Welcome to the English Department.

If you plan to succeed in today's world, English is a must-have. Many jobs require a good comprehension of the English language as well as the ability to write in an organized manner. The courses listed below will help you achieve your goal in whatever you may choose to do.

The English Department at Pinetree has been busy exposing students to English in the real world! English 11AP classes and the English 10 Honours class, led by Mr.Wallace, Ms. McNeill, and Ms. Browne, attended a field trip to see the Reduced Shakespeare Company's performance of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged! Additionally, Ms. Melczer recently escorted her students to another dramatic classic at the UBC theatre. Teachers would like to remind both students and parents the three keys to achieving success in an English program: read, read, and read!

Courses & Course Information:

ENGLISH 9
English 9 will provide students with a wide range of reading writing, and oral language experiences. Students will study short stories, poetry, at least one novel, drama, essays, and the media. Assignments will require that students write in a variety of formats and for a variety of purposes. A grammar unit will help students express themselves clearly as they write and speak. Coherent paragraph development will also be emphasized.

HUMANITIES 9 HONOURS
Humanities is the integrated study of human creativity and culture, including the study of language, history, art, politics, religion and philosophy. Humanities 9 Honours covers the provincially mandated curriculum for both English 9 and Social Studies 9. The main features of both courses are taught, but assignments are often combined and organized around common themes contained in both courses. Humanities 9 Honours will offer enriched coverage of curriculum. A strong emphasis is placed on developing critical intelligence and cultural literacy in this course.

Through a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, Humanities 9 Honours raises critical questions regarding the complex body of ideas, values, attitudes and emotions which shape our society and culture. This course will focus on developing the student’s ability to read with comprehension, to write and speak effectively and to think critically.

ENGLISH 10
This course will prepare students for the demands of senior level English courses. Students will be expected to read, write about, and discuss literature in an increasingly critical and sophisticated manner. Students will develop a larger vocabulary with which to express their ideas effectively. The course includes further study of the genres presented in English 9. This course has a compulsory graduation program exam.

ENGLISH 10 HONOURS
English 10 Honours is intended for students who have demonstrated exceptional skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. The course emphasizes the development of students’ skills in academic writing and requires students to read widely. Students will have the opportunity to develop background knowledge from the Western tradition in literature, which will be beneficial for the senior level AP/Honours English courses.

COMMUNICATIONS 11
This course is designed for students who have experienced difficulty with regular English courses due to a low skill level in reading and writing. The course focuses on practical reading, writing and oral skills and leads to Communications 12.

ENGLISH 11
This literature-based course places emphasis on appreciation of Canadian literature and development of language and communication skills, with specific attention to the writing process and the need for increasing sophistication in student’s writing abilities. While students are presented with materials from a variety of genres, there is still a focus on fiction, drama, and poetry.

ENGLISH 11H/AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE 11
English 11AP is a full year, intended for students wishing to refine their reading, composition and course analysis skills for academic studies at college or university. The course engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose, and in becoming polished writers in a variety of prose forms. Reading selections will be drawn from a wide variety of literature (including autobiography, biography, diaries, travel writing, essays, journalism and fiction) reflecting Canadian themes and concerns. Composition will emphasize the craft of writing and the interaction among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations and subjects. The English 11AP course assumes that students already understand and use standard English grammar, and are seeking to enhance their ability to use grammatical conventions both appropriately and with sophistication as well as with stylistic maturity. English 11AP also provides groundwork in academic writing for those students intending to go on to English Literature 12AP and/or History 12 in their final year.

Students taking English 11H/AP English Language 12 will receive 4 credits for English 11 and an additional 4 credits for AP English Language and Composition 12. English 11AP meets every day for the full school year.

ENGLISH 12
In English 12 students will develop a critical vocabulary with which to respond to literature, both in writing and in discussion. The principal materials studied will be short stories, poetry, novels, essays, and drama. Students should leave this course with the ability to write an insightful and well-organized essay and use descriptive or narrative techniques effectively. This course has a compulsory graduation program exam.

ENGLISH 12 HONOURS/ ENGLISH LITERATURE 12/ AP ENGLISH LITERATURE 12
English 12/English Literature 12/Advanced Placement English Literature 12 is an enriched full-year course intended for students planning studies in the humanities in their post secondary education and/or those simply interested in studying literature. The course combines English 12 and Literature 12 learning outcomes at an AP level, engaging students in the study of famous literary texts from the Middle Ages to modern times.

English Literature 12 presents a thematic or chronological survey of major British and Commonwealth writers and their works from Classical to Modern times. The course is intended to enable students to develop skills in reading, understanding, discussing and appreciating the literature, particularly poetry and drama, of times other than our own. Emphasis is placed upon the authors’ relationships to the times in which they lived, to provide an awareness of our cultural heritage and a perspective for contemporary literature.

Students who plan to pursue post secondary education and careers in the Arts, Education, Law and media will gain depth of background to their literacy. Students will also receive intensive preparation in academic writing. Because of the enriched nature of the course, students will be well prepared to write the English 12 provincial exam in January, and the English Literature 12 exam in June. Those who are interested in acquiring Advanced Placement credit will write an AP exam in May. Success in the Advanced Placement exams signifies to colleges and universities that the student is someone who has done English studies at university level of challenge. Most universities give credit for an AP exam grade of 4 or 5 (on a scale of 1-5). Students successfully completing this course will receive 8 credits for En 12 and En Lit 12.

ENGLISH LITERATURE 12
English Literature 12 presents a thematic or chronological survey of major British and Commonwealth writers and their works from Classical to Modern times. The course is intended to enable students to develop skills in reading, understanding, discussing and appreciating the literature, particularly poetry and dramas, of times other than our own. Emphasis is placed upon the authors’ relationships to the times in which they lived, to provide an awareness of our cultural heritage and a perspective for contemporary literature. This course has an optional graduation program exam.

Credits. A "4" (well qualified) grade or better on the AP exam will allow students to gain advanced placement in a first year English course at most universities and colleges.

COMMUNICATIONS 12
This is a practical course focusing on the use of English in everyday life. It is designed for students who would not be successful in the regular English courses. This course has a compulsory graduation program exam.

WRITING 12- CREATIVE WRITING
This class offers grade 11 and 12 students the opportunity to develop creative writing skills in short fiction, poetry and experimental communication. Classes are presented in workshop format where inspiration, risk-taking and revision are promoted. Each student will produce a portfolio of work and contribute pieces to a polished anthology of writing.

(Students require at least a C+ in English in order to sign up for this class.)