English 10-1 Overview

Module One: Communication is the Key

Have you ever thought about what life would be like if you were unable to communicate?

Suppose for a moment that you lost all your senses - that you were unable to see, hear, taste, smell, or touch. Then imagine that you were also unable to speak.

What would your life be like?

Using your senses to receive messages and your voice and body movements to send them are ablilites that you probably accept unconsciously.

Your ability to communicate is the key taht opens opportunities in your life.

This communication key allows you to share your ideas, feelings, and opinions. It also enables you to learn from the ideas, feelings, and opinions of others.

Without communication, you'd be totally isolated from the world and people in it.

This course will help you improve your communication skills so that you acan function effectively kn yout life and in your career. In this module, you'll reflect on what you already know about communication, and you'll develop skills to help you complete this course successfully.

Module Two: The Narrative Voice

Storytelling is an ancient art that is still relevant.

Everyone loves to listen to stories, and everyone loves to tell stories.

Stories can be written down for others to read.

Stories can be in prose or poetic form.

Some are created simply to entertain, while others are meant to instruct or explain or inspire thinking.

• What are your favourite stories?
• Who are your favourite storytellers?
• What stories do you like to tell?
• Are you a good story teller?

This module will teach you about the awesome power of story!

Module Three: Media

It is difficult to imagine what modern life would be like without televison, radio, newspapers, magazines, and computers. Most people spent hours every day - at work, at school, at home - accessing different communication media for a variety of reasons. Throught these media, you can get news and information, you can be entertained and educated, and you can even conduct business and social interactions.

The media make up a very important part of people's lives - so important a part pthat most people cannot imagine their lives without it.

This module focuses on the roles that various meida play in your life. You will explore the techniques that adverisers use to persuade you to buy theior products and services. You'll also examine the techniqes that writers, speakers, and visual text creators use to get their messages across to their audiences.

Module Four: Poetry and Film

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller

In this module, you'll read of things that cannot be seen or touched, in poems that are purposefully desined to be felt with the heart.

Also in this module, you'll study another powerful mode of expression that appeals directly to the heart - the feature film.

Movies have a lot in common with poetry. It's no accident that good movies are often described as being "poetic" and "lyrical".

Module Five: The Novel and the Drama

Are you familiar with the two words "novel" and "drama"?

Also, though you may have heard these terms at school or at home, you may not have a precise understanding of them.

This module will help you come to a more complete understanding of what "novel" and "drama" mean - especially in the context of your study of English Language Arts.

You'll also spend some time enjoying literature that was chosen with Grade 10 students in mind.

Module 6 - Romeo and Juliet

If you ever talk to anyone who claims to know little or nothing aobut Shakespeare, chance are that person would still be familiar with Romeo and Juliet.

There are very few people in the English - speaking world who have not heard about this famous love story: the tragedy of two young people whose love was never meant to be.

Romeo and Juliet has been adapted into films, opera, ballet, plays, graphic novels. Many contemporary stories have borrowed the plot, characters, and themes from this famous play.

In Module 6, you'll read and respond to Romeo and Juliet. The skills and understand of drama that you acquired in Module 5 will assist you as you learn about Shakespeare and his work.

Module 7 - Journey's End

Congratulations!

The end of your journey through English Language Arts 10-1 is in sight!

Throughout this course, you've been imporoving your communication skills and developing your understanding of literature. Now you'll learn how to do research and write a research-based report. When you've finished this module, you'll know how to locate information in a library and on the Internet, and you'll be able to report your information effectively.

You'll also have an opportunity in this module to reflect on what you've learned in this course. You'll think about your communication strengths and where you need to improve because excellent communication skills will help you succeed in school and in life.

The last section in this module will help to prepare you to write your final test.

Very soon, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you've completed this stage of your journey through English language Arts and are ready to proceed to the next one.