Our theory of assessment and evaluation follows the
Ministry of Education's Growing Success document, and it is
our firm belief that doing so is in the best interests of students. We seek to
design assessment in such a way as to make it possible to gather and show
evidence of learning in a variety of ways to gradually release responsibility to
the students, and to give multiple and varied opportunities to reflect on
learning and receive detailed feedback.
Growing Success articulates the vision the Ministry has for
the purpose and structure of assessment and evaluation techniques. There are
seven fundamental principles that ensure best practices and procedures of
assessment and evaluation by The Educators Academy teachers. The Educators
Academy’s assessments and evaluations are,
- are
fair, transparent, and equitable for all students;
- support
all students, including those with special education needs, those who are
learning the language of instruction (English or French)
- are
carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning
goals and, as much as possible, to the interests, learning styles and
preferences, needs, and experiences of all students;
- are
communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the
course and at other points throughout the school year or course;
- are
ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to
provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range
of their learning;
- provide
ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and
timely to support improved learning and achievement;
- develop
students’ self-assessment skills to enable them to assess their own
learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning.
The
following types of activities will be used to assess student learning: these
fall under the assessments for and as learning and do not contribute directly
to the student’s overall marks:
·
Conferences
·
Content Quizzes
·
Group Discussions
·
Note creation
·
Homework Checks
·
Group Analysis of a Text
·
Written Responses
·
Creating a Plot Synopsis of a text
·
Media Analysis
·
Practice Oral Presentations
·
Peer Revision (written material)
·
Self Assessment Checklists
·
Exit Cards
The
following activities conducted throughout the course will be used as part of
the student’s Assessment of Learning evaluation
·
Written Texts (Expository Paragraph,
Literary Essays, articles)
·
Tests
·
Observation of Class
·
Oral Presentations
·
Media Creation -Media Analysis
-Text Analysis
Assessment Strands:
The Educators Academy will ensure
that student’s work is assessed and/or evaluated in a balanced manner with
respect to the four categories, and that achievement of particular expectations
is considered within the appropriate categories.
Knowledge
and Understanding (K/U)
Thinking
and Inquiry (T/I)
Communication
(C)
Application
(A)
Assessment
Strands
Student achievement is communicated
formally to students and parents by means of the Provincial Report Card. The
report card provides a record of the student’s achievement of the curriculum
expectations in every course, at particular points in the school year or
semester, in the form of a percentage grade. Report
cards are issued upon completion of the course. Each report card will focus on
related aspects of student achievement. The percentage grade will
represent the quality of the student’s overall achievement of the expectations
for the course and will reflect the corresponding level of achievement. The
Educators Academy will record a final grade for every course, and a credit is
granted for the course in which the student’s grade is 50% or higher.
Ø Term work will account 70% of the course work
Ø Final Exam would be a value of 30%
Final
Assessment and Evaluation =
100%
The teacher will
also provide written comments concerning the student's strengths, areas for improvement,
and next steps (E–Excellent,
G–Good, S–Satisfactory, N–Needs Improvement).
The report card will indicate whether an OSSD credit has been earned or not.
Upon completion of a course, The Educators Academy will send a copy of the
report card back to the student's home school where the course will be added to
the ongoing list of courses on the student's Ontario Student Transcript. The
report card will also be sent to the student's home address for parents’
communication.
Evaluation
Instruments/ Strategies:
Rubrics Observation
Checklist Project
Work
Peer Interviewing
Self Researching
Group Conferencing
Assessment
and Evaluation:
Ø Term work will account 70% of the course work
Ø Final Exam would be a value of 30%
Final
Assessment and Evaluation = 100%
A Summary Description of Achievement
in Each Percentage Grade Range
and Corresponding Level of Achievement
|
Percentage Grade
Range
|
Achievement Level
|
Summary
Description
|
80-100%
|
Level 4
|
A very high to outstanding level of achievement.
Achievement is above the provincial standard.
|
70-79%
|
Level 3
|
A high level of achievement. Achievement is at the
provincial standard.
|
60-69%
|
Level 2
|
A moderate level of achievement. Achievement
is below, but approaching, the provincial standard.
|
50-59%
|
Level 1
|
A passable level of achievement. Achievement
is below the provincial standard.
|
below 50%
|
Level R
|
Insufficient achievement of curriculum
expectations. A credit will not be granted.
|
Achievement
Chart – English ENG4U, Grades 11-12
Categories
|
50–59%
(Level
1)
|
60–69%
(Level
2)
|
70–79%
(Level
3)
|
80–100%
(Level
4)
|
Knowledge
and Understanding
|
The student:
|
|
|
|
Knowledge of
content
(e.g.,
forms of text; strategies used when listening and speaking, reading, writing,
and viewing and representing; elements of style; literary terminology,
concepts, and theories; language conventions)
|
- demonstrates
limited
knowledge of
content
-demonstrates
limited
understanding
of
concepts
|
-demonstrates
some
knowledge of
content
-demonstrates
some
understanding
of
concepts
|
-demonstrates
considerable
knowledge
of content
-demonstrates
considerable
understanding
of concepts
|
-demonstrates
thorough
knowledge
of content
-demonstrates
thorough
understanding
of concepts
|
Understanding
of content (e.g., concepts, ideas,
theories, principles,
procedures, processes)
|
demonstrates
limited
understanding
of content
|
demonstrates
some
understanding
of content
|
demonstrates
considerable
understanding
of content
|
demonstrates
thorough
understanding
of content
|
Categories
|
50–59%
(Level
1)
|
60–69%
(Level
2)
|
70–79%
(Level
3)
|
80–100%
(Level
4)
|
Thinking/
Inquiry
|
The student:
|
|
|
|
Use of
planning skills
(e.g.,
generating ideas, gathering information, focusing research, organizing
information)
|
uses planning
skills with limited
effectiveness
|
uses planning
skills with
some
effectiveness
|
uses planning
skills with considerable
effectiveness
|
uses planning
skills
with a high
degree
of effectiveness
|
Use of
processing skills
(e.g., drawing inferences,
interpreting, analysing, synthesizing, evaluating)
|
uses
processing
skills and
strategies
with
limited
effectiveness
|
uses
processing
skills with
some
effectiveness
|
uses
processing
skills with
considerable
effectiveness
|
uses
processing
skills with
a
high degree
of
effectiveness
|
Use of
critical/creative
(e.g., oral discourse, research,
critical analysis, critical, literacy,metacognition, creative process)
|
uses
critical/
creative
thinking
processes
with limited
effectiveness
|
uses
critical/
creative
thinking
processes
with some
effectiveness
|
uses
critical/
creative
thinking
processes,
with considerable
effectiveness
|
uses
critical/
creative
thinking
processes
with a high degree of
effectiveness
|
Categories
|
50–59%
(Level
1)
|
60–69%
(Level
2)
|
70–79%
(Level
3)
|
80–100%
(Level
4)
|
Communication
|
The student:
|
|
|
|
Expression and organization of ideas
and information (e.g., clear expression, logical organization) in oral,
graphic, and written forms, including media forms
|
expresses and organizes ideas and
information with limited effectiveness
|
expresses
and organizes ideas and information with some effectiveness
|
expresses
and organizes ideas and information with considerable effectiveness
|
expresses
and organizes ideas and information with a high degree of effectiveness
|
Communication for different audiences
and purposes (e.g., use of appropriate style, voice, point of view) in oral,
graphic, and written forms, including media forms
|
communicates for different audiences
and purposes with limited effectiveness
|
communicates for different audiences
and purposes with some effectiveness
|
communicates for different audiences
and purposes with considerable effectiveness
|
communicates for different audiences
and purposes with a high degree of effectiveness
|
Use of conventions (e.g., grammar,
spelling, punctuation, usage), vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline
in oral, graphic, and written forms, including media forms
|
uses conventions, vocabulary, and
terminology of the discipline with limited effectiveness
|
uses conventions, vocabulary, and
terminology of the discipline with some effectiveness
|
uses conventions, vocabulary, and
terminology of the discipline with considerable effectiveness
|
uses conventions, vocabulary, and
terminology of the discipline with a high degree of effectiveness
|
Categories
|
50–59%
(Level
1)
|
60–69%
(Level
2)
|
70–79%
(Level
3)
|
80–100%
(Level
4)
|
Application
|
The student:
|
|
|
|
Application of knowledge and skills
(e.g.,literacy strategies and processes; literary terminology, concepts, and
theories) in familiar contexts
|
applies
knowledge
and
skills in
familiar
contexts
with
limited
effectiveness
|
applies
knowledge
and
skills in
familiar
contexts
with
some
effectiveness
|
applies
knowledge
and
skills in
familiar
contexts
with
considerable
effectiveness
|
applies
knowledge
and
skills in
familiar
contexts
with a
high degree
of
effectiveness
|
Transfer of knowledge and skills
(e.g., literacy strategies and processes; literary terminology, concepts, and
theories) to new contexts
|
transfers
knowledge
and
skills to
unfamiliar
contexts
with
limited
effectiveness
|
transfers
knowledge
and
skills to
unfamiliar
contexts
with
some
effectiveness
|
transfers
knowledge
and
skills to
unfamiliar
contexts
with
considerable
effectiveness
|
transfers
knowledge
and
skills to
unfamiliar
contexts
with a
high degree
of
effectiveness
|
Making connections within and between
various contexts (e.g., between the text and personal knowledge and
experience, other texts, and the world outside school)
|
makes connections within and between
various contexts with limited effectiveness
|
makes connections within and between
various contexts with some effectiveness
|
makes connections within and between
various contexts with considerable effectiveness
|
makes connections within and between various contexts
with a high degree of effectiveness
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Submission
of Assignments
All assignments should be submitted for grading on the stated due date.
Any late assignments may be subjected to a 10% penalty.
Work not submitted within 5 school days after the stated due date will be
assigned a mark of 0.
If a student is ill or away for a documented reason, all assignments must
be submitted upon return to class, unless arrangements are negotiated with the
teacher.
It is vital that the student realize the potential consequences of
incomplete work and absences, including failure to gain the credit for the
course. It is the responsibility of the student to catch up on all work missed
from being absent.
Program Planning
Considerations
The English curriculum is based on the premise that all students can be
successful language learners. One of the keys to student success in mastering
language skills is high-quality instruction.
At The Educators Academy we provide quality instruction respect students’
strengths and address their learning needs, using assessment information to
plan instruction. They clarify the purpose for learning, help students activate
prior knowledge, and differentiate instruction for individual students and
small groups according to need. Teachers at The Educators Academy explicitly
teach and model learning strategies and encourage students to talk through
their thinking and learning processes. They also provide many opportunities for
students to practise and apply their developing knowledge and skills.
Effective teaching approaches involve students in the use of higher-level
thinking skills and encourage them to look beyond the literal meaning of texts
and to think about fairness, equity, social justice, and citizenship in a
global society.
Motivating students and instilling positive habits of mind, such as a
willingness and determination to persist, to think and communicate with clarity
and precision, to take responsible risks, and to question and pose problems,
are also integral to high-quality language instruction.
Language is best learned through activities that present stimulating
ideas, issues, and themes that are meaningful to students. Since no single
instructional approach can meet all the needs of each learner, we select
classroom activities that are based on an assessment of students’ individual
needs, proven learning theory, and best practices. At The Educators Academy,
teachers introduce a rich variety of activities that integrate expectations
from different strands and provide for the explicit teaching of knowledge and
skills. They also provide frequent opportunities for students to rehearse,
practise, and apply skills and strategies, and to make their own choices.
Planning Program
for Special Education Needs
The Educators Academy classroom
teachers are the key educators of students who have special education needs.
They have a responsibility to help all students learn, and they work
collaboratively with special education teachers, where appropriate, to achieve
this goal.
The Educators Academy is committed
to ensuring that all students, especially those with special education needs,
are provided with the learning opportunities and supports they require to gain
the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to succeed in a rapidly changing
society. The context of special education and the provision of special
education programs and services for exceptional students in Ontario are
constantly evolving.
The Educators Academy believes
that:
·
All students can succeed.
·
Universal design and differentiated
instruction are effective and interconnected means of meeting the learning or
productivity needs of any group of students.
·
Successful instructional practices
are founded on evidence-based research, tempered by experience.
·
Classroom teachers are key
educators for a student’s literacy and numeracy development.
·
Each student has his or her own
unique patterns of learning.
·
Classroom teachers need the support
of the larger community to create a learning environment that supports students
with special education needs.
·
Fairness is not sameness.
At The Educators Academy, students
may demonstrate a wide range of learning styles and needs. Teachers plan
programs that recognize this diversity and give students performance tasks that
respect their particular abilities so that all students can derive the greatest
possible benefit from the teaching and learning process. The use of flexible
groupings for instruction and the provision of ongoing assessment are important
elements of programs that accommodate a diversity of learning needs.
In planning English courses for
students with special education needs, our teachers will begin by examining the
current achievement level of the individual student, the strengths and learning
needs of the student, and the knowledge and skills that all students are expected
to demonstrate at the end of the course, in order to determine which of the
following options is appropriate for the student:
v
no accommodations or modifications;
or
v
accommodations only; or
v
modified expectations, with the
possibility of accommodations; or
v
alternative expectations, which are
not derived from the curriculum expectations for a course and which constitute
alternative programs and/or courses.
There are three types of
accommodations:
·
Instructional accommodations are
changes in teaching strategies, including styles of presentation, methods of
organization, or use of technology and multimedia.
·
Environmental accommodations are
changes that the student may require in the classroom and/or school
environment, such as preferential seating or special lighting.
·
Assessment accommodations are
changes in assessment procedures that enable the student to demonstrate his or
her learning, such as allowing additional time to complete tests or assignments
or permitting oral responses to test questions
If a student requires
“accommodations only” in English courses, assessment and evaluation of his or
her achievement will be based on the appropriate course curriculum expectations
and the achievement levels outlined in this document. The IEP box on the student’s
Provincial Report Card will not be checked, and no information on the provision
of accommodations will be included.
Program
Considerations for English Language Learners
Ontario schools have some of the
most multilingual student populations in the world. The first language of
approximately 20 per cent of the students in Ontario’s English language schools
is a language other than English. Ontario’s linguistic heritage includes
several Aboriginal languages; many African, Asian, and European languages; and
some varieties of English, such as Jamaican Creole. Many English language
learners were born in Canada and raised in families and communities in which
languages other than English were spoken, or in which the variety of English
spoken differed significantly from the English of Ontario classrooms. Other
English language learners arrive in Ontario as newcomers from other countries;
they may have experience of highly sophisticated educational systems, or they
may have come from regions where access to formal schooling was limited.
When they start school in Ontario,
many of these students are entering a new linguistic and cultural environment.
All teachers share in the responsibility for their English language
development.
English language learners (students
who are learning English as a second or additional language in English-language
schools) bring a rich diversity of background knowledge and experience to the
classroom. These students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds not only support
their learning in their new environment but also become a cultural asset in the
classroom community. Teachers at The Educators Academy find positive ways to
incorporate this diversity into their instructional programs and into the
classroom environment.
Most English language learners in
Ontario schools have an age-appropriate proficiency in their first language.
Although they need frequent opportunities to use English at school, there are
important educational and social benefits associated with continued development
of their first language while they are learning English. Our teachers also
encourage parents to continue to use their own language at home in rich and
varied ways as a foundation for language and literacy development in English.
The Educators Academy teachers find opportunities to bring students’ languages
into the classroom, using parents and community members as a resource.
During the start of education at
The Educators Academy, English language learners receive support through one of
two distinct programs from our teachers who are specialized in meeting their
language-learning needs:
English as a Second Language (ESL)
programs are for students born in Canada or newcomers whose first language is a
language other than English, or is a variety of English significantly different
from that used for instruction in Ontario schools.
In planning programs for students
with linguistic backgrounds other than English, teachers at The Educators
Academy recognize the importance of the orientation process, understanding that
every learner needs to adjust to the new social environment and language in a
unique way and at an individual pace. For example, students who are in an early
stage of English-language acquisition may go through a time during which they
closely observe the interactions and physical surroundings of their new
learning environment. They use body language rather than speech or they use
their first language until they have gained enough proficiency in English to
feel confident of their interpretations and responses. Students thrive in a
safe, supportive, and welcoming environment that nurtures their self-confidence
while they are receiving focused literacy instruction. When they are ready to
participate, in paired, small-group, or whole-class activities, some students
begin by using a single word or phrase to communicate a thought, while others
speak quite fluently.
Responsibility for students’
English-language development is shared by our classroom teacher, our ESL
teacher and other staff at The Educators Academy. Sometimes volunteers and
peers are helpful in supporting English language learners in the language
classroom. Teachers at The Educators Academy adapted the instructional program
in order to facilitate the success of these students in their classrooms.
Appropriate adaptations include:
·
modification of some or all of the
subject expectations so that they are challenging but attainable for the
learner at his or her present level of English proficiency, given the necessary
support from the teacher;
·
use of a variety of instructional
strategies (e.g., extensive use of visual cues, graphic organizers,
scaffolding; previewing of textbooks, pre-teaching of key vocabulary; peer
tutoring; strategic use of students’ first languages);
·
use of a variety of learning
resources (e.g., visual material, simplified text, bilingual dictionaries, and
materials that reflect cultural diversity);
·
use of assessment accommodations
(e.g., granting of extra time; use of oral interviews, demonstrations or visual
representations, or tasks requiring completion of graphic organizers or cloze
sentences instead of essay questions and other assessment tasks that depend
heavily on proficiency in English).
Environmental
Education
Helping students
become environmentally responsible is a role assumed by The Educators Academy.
Good curriculum design following the resource document - The Ontario
Curriculum, Grades 9-12: Environmental Education, Scope and Sequence of
Expectations, 2011, assisted The Educators Academy staff to weave environmental
education in and out of the course content. This ensures that the student will
have opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills, perspectives and practices
needed to become an environmentally literate citizen. The course will provide
opportunities for each student to address environmental issues in their home,
in their local community, or even at the global level.
Anti Discrimination Education
The implementation of
antidiscrimination principles in education influences all aspects of school
life. It promotes a school climate that encourages all students to work to high
standards, affirms the worth of all students, and helps students strengthen
their sense of identity and develop a positive self-image. Antidiscrimination
education encourages students to think critically about themselves and others
in the world around them in order to promote fairness, healthy relationships,
and active, responsible citizenship.
The Educators Academy ensures that
school-community interaction reflects the diversity in the local community and
wider society. Consideration is given to a variety of strategies for
communicating and working with parents and community members from diverse
groups, in order to ensure their participation in such school activities as
plays, concerts, and teacher interviews. Families new to Canada, who may be
unfamiliar with the Ontario school system, may need special outreach and
encouragement in order to feel comfortable in their interactions at The
Educators Academy.
Learning resources that reflect the
broad range of students’ interests, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences are
an important aspect of an inclusive English program in The Educators Academy.
In such a program, learning materials involve protagonists of both sexes from a
wide variety of backgrounds. Teachers at The Educators Academy routinely use
materials that reflect the diversity of Canadian and world cultures, including
those of contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, and make them
available to students. Short stories, novels, magazine and newspaper articles,
television programs, and films provide opportunities for students to explore
issues relating to their self-identity. In The Educators Academy’s inclusive
programs, students are made aware of the historical, cultural, and political
contexts for both the traditional and non-traditional gender and social roles
represented in the materials they are studying.
Stories, novels, informational
texts, and media works relating to the immigrant experience provide rich thematic
material for study, as well as the opportunity for students new to Canada to
share their knowledge and experiences with others. In addition, in the context
of the English program, both students and teachers at The Educators Academy
become aware of aspects of intercultural communication – for example, by
exploring how different cultures interpret the use of eye contact and body
language in conversation and during presentations.
The Educators Academy ensures that
resources should be chosen not only to reflect diversity but also on the basis
of their appeal for both girls and boys in the classroom. According to some
different recent researches, many boys are interested in informational
materials, such as manuals and graphic texts, as opposed to works of fiction,
which are often more appealing to girls. Both sexes read Internet materials,
such as website articles, e-mail, and chat messages, outside the classroom. Our
teachers use a number of useful literacy strategies that focus on engaging boys
in reading and writing and that can enhance the learning environment for both
female and male students.
The development of critical
thinking skills is integral to the English curriculum. In the context of what
is now called “critical literacy”, these skills include the ability to identify
perspectives, values, and issues; detect bias; and read for implicit as well as
overt meaning. In the English program, at The Educators Academy, students
develop the ability to detect negative bias and stereotypes in literary texts and
informational materials. When using biased informational texts, or literary
works containing negative stereotypes, for the express purpose of critical
analysis, our teachers take into account the potential negative impact of bias
on students and use appropriate strategies to address students’ responses.
Critical literacy also involves
asking questions and challenging the status quo, and leads students to look at
issues of power and justice in society. The program at The Educators Academy
empowers students by enabling them to express themselves and to speak out about
issues that strongly affect them.
Literature studies and media
studies also afford both students and teachers at The Educators Academy a
unique opportunity to explore the social and emotional impact of bullying,
violence, and discrimination in the form of racism, sexism, or homophobia on
individuals and families. Teachers at The Educators Academy help students to
link the understanding they gain in this regard to messages conveyed through the
school’s antibullying and violence-prevention programming.
Critical Thinking and Critical Literacy in English
Critical thinking is the process of
thinking about ideas or situations in order to understand them fully, identify
their implications, make a judgement, and/or guide decision making. Critical
thinking includes skills such as questioning, predicting, analysing,
synthesizing, examining opinions, identifying values and issues, detecting
bias, and distinguishing between alternatives. At The Educators Academy,
students are taught these skills so they become critical thinkers who can move
beyond superficial conclusions to a deeper understanding of the issues they are
examining. After this, they are also able to engage in an inquiry process in
which they explore complex and multifaceted issues, and questions for which
there may be no clear-cut answers.
Students use critical-thinking
skills in The Educators Academy course for English when they assess, analyse,
and/or evaluate the impact of something and when they form an opinion about
something and support that opinion with a rationale. In order to think
critically, students need to examine the opinions and values of others, detect
bias, look for implied meaning, and use the information gathered to form a personal
opinion or stance, or a personal plan of action with regard to making a
difference. In this way, students approach critical thinking in various
aspects. Some students find it helpful to discuss their thinking, asking
questions and exploring ideas. Other students may take time to observe a
situation or consider a text carefully before commenting; they prefer not to
ask questions or express their thoughts orally while they are thinking.
The development of these
critical-thinking skills is supported in the English course at The Educators
Academy. As students work to achieve the curriculum expectations in their
particular course, our students frequently need to identify the possible
implications of choices. As they gather information from a variety of sources,
they are able to interpret what they are listening to, reading, or viewing; to
look for instances of bias; and to determine why a source might express a
particular bias.
Literacy, Mathematical Literacy and Investigation (Inquiry
Skills)
Literacy,
mathematical literacy, and inquiry/research skills are critical to students’
success in all subjects of the curriculum and in all areas of their lives.
The
acquisition and development of literacy skills is clearly the focus of the
English curriculum at The Educators Academy, but the English program also
builds on, reinforces, and enhances mathematical literacy. For example, clear,
concise communication often involves the use of diagrams, charts, tables, and
graphs, and the English curriculum emphasizes students’ ability to interpret
and use graphic texts.
Inquiry
is at the heart of learning in all subject areas at The Educators Academy. In
English courses, students are encouraged to develop their ability to ask
questions and to explore a variety of possible answers to those questions. As
they advance through the grades, they acquire the skills to locate relevant
information from a variety of sources, such as books, newspapers, dictionaries,
encyclopaedias, interviews, videos, and the Internet. The questioning they
practised in the early grades becomes more sophisticated as they learn that all
sources of information have a particular point of view and that the recipient
of the information has a responsibility to evaluate it, determine its validity
and relevance, and use it in appropriate ways. The ability to locate, question,
and validate information allows a student to become an independent, lifelong
learner.
The Role of a Library
The
school library program can help to build and transform students’ knowledge to
support lifelong learning in our information- and knowledge-based society. The
Educators Academy supports student success across the language curriculum by
encouraging students to read widely, teaching them to read for understanding
and enjoyment, and helping them to improve their research skills and to use
information gathered through research effectively.
The
Educators Academy library program enables students to:
- develop a love of reading for
learning and for pleasure;
- acquire an understanding of
the richness and diversity of literary and informational texts produced in
Canada and around the world;
- obtain access to programs,
resources, and integrated technologies that support all curriculum areas;
- understand and value the role
of public library systems as a resource for lifelong learning.
Our
classroom teachers develop, teach, and provide students with authentic
information and research tasks that foster learning, including the ability to:
- locate, select, gather,
critically evaluate, create, and communicate information;
- use the information obtained
to solve problems, make decisions, build knowledge, create personal
meaning, and enrich their lives;
- communicate their findings for
different audiences, using a variety of formats and technologies;
- use information and research
with understanding, responsibility, and imagination.
The
Role of Information and Communication Technology
Information and communications technologies (ICT) provide a
range of tools that can significantly extend and enrich teachers’ instructional
strategies and support students’ language learning. ICT tools include
multimedia resources, databases, Internet websites, digital cameras, and
word-processing programs. Tools such as these can help students to collect,
organize, and sort the data they gather and to write, edit, and present reports
on their findings. Information and communications technologies can also be used
to connect students to other schools, at home and abroad, and to bring the
global community into the local classroom.
At The Educators Academy, therefore, according to the needs
of students, they are encouraged to use ICT to support and communicate their
learning. For example, students working individually or in groups use computer
technology and/or Internet websites to gain access to museums and archives in
Canada and around the world.
At The Educators Academy teachers will find the various ICT
tools useful in their teaching practice, both for class instruction and for the
design of curriculum units that contain varied approaches to learning to meet
diverse student needs.
Although the Internet is a powerful learning tool, there are
potential risks attached to its use. At The Educators Academy, our teachers
make sure to aware the students about the issues of Internet privacy, safety,
and responsible use, as well as of the potential for abuse of this technology,
particularly when it is used to promote hatred.
The Ontario Skills
Passport and Essential Skills
The
OSP is a bilingual web-based resource that enhances the relevancy of classroom
learning for students and strengthens school–work connections. The OSP provides
clear descriptions of Essential Skills such as Reading Text, Writing, Computer
Use, Measurement and Calculation, and Problem Solving and includes an extensive
database of occupation-specific workplace tasks that illustrate how workers use
these skills on the job. The Educators Academy
engages the students by using OSP tools and resources to show how and what they
learn in class can be applied in the workplace and in everyday life.
Career
Education
Expectations
in the English program at The Educators Academy include many opportunities for
students to apply their language skills to work-related situations, to explore
educational and career options, and to become self-directed learners. To
prepare students for the literacy demands of a wide array of postsecondary
educational programs and careers, The Educators Academy English courses enable
students to develop research skills, practise expository writing, and learn
strategies for understanding informational reading materials. Making oral
presentations and working in small groups with classmates help our students to
express themselves confidently and work cooperatively with others. Regardless
of their postsecondary destination, our all students realize that literacy
skills are employability skills. Our teachers realize the students that
powerful literacy skills equip students to manage information technologies,
communicate effectively and correctly in a variety of situations, and perform a
variety of tasks required in most working environments.
PLANNING PROGRAM
PATHWAYS AND PROGRAMS LEADING TO A SPECIALIST HIGH-SKILLS MAJOR
The
Educators Academy courses are well suited for inclusion in programs leading to
a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) or in programs designed to provide
pathways to particular apprenticeship or workplace destinations. In an SHSM
program, courses at The Educators Academy can be bundled with other courses to
provide the academic knowledge and skills important to particular industry
sectors and required for success in the workplace and postsecondary education,
including apprenticeship.
Health and Safety
Although
health and safety issues are not usually associated with language education,
they may be important when the learning involves fieldwork. Out of school
fieldwork can provide an exciting and authentic dimension to students’ learning
experiences. The Educator Academy teachers preview and plan these activities
carefully to protect students’ health and safety.
The Educators Academy courses provide varied
opportunities for students to learn about ethical issues and to explore the
role of ethics in both public and personal decision making. During the inquiry
process, students may need to make ethical judgements when evaluating evidence
and positions on various issues, and when drawing their own conclusions about
issues, developments, and events. Teachers at The Educators Academy help
students in determining appropriate factors to consider when making such
judgements. Our teachers provide support and supervision to students throughout
the inquiry process, ensuring that students engaged in an inquiry are aware of
potential ethical concerns and address them in acceptable ways. Teachers at The
Educators Academy will ensure that they thoroughly address the issue of
plagiarism with students. In a digital world in which there is easy access to
abundant information, it is very easy to copy the words of others and present
them as one's own. Students are constantly reminded, even at the secondary
level, of the ethical issues surrounding plagiarism, and the consequences of
plagiarism. The skill of writing in one's own voice, while appropriately
acknowledging the work of others, is taught to all The Educators Academy
courses.
Resources:
v Dictionary
v Variety of Short Stories and Poetry
v Essays, Media and Drama
v Online Research
v Steinbeck Books or a Memoir by Malala Yousafzai
v thesaurus
v Handouts