Literacy is about more than reading or writing – it is about how we communicate in society. It is about social practices and relationships, about knowledge, language and culture. Those who use literacy take it for granted – but those who cannot use it are excluded from much communication in today's world. Indeed, it is the excluded who can best appreciate the notion of "literacy as freedom".
UNESCO, Statement for the United Nations Literacy Decade, 2003–2012
The St. Michael CSS English & Moderns Department is dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of all learners through engaging students with high-quality, 21st century learning infused with the teachings of the Gospel.
The English and Moderns curriculum is committed to developing the knowledge and skills on which literacy is based—that is, knowledge and skills in the areas of listening and speaking, reading, writing, viewing and presenting.
Through the diverse selection of historical and contemporary texts, students are able to learn from the variety of voices and perspectives represented as windows, mirrors and doors to understand identity and related issues.
Above all, English and Moderns courses encourage love of reading, inspire personal growth and empathy, and provide the opportunity to discover who students are and the world around them.