This bibliography is a multi-resource listing of materials that have been evaluated by Saskatchewan educators and are considered appropriate for support of the English Language Arts 20 courses. The purpose of this listing is to provide teachers with suggested starting points toward building a wide range of suitable instructional materials.
The lists of materials in this bibliography are offered only as suggestions; teachers are encouraged to investigate other applicable resources and to select additional suitable materials.
Saskatchewan Education has provided one copy of this bibliography to every school with students at the Secondary Level. Additional copies are available from the Learning Resources Distribution Centre (LRDC), formerly known as the Book Bureau. This publication may be photocopied.
Resource-based Learning
The items listed are intended to promote the philosophy of resource-based learning, in which the students gain knowledge and understandings through a variety of resources and instructional approaches. In addition to various print materials, the bibliography lists art prints, compact discs, audiocassettes, videos, CD-ROMs, and kits. This multi-resource approach provides students with opportunities to interact with a wide range of current materials to suit varied learning styles. To implement these courses effectively, teachers will need copies of poems, short prose pieces, short stories, novels, full-length non-fiction works, plays, and media resources. A well-balanced collection of classroom resources includes both print and non-print materials comprising several genres.
The bibliography includes several picture books or books with a significant visual focus. Picture books often present issues or ideas in brief, dramatic text and use visuals that promote discussion and that support the viewing component of the language arts curriculum.
Teachers are reminded that resource-based courses of study can be enhanced through the use of additional materials such as the following:
It is important that human resources be accessed as well. Every community has capable people who can enrich educational experiences. Local and provincial personnel include storytellers, public librarians, historians, Elders, writers, and writers in residence. To assist schools in accessing human resources, lists of organizations have been included in the bibliography.
As outlined in Saskatchewan Education's Aboriginal and Métis Education Policy From Kindergarten to Grade XII, 1995 and Multicultural and Heritage Language Education Policies,1994, teachers and teacher-librarians are reminded to include works by and about people from various cultures in their units of study.
Students should have an opportunity to become familiar with their own literary heritage. Throughout this bibliography, works of Canadian and Saskatchewan origin are highlighted.
Teachers can provide for individual differences by considering variances such as the following:
Suggestions for Resource Selection
When selecting resources, the following suggestions may be helpful.
Background Review: Selection Policy and Criteria for Selection
The bibliography provides suggestions for resources; however, it remains the responsibility of classroom teachers, in consultation with teacher-librarians, to preview and select materials. Selection should be based on the objectives of the curriculum, students' interests and language abilities, students' prior knowledge and experience, and the interests or needs of the community.
As well, material should be considered in terms of the following characteristics:
Materials should be chosen in accordance with the school division's materials selection policy. Several publications available from the LRDC provide further assistance in the selection process. These include:
Communication Studies 20: A Curriculum Guide for the Secondary Level, 1998 - provides goals, contexts, and strategies for using resources in varied communication situations and formats.
Creative Writing 20: A Curriculum Guide for the Secondary Level, 1998 - provides goals, contexts, and strategies for using resources in several types of writing experiences.
Diverse Voices: Selecting Equitable Resources for Aboriginal and Métis Education, 1992 - suggests strategies for recognizing and dealing with bias in resources.
English Language Arts 20: A Curriculum Guide for the Secondary Level, 1998 - provides goals, contexts, and strategies for using resources in a core language arts program.
Aboriginal and Métis Education Policy From Kindergarten to Grade XII, 1995 - provides rationale and guidelines for integrating Aboriginal and Métis materials into curricula.
Journalism Studies 20: A Curriculum Guide for the Secondary Level, 1998 - provides goals, contexts, and strategies for using resources in exploring several areas of journalism.
Learning Resource Centres in Saskatchewan: A Guide for Development, 1988 - provides guidance for developing a selection policy and suggests criteria for selection.
Media Studies 20: A Curriculum Guide for the Secondary Level, 1998 - provides goals, contexts, and strategies for using resources in exploration of a range of media.
Multicultural and Heritage Language Education Policies, 1994 - provides rationale for integrating multicultural materials into curricula.
Policy for English Language Arts Kindergarten to Grade Twelve, 1989 - provides the basic philosophy of the curriculum.
Selecting Fair and Equitable Materials, 1991 - suggests strategies useful for recognition of bias and stereotypes.
Analyzing Present Resources
The bibliography should be cross-referenced with the school resource centre catalogue in order to identify suitable resources already present in the school library collection. To support this process, the bibliography includes lists of older resources and out of print resources that many schools may have purchased in previous years.
The Media Index, Index of Suggested Uses, Author Index, and Thematic Index of Titles and Selections are useful checklists for identifying resources already present in the school library collection. Teachers may use these indexes to ensure a balance of print and non-print resources within each language process. Materials in the present collection should be assessed based on the needs of the curriculum, the community, the students, and teachers.
Points for Consideration in Acquiring New Resources
Resource needs not met by the present collection could be identified by teachers and teacher-librarians working together. Some materials may be useful for several grade levels and courses. Teachers are encouraged to coordinate material selection at the school or school division level.
Previewing Resources
Teachers and teacher-librarians are urged to preview materials carefully before suggesting them for classroom use, and are advised to refer to their school division's selection policy for guidance in making choices about materials.
Library wholesalers and distributors are sometimes willing to provide a display of recommended materials at the school division level, giving educators the opportunity to preview materials prior to purchase.
If schools have not been able to preview the materials prior to purchase, it is advisable to order only one copy to review before placing orders for multiple copies. Return policies vary from company to company, but if inappropriate materials have to be returned, they must be in saleable condition. The LRDC will allow most materials to be returned. A copy of the packing slip or invoice must be included with the returned materials.
Purchasing Resources
Schools interested in purchasing resources listed in the bibliography should contact the distributors cited in the Distributor Directory or special order them from the LRDC (except videos). In many cases, the resources are listed in the LRDC order form. Prices quoted are subject to change and do not include taxes, but will serve as a guide to approximate costs. LRDC prices include shipping and handling fees.
Videos
Several of the videos listed are available from Media Group (MGR). These videos are high quality programs that can be acquired at a nominal cost. Please consult the current Media Group catalogue. Schools are responsible for postage, a duplication charge of $1.00 per title, blank tapes, and applicable taxes. Blank tapes may be supplied by the school or purchased from Media Group. Please refer to the Distributor Directory for the addresses, fax, and telephone numbers.
Please note that if classic movies or other videos are to be shown in the classroom legally, schools must obtain public performance rights. These public performance rights are cleared for programs available from Media Group as well as for videos that are listed for sale in Saskatchewan Education bibliographies. If educators are unsure whether public performance rights are available for a video that they plan to use in the classroom, the distributor should be contacted.
Sometimes schools or school divisions choose to purchase a licence from a video collective. The benefit of having a licence is that teachers can show to their students any videos produced by the companies represented without violating copyright laws. If a general licence is purchased, teachers are responsible for renting or borrowing the videos. The distributor does not supply them.
Another option is for schools or school divisions to buy a single-title licence. This means that one copy of the video is supplied by the distributor and that teachers are allowed to show it to their students until the licence expires. Examples of video collectives are:
Audio Ciné Films
8462 Sherbrooke E
MONTREAL PQ H1L 1B2
Ph: 800) 289-8887
Fax: (514) 493-9068
Visual Education Centre
41 Horner Ave, Unit 3
TORONTO ON M8Z 4X4
Ph: (800) 668-0749
Fax: (416) 251-3720.
Internet Sites
Saskatchewan Education is providing a forum through its homepage on the World Wide Web (WWW) for teachers to share educationally appropriate Internet sites at:
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/review/addsuggest.html
If teachers wish to evaluate web sites that have been suggested by other teachers, they may do so at:
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/review/suggestsearch.html
A database of recommended sites that support Saskatchewan curricula can be accessed at:
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/urlsearch.html
Saskatchewan Education also provides links to other provincial and territorial education web-sites at:
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/curr_inst/ltech/links.html
Also available for English Language Arts educators is the Saskatchewan Education English Language Arts Homepage:
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/elarts.html
The discussion area for English Language Arts is located at:
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/discussion.html
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