English 11 Course Options at South

Grade 11 students at South have the opportunity to choose from a variety of course options. We want all students to have an English class that they find engaging and challenging! While courses have different areas of focus, all are similarly academically challenging and will focus on comprehending and connecting through reading, listening and viewing; and creating and communicating through writing, speaking, and representing. In all classes, students will read (fiction, non-fiction, drama, poetry) and write (essays and paragraphs, creative writing, and reflective writing).

Students can continue with the same English focus area they took in Grade 10, or can change to a new focus area without any prerequisite requirements. All courses are recognized by BC colleges and universities as appropriate preparation for post-secondary education.

If you’d like to learn more about these courses, BC Government curricular materials are available here.

English 11 students are strongly encouraged to enrol in an English elective (Literary Studies 12 or Creative Writing 12, listed here) to strengthen their literacy and communications skills in preparation for their post-secondary education or career.

 

English First Peoples 11

English 11 First Peoples (Literary Studies and Writing) is a course for students who want an English course that is purposeful, current, and focused on social justice issues. We’ll explore modern texts by Indigenous writers and balance our understanding of the past with hope for the future. This is a class for students who appreciate flexibility, choice, discussion, and collaboration. English First Peoples meets all post-secondary requirements for college and university, and will give you deeper insight into Canada past and present. All students, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, will appreciate this course. This course satisfies the Ministry’s Indigenous Graduation requirement.

English 11: Literary Studies

Students who take English 11 Literary Studies will read and respond to a wide variety of literary works, some teacher-selected and some student-selected. Through this course, students will explore how literature reflects and shapes culture, history, and individuals.

For Literary Studies 11, teachers may choose a particular theme or area of focus that will span the course or a section of the course.

English 11: Literary Studies Honours and Literary Studies 12

This course is a combined course (in one block; 8 credits from Literary 11 & Literary Studies 12: English Literature) and is the “pre-AP” course for those interested in taking Advanced Placement English in grade 12*. The course is open to students coming from both English 10 and English 10 Enriched.

Students will study a survey of English literature focusing on the thought and culture expressed in English literary text from Beowulf (circa 900) to the end of the mid-20th century. The course encompasses a range of voices throughout history that have contributed to the development of our English literary heritage.

The selection process is based a written assessment, as well as teacher recommendation focusing on the following criteria: English Honours Selection Criteria

English 11: Creative Writing

Creative Writing 11 is for students who want to develop their skills and confidence as writers, and learn how to express themselves creatively. In this course, students will explore a wide range of genres (fiction, poetry, memoir, and more). Through instruction and collaboration, students will become skilled in all stages of the writing process, and will read and study works of literature to better understand the work of expert writers.

English 11: Composition

Composition 11 students will become more skilled writers, through the process of research, drafting, editing, and seeking feedback. They will study a wide range of texts to understand structure and style, and will write in a wide variety of genres, including essays, reports, persuasive compositions, and creative works. Through this course, Composition 11 students will become more confident and capable writers.

English 11: New Media – Science Fiction and Fantasy

Burnaby South is offering a new and exciting way to explore literature through the works of noted authors like: Aesop, JRR Tolkien, HG Wells and Kurt Vonnegut, to name a few. Spanning from the time of Early First Nations and Ancient Greece to contemporary creations in the 21st century, Fairy Tales, Science and Fantasy Fiction provides a broad and deep look at our historical conceptions of the supernatural, while exploring the many ways that we have envisioned the future. As a New Media course, this class will also look at how the genres of science fiction and fantasy have been envisioned in film, image, and media.

English 11: Spoken Language

In Spoken Language 11, all students will discover the power of their voices, as they develop their skill as speakers. In this course, as well as writing and reading, students will study, create, write, and present spoken pieces for a variety of purposes and audiences. They will increase their confidence as speakers and better understand how to plan and express themselves in a wide variety of spoken genres, including discussion, formal presentation, storytelling, debate, and podcasting.