English First Peoples | Computer Study

English First Peoples 12

Course Overview

English First Peoples 12 builds upon students’ previous learning in ELA courses, such as Literary Studies 11 or Incentive Literary Studies 11. It places a strong focus on the oral and written literature of First Peoples and connects to themes of self-representation, justice, and reconciliation, grounded in the First Peoples Principles of Learning. The course is designed for all students, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to think critically and creatively while continuing to grow as writers and readers. In a supportive learning environment, students work both independently and collaboratively to explore different forms of text, including oral story, poetry, song, performance, film, and prose which reflect the lived realities of First Peoples, and create powerful, purposeful compositions. As they work through the course, they will be asked to demonstrate their understanding through assignments, projects, tests, and quizzes.

Through the study of authentic Indigenous texts, students will improve their ability to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts. They will deepen their understanding of themselves and gain insights into key aspects of Canada’s past, present, and future as related to First Peoples. This learning also helps students expand their understanding of what it means to be educated Canadian and global citizens.

This course meets the graduation requirement to have 4 credits in both an Indigenous Focused course, and the English Language Arts 12 requirement for all students graduating in B.C after September 2023.

English First Peoples classroom

First Peoples Principles of Learning

Big Ideas

The exploration of text and story deepens our understanding of diverse, complex ideas about identity, others, and the world.

Oral and other texts are socially, culturally, geographically, and historically constructed.

Voice is powerful and evocative.

First Peoples texts and stories provide insight into key aspects of Canada’s past, present, and future.

Self-representation through authentic First Peoples text is a means to foster justice.

First Peoples voices and texts play a role within the process of Reconciliation.

Content

Students are expected to learn the following. They engage with a wide variety of First Peoples texts from BC, Canada, and the world, as well as forms and genres and common themes in First Peoples literature. They learn about the reconciliation in Canada. They learn oral traditions, their purposes, and their deep relationship to place and land. They learn the form, function, and genre of texts, elements of visual/graphic texts, and narrative structures, including those found in First Peoples texts. They work on skills and strategies in reading, oral language, writing, and presenting. They study language features, structures, and conventions including features of oral language, elements of style, language change, syntax and sentence fluency, rhetorical devices, usage and conventions, literary elements and devices, literal and inferential meaning, persuasive techniques, and citations and acknowledgements.

Curricular Competency

Comprehend and Connect

Students will develop skills in reading, writing, and viewing texts with while exploring themes and issues important to First Peoples. They learn to analyze how First Peoples languages and texts reflect cultures, knowledge, and worldviews and access information for diverse purposes and from a variety of sources as they practice critical thinking. They recognize personal, social, and cultural contexts in texts, appreciate how language constructs and reflects identities, build meaningful connections between self, text, and world, and demonstrate understanding of the role of story and oral traditions in expressing First Peoples values and perspective. They analyze the diversity and influence of land or place in First Peoples societies represented in texts and examine the significance of terms or words from First Peoples languages used in English texts, and discern nuances in the meanings of words in wide contexts.

Create and Communicate

The course helps students become better at sharing their thoughts and ides through speaking and writing. Students give their opinions and support them with evidence. They respectfully exchange ideas and viewpoints from diverse perspectives and build shared understandings and extend thinking. They practice speaking clearly and listening carefully in different situations. Students try different types of writing and styles. They work through steps to determine audience and purpose, generating or gathering ideas, free-writing, making notes, drafting, revising, and editing so their writing are clear and engaging. They use the conventions of First Peoples and other Canadian spelling, syntax, and diction proficiently and appropriately to the context. Furthermore, they learn how to transform ideas and information to create original texts, using various genres, forms, structures, and styles.

Students' projects

Novels students read and analyse in the course

Teacher Interview (Ms Luccock)

What is the key curriculum of this course?

We learn about the history, but we mainly focus on the stories, literature, art, and music of the First Peoples. It's important for us to get to know their stories, beliefs, and culture, so that we can bring about truth and reconciliation.

We started off talking about identity, because it’s a very important part of the Indigenous culture. We read a story about an Indigenous man who had lost his identity or didn't really know his identity, and he found it again, and he became very proud of his Indigenous heritage. We’ve just been watching a movie called Beans, which is about a young Mohawk girl who is trying to find her identity. She experienced the Oka Crisis, a fight between the Mohawk people and the Quebec people in Oka. Next, we are going to study the novel Moon of the Crusted Snow and explore some Indigenous poetry.

What assignments and projects will students do?

They read short stories, watch movies, write essays, study novels, do poetry, and maybe some art. They created their own identity collages about their own identity. They also did research projects, and they researched the history of Indigenous people, the Indian Act, truth and reconciliation, all the different topics, and then did presentations.

What are some examples of literature students are analysing?

They analyse lots of books and novels.

How is the First Peoples aspect integrated in the English class?

It’s a separate course called English 12 First Peoples, but the other courses do use some Indigenous material as well.

Does this course stand out for some students?

I think so. I believe they are enjoying the course. I think they are learning a lot about the terrible things that happened at residential schools, and they are really appreciating what the Indigenous people have suffered.

Does this course contain more oral and media learning compared to traditional English Literature classes?

Yes, I would say more oral and media.

What is the most interesting topic that is covered in this course?

I think they are all very interesting. Learning about the history, culture, artists, their art, music, and stories is truly fascinating.

What is your usual teaching style while teaching this course?

This is my first time teaching this course, but I’ve been teaching regular Grade 12 for a long time, as well as Grade 10 Incentive and Grade 11. I probably do a lot of teaching, but after that, students usually break into groups to do research and analysis. We do a lot of writing, like essay writing and story writing, and there are also tests and quizzes. Overall, my teaching style is maybe a bit more traditional.

Now that there is a new requirement for credits in Indigenous focused and English 12 courses, is there an influx of students taking this course?

Students cannot graduate unless they take this course. It’s mandatory, but they can either take it in English or they can take it in Social Studies, and they don’t have to take both. I think some students are enrolled simply because they have to. However, when I asked a few of them why they chose it, some said they wanted to learn more about Indigenous culture, which is nice.