What your child is learning

The first three English Language Arts courses described below enable students to choose a focus for the way language is used either through a literary and creative focus, a practical and pragmatic focus, or a combination of the two. The three courses address the same fundamental literacy skills and learning and they are equally rigorous. They differ only with respect to their particular focuses into how language is used for different purposes.

Grade 12 English Language Arts: Literary Focus
This is a course for students who wish to focus on creative and literary forms of language. Students study and produce a variety of spoken, written and visual texts that promote understanding and empathy, reflect culture, express feelings and experiences, and bring enjoyment. Students may also study and produce reviews, discussions or interpretations of various texts.

Grade 12 English Language Arts: Transactional Focus
This course focuses on the day-to-day use of language for a variety of practical purposes. Students read, watch, listen and respond to various forms of communication. They speak, write and communicate visually for different purposes including informing, persuading, analyzing and explaining. Students may, for example, critically examine television commercials and news broadcasts, write articles and editorials, or listen to radio broadcasts and speeches to gather information and ideas.

Grade 12 English Language Arts: Comprehensive Focus
This course balances practical and literary purposes and uses of language. Students explore and use language for practical purposes such as to inform, direct, persuade, plan, analyze, and explain. They also explore the literary use of language in texts that promote understanding and empathy, reflect culture, express feelings and experiences and bring enjoyment.  During the course, students communicate orally, in writing and visually.

 

There is a fourth ELA course that may also be used to meet Grade 12 English Language Arts compulsory graduation requirements for the students in the Technology Education Program:

Grade 12 English Language Arts: Language and Technical Communication
This course is designed to help students process and manage technical information and produce clear, practical and technical documents. It also enhances students’ problem solving and collaborative skills and asks them to apply project development and management strategies. Students study and produce a variety of spoken, written and visual texts in order to clearly convey information in a variety of ways.

For further information, speak to your child’s teacher or refer to Senior 4 English Language Arts, Manitoba Curriculum Framework of Outcomes.

How your child is assessed

Assessment will take place throughout the entire course. Some of the ways that your child may be assessed are through writing (e.g. reports, short stories, or websites), designing and delivering oral and visual presentations, and responding in different ways to what is read, heard and viewed. Assessment in English Language Arts courses may include a final exam prepared by the teacher, the school or the school division.

Most students must write a provincial test at the end of the course. This test counts for 30% of the final grade. The teacher or teachers of the school division mark the test. The province sets the times and date of the test. There is one test common to the three courses: Transactional Focus, Literary Focus, and Comprehensive Focus. If a student is enrolled in more than one of these courses, the provincial test mark is applied to one course only. The final grade in the other courses would then be 100% school-based.

As for Grade 12 English Language Arts Language and Technical Communication, assessments may include writing (eg reports, proposals, plans, charts, and graphs, designing and delivering oral and visual presentations, producing individual or group projects, and developing and using data and case studies. Assessment in this course may include a project or a final exam prepared by the teacher, the school or the school division.

Supplementary Information

In the Grade 12 English Language Arts course, the course materials are decided by the school, teachers and students. These materials may be different from one classroom to another.

The Grade 12 English Language Arts provincial test is optional for students in the Français and French Immersion programs and may be administered to those students at the discretion of school authorities.