ST.

MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL

English as a Second Language - ESL DOI
STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET

School: St. Mary’s High School

Department: Language and Communications Program Head: Carrie Mage
Ministry Document: English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development (revised)
Course Title: English as a Second Language Level 4 and 5 Course Type: Essential
Grade: Course Code: Credit: Prerequisite:
Level 4 ESL ESL-DOI One ESL C or ELD E
Level 5 ESL ESL-EOI One ESL D
Teacher(s): Jessica Sokolowski Date: 2023/2024

Course Description:
ESL Level 4: This course prepares students to use English with increasing fluency and accuracy in
classroom and social situations and to participate in Canadian society as informed citizens. Students
will develop the oral-presentation, reading, and writing skills required for success in all school
subjects. They will extend listening and speaking skills through participation in discussions and
seminars; study and interpret a variety of grade-level texts; write narratives, articles, and summaries
in English; and respond critically to a variety of print and media texts.

ESL Level 5: This course provides students with the skills and strategies they need to make the
transition to college and university preparation courses in English and other secondary school
disciplines. Students will be encouraged to develop independence in a range of academic tasks. They
will participate in debates and lead classroom workshops; read and interpret literary works and
academic texts; write essays, narratives, and reports; and apply a range of learning strategies and
research skills effectively. Students will further develop their ability to respond critically to print and
media texts.

How This Course Supports the Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations:

The primary goal of Catholic education is to graduate young men and women who are discerning
believers in the saving story of Christ and who become responsible citizens, based on the centrality of
a tradition of church social teaching which gives primacy to the common good.

This course will challenge students to examine gospel values in the context of the literature they read.
The course invites students to be effective communicators who relate honestly and sensitively to
literature and to each other. It encourages reflective, creative and holistic thinking and invites students
to vicariously experience the choices of characters they read about and thereby become open-
minded citizens who examine their own life options; it develops self-directed, responsible, life-long
learners.
 How this Course Supports the competencies of Choices Into Action:
The ESL curriculum is based on the belief that language learning is critical to responsible and
productive citizenship, and that all students can become successful learners. The curriculum is
designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills that they need to achieve this goal. It
aims to help students become successful learners, who share the following characteristics.

The study of English at the secondary level supports the students’ exploration of subject-related
careers as well as providing the opportunity to effectively communicate in written and speaking skills
that are valuable in all employment areas. In completing the course requirements, each student will
develop personally in the areas of learning strategies, organizational skills, and goal-setting.

1. Overall Expectations for Student Learning

Through this course, students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge, skills and values related
to the following Strands:

Listening and Speaking Skills Reading

● demonstrate the ability to understand,
interpret, and evaluate spoken
English for a variety
of purposes;
● use speaking skills and strategies to
communicate in English for a variety
of classroom and
social purposes;
● use correctly the language structures
appropriate for this level to
communicate orally in English.
Writing
sS
● write in a variety of forms for different
purposes and audiences;
● organize ideas coherently in writing;
● use correctly the conventions of
written English appropriate for this
level, including grammar, usage,
spelling, and punctuation;
● use the stages of the writing process.
● read and demonstrate understanding of a
variety of texts for different purposes;
● use a variety of reading strategies
throughout the reading process to extract
meaning from texts;
● and use a variety of strategies to build
locate
vocabulary
● and locate and extract relevant information from
locate
written and graphic texts for a variety of
purposes.
Socio-Cultural Competence and Media Literacy
use●Englis use English and non-verbal communication
strategies appropriately in a variety of
social contexts
●
Demonstr demonstrate an understanding of the rights
and responsibilities of Canadian
citizenship, and of the contributions of
diverse groups to Canadian society
●
Demonst demonstrate a knowledge of and
adaptation to the Ontario education
system;
●
Demonstr demonstrate an understanding of,
interpret, and create a variety of media
texts.

2. Expectations re: Learning Skills

It is expected that students will also demonstrate the following:

▪ Responsibility ▪ Organization
▪ Independent Work ▪ Collaboration
▪ Initiative ▪ Self-Regulation
 Learning skills will be assessed accurately and rigorously according to criteria which have been
clearly communicated to students and will be reported separately from student achievement of the
curriculum expectations. The student’s demonstrated learning skills in each course will be
evaluated using the following four-point scale, (E-excellent, G-Good, S-Satisfactory, N-Needs
Improvement), and will be separated from the reporting of achievement.

3. Supports For Higher Learning

Whenever changes are made to address student learning needs, these accommodations,
modifications, or alternative expectations will be outlined in an IEP and communicated to parents.

4. Course Breakdown & Assessment and Evaluation Strategies

Unit Title / Description Assessment &

Evaluation Strategies
may include:
Unit 1 Short Stories diagnostic tests
“On the Sidewalk Bleeding” by Evan Hunter tests
“Kath and Mouse” by Janet McNaughton oral presentations
“Never Again” by Karleen Bradford reading logs
“Just Lather and Nothing Else” by Hernando Tellez graphic organizers
“Charles” by Shirley Jackson response journals
evaluation rubrics
Unit 2 CORE Novel anecdotal notes
Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros peer assessment
self assessment
Media-Films exit cards
Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom film is based on the 1995 student-teacher conferencing
autobiographical book Long Walk to Freedom by anti- success criteria checklists
apartheid revolutionary and former South African President exemplars
Nelson Mandela.

Skin-British-South African 2008 biographical film about

Sandra Laing a South African woman born to white parents,
who was classified as "Coloured"

Invictus-Nelson Mandela, in his first term as President of South

Africa, initiates a unique venture to unite the Apartheid-torn
land: enlists the national rugby team on a mission to win the
1995 Rugby World Cup.

Unit 3 Current Events

Studies on culture, media
Researching and reporting on events
Conducting debates based on current issues
Unit 4 Poetry
“Invictus” by William Ernest Henley
“September Tomatoes” by Karina Borowicz
“The Day Jerry Skipped Breakfast” by Kelly Roper
“The Swing” by Robert Louis Stevenson
“Lunch Break” by Francisco Aragon
*Plus other various short poems and songs
Final Final Evaluation worth 30% of final grade
Culminating Activity 15%
A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
(Reading Log, Making Textual Connections, Chapter
Questions)
Final Exam 10%
-Compare/Contrast (Character, Setting, Conflict)
-Thematic Analysis Writing
-Making Textual Connections (text:self)
A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park A true story of Salva,
one of some 3,800 Sudanese “Lost Boys” airlifted to the United
States beginning in the mid 1990s.
and
The Good Lie -2014 American drama film written by Margaret
Nagle and directed by Philippe Falardeau. A group of
Sudanese refugees arrive in Kansas City, Missouri where their
encounter with an employment agency counselor forever
changes all of their lives.
Oral R&E 5%
Receptive-Listening Activity
Expressive-Speaking Activity

5. Key Dates, Special Events and Additional Considerations

See student Virtual Learning Environment, D2L, and calendar.

6. Teaching/ Learning Strategies

Possible accommodations may include: Providing audio resources, supplementary texts,
extensions or extra time, alternative locations for learning, use of a laptop computer, use of
Google Speak and Write, simplifying / chunking the assignment, pairing students with mentor,
tutor, or partner, summary sheets, etc.

7. Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning

Student achievement of the learning expectations will be evaluated according to the following
breakdowns:

WEIGHTING (%)
CATEGORIES OF TERM CULMINATING PROJECT & FINAL
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND VALUES EVALUATION EVALUATION
ACTIVITY
25% 25%
Knowledge / Understanding
25% 25%
Thinking
25% 25%
Communication
25% 25%
Application
BREAKDOWN OF FINAL MARK 70% 30% =100%
8. School, Department and Classroom Policies

The following policies apply to this course:

If a student is absent at the time of an assessment or summative evaluation activity

(e.g., test, group presentation or assignment), the activity will be considered as
incomplete and will be treated as a missed assessment or evaluation activity.

All summative evaluations are due on the date or within the timeframe specified by the
teacher. Extenuating circumstances must be discussed with the teacher in advance,
and it is at the teacher’s discretion whether the extenuating circumstances will warrant
an alternative opportunity.

Where a student has missed or failed to complete an evaluation activity, the teacher
will record an (I) in the teacher records to indicate Incomplete/Missed Assignment.
Incomplete assignments will be considered when determining the student’s overall
grade at reporting times.
(Parents and students should therefore be advised that failure to complete evaluation
activities reduces the body of evidence upon which the teacher can evaluate student
achievement of the curriculum expectations and could jeopardize the granting of a
credit for the course.)

Students are responsible for knowing and remembering these policies and the policies
outlined in the Student handbook. Failure to have done so will not exempt students
from having them apply.

Submitted work that is plagiarized, in whole or in part, shall be deemed incomplete.