ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 10-1

W.H. Croxford High School

Ms. Tassia Rushford (she/her)

Professional E-mail: [email protected]
Student E-mail: [email protected]

COURSE OUTLINE

Welcome to English 10-1. This course is required for a high school diploma and for acceptance to most
faculties in most colleges and universities. Broadly, it is meant to help students build the skills, attitudes,
and knowledge they will need to meet the ordinary business of living and to encourage their fulfillment as
human beings. More specifically, it helps them to understand and evaluate a wide range of human
experiences, natures, values, and behaviors through the study of various texts and text types. To these
ends, we focus especially on the development of clear thinking, discriminating reception, sympathetic
feeling, and vibrant expression.

English 10-1 progresses as a series of genre units, and the general and specific outcomes of the Alberta
Education curriculum for senior-high language arts are approached within these units. This curriculum
calls us to focus on six categories of language experience: listening, speaking, reading, writing,
viewing, and representing. Our main goals are these:

• to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences

• to comprehend texts in various forms and to respond personally, critically, and creatively
• to manage ideas and information
• to create various texts and to enhance the clarity and artistry of communication
• to respect, support, and collaborate with others

CLASS PLACEMENT

There are three levels to English 10: 10-1, 10-2, and 10-4 (Knowledge and Employability). The level you
are registered in was determined based on your completion level at English Language Arts 9 and the
requirements of Alberta Education for your high school diploma. Movement between levels is possible,
and will require discussions between guidance, your parents/guardians, yourself, and myself along with
potential alterations to your existing timetable.

English 10-1 is a more intense course than ELA 9; we will be covering a great deal of material in a short
period of time, so please do not fall behind. Come see me if you are having difficulty keeping up in any of
the units, and we’ll figure something out to help you succeed.

UNIT TEXTS OF STUDY

• The following texts* will be used to support out learning of the outcomes in English Language
Arts 10:

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 • Rough timeline ***subject to change ***
o September: Short Stories & Signposts (a variety)
o October: Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet and various sonnets)
o November: Film Study (Ready Player One)
o December: Novel Study (The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline)
o January: Poetry (a variety) and Exam Prep
o Ongoing throughout the semester: Independent Literary Study
• *Texts are subject to change
• We will be discussing controversial topics in this class, both planned and impromptu. If at any
point you feel uncomfortable for personal, religious, cultural etc. reasons, please let me know,
and alternatives will be found. If you have previous triggers, you feel I should be aware of,
please let me know.
• There will be a final reading comprehension exam done in-class that will be worth 10% of
the final grade.

COURSE EVALUATION

At W.H. Croxford, students are assessed using Outcomes Based Assessment. As such, students will
receive a proficiency grade based on their level of achievement in each Curricular Outcome attributed to
their assignments, which is then calculated into an overall grade. These assignments include--but are
not limited to--essays, quizzes/tests, presentations, speeches, etc. The descriptors and numerical
equivalents for each proficiency level are as follows:

GRADE DESCRIPTOR % Number used DESCRIPTION

RANGE in Gradebook

MAS Mastering 90-100 100 Evidence indicates in-depth understanding,

demonstration, or application of the
outcome.

ADV Advancing 80-89 85 Evidence indicates comprehensive

understanding, demonstration, or
application of the outcome.

PROG Progressing 70-79 75 Evidence indicates understanding,

demonstration, or application of the
outcome.

EMG Emerging 60-69 65 Evidence indicates progressions towards

understanding, demonstration, or
application of the outcome.

BEG Beginning 50-59 55 Evidence indicates initial understanding,

demonstration, or application of the
outcome.

LIM Limited 40-49 45 Evidence indicates limited or incomplete

level of understanding, demonstration, or
application of the outcome.

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 NM Not Meeting 0-39 25 Evidence indicates the student has not met
Outcome the expectations of the learning outcome.

IE Insufficient 0 0 Insufficient evidence submitted to

Evidence accurately assess progress.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY / PLAGIARISM / ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

At WH Croxford High School, there is a clear expectation that all students will approach their education
and studies with intellectual honesty; they will complete assignments and write exams and other
assessments in order to maintain this academic integrity.

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is the "wrongful appropriation" and "stealing and publication" of another author's "language,
thoughts, ideas, or expressions" and the representation of them as one's own original work. Most
commonly, plagiarism exists when:

• The work submitted was done in whole or in part by an individual other than the presenter.
• Parts of the work are taken from another source without reference to the original author.
• The whole work is copied from another source.
• A student submits or presents work in one course which has also been submitted in another
(although it may be completely original to that student) without the knowledge of or prior
agreement of the teacher involved.

Cheating:

Cheating on tests, examinations, and in-class assessments includes, but is not limited to:

• Speaking to other students or communicating with them by any means during an assessment.
• Bringing unauthorized material or devices into the examination room.
• Consulting any person or materials outside of the confines of the exam room.
• Leaving answer papers exposed so other may view them as an advantage.
• Attempting to read another student’s examination papers.

Other Academic Misconduct:

• Tampering with examination scripts, class work, grades and/or class records.
• Failure to abide with the directions given by the teacher regarding the individuality of work
handed in.
• The impersonation of another student in an examination or class assignment.
• Falsification or fabrication of reports.
• Sharing of completed examination/assessment materials with other students even from term to
term or year to year.
• Students who voluntarily and consciously aid another in the commission of one of the above is
also guilty of academic misconduct.

When academic misconduct has occurred, students will be consulted and advised of the concern.
Disciplinary action may be taken and may include:

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 • Parents being notified in writing and a letter placed in the student file.
• Mark of “0” on the assignment in question and that the teacher may have the student complete an
alternate assignment given to ensure that the student meets the given objectives of learning.
• Suspension
• Recommendation for expulsion

LATE/MISSING ASSIGNMENTS

All work is expected to be handed in on the set due date. If you do not submit on the due date, one week
after the expected due date, parents will be contacted and informed of this and a plan will be put in
place. Late work will be accepted up to ONE WEEK after the end of the unit. After that, any missing
work will NOT be accepted. Alternate assignments will be provided at the teacher’s discretion to make
up for the missed outcomes.

The timeline for the return/grading of late work does NOT take precedence over more recent
assignments--they will be addressed at the earliest convenience.

MISSED TESTS

Please inform the school if you know you'll be absent. Test Rewrites will take place outside of class:
Tuesday before school (7:30 –9:00am) and Thursday after school (4:00 –5:30pm). You must speak to
your teacher to schedule your retest; you CANNOT just show up for a retest. If you do not schedule a re-
write, parents will be informed and a grade of zero will be assigned.

APPEAL PROCEDURE

Should you feel that you've been unfairly evaluated on an assignment, please discuss it with me first. If I
feel compelled to stand by my original evaluation, you may appeal to Administration.

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS

What I can expect of you:

• that you'll attend regularly, arrive punctually, and bring with you all the supplies you need for a
day's work
• that you'll offer your best effort in all you do
• that you'll treat me and each other with kindness, respect, and good humor
• that you'll recognize your own biases and avoid pre-judgments
• that you'll not interfere with the learning of those around you
• that you will acknowledge that there are more effective ways to spend your time than on your
phone

What you can expect of me:

• that I'll offer my best effort in all that I do
• that I'll treat you with kindness, respect, and good humor
• that I'll recognize my own biases and avoid pre-judgments
• that I'll set high standards for you but not impossible ones
• that I'll set deadlines not just for you but for myself—especially in the way of returning marked
assignments
• that I'll listen to you, stay open-minded, exercise patience, and remember that there are other
important things in your lives besides English class
• that I'll be available to provide you with extra help

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