Items
exceed the following goals:
appropriate for inclusion in career portfolios
• earn a senior high school credential are: resumes, samples of written work, awards
• enter the workplace upon leaving school and/or their representations, teacher and self-
with employability and occupational skills evaluation checklists, workplace assessment
tools and employer letters ofrecommendation.
that meet industry standards
• make successful transitions to other courses SAFETY
orto further education and training
• become responsible and contributing Safety is emphasized and incorporated
members ofsociety. throughout Knowledge and Employability
courses. Courses include basic safety rules and
CROSS-CURRICULAR CQMMUNITY guidelines, and the safe use oftools, equipment
AND WORKPLACE CONNECTIONS and materials in school, home, community and
workplace settings.
Programs ofstudy and resources for Knowledge TECHNOLOGY
and Employability courses are distinctive, in
part, because they promote cross-curricular, Because technology is best learned within an
community and workplace connections. applied context, Information and
Communication Technology (ICT), and the use
Cross-curricular Connections of computers and other technologies are
Knowledge and Employability courses promote included in Knowledge and Employability
the integration of subjects to emphasize their courses to help students make the transition to
interrelationships and connections to other the world beyond school.
school subjects. The philosophy of Knowledge
and Employability courses is that students learn
best when they can clearly recognize
connections, applications and relevance to a
variety ofeveryday experiences. Organizing for
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ESSENTIAL UNIVERSAL SKILLS
For information about identifying students for
AND STRATEGIES
enrollment in one or more courses, see
Knowledge and Employability Courses Policy
Knowledge and Employability courses and the Information Manualfor Knowledge and
emphasize universal skills and strategies that are Employability Courses.
essential to all students, includingthe following.
INTRODUCTION TO KNOWLEDGE
• Interpersonal skills to promote teamwork
AND EMPLOYABILITY ENGLISH
and respect for, support of and cooperation
LANGUAGE ARTS
with others.
• Critical thinking to promote the analysis and
appropriate applications ofinformation. The core responsibility of Knowledge and
• Creative thinking to promote identification Employability English Language Arts courses is
of unique connections among ideas and to foster and strengthen the development of
insightful approaches to questions and language. Learning foundational skills of
issues. communication enhances confidence, builds
• Decision making to promote making timely personal identity and enables individuals to
and appropriate decisions. create and sustain meaningful relationships.
• Problem solving to promote the ability to Becoming successful communicators at home, at
identify or pose problems, and apply school, at work and in the community enables
learning to consider the causes, dimensions learners to experience personal satisfaction and
ofand solutions to problems. become responsible, contributing citizens and
• Metacognition2 is thinking about thinking lifelong learners.
and enables students to become more aware
of their own thinking and learning The Importance ofLanguage
processes, and gain greater control of these
The Nature ofLanguage
processes.
Language is the basis ofcommunication and the
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER primary instrument of thought. Composed of
COURSES interrelated and rule-governed symbols systems,
language is a social and uniquely human means
of exploring and communicating meaning. As
To enable students, as appropriate, to progress
well as being a defining feature of culture,
to other Knowledge and Employability course(s)
and/or other secondary courses, each language is an unmistakable mark of personal
Knowledge and Employability course is identity and is essential for forming
interpersonal relationships, extending
consistent with the rationale, philosophy,
experience, reflecting on thought and action,
program foundations and organization of other
and contributing to society.
secondary courses.
ENROLLMENT KNOWLEDGE Language Development
IN
AND EMPLOYABILITY COURSES Language development is contextual. Students
enhance their language abilities by using what
they know, continuously and recursively, in new
Students may take one or more courses in the and more complex contexts and with increased
sequence at any time during grades 8 through sophistication. They reflect on and use prior
12. Students may be enrolled in all courses, or a knowledge to extend and enhance their language
combination of Knowledge and Employability abilities and understanding. By learning and
and othercourses. incorporating new language structures into their
repertoires and using them in a variety of
2. Metacognition: Learning-to-learnstrategies; awarenessofprocessesandstrategiesoneuseswhenlearning.
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contexts, students develop greater language strengthens and supports proficiency in the
fluency and proficiency. others.
Critical Thinking and Learning through Listeningand Speaking
Language
Critical thinking, learning and language are Oral language is the foundation of literacy.
interrelated. Students use language to make Through listening and speaking, people
sense ofand bring order to their world and play communicate thoughts, feelings, experiences,
active roles in learning communities within and information and opinions, and learn to
beyond the classroom. They use language to understand themselves and others. Oral
examine new experiences and knowledge in language carries a community's stories, values,
relation to their prior knowledge, experiences beliefs and traditions. Aboriginal perspectives
and beliefs. They make connections, anticipate and experiences of oral language strengthen
possibilities, reflect upon and evaluate ideas, their communities and culture.
and determine courses of action. By becoming
critical thinkers, students also become self- Listening and speaking enable students to
reliant, successful, contributing members of explore ideas and concepts, as well as to
society. understand and organize their experiences and
knowledge. They use oral language to learn,
Metacognition solve problems and reach goals. To become
Language study helps students develop an discerning, lifelong learners, students at all
awareness ofthe strategies they use to complete grades need to develop fluency and confidence
learning tasks successfully. Students are in their oral language abilities. They benefit
encouraged to talk about, write about and from many opportunities to listen and speak
otherwise represent themselves as learners. In both informally and formally for a variety of
essence, the study of language enables students purposes. Instruction integrates facets of
to develop metacognition. Aboriginal oral language traditions as an
example of the power of language for people
Metacognition involves reflection, critical and theircommunities.
awareness, analysis, monitoring and reinvention.
Students who are engaged in metacognition Reading and Writing
recognize the requirements of the task at hand,
reflect on the strategies and skills they may Reading and writing are powerful means of
communicating and learning. These language
employ, appraise their strengths and weaknesses
in the use of these strategies and skills, make arts enable students to extend their knowledge
and use of language, increase their
modifications, and monitor the use of these
reworked or new strategies in future situations. understanding of themselves and others, and
experience enjoyment and personal satisfaction.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
Reading provides students with a means of
accessing the ideas, views and experiences of
Knowledge and Employability English
others. By using effective reading skills and
Language Arts highlights six language arts
strategies, students construct meaning and
listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing
develop thoughtful and critical interpretations of
and representing.
a variety of texts. Writing enables students to
explore, shape and clarify their thoughts, and to
Students engage all six language arts as they
communicate them to others. By using effective
study texts and create their own texts in relevant
writing strategies, students discover and refine
situations for a variety of purposes and
ideas, and compose and revise with increasing
audiences. All of the language arts are
confidence and skill.
interrelated and interdependent; facility in one
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UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Viewing and Representing by computer, television, radio or book. Students
need knowledge, skills and strategies in all six
Viewing and representing are integral parts of language arts to compose, comprehend and
contemporary life. These skills allow students respond to such texts. Oral texts include
to understand the ways in which images and storytelling, dialogues, speeches and
language may be used to convey ideas, values conversations. Visual texts include pictures,
and beliefs. diagrams, tableaux, mime and nonverbal
communication. Combinations of oral, print or
Viewing is an active process ofattending to and visual texts include videos, films, cartoons,
comprehending such visual media as television, drama and drum dancing.
advertising images, films, diagrams, symbols,
photographs, videos, drama, drawings, sculpture Organization ofthe Programs ofStudies
and paintings. Viewing enables students to
acquire information and to appreciate the ideas General outcomes are broad statements
and experiences of others. Many of the identifying the knowledge, skills and attitudes
comprehension processes involved in reading, that students are expected to demonstrate with
such as previewing, predicting and making increasing competence and confidence from
inferences, may also be used in viewing. Kindergarten to Grade 12. Five general
outcomes, represented by icons below, serve as
Representing enables students to communicate the foundation for the programs of study. The
information and ideas through a variety of student outcomes are interrelated and
media, such as video presentations, posters, interdependent; each is to be achieved through a
diagrams, charts, symbols, visual art, drama, variety of listening, speaking, reading, writing,
mime and models. viewing and representing experiences.
Inquiryand Research Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and
represent to:
Through the process ofinquiry, students learn to
manage ideas and information. Acquiring
foundational skills in research will allow 1 explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and
students to identify their current knowledge and experiences
construct new knowledge within a variety of
contexts. The inquiry process includes comprehend literature and other texts in
f
planning, selecting, organizing, ^assessing and oral, print, visual and multimedia forms,
representing information, and is also included in and respond personally, critically and
science and social studies courses. creatively
Texts
manage ideas and information
...
In today's technological society, people access
information and find enjoyment in print, as well create oral, print, visual and multimedia
t
as other language forms. For example, oral texts, and enhance the clarity and
communication and visual media are becoming artistry ofcommunication
increasingly important. Often these forms are
used in combination with one another and in v '/ respect, support and collaborate with
conjunction with print. Therefore, texts refer IfM others.
not only to print but also to oral and visual
forms that can be discussed, studied and
analyzed. In addition, texts are affected and
influenced by how they are transmitted, whether
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Specific Outcomes GeneralOutcome 2
Specific outcomes are categorized under t Students will listen, speak, read, write,
headings within each of the five general view and represent to comprehend
outcomes. The specific outcomes state the literature and other texts in oral, print,
knowledge, skills and attitudes that students are visual and multimedia forms, and
expected to demonstrate by the end of each respond personally, critically and
grade. creatively.
GENERAL AND SPECIFIC 2.1 Construct meaning from text and
OUTCOMES FOR ENGLISH context
LANGUAGE ARTS 16-26-36 2.1. Discern and analyzecontext
2.1.2 Understand and interpret
content
The aim of English Language Arts is to enable 2.1.3 Engage prior knowledge
each student to understand and appreciate
2.1.4 Use reference strategies and
language, and to use it confidently and reference technologies
competently in a variety of situations for
communication, personal satisfaction and 2.2 Understand and appreciate textual
forms, elements and techniques
learning.
2.2.1 Relate form, structure and
Knowledge and Employability English medium to purpose, audience
Language Arts further focuses on developing and content
basic language competencies needed for 2.2.2 Relate elements, devices and
everyday living at home, in the community and techniques to created effects
at the workplace. 2.3 Respond to a variety of print and
nonprint texts
GeneralOutcome 1 2.3.1 Connect self, text, culture and
milieu
Students will listen, speak, read, write, 2.3.2 Evaluate the text's relationship
l view and represent to explore thoughts, to realism, and the
ideas, feelings and experiences. appropriateness and significance
ofprint and nonprinttexts
1.1 Discover possibilities 2.3.3 Appreciate the effectiveness and
1.1.1 Form tentative understandings, artistry of print and nonprint
interpretations and positions texts
1.1.2 Experiment with language,
image and structure
1.2 Extend awareness
1.2. Consider new perspectives
1.2.2 Express preferences and expand
interests
1.2.3 Set personal goals for language
growth
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General Outcome3 4.2.3 Consider and address matters
ofchoice
::: Students will listen, speak, read, 4.2.4 Edit text for matters of
£• write, view and represent to manage correctness
ideas and information.
General Outcome 5
3.1 Determine inquiry or research
requirements ^// Students will listen, speak, read,
3.1.1 Focus on purpose and %kl write, view and represent to respect,
presentation form *"* support and collaborate with others.
3.1.2 Plan inquiry or research, and
identify information needs 5.1 Respect self and others, and
and sources strengthen community
5.1.1 Use language and image to
3.2 Follow a plan ofinquiry
show respect and
3.2.1 Select, record and organize
consideration
information
5.1.2 Appreciate diversity of
3.2.2 Evaluate sources, and assess
expression, opinion and
information
perspective
3.2.3 Form generalizations and
5.1.3 Recognize accomplishments
conclusions
and events
3.2.4 Review inquiry or research
process and findings 5.2 Workwithin a group
5.2.1 Cooperate with others, and
General Outcome 4 contribute to group processes
5.2.2 Understand and evaluate
Students will listen, speak, read, group processes
write, view and represent to create
oral, print, visual and multimedia Under the specific outcome sections on the
texts, and enhance the clarity and following pages, the six language arts are
artistry ofcommunication. identified in brackets as they apply and/or relate
to the outcome.
4.1 Develop and present a variety of
print and nonprint texts R - Reading
W
4.1.1 Assess text creation context - Writing
4.1.2 Consider and address form, L - Listening
structure and medium S - Speaking
4.1.3 Develop content V - Viewing
4.1.4 Use production, publication Rp - Representing
and presentation strategies
and technologies consistent
with context
4.2 Improve thoughtfulness,
effectiveness and correctness of
communication
4.2. Enhance thought,
understanding, support and
detail
4.2.2 Enhance organization
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