Communications 12

Communicate Ideas and Information
(Composing and Creating)

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

It is expected that students will:

• access and document information from a variety of resources to accomplish a particular purpose
• formulate and refine research questions
• demonstrate alternative approaches to presentations for specific audiences and purposes
• demonstrate the ability to use language, visuals, and sounds to influence thought, emotions, and behaviour
• use a variety of techniques, including outlines, webs, flow charts, and diagrams to organize and communicate ideas

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Communicate Ideas and Information (Composing and Creating) in grade 11 click below.

Suggested Instructional Strategies

• Divide the class into two groups: affirmative and negative. Prepare a debate on a question such as "Should cloning of animals or people be legal?" or "Should young offenders who commit serious crimes be automatically raised to adult court?"Have each group develop a list of focussed research questions to identify the social benefits, costs, and implications of its position. Have students collect data from a variety of print and electronic resources, ensuring that all students have responsibilities. Ask each group to create a position statement, using researched information for support. Then hold the debate.
• Ask students to write paragraphs describing their school for three audiences: a film producer who is looking for a set for a movie; a secondary student from another country; and the chair of the school board, who is trying to understand your principal’s request for $500,000 in improvements to your school. Have students compare their different descriptions and explain why each is appropriate for its audience.
• Have groups of students create questionnaires about students’ interests (e.g., favourite activities, movies, music), attitudes (e.g., opinions on social or environmental issues), or consumer preferences (e.g., favourite brand of jeans or soft drink). Have each group survey other students in the school and compile the results. Ask the groups to create graphs of their findings and present them to the class.
• Have individual students select and tape-record a reading of a poem and present it to the class, adding music or sound effects to enhance it. Then have students make posters of the words in their poems, complete with visuals. Arrange a Gallery Walk in which students view the posters and answer the following question: How do the sound effects and visuals alter your perception of the poem?

Suggested Assessment Strategies

• When students hold a debate on a controversial issue, look for evidence of:
  • a clear thesis
  • information to support their position, drawn from a variety of sources
  • focussed examples and arguments
  • accurate and relevant information
  • correct use of language After the debate has been held, ask students to complete self-assessments of their roles in the debate on the basis of the following criteria:
  • collaborated effectively
  • assumed responsibility for a fair share of the tasks
  • respected the opinions of others
  • offered support to the group
  • contributed to group decision making and problem solving
• When students write different versions of a paragraph for different audiences, check for evidence that they:
  • clearly state the purpose of each presentation
  • adjust language and presentation to suit the audience
  • can explain differences in the presentation for each audience
• When students graph the results of their student surveys, check that they have correctly organized and presented their information. Criteria for assessment might include:
  • chooses an appropriate type of graph
  • includes titles and labels
  • includes a clear description of the survey
  • includes a correct, appropriate legend
  • graphs are neat and visually appealing

Recommended Learning Resources

Print Material

• Canadian Writer’s Companion
• The Communications Handbook
• English Skills With Readings, First Canadian Edition