Course Outline:Learning Strategies

School:SirRobertBordenHigh School

Department:Special Education

Date:Semester 1 (September 2009-January 2010)

Course Code:GLE10L

Credit Value:1.0

Teacher:Susan Griffin

Wiki: (please check daily)

Description/Rationale:

This course focuses on learning strategies to help students become better, more independent learners. Students will learn how to develop and apply literacy and numeracy skills, personal management skills, and interpersonal and teamwork skills to improve their learning and achievement in school, the workplace, and the community. The course helps students build confidence and motivation to pursue opportunities for success in secondary school and beyond.

Overall Course Expectations:

Major Area of Knowledge and Skill / Expectations
Learning Skills / Students will :
-identify a variety of literacy skills and strategies to improve reading, writing and oral communication in everyday contexts
- identifya variety of numeracy skills and strategies to improve their practical application of mathematics in everyday contexts.
- demonstrate an understanding of learning skills and strategies required for success in school.
Personal Management / Students will:
-apply knowledge of their personal skills and learning strengths to develop strategies for success in secondary school.
-identify and describe the use of personal-management skills required for success and explain their use to help maximize learning.
Interpersonal Knowledge and Skills / Students will:
-identify the skills necessary for successful interpersonal relations and teamwork.
-assess their own interpersonal and teamwork skills and strategies, and explain how those skills requiring further development affect their learning.
-demonstrate the ability to apply appropriate interpersonal and teamwork skills in a variety of learning environments.

Course Evaluation:

Indicators of the effectiveness of Learning Strategies include students’ growth and development in the strands/areas of learning of the course as well as the development of a positive approach and positive attitude towards learning. This information will be assessedin an ongoing fashion and evaluated through class activities, goal setting, checklists, self-assessments,tests, anecdotal information and assignments targeting the major areas of knowledge and skills. Please refer to department policy for guidelines regarding missed or late assignments.

Mark Breakdown:

Course Work (70%)

  • Knowledge & Understanding (20%)
  • Thinking & Inquiry (15%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Application (20%)

Summative Assessment(30%)______

  • Learning Portfolio (20%)
  • In Class Exam (10%)

Course Expectations:

Agendas:

Students will be given an agenda which must be present during every class. Learning to organize time is essential for success. As such, students will be required to record their homework in their agenda each day and use it to plan long term assignments for all their courses. Agendas will be checked daily to ensure use in all classes.

Binder and supplies:

Students will be required to keep a separate binder or section of a shared binder for their Learning Strategies notes. This binder must be present at each class and it must contain the following: all handouts given in class, all notes taken, all homework, assignments, and all tests and written assignments. Binders should be neatly organized in chronological order and dividers should be used for each section. The divider sections should be labeled the same as the strand titles (learning skills, personal management, and interpersonal knowledge and skills). This means that students should have 3 dividers for Learning Strategies. Binders will be checked on a regular basis.

In addition to agendas and a binder with appropriately labeled dividers and paper, students will be required to have a pen, pencil, eraser, ruler, 2 colours of highlighters, a silent reading novel and a calculator in class each day. Students are also expected to bring any other supplies specifically required to facilitate their personal learning.

Silent Reading:

Students can do a great deal to improve their reading skills if they use this time wisely. Following silent reading, students may be required to fill in a short reading log or discuss what they have read with the rest of the class. Students are to have a silent reading book with them each day to be used when directed.

Homework:

Homework is an integral part of high school. In the Learning Strategies course, students will learn ways to record their assignments, improve time management skills, and stay up-to-date with their other subjects. There will generally not be any Learning Strategies homework, unless class time was not used well or a student was absent.

Best wishes for a successful semester!

Ms. Griffin

Student signature:______Parent/guardian signature:______