Communications 12

Communicate Ideas and Information
(Knowledge of Language)

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:

• monitor spelling, grammar, mechanics, and syntax using appropriate techniques and resources as required, including electronic technology
• demonstrate awareness of how different word choices produce different effects
• use a variety of computer programs to create and edit their presentations
• demonstrate awareness of language conventions used in the workplace

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Communicate Ideas and Information (Knowledge of Language) in grade 11 click below.

Suggested Instructional Strategies

• Review common grammar, usage, punctuation, and spelling errors with students and explain to them the appropriate use of computer spelling and grammar checkers. Provide students with a hard copy of a short composition to edit for mechanical errors and have them explain any corrections they make. Then provide them with an electronic copy of a composition containing errors. Have students use a spell checker and grammar checker to correct errors and ask them to explain why particular words or phrases were highlighted by the programs. Finally, have students do a final edit of the electronically corrected composition to determine if any errors (e.g. homonyms, incorrect usage) were missed by the spell checker and grammar checker.
• Use direct instruction to familiarize students with the concept of connotation. Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a topic (e.g., body size, death, a sport, work). Ask students to brainstorm a list of words and expressions associated with the topic and categorize them as having neutral, negative, or positive connotations. Have each group find a short written piece or video about the topic, identify all the content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs), categorize them by connotation, and decide whether the piece communicates a positive or negative message about the topic. Then have each group present its findings to the class, justifying them with examples from the piece.
• Using reports they have written for this or another course, have students use the common features of word-processing software to create three different presentations of the report. For example, students might:
  • change the font style and size
  • use boldface, underline, italics, and other text-styling features for different effects
  • use different styles of headings
  • change the style and location of headers or footers
  • use different types of visuals, such as charts or clip art

  Then have students exchange their presentations and decide which is the most effective and why.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

• Work with students to develop a form on which they list the mechanical errors they most often make. Each time students get an assignment back, they make the necessary corrections and then:
  • update their lists
  • identify which errors they no longer make or make less frequently
  • identify which errors they need to focus on
  • go to an appropriate source and find the rules they need to learn
• When students create computer-generated presentations, check that they have made effective use of features of their word-processing or presentation software to improve their work, including:
  • font style and size
  • boldface, underline, italics, and other text-styling features
  • headings, boxes, columns, and other layout features
  • spelling and grammar checkers
  • headers, footers, and page numbers
  • colour
  • visuals

Recommended Learning Resources

Print Material

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

Software

• Perfect Copy Classic Version 2.0