Ms. Tsang's Blog: ENGLISH 9: Course Outline & Student Expectations

Teacher: Ms. Tsang e-mail: msytsang@gmail.com

http://msytsangslss.blogspot.ca/

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION

English Language Arts 9 focuses on building knowledge and understanding language. The skilled use of language is associated with many opportunities in life, including further education, work, and social interaction. We will be exploring how literature helps us gain insight into ourselves and make connections to others and to the world. We will learn to share multiple perspectives to extend our thinking and develop our understanding of how language works so we may use it purposefully. As you come to understand and use language more fully, you will be more able to enjoy the benefits and pleasures of language in all its forms – from reading and writing, to literature, theater, public speaking, film, and other media.

II. COURSE OBJECTIVES

Using oral, written, visual, and digital texts, students are expected individually and collaboratively to be able to:

· Access information and ideas for diverse purposes and from a variety of sources and evaluate their relevance, accuracy, and reliability

· Apply appropriate strategies to comprehend written, oral, and visual texts, guide inquiry, and extend thinking

· Recognize and appreciate how different forms, structures, and features of texts reflect different purposes, audiences, and messages

· Think critically, creatively, and reflectively to explore ideas within, between, and beyond texts

· Recognize and identify the role of personal, social, and cultural contexts, values, and perspectives in texts

· Recognize how language constructs personal, social, and cultural identity

· Construct meaningful personal connections between self, text, and world

· Respond to text in personal, creative, and critical ways

· Understand how literary elements, techniques, and devices enhance and shape meaning

· Recognize an increasing range of text structures and how they contribute to meaning

· Recognize and appreciate the role of story, narrative, and oral tradition in expressing First Peoples’ perspectives, values, beliefs, and points of view

· Develop an awareness of the diversity within and across First Peoples’ societies represented in texts

· Exchange ideas and viewpoints to build shared understanding and extend thinking

· Use writing and design processes to plan, develop, and create engaging and meaningful literary and informational texts for a variety of purposes and audiences

· Assess and refine texts to improve their clarity, effectiveness, and impact according to purpose, audience, and message

· Use an increasing repertoire of conventions of English spelling, grammar, and punctuation

III: EXTRA HELP

I encourage the use of email to facilitate communication between parents, students, and myself. Those who require extra assistance or wish to meet are asked to make an appointment with me so that I can ensure my availability. These appointments will be held before school, breaks, during lunch, and occasionally after school. Students who choose to e-mail me for homework help should note that if the e-mail is sent too late, there is a risk that I may not receive the e-mail and respond in time. Abuse of this e-mail address will result in my unavailability.

IV: EVALUATION

Learning will be assessed through descriptive/formative feedback and summative tests, peer evaluations, presentations, interviews, and artistic representation. Students will be evaluated through Criterion-Referencing, the BC Writing Standards, and the Essential Learning Outcomes (ELOs) for English 9. Please see attached sheet. The focus of this course will be on learning, practicing, making progress, and completing the ELOs.

V: MATERIALS

Student are expected to come prepared to class with the following:

· 3-ring binder devoted to this class only and LOTS of lined paper

· 5 dividers (labelled: Grammar & Writing, Short Stories, Poetry, Novel, Drama)

· Pens (black, blue, red), pencils, and erasers

· Whichever textbook(s) we are using at the time

VI. STUDENT EXPECTATIONS: How to Succeed in Ms. Tsang’s Class

Classroom Behavior
a.  Demonstrate respect, care, honesty, sense, and safety at all times.
b.  Be responsible and act maturely.
c.  Leave food (including gum and candy) out of the classroom. Beverages that are in re-sealable
containers are permitted.
d.  Follow directions by carefully listening to instructions.
e.  Actively participate in discussions.
f.  Bring a positive attitude to class by respecting all ideas and opinions expressed and keeping an
open mind.
g.  Speak loudly and clearly when presenting information to the class.
h.  Realize that leaving the classroom (washroom, water, locker) and using the couches are
privileges, not rights. Abuse of such privileges will result in the privilege(s) being revoked and/or
the appropriate consequences.
i.  Remove earbuds/earphones during lessons/presentations. Turn off cellphones, ipods, MP3
players, and any other electronic devices at these times so as not to distract yourselves and/or
other students, and so that you may be fully engaged in class. You may listen to music with
ONE earbuds/earphone when working independently.
j.  Speak English in the classroom at all times.

In Your Studies
a.  Attend all classes.
b.  Be committed to learning by being punctual and being prepared to work. You are NOT on time if
you are not in your seat when the bell rings.
c.  Complete all assigned readings, handouts, and assignments.
d.  Submit assignments and homework on time so the teacher can give you feedback in a
timely manner before you complete the next assignment.
e.  Prepare for quizzes and tests.
f.  Ask for extra help outside of class if needed.

Notebook Organization
a. Place work into binder in date order and in the appropriate sections.
b.  Be consistent when organizing your paper. Follow guidelines in class.
c.  Be legible, neat, and double-space your work unless otherwise stated.
d.  Unless the ink of your pen seeps through, write on both sides of the paper.
e. Write in black or blue pen. If the assignment is done at home, you may choose to type your
work.

Assignments
a.  Assignments are always due at the beginning of class unless otherwise stated. Place your
assignment in the designated spot before the bell rings. Ensure that all assignments are hole-
punched and/or stapled together when needed.
b.  There is no penalty for late assignments. The purpose of this course is for you to learn and
practice, and more importantly, learn from mistakes and make progress. Several late
assignments could mean you will not make as quick of a progress as you could be. Do keep in
mind that 3 or more late assignments will cause concern and contact will be made with
parents/guardians. Final deadlines are the last day of each unit (dates are determined by the
teacher).
c.  Incomplete/non-submitted assignments mean that you have missed a learning opportunity.
There is a possibility that if you have missed too many learning opportunities by the end of the
course, you may realize your grade has been impacted or find yourself unable to pass English 9
because you haven’t been able to practice enough to meet the learning outcomes.
d.  For the most part, you will be given time to work on your assignments in class. Any work not
completed in class is to be finished at home and due the next day.e.  If at any time during the term you are unhappy with a mark and would like to redo the
assignment, please do so and hand in BOTH the marked assignment and the redone version. The
new version will be graded and the new mark will be the average between the two. This policy
does not include quizzes, in-class compositions, or final exams.

Absences
a.  For any absence, it is the student’s responsibility to complete missed work. Check the blog
and/or call a classmate for any work you can do at home that you may have missed so that
you are already caught up when you return to class. In-class work and tests/quizzes may be
made up but ONLY if your parent/guardian has notified the office of your absence.
b.  If you are tardy and miss a quiz, the quiz cannot be rewritten. Quizzes will always be held at the
beginning of class.
c.  Being away from school does not excuse the due date of homework, just like being absent from
work does not excuse your responsibility to present at a meeting or to meet a deadline. There
are several options for handing in the homework on time:   Have a friend or family member hand
in the assignment to the office or to me.   Have a parent/guardian notify the office of your
absence and bring me your assignment when you return.
d. If you are away for several days, you will have the opportunity to make up assignments. This will
be discussed on an individual basis. It is your responsibility to see me about catching up on
missed work.
e.  Missed lecture notes must be obtained from a classmate.
f.  If you have been sick or away, you may re-do a presentation provided that you present a
legitimate note from your parents/guardian/doctor. Be prepared to make up a missed
presentation the day you return (or take a zero mark).
g.  If you know about an absence in advance, please let me know.

Cheating Behavior
a. Cheating is a serious offence and will result in…

i. a score of zero, and/or

ii. a note to the administrator and your counselor, and/or

iii. a phone call home.
b. Cheating includes…
i. plagiarizing, which is claiming someone else’s work (including that of a tutor,
friend, classmate, sibling, parent, guardian, or relative) as your own without giving
the real author credit. You are expected to produce original and thought-
provoking work. Each and every sentence/phrase must be your own! If you are
not sure if you are plagiarizing work or not, ask me.

ii. any form of communication with a classmate during a quiz/text,

iii. any kind of suspicious behavior during a quiz/test.

*Refer to the student agenda for further details.

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Please PRINT CLEARLY, sign, and return to the subject teacher.

I, , have read and fully understood the English 9 Course Outline and Student Expectations in Block ____ for the year ___________________.

Student Number:

Student Signature

Email address of student: _________________________________________________

Date:

Parent/Guardian Signature

Email address of parent/guardian:______________________________________________________________

Here’s what you should know about my child:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ms. Tsang's Blog

ENGLISH 9: Course Outline & Student Expectations