The bibliography provided for the English Language Arts 20 curriculum and the four electives is intended to assist teachers and school divisions with their purchasing decisions.
In the English language arts curricula, the learning objectives provide the framework for all activities and, therefore, the student resources should be selected to support the objectives. English Language Arts 20 is a language-based curriculum. When choosing resources, attention must be given to the language processes that students are to experience and to the language resources (e.g., language handbooks, dictionaries, thesauri) that play an important role in an English language arts classroom.
Schools will need to review their present resources and plan carefully for the implementation of the new curricula. Some useful selections may be found in resources already in schools.
Provision should be made for a variety of classroom and resource centre materials. Attention should be given to traditional and contemporary Canadian, Indian and Métis, and Saskatchewan content and viewpoints.
Balance should be reflected in the language resources and literary selections chosen. Students should have access to a variety of handbooks and language models. They should hear, read, and view a range of literary texts from different periods—contemporary and traditional—in different genres. Minimum guidelines are provided for each level. For example, an ELA 20 course would require:
Suggestions for language and literature resources will be found in English Language Arts 20: A Bibliography (scheduled for release in the spring of 1998). The bibliography will also identify resources for the elective courses.
Appendix D provides a list of current professional resources that will be useful to teachers as they learn about the language processes and instructional practices advocated in the curriculum guides. Teachers who have some of these resources made available to them prior to receiving the curriculum will find that they are better prepared to implement. Teachers will find it helpful to access additional titles throughout implementation and subsequent teaching of the program.
Saskatchewan Education advocates Resource-based Learning, where teachers are encouraged to choose a variety of resources in a variety of media and genres. The resources listed in the bibliography have been evaluated by teachers and identified as suitable for students at the Secondary Level. However, when selecting resources, teachers are encouraged to consider the curriculum objectives, the needs and interests of their students, the nature of their communities, and their local resource selection policy. Teachers may find that some of the resources that they currently use continue to be useful, and that they can add to their materials on a gradual basis during the course of implementation and subsequent teaching of the program.
The following documents are available to support the implementation of the English language arts 20 curriculum.
It is essential to monitor and revitalize courses of study and related materials, and to provide continuous support to teachers in the change process. This continuous growth and development ensures that curricula and instruction are accommodating the diverse and changing needs of students and society.
Schools and school divisions are responsible for the development of plans to support staff needs for refining their instruction and assessment strategies, updating resources, and continuing communication with parents/caregivers and others in the community. Attending to these maintenance aspects on a regular basis will keep practices and resources current.
Saskatchewan Education supports maintenance of the English language arts curriculum through data collection and analysis, and through updates of existing courses of study and instructional materials lists. Through regular assessment procedures, Saskatchewan Education will evaluate the Secondary Level English language arts curriculum and revise, realign, and update it as required.
The curriculum will continue to be available in print and electronic formats (e.g., the Internet). Maintenance information and support will also be provided in newsletters of the Curriculum and Instruction Branch and on the Saskatchewan Education World Wide Web site (http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca).