Ministry of Education

2 0 0 6

R E V I S E D

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ISBN 1-4249-1463-9 (Print)ISBN 1-4249-1464-7 (TXT)ISBN 1-4249-1465-5 (PDF)

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The Ontario CurriculumGrades 1-8

Language

INTRODUCTION 3The Importance of Literacy, Language, and the Language Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Principles Underlying the Language Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Roles and Responsibilities in Language Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

THE PROGRAM IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION 8Curriculum Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Strands in the Language Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT 15

Basic Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

The Achievement Chart for Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING 22

Instructional Approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Cross-Curricular and Integrated Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Planning Language Programs for Students With Special Education Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Planning Language Programs for English Language Learners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Antidiscrimination Education in the Language Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Numeracy and Inquiry/Research Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

The Role of the School Library in Language Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

The Role of Technology in Language Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Guidance and Language Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Health and Safety in Language Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

CONTENTS

This publication is available on the Ministry of Education’swebsite, at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca.

OVERVIEW OF GRADES 1 TO 3 32Grade 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Grade 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Grade 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

OVERVIEW OF GRADES 4 TO 6 77Grade 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Grade 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Grade 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

OVERVIEW OF GRADES 7 AND 8 121Grade 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Grade 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

GLOSSARY 151

This document replaces The Ontario Curriculum, Grade 1– 8: Language, 1997. Beginning in September 2006, all language programs for Grades 1 to 8 will be based on the expecta-tions outlined in this document.

THE IMPORTANCE OF LITERACY, LANGUAGE,AND THE LANGUAGE CURRICULUM

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 excludedfrom much communication in today’s world. Indeed, it is the excluded who can bestappreciate the notion of “literacy as freedom”.

UNESCO, Statement for the United Nations Literacy Decade, 2003–2012

Literacy development lies at the heart of the Grade 1– 8 language curriculum. Literacylearning is a communal project and the teaching of literacy skills is embedded across thecurriculum; however, it is the language curriculum that is dedicated to instruction in theareas of knowledge and skills – listening and speaking, reading, writing, and viewing and representing – on which literacy is based.

Language development is central to students’ intellectual, social, and emotional growth,and must be seen as a key element of the curriculum. When students learn to use lan-guage in the elementary grades, they do more than master the basic skills. They learn tovalue the power of language and to use it responsibly. They learn to express feelings andopinions and, as they mature, to support their opinions with sound arguments and research.They become aware of the many purposes for which language is used and the diverseforms it can take to appropriately serve particular purposes and audiences. They learn touse the formal language appropriate for debates and essays, the narrative language ofstories, the figurative language of poetry, the technical language of instructions and man-uals. They develop an awareness of how language is used in different formal and infor-mal situations. In sum, they come to appreciate language both as an important mediumfor communicating ideas and information and as a source of enjoyment.

Language is the basis for thinking, communicating, and learning. Students need languageskills in order to comprehend ideas and information, to interact socially, to inquire into areas

INTRODUCTION

of interest and study, and to express themselves clearly and demonstrate their learning.Learning to communicate with clarity and precision, orally, in writing, and through avariety of media, will help students to thrive in the world beyond school.

Language is a fundamental element of identity and culture. As students read and reflecton a rich variety of literary, informational, and media texts,1 they develop a deeper under-standing of themselves and others and of the world around them. If they see themselvesand others in the texts they read and the oral and media works they engage in, they areable to feel that the works are genuinely for and about them and they come to appreciatethe nature and value of a diverse, multicultural society. They also develop the ability tounderstand and critically interpret a range of texts and to recognize that a text conveysone particular perspective among many.

Language skills are developed across the curriculum and, cumulatively, through the grades.Students use and develop important language skills as they read and think about topics,themes, and issues in various subject areas. Language facility helps students to learn in allsubject areas, and using language for a broad range of purposes increases both their abilityto communicate with precision and their understanding of how language works. Studentsdevelop flexibility and proficiency in their understanding and use of language over time.As they move through the grades, they are required to use language with ever greateraccuracy and fluency in an ever-expanding range of situations. They are also expected toassume responsibility for their own learning and to apply their language skills in morechallenging and complex ways.

PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THE LANGUAGE CURRICULUMThe language curriculum is based on the belief that literacy is critical to responsible andproductive citizenship, and that all students can become literate. The curriculum isdesigned to provide students with the knowledge and skills that they need to achieve thisgoal. It aims to help students become successful language learners, who share the follow-ing characteristics.

Successful language learners:

understand that language learning is a necessary, life-enhancing, reflective process;

communicate – that is, read, listen, view, speak, write, and represent – effectivelyand with confidence;

make meaningful connections between themselves, what they encounter in texts,and the world around them;

think critically;

understand that all texts advance a particular point of view that must be recog-nized, questioned, assessed, and evaluated;

appreciate the cultural impact and aesthetic power of texts;

use language to interact and connect with individuals and communities, for personal growth, and for active participation as world citizens.

This curriculum organizes the knowledge and skills that students need to become literatein four strands, or broad areas of learning – Oral Communication, Reading, Writing, and

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1. The word text is used in this document in its broadest sense, as a means of communication that uses words, graphics,sounds, and/or images, in print, oral, visual, or electronic form, to present information and ideas to an audience.

Media Literacy. These areas of learning are closely interrelated, and the knowledge andskills described in the four strands are interdependent and complementary. Teachers areexpected to plan activities that blend expectations from the four strands in order to pro-vide students with the kinds of experiences that promote meaningful learning and thathelp students recognize how literacy skills in the four areas reinforce and strengthen oneanother.

The study of language and the acquisition of literacy skills are not restricted to the lan-guage program, and this curriculum promotes the integration of the study of languagewith the study of other subjects. Examples are used throughout this document that illus-trate ways in which teachers can achieve this goal in the classroom.

The language curriculum is also based on the understanding that students learn bestwhen they can identify themselves and their own experience in the material they readand study at school. Students in Ontario come from a wide variety of backgrounds, eachwith his or her own set of perspectives, strengths, and needs. Instructional strategies andresources that recognize and reflect the diversity in the classroom and that suit individualstrengths and needs are therefore critical to student success.

Reading activities should expose students to materials that reflect the diversity ofCanadian and world cultures, including those of Aboriginal peoples. Students need tobecome familiar with the works of recognized writers from their own and earlier eras. Byreading a wide range of materials and being challenged by what they read, studentsbecome receptive to new and widely varying ideas and perspectives and develop theirability to think independently and critically. It is also important to give students opportu-nities to choose what they read and what they write about, in order to encourage thedevelopment of their own interests and pursuits.

In recent years, research has shown that effective readers and writers unconsciously use arange of skills and strategies as they read and write, and that these strategies and skillscan be identified and taught to enable all students to become effective communicators.The language curriculum focuses on comprehension strategies for listening, viewing, andreading; on the most effective reading and writing processes; on skills and techniques foreffective oral and written communication and for the creation of effective media texts;and on the language conventions needed for clear and coherent communication. In addi-tion, it emphasizes the use of higher-level thinking skills, including critical literacy skills,to enable students not only to understand, appreciate, and evaluate what they read andview at a deeper level, but also to help them become reflective, critical, and independentlearners and, eventually, responsible citizens.

In implementing this curriculum, teachers can help students – particularly students inGrades 7 and 8 – to see that language skills are lifelong learning skills that will enablethem to better understand themselves and others, unlock their potential as human beings,find fulfilling careers, and become responsible world citizens.

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ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION Students Students’ responsibilities with respect to their own learning develop gradually andincrease over time, as students progress through elementary and secondary school. Withappropriate instruction and with experience, students come to see how making an effortcan enhance learning and improve achievement. As they mature and develop their abilityto persist, to manage their own impulses, to take responsible risks, and to listen withunderstanding, students become better able to engage with their own learning. Learningto take responsibility for their progress and achievement is an important part of everystudent’s education.

Mastering the concepts and skills connected with the language curriculum requires work,study, and the development of cooperative skills. In addition, students who actively pur-sue opportunities outside the classroom will extend and enrich their understanding of thecommunication process. Their understanding and skills will grow as they explore theirworld and engage in activities, for their own purposes, that involve reading, writing,speaking, listening, viewing, and representing. Students develop their literacy skills whenthey seek out recreational reading materials and multimedia works that relate to theirpersonal interests and to other subject areas, and when they engage in conversation withparents, peers, and teachers about what they are reading, writing, viewing, representing,and thinking in their daily lives.

ParentsStudies show that students perform better in school when their parents2 are involved intheir education. Parents who are familiar with the curriculum expectations know what isbeing taught in each grade and what their child is expected to learn. This informationallows parents to understand how their child is progressing in school and to work withteachers to improve their child’s learning.

Effective ways in which parents can support students’ learning include: attending parent-teacher interviews, participating in parent workshops and school council activities (includ-ing becoming a school council member), and encouraging students to complete theirassignments at home.

In addition to supporting regular school activities, parents may wish to encourage theirsons and daughters to take an active interest in using language for meaningful purposes asa regular part of their activities outside school. They might encourage their children toread every day; talk and play together at home; take out a library membership; join abook club, a computer club, a camera club, or a community group; participate in anonline pen pal program; or subscribe to an age-appropriate magazine.

TeachersTeaching is key to student success. Teachers are responsible for developing appropriateinstructional strategies to help students achieve the curriculum expectations, and appro-priate methods for assessing and evaluating student learning. They bring enthusiasm andvaried teaching and assessment approaches to the classroom, addressing individual stu-dents’ needs and ensuring sound learning opportunities for every student.

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62. In this document, parent(s) is used to refer to parent(s) and guardian(s).

Using a variety of instructional, assessment, and evaluation strategies, teachers providenumerous opportunities for students to develop the skills and knowledge in reading,writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and representing that will enable them to makemeaningful connections between what they already know and what they need to know.They provide students with frequent opportunities to practise and apply new learningand, through regular and varied assessment, give them the specific feedback they need inorder to further develop and refine their skills. By assigning tasks that promote the devel-opment of higher-order thinking skills, teachers enable students to become thoughtful andeffective communicators. In addition, teachers encourage students to think out loud abouttheir own language processes, and support them in developing the language and techniquesthey need to assess their own learning. Opportunities to relate knowledge and skills inlanguage learning to wider contexts, both across the curriculum and in the world beyondthe school, motivate students to learn and to become lifelong learners.

Principals The principal works in partnership with teachers and parents to ensure that each studenthas access to the best possible educational experience. The principal is also a communitybuilder who creates an environment that is welcoming to all, and who ensures that allmembers of the school community are kept well informed.

To support student learning, principals ensure that the Ontario curriculum is being prop-erly implemented in all classrooms through the use of a variety of instructional approaches,and that appropriate resources are made available for teachers and students. To enhanceteaching and student learning in all subjects, including language, principals promotelearning teams and work with teachers to facilitate teacher participation in professionaldevelopment activities. Principals are also responsible for ensuring that every studentwho has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is receiving the modifications and/or accom-modations described in his or her plan – in other words, for ensuring that the IEP is prop-erly developed, implemented, and monitored.

Community PartnersCommunity partners can be an important resource in students’ language development.They can provide support for students with literacy needs, both in the classroom and as liv-ing models of how the curriculum relates to life beyond school. Such modelling and men-toring can enrich not only the educational experience of students but also the life of thecommunity.

Schools and school boards can play a role by coordinating efforts with community partners.They can involve community volunteers in supporting language instruction and in pro-moting a focus on literacy in and outside the school. Community partners can be includedin literacy events held in the school, and school boards can collaborate with leaders ofexisting community-based literacy programs for youth, including programs offered inpublic libraries and community centres.

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CURRICULUM EXPECTATIONSThe Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Language, 2006 identifies the expectations for eachgrade and describes the knowledge and skills that students are expected to acquire,demonstrate, and apply in their class work and investigations, on tests, and in variousother activities on which their achievement is assessed and evaluated.

Two sets of expectations are listed for each grade in each strand, or broad area of the cur-riculum, in language for Grades 1– 8 – overall expectations and specific expectations. Theoverall expectations describe in general terms the knowledge and skills that students areexpected to demonstrate by the end of each grade. The specific expectations describe theexpected knowledge and skills in greater detail. The specific expectations are groupedunder numbered headings, each of which indicates the overall expectation to which thegroup of specific expectations corresponds. Taken together, the overall and specific expec-tations represent the mandated curriculum.

In the language curriculum, the overall expectations outline standard sets of knowledgeand skills required for effective listening and speaking, reading and writing, and viewingand representing. They encompass the types of understanding, skills, approaches, andprocesses that are applied by effective communicators of all ages and levels of develop-ment, and are therefore described in constant terms from grade to grade. The languagecurriculum focuses on developing the depth and level of sophistication of students’knowledge and skills associated with each of these key overall expectations by increasingthe complexity of the texts they work with and the tasks they perform over time.

The specific expectations reflect this progression in knowledge and skills from grade tograde through (1) the wording of the expectation itself, (2) the examples that are given inparentheses in the expectation, and/or (3) the teacher prompts that may follow the expec-tation. The examples and teacher prompts help to clarify the requirements specified in theexpectations and suggest the intended depth and level of complexity of the expectations.They have been developed to model appropriate practice for the grade and are meant toserve as illustrations for teachers. Teachers can choose to use the examples and teacherprompts that are appropriate for their classrooms or they may develop their ownapproaches that reflect a similar level of complexity. Whatever the specific ways in which

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the requirements outlined in the expectations are implemented in the classroom, theymust, wherever possible, be inclusive and reflect the diversity of the student populationand the population of the province.

STRANDS IN THE LANGUAGE CURRICULUMThe expectations in the language curriculum are organized into four strands: OralCommunication, Reading, Writing, and Media Literacy. The program in all grades isdesigned to develop a range of essential skills in these four interrelated areas, built on asolid foundation of knowledge of the conventions of standard English and incorporatingthe use of analytical, critical, and metacognitive thinking skills. Students learn best whenthey are encouraged to consciously monitor their thinking as they learn, and each strandincludes expectations that call for such reflection.

The knowledge and skills described in the expectations in the four strands of the languagecurriculum will enable students to understand, respond to, create, and appreciate a fullrange of literary, informational, and media texts.

Oral CommunicationOral communication skills are fundamental to the development of literacy and essentialfor thinking and learning. Through talk, students not only communicate information butalso explore and come to understand ideas and concepts; identify and solve problems;organize their experience and knowledge; and express and clarify their thoughts, feelings,and opinions. Listening and speaking skills are essential for social interaction at home, atschool, and in the community.

To develop their oral communication skills, students need numerous opportunities to listen and to talk about a range of subjects, including personal interests, school work, andcurrent affairs. The language program should provide opportunities for students to engagein various oral activities in connection with expectations in all the strands, such as brain-storming to identify what they know about the topic of a new text they are about to read,discussing strategies for solving a problem in a writing assignment, presenting anddefending ideas or debating issues, and offering critiques of work produced by their peers.

In order for all students to benefit from the opportunities provided for listening andspeaking, differences in the norms and conventions associated with oral communicationin different cultures must be taken into account.

Although children normally start to develop oral language skills before they learn to readand write, the development of reading and writing skills can enhance their ability to useand understand oral language clearly, accurately, and critically.

The Oral Communication strand has three overall expectations, as follows:

Students will:

1. listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for avariety of purposes;

2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audi-ences for a variety of purposes;

3. reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement,and the strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.

This strand focuses on the identification and development of the skills and strategieseffective listeners and speakers use to understand and interact with others. It also empha-sizes the use of higher-order thinking skills to stimulate students’ interest and engagethem in their own learning.

ReadingThe Ontario curriculum focuses on developing the knowledge and skills that will enablestudents to become effective readers. An effective reader is one who not only grasps theideas communicated in a text but is able to apply them in new contexts. To do this, thereader must be able to think clearly, creatively, and critically about the ideas and informa-tion encountered in texts in order to understand, analyse, and absorb them and to recog-nize their relevance in other contexts. Students can develop the skills necessary to becomeeffective readers by applying a range of comprehension strategies as they read and byreading a wide variety of texts. It is also important that they read a range of materials thatillustrate the many uses of writing. By reading widely, students will develop a richervocabulary and become more attuned to the conventions of written language. Readingvarious kinds of texts in all areas of the curriculum will also help students to discoverwhat interests them most and to pursue and develop their interests and abilities.

As students develop their reading skills, it is important that they have many opportunitiesto read for a variety of purposes. A well-balanced reading program will provide studentswith opportunities to read for the pleasure of discovering interesting information as wellas for the pleasure of self-discovery, for self-enrichment, and for the sheer fun of it. Suchreading activities are particularly important in the elementary grades, when attitudestowards reading and reading habits are first being formed. Reading experiences thatinvite students to discover new worlds and new experiences and to develop their imagi-native powers will go a long way towards convincing them that reading can be a richsource of pleasure and knowledge. Such experiences are likely to lead to a love of reading,which is among the most valuable resources students can take with them into adult life.

Reading is a complex process that involves the application of many strategies before, during, and after reading. For example, before reading, students might prepare by identi-fying the purpose of the reading activity and by activating their prior knowledge aboutthe topic of the text. Teachers help build the necessary background knowledge for studentswhose life experiences may not have provided them with the information they need tounderstand the text. During reading, students may use “cueing systems” – that is, cluesfrom context or from their understanding of language structures and/or letter-sound rela-tionships – to help them solve unfamiliar words, and comprehension strategies to helpthem make meaning of the text. Comprehension strategies include predicting, visualizing,questioning, drawing inferences, identifying main ideas, summarizing, and monitoringand revising comprehension. After reading, students may analyse, synthesize, make con-nections, evaluate, and use other critical and creative thinking skills to achieve a deeperunderstanding of the material they have read. It is important to note that although thespecific expectations for each grade may focus on particular strategies that emphasizegrade-appropriate skills, they do not impose a restriction on the range of strategies stu-dents will apply in that grade. Teachers must use their professional judgement in decidingwhich comprehension strategies to model and teach, based on the identified learningTH

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needs of the students in their classrooms and on the nature of the particular texts students are reading.

To become fluent, independent readers, students need to read frequently and develop the skills used in reading for a variety of different purposes – to follow directions, to getadvice, to locate information, for enjoyment, for practice, to build vocabulary, to satisfycuriosity, for research, or for personal interest. The purpose for reading will be determinedby the teacher in some cases and by the student in others. The reading program shouldinclude a wide variety of literary, informational, and graphic texts – for example, picturebooks and novels; poetry; myths, fables, and folk tales; textbooks and books on topics inscience, history, mathematics, geography, and other subjects; biographies, autobiogra-phies, memoirs, and journals; plays and radio, film, or television scripts; encyclopaediaentries; graphs, charts, and diagrams in textbooks or magazine articles; recipes, instruc-tions, and manuals; graphic novels, comic books, cartoons, and baseball cards; newspaperarticles and editorials; and essays and reports. Teachers routinely use materials that reflectthe diversity of Canadian and world cultures, including the cultures of Aboriginal peoples,and make those resources available to students. Within each grade and from one grade toanother, students should be assigned texts of increasing complexity as they develop theirreading skills, and should also have many opportunities to select their own reading mate-rials. Frequent exposure to good writing will inspire students to work towards high stand-ards in their own writing and will help them develop an appreciation for the power andbeauty of the written word.

The Reading strand has four overall expectations, as follows:

Students will:

1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informa-tional texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;

2. recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrateunderstanding of how they help communicate meaning;

3. use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading.

This strand helps students learn to read with understanding, to read critically, to becomefamiliar with various text forms and their characteristic elements, and to recognize thefunction and effects of various text features and stylistic devices. It helps students under-stand that reading is a process of constructing meaning and equips them with the strate-gies that good readers use to understand and appreciate what they read.

Writing Writing … provides students with powerful opportunities to learn about themselves andtheir connections to the world.Through writing, students organize their thoughts, rememberimportant information, solve problems, reflect on a widening range of perspectives, andlearn how to communicate effectively for specific purposes and audiences. They find theirvoice and have opportunities to explore other voices. By putting their thoughts intowords and supporting the words with visual images in a range of media, studentsacquire knowledge and deepen their understanding of the content in all school subjects.Writing also helps students to better understand their own thoughts and feelings andthe events in their lives.

Literacy for Learning: The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario, 2004, p. 79

Writing is a complex process that involves a range of skills and tasks. Students need tobecome disciplined thinkers in order to communicate their ideas clearly and effectively.Conversely, they need numerous opportunities to write, as the process of writing enablesthem to clarify their thinking and sort out and express their thoughts and feelings. As theylearn to select and organize their ideas, they must also keep in mind the purpose for whichthey are writing and the audience they are addressing. To communicate clearly and effec-tively, they need to learn to use standard written forms and language conventions. However,learning to write as clearly, correctly, and precisely as possible is only part of the goal ofwriting instruction for students. Students should be given the kinds of assignments thatprovide opportunities to produce writing that is interesting and original and that reflectstheir capacity for independent critical thought. Writing activities that students see as mean-ingful and that challenge them to think creatively about topics and concerns of interest tothem will lead to a fuller and more lasting command of the essential skills of writing.

Writing competence develops hand in hand with skills in other areas of language, espe-cially reading. In many ways, the development of writing and reading skills is reciprocal.As students read a variety of inclusive texts, they build and develop a command of theirvocabulary, and learn to vary and adapt their sentence structure, organizational approach,and voice to suit their purpose for writing. To become good writers who are able to com-municate ideas with ease and clarity, students need frequent opportunities to write forvarious purposes and audiences and to master the skills involved in the various tasksassociated with the writing process. The more students read and write, the more likelythey will be to develop an essential understanding of the power of the written word.

The Writing strand has four overall expectations, as follows;

Students will:

1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purposeand audience;

2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphicforms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;

3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of lan-guage conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strate-gies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.

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The overall expectations focus on the elements of effective writing (ideas/content, organi-zation, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, language conventions, and presentation) andon the stages of the recursive writing process (planning for writing, drafting, revising,editing and proofreading, and publishing).

The specific expectations identify writing forms and language conventions that are appro-priate for instruction in the given grade. The forms and conventions identified are not,however, the only ones that may be taught in that grade, nor are they exclusive to thatgrade. Teachers will continue to make professional decisions about which writing formsand language conventions they will cover in every grade, based on the identified learningneeds of the students in their classrooms.

Media Literacy“Media literacy” is the result of study of the art and messaging of various forms of mediatexts. Media texts can be understood to include any work, object, or event that communi-cates meaning to an audience. Most media texts use words, graphics, sounds, and/orimages, in print, oral, visual, or electronic form, to communicate information and ideas totheir audience. Whereas traditional literacy may be seen to focus primarily on the under-standing of the word, media literacy focuses on the construction of meaning through thecombination of several media “languages” – images, sounds, graphics, and words.

Media literacy explores the impact and influence of mass media and popular culture byexamining texts such as films, songs, video games, action figures, advertisements, CDcovers, clothing, billboards, television shows, magazines, newspapers, photographs, andwebsites.3 These texts abound in our electronic information age, and the messages theyconvey, both overt and implied, can have a significant influence on students’ lives. Forthis reason, critical thinking as it applies to media products and messages assumes a spe-cial significance. Understanding how media texts are constructed and why they are pro-duced enables students to respond to them intelligently and responsibly. Students mustbe able to differentiate between fact and opinion; evaluate the credibility of sources; rec-ognize bias; be attuned to discriminatory portrayals of individuals and groups, includingwomen and minorities; and question depictions of violence and crime.

Students’ repertoire of communication skills should include the ability to critically inter-pret the messages they receive through the various media and to use these media to com-municate their own ideas effectively as well. Skills related to high-tech media such as theInternet, film, and television are particularly important because of the power and perva-sive influence these media wield in our lives and in society. Becoming conversant withthese and other media can greatly expand the range of information sources available tostudents, their expressive and communicative capabilities, and their career opportunities.

To develop their media literacy skills, students should have opportunities to view,analyse, and discuss a wide variety of media texts and relate them to their own experi-ence. They should also have opportunities to use available technologies to create mediatexts of different types (e.g., computer graphics, cartoons, graphic designs and layouts,radio plays, short videos, web pages).

3. Teachers should make students aware that images, print materials, music, or video clips used in connection withtasks and assignments may be subject to copyright, and the appropriate releases should be obtained prior to use.This applies to items downloaded from the Internet as well.

The Media Literacy strand has four overall expectations, as follows;

Students will:

1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;

2. identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associatedwith them are used to create meaning;

3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriateforms, conventions, and techniques;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths, areas for improvement, and the strategies theyfound most helpful in understanding and creating media texts.

This strand focuses on helping students develop the skills required to understand, create,and critically interpret media texts. It examines how images (both moving and still), sound,and words are used, independently and in combination, to create meaning. It explores theuse and significance of particular conventions and techniques in the media and considersthe roles of the viewer and the producer in constructing meaning in media texts. Studentsapply the knowledge and skills gained through analysis of media texts as they createtheir own texts.

The specific expectations identify media forms and conventions that are appropriate forinstruction in the given grade. These are not, however, the only forms and conventionsthat students may explore in that grade, nor are they exclusive to that grade. Teacherswill continue to use their professional judgement to decide on the forms and conventionsto examine in every grade, based on the identified learning needs of the students in their classrooms.

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BASIC CONSIDERATIONSThe primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning.Information gathered through assessment helps teachers to determine students’ strengthsand weaknesses in their achievement of the curriculum expectations in each subject ineach grade. This information also serves to guide teachers in adapting curriculum andinstructional approaches to students’ needs and in assessing the overall effectiveness ofprograms and classroom practices.

Assessment is the process of gathering information from a variety of sources (includingassignments, day-to-day observations, conversations or conferences, demonstrations,projects, performances, and tests) that accurately reflects how well a student is achievingthe curriculum expectations in a subject. As part of assessment, teachers provide studentswith descriptive feedback that guides their efforts towards improvement. Evaluationrefers to the process of judging the quality of student work on the basis of established cri-teria, and assigning a value to represent that quality. In Ontario elementary schools, thevalue assigned will be in the form of a letter grade for Grades 1 to 6 and a percentagegrade for Grades 7 and 8.

Assessment and evaluation will be based on the provincial curriculum expectations andthe achievement levels outlined in this document.

In order to ensure that assessment and evaluation are valid and reliable, and that they leadto the improvement of student learning, teachers must use assessment and evaluationstrategies that:

address both what students learn and how well they learn;

are based both on the categories of knowledge and skills and on the achievementlevel descriptions given in the achievement chart on pages 20–21;

are varied in nature, administered over a period of time, and designed to provideopportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;

are appropriate for the learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs and experiences of the students;

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF STUDENTACHIEVEMENT

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are fair to all students;

accommodate students with special education needs, consistent with the strategiesoutlined in their Individual Education Plan;

accommodate the needs of students who are learning the language of instruction;

ensure that each student is given clear directions for improvement;

promote students’ ability to assess their own learning and to set specific goals;

include the use of samples of students’ work that provide evidence of their achievement;

are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the schoolyear and at other appropriate points throughout the school year.

All curriculum expectations must be accounted for in instruction, but evaluation focuseson students’ achievement of the overall expectations. A student’s achievement of theoverall expectations is evaluated on the basis of his or her achievement of related specificexpectations. The overall expectations are broad in nature, and the specific expectationsdefine the particular content or scope of the knowledge and skills referred to in the overallexpectations. Teachers will use their professional judgement to determine which specificexpectations should be used to evaluate achievement of the overall expectations, andwhich ones will be covered in instruction and assessment (e.g., through direct observa-tion) but not necessarily evaluated.

The characteristics given in the achievement chart (pages 20–21) for level 3 represent the“provincial standard” for achievement of the expectations. A complete picture of achieve-ment at level 3 in language can be constructed by reading from top to bottom in the shad-ed column of the achievement chart, headed “Level 3”. Parents of students achieving atlevel 3 can be confident that their children will be prepared for work in the next grade.

Level 1 identifies achievement that falls much below the provincial standard, while stillreflecting a passing grade. Level 2 identifies achievement that approaches the standard.Level 4 identifies achievement that surpasses the standard. It should be noted thatachievement at level 4 does not mean that the student has achieved expectations beyondthose specified for a particular grade. It indicates that the student has achieved all oralmost all of the expectations for that grade, and that he or she demonstrates the ability touse the knowledge and skills specified for that grade in more sophisticated ways than astudent achieving at level 3.

The Ministry of Education has provided teachers with materials that will assist them inimproving their assessment methods and strategies and, hence, their assessment of studentachievement. These materials include samples of student work (exemplars) that illustrateachievement at each of the four levels. (Adaptations can be made in the exemplar docu-ments to align them with the revised curriculum.)

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THE ACHIEVEMENT CHART FOR LANGUAGEThe achievement chart that follows identifies four categories of knowledge and skills inlanguage. The achievement chart is a standard province-wide guide to be used by teach-ers. It enables teachers to make judgements about student work that are based on clearperformance standards and on a body of evidence collected over time.

The achievement chart is designed to:

provide a framework that encompasses all curriculum expectations for all gradesand subjects represented in this document;

guide the development of assessment tasks and tools (including rubrics);

help teachers to plan instruction for learning;

assist teachers in providing meaningful feedback to students;

provide various categories and criteria with which to assess and evaluate student learning.

Categories of Knowledge and SkillsThe categories, defined by clear criteria, represent four broad areas of knowledge andskills within which the subject expectations for any given grade are organized. The fourcategories should be considered as interrelated, reflecting the wholeness and intercon-nectedness of learning.

The categories of knowledge and skills are described as follows:

Knowledge and Understanding. Subject-specific content acquired in each grade (knowl-edge), and the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding).

Thinking. The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes.

Communication. The conveying of meaning through various forms.

Application. The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and betweenvarious contexts.

Teachers will ensure that student work is assessed and/or evaluated in a balanced man-ner with respect to the four categories, and that achievement of particular expectations isconsidered within the appropriate categories.

CriteriaWithin each category in the achievement chart, criteria are provided, which are subsets of the knowledge and skills that define each category. The criteria for each category arelisted below:

Knowledge and Understanding knowledge of content (e.g., forms of text; strategies associated with reading, writing, speaking, and listening; elements of style; terminology; conventions)

understanding of content (e.g., concepts; ideas; opinions; relationships among facts, ideas, concepts, themes)

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Thinkinguse of planning skills (e.g., generating ideas, gathering information, focusingresearch, organizing information)

use of processing skills (e.g., making inferences, interpreting, analysing, detectingbias, synthesizing, evaluating, forming conclusions)

use of critical/creative thinking processes (e.g., reading process, writing process,oral discourse, research, critical/creative analysis, critical literacy, metacognition,invention)

Communicationexpression and organization of ideas and information (e.g., clear expression, logicalorganization) in oral, visual, and written forms, including media forms

communication for different audiences and purposes (e.g., use of appropriate style,voice, point of view, tone) in oral, visual, and written forms, including media forms

use of conventions (e.g., grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage), vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline in oral, visual, and written forms, includingmedia forms

Applicationapplication of knowledge and skills (e.g., concepts, strategies, processes) in familiar contexts

transfer of knowledge and skills (e.g., concepts, strategies, processes) to new contexts

making connections within and between various contexts (e.g., between the text andpersonal knowledge or experience, other texts, and the world outside the school;between disciplines)

Descriptors A “descriptor” indicates the characteristic of the student’s performance, with respect to a particular criterion, on which assessment or evaluation is focused. In the achievementchart, effectiveness is the descriptor used for each criterion in the Thinking, Communication,and Application categories. What constitutes effectiveness in any given performance taskwill vary with the particular criterion being considered. Assessment of effectiveness maytherefore focus on a quality such as appropriateness, clarity, accuracy, precision, logic, relevance, significance, fluency, flexibility, depth, or breadth, as appropriate for the partic-ular criterion. For example, in the Thinking category, assessment of effectiveness mightfocus on the degree of relevance or depth apparent in an analysis; in the Communicationcategory, on clarity of expression or logical organization of information and ideas; or inthe Application category, on appropriateness or breadth in the making of connections.Similarly, in the Knowledge and Understanding category, assessment of knowledge mightfocus on accuracy, and assessment of understanding might focus on the depth of an expla-nation. Descriptors help teachers to focus their assessment and evaluation on specificknowledge and skills for each category and criterion, and help students to better under-stand exactly what is being assessed and evaluated.

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QualifiersA specific “qualifier” is used to define each of the four levels of achievement – that is,limited for level 1, some for level 2, considerable for level 3, and a high degree or thoroughfor level 4. A qualifier is used along with a descriptor to produce a description of per-formance at a particular level. For example, the description of a student’s performance atlevel 3 with respect to the first criterion in the Thinking category would be: “The studentuses planning skills with considerable effectiveness“.

The descriptions of the levels of achievement given in the chart should be used to identifythe level at which the student has achieved the expectations. Students should be providedwith numerous and varied opportunities to demonstrate the full extent of their achieve-ment of the curriculum expectations, across all four categories of knowledge and skills.

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ACHIEVEMENT CHART – LANGUAGE, GRADES 1– 8

Knowledge and Understanding – Subject-specific content acquired in each grade (knowledge), andthe comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding)

The student:

Knowledge of content (e.g., forms of text; strategiesassociated with reading,writing, speaking, and listening; elements of style;terminology; conventions)

demonstrateslimited knowl-edge of content

demonstratessome knowledgeof content

demonstratesconsiderableknowledge ofcontent

demonstratesthorough knowl-edge of content

Understanding of content (e.g.,concepts; ideas; opinions;relationships among facts,ideas,concepts,themes)

demonstrateslimited under-standing of content

demonstratessome under-standing of content

demonstratesconsiderableunderstanding of content

demonstratesthorough under-standing of content

Thinking – The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes

The student:

Use of planning skills (e.g., generating ideas,gathering information,

focusing research,organizing information)

uses planningskills with limitedeffectiveness

uses planningskills with someeffectiveness

uses planningskills with considerableeffectiveness

uses planningskills with a high degree ofeffectiveness

Use of processing skills (e.g., making inferences,interpreting, analysing,detecting bias, synthesizing,evaluating, forming conclusions)

uses processingskills with limitedeffectiveness

uses processingskills with someeffectiveness

uses processingskills with considerableeffectiveness

uses processingskills with a high degree ofeffectiveness

Use of critical/creativethinking processes (e.g., reading process, writingprocess, oral discourse,research, critical/creativeanalysis, critical literacy,metacognition, invention)

uses critical/creative thinkingprocesses with limitedeffectiveness

uses critical/creative thinkingprocesses with some effectiveness

uses critical/creative thinkingprocesses withconsiderableeffectiveness

uses critical/creative thinkingprocesses with ahigh degree ofeffectiveness

Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

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Communication – The conveying of meaning through various forms

The student:

Expression and organization of ideas and information (e.g., clearexpression, logical organi-zation) in oral, visual, andwritten forms, includingmedia forms

expresses andorganizes ideasand informationwith limited effectiveness

expresses andorganizes ideasand informationwith some effectiveness

expresses andorganizes ideasand informationwith considerableeffectiveness

expresses andorganizes ideasand informationwith a highdegree of effec-tiveness

Communication for different audiences and purposes (e.g., use ofappropriate style, voice,point of view, tone) in oral,visual, and written forms,including media forms

communicates fordifferent audiencesand purposeswith limited effec-tiveness

communicates fordifferent audiencesand purposeswith some effectiveness

communicates fordifferent audiencesand purposeswith considerableeffectiveness

communicates fordifferent audiencesand purposeswith a highdegree of effectiveness

Use of conventions (e.g.,grammar, spelling, punctu-ation, usage), vocabulary,and terminology of thediscipline in oral, visual,and written forms,including media forms

uses conventions,vocabulary, andterminology ofthe disciplinewith limited effectiveness

uses conventions,vocabulary, andterminology ofthe disciplinewith some effectiveness

uses conventions,vocabulary, andterminology ofthe disciplinewith considerableeffectiveness

uses conventions,vocabulary, andterminology ofthe discipline witha high degree ofeffectiveness

Application – The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts

The student:

Application of knowl-edge and skills (e.g., con-cepts, strategies, processes)in familiar contexts

applies knowledgeand skills in familiarcontexts with lim-ited effectiveness

applies knowledgeand skills in familiarcontexts with someeffectiveness

applies knowledgeand skills in familiarcontexts withconsiderableeffectiveness

applies knowledgeand skills in familiarcontexts with ahigh degree ofeffectiveness

Transfer of knowledgeand skills (e.g., concepts,strategies, processes) tonew contexts

transfers knowl-edge and skills to new contextswith limited effectiveness

transfers knowl-edge and skills to new contextswith some effectiveness

transfers knowl-edge and skills to new contextswith considerableeffectiveness

transfers knowl-edge and skills to new contextswith a high degreeof effectiveness

Making connectionswithin and between vari-ous contexts (e.g., betweenthe text and personalknowledge or experience,other texts, and the worldoutside the school; betweendisciplines)

makes connectionswithin and betweenvarious contextswith limited effectiveness

makes connectionswithin and betweenvarious contextswith some effectiveness

makes connectionswithin and betweenvarious contextswith considerableeffectiveness

makes connectionswithin and betweenvarious contextswith a high degreeof effectiveness

Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

When planning a program in language, teachers must take into account considerations ina number of important areas, including those discussed below.

The Ministry of Education has produced or supported the production of a variety ofresource documents that teachers may find helpful as they plan programs based on theexpectations outlined in this curriculum document. Those resources include the following:

Early Reading Strategy: The Report of the Expert Panel on Early Reading in Ontario, 2003

Literacy for Learning: The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario, 2004

Think Literacy Success, Grades 7–12: Report of the Expert Panel on Students at Risk in Ontario, 2003

A Guide to Effective Instruction in Reading, Kindergarten to Grade 3, 2003

A Guide to Effective Instruction in Writing, Kindergarten to Grade 3, 2005

A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades 4–6. Volume 1: Foundations of Literacy Instruction for the Junior Learner, 2006

Think Literacy: Cross-Curricular Approaches, Grades 7–12 – Reading, Writing,Communicating, 2003

Think Literacy: Cross-Curricular Approaches, Grades 7–12 – Subject-SpecificExamples: Media, Grades 7–10, 2005

Me Read? No Way! A Practical Guide to Improving Boys’ Literacy Skills, 2004

INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHESHigh-quality instruction is a key to student success in mastering language skills. It isbased on the belief that all students can be successful language learners. Teachers whoprovide quality instruction respect students’ strengths and identify their learning needs,using assessment information to plan instruction. They clarify the purpose for learning,help students activate prior knowledge, scaffold instruction, and differentiate instructionfor individual students and small groups according to need. Teachers explicitly teach andmodel learning strategies and encourage students to talk through their thinking and

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learning processes. They also provide many opportunities for students to practise andapply their developing knowledge and skills.

Effective teaching approaches involve students in the use of higher-level thinking skillsand encourage them to look beyond the literal meaning of texts and to think about fair-ness, equity, social justice, and citizenship in a global society.

Motivating students and instilling positive habits of mind, such as a willingness anddetermination to persist, to think and communicate with clarity and precision, to takeresponsible risks, and to question and pose problems, are integral parts of high-qualitylanguage instruction.

Teaching approaches should be informed by the findings of current research into bestpractices in literacy instruction, as described in the Expert Panel reports on literacyinstruction in Ontario (see the list of resources on the preceding page). Instruction shouldinclude a balance of direct, explicit instruction; teacher modelling; shared and guidedinstruction; and opportunities for students to rehearse, practise, and apply skills andstrategies and make choices.

Whenever possible, students should be given opportunities to experience reading andwriting, listening and speaking, and viewing and representing as interconnected processesrequiring a set of skills and strategies that cannot be separated and that build on and reinforce one another. Students can monitor this interconnectedness by asking themselvesquestions such as “How does my skill as a reader make me a better writer?”, “How doesmy skill as a writer make me a more effective speaker?”, and “How does my ability to listen critically help me as a writer?”.

CROSS-CURRICULAR AND INTEGRATED LEARNINGStudents need well-developed language skills to succeed in all subject areas. The develop-ment of skills and knowledge in language is often enhanced by learning in other subjectareas. Teachers should ensure that all students have ample opportunities to explore a sub-ject from multiple perspectives by emphasizing cross-curricular learning and integratedlearning, as explained below.

In cross-curricular learning, students are provided with opportunities to learn and userelated content and/or skills in two or more subjects. For example, teachers can use socialstudies reading material in their language lessons, and incorporate instruction in how toread non-fiction materials into their social studies lessons. In mathematics, students learnto identify the relevant information in a word problem in order to clarify what is beingasked. In science and technology, they build subject-specific vocabulary, interpret dia-grams and charts, and read instructions relating to investigations and procedures. Allsubjects require that students communicate what they have learned, orally and in writing.Their studies in the different subject areas help students develop their language skills,providing them with authentic purposes for reading, writing, listening, speaking, view-ing, and representing.

In integrated learning, students are provided with opportunities to work towards meetingexpectations from two or more subjects within a single unit, lesson, or activity. By linkingexpectations from different subject areas, teachers can provide students with multiple oppor-tunities to reinforce and demonstrate their knowledge and skills in a range of settings.

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One example would be a unit linking expectations from the science and technology cur-riculum and the language curriculum. Every strand in each of Grades 1 to 8 in the scienceand technology curriculum has a set of specific expectations under the heading “DevelopingSkills of Inquiry, Design, and Communication”. These expectations mirror many of theexpectations in the Oral Communication, Writing, and Media Literacy strands in the lan-guage document. The science and technology expectations focus on tasks such as usingappropriate vocabulary, designing graphic texts, and communicating results through oraland written descriptions. There is, therefore, a good fit between the expectations in thetwo disciplines, affording an opportunity for developing integrated units.

Expectations from the arts curriculum can also be linked with language expectations tocreate integrated units. The arts curriculum provides students with rich opportunities toengage in auditory, visual, and kinaesthetic experiences that would also support learningrequired in expectations in all four strands of the language curriculum. For example, role-playing, a key component of the Drama and Dance curriculum, can be used to enhancestudents’ understanding as they learn to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and ideas;identify and present a variety of points of view; or explore new interpretations of texts.Similarly, students can create drawings or devise dramatic scenes as they rehearse, evalu-ate, and revise ideas before writing. Conversely, students can use language to respondcritically and creatively to music or works of art.

PLANNING LANGUAGE PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDSClassroom teachers are the key educators of students who have special education needs.They have a responsibility to help all students learn, and they work collaboratively withspecial education teachers, where appropriate, to achieve this goal. They commit to assist-ing every student to prepare for living with the highest degree of independence possible.

Education for All: The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy and Numeracy Instruction forStudents With Special Education Needs, Kindergarten to Grade 6, 2005 describes a set ofprinciples, based in research, that should guide all program planning for students withspecial education needs. Teachers planning language programs need to pay particularattention to these principles, which are as follows.

Program planning for students with special education needs:

is premised on the belief that all students can succeed;

incorporates evidence-based best practices for effective instruction;

involves a support team for the classroom teacher that includes the principal, otherteachers, and professional resources (families and community agencies should beactive contributors);

incorporates universal design;

involves differentiated instruction.

In any given classroom, students may demonstrate a wide range of learning styles andneeds. Teachers plan programs that recognize this diversity and give students tasks thatrespect their particular abilities so that all students can derive the greatest benefits possi-ble from the teaching and learning process. The use of flexible groupings for instruction

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and the provision of ongoing assessment are important elements of programs that accom-modate a diversity of learning needs.

In planning language programs for students with special education needs, teachersshould begin by examining both the curriculum expectations for the appropriate gradelevel and the needs of the individual student to determine which of the following optionsis appropriate for the student:

no accommodations4 or modifications; or

accommodations only; or

modified expectations, with the possibility of accommodations.

If the student requires either accommodations or modified expectations, or both, the rele-vant information, as described in the following paragraphs, must be recorded in his orher Individual Education Plan (IEP). For a detailed discussion of the ministry’s require-ments for IEPs, see Individual Education Plans: Standards for Development, ProgramPlanning, and Implementation, 2000 (referred to hereafter as IEP Standards, 2000 ). Moredetailed information about planning programs for exceptional students can be found inThe Individual Education Plan (IEP): A Resource Guide, 2004 (referred to hereafter as theIEP Resource Guide, 2004). (Both documents are available at www.edu.gov.on.ca.)

Students Requiring Accommodations OnlyWith the aid of accommodations alone, some students with special education needs areable to participate in the regular grade-level curriculum and to demonstrate learningindependently. (Accommodations do not alter the provincial curriculum expectations forthe grade level.) The accommodations required to facilitate the student’s learning must beidentified in his or her IEP (see IEP Standards, 2000, page 11). A student’s IEP is likely toreflect the same accommodations for many, or all, subject areas.

There are three types of accommodations. Instructional accommodations are changes inteaching strategies, including styles of presentation, methods of organization, or use oftechnology and multimedia. Environmental accommodations are changes that the studentmay require in the classroom and/or school environment, such as preferential seating orspecial lighting. Assessment accommodations are changes in assessment procedures thatenable the student to demonstrate his or her learning, such as allowing additional time tocomplete tests or assignments or permitting oral responses to test questions (see page 29of the IEP Resource Guide, 2004, for more examples).

If a student requires “accommodations only” in language, assessment and evaluation ofhis or her achievement will be based on the appropriate grade-level curriculum expecta-tions and the achievement levels outlined in this document.

Students Requiring Modified ExpectationsSome students with special education needs will require modified expectations, whichdiffer from the regular grade-level expectations. In language, modified expectations willusually be based on the knowledge and skills outlined in curriculum expectations for adifferent grade level. Modified expectations must indicate the knowledge and/or skillsthe student is expected to demonstrate and have assessed in each reporting period (IEPStandards, 2000, pages 10 and 11). Students requiring modified expectations need to

4. “Accommodations” refers to individualized teaching and assessment strategies, human supports, and/or individualized equipment.

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develop knowledge and skills in all four strands of the language curriculum. Modifiedexpectations must represent specific, realistic, observable, and measurable achievementsand must describe specific knowledge and/or skills that the student can demonstrateindependently, given the appropriate assessment accommodations. They should beexpressed in such a way that the student and parents can understand exactly what thestudent is expected to know or be able to do, on the basis of which his or her performancewill be evaluated and a grade or mark recorded on the Provincial Report Card. The gradelevel of the learning expectations must be identified in the student’s IEP. The student’slearning expectations must be reviewed in relation to the student’s progress at least onceevery reporting period, and must be updated as necessary (IEP Standards, 2000, page 11).

If a student requires modified expectations in language, assessment and evaluation of hisor her achievement will be based on the learning expectations identified in the IEP and onthe achievement levels outlined in this document. On the Provincial Report Card, the IEPbox must be checked for any subject in which the student requires modified expectations,and the appropriate statement from the Guide to the Provincial Report Card, Grades 1–8,1998 (page 8) must be inserted. The teacher’s comments should include relevant informa-tion on the student’s demonstrated learning of the modified expectations, as well as nextsteps for the student’s learning in the subject.

PLANNING LANGUAGE PROGRAMS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERSOntario schools have some of the most multilingual student populations in the world.The first language of approximately 20 per cent of the children in Ontario’s English-language schools is a language other than English. Ontario’s linguistic heritage includes several Aboriginal languages; many African, Asian, and European languages; and somevarieties of English, such as Jamaican Creole. Many English language learners were bornin Canada and raised in families and communities in which languages other than Englishwere spoken, or in which the variety of English spoken differed significantly from theEnglish of Ontario classrooms. Other English language learners arrive in Ontario as newcomers from other countries; they may have experience of highly sophisticated educational systems, or they may have come from regions where access to formal schooling was limited.

When they start school in Ontario, many of these children are entering a new linguisticand cultural environment. All teachers share in the responsibility for their English-language development.

English language learners (children who are learning English as a second or additionallanguage in English-language schools) bring a rich diversity of background knowledgeand experience to the classroom. These students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds notonly support their learning in their new environment but also become a cultural asset inthe classroom community. Teachers will find positive ways to incorporate this diversityinto their instructional programs and into the classroom environment.

Most English language learners in Ontario schools have an age-appropriate proficiency intheir first language. Although they need frequent opportunities to use English at school,there are important educational and social benefits associated with continued developmentof their first language while they are learning English. Teachers need to encourage parentsto continue to use their own language at home in rich and varied ways as a foundation

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for language and literacy development in English. It is also important for teachers to findopportunities to bring students’ languages into the classroom, using parents and commu-nity members as a resource.

During their first few years in Ontario schools, English language learners may receivesupport through one of two distinct programs from teachers who specialize in meetingtheir language-learning needs:

English As a Second Language (ESL) programs are for students born in Canada or new-comers whose first language is a language other than English, or is a variety of Englishsignificantly different from that used for instruction in Ontario schools.

English Literacy Development (ELD) programs are primarily for newcomers whose firstlanguage is a language other than English, or is a variety of English significantly differentfrom that used for instruction in Ontario schools, and who arrive with significant gaps intheir education. These children generally come from countries where access to educationis limited or where there are limited opportunities to develop language and literacy skillsin any language. Some Aboriginal students from remote communities in Ontario mayalso have had limited opportunities for formal schooling, and they also may benefit fromELD instruction.

In planning programs for children with linguistic backgrounds other than English, teach-ers need to recognize the importance of the orientation process, understanding that everylearner needs to adjust to the new social environment and language in a unique way andat an individual pace. For example, children who are in an early stage of English-languageacquisition may go through a “silent period” during which they closely observe the inter-actions and physical surroundings of their new learning environment. They may usebody language rather than speech or they may use their first language until they havegained enough proficiency in English to feel confident of their interpretations andresponses. Students thrive in a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment that nur-tures their self-confidence while they are receiving focused literacy instruction. Whenthey are ready to participate, in paired, small-group, or whole-class activities, some stu-dents will begin by using a single word or phrase to communicate a thought, while others will speak quite fluently.

With exposure to the English language in a supportive learning environment, most youngchildren will develop oral fluency quite quickly, making connections between conceptsand skills acquired in their first language and similar concepts and skills presented inEnglish. However, oral fluency is not a good indicator of a student’s knowledge of vocab-ulary or sentence structure, reading comprehension, or other aspects of language profi-ciency that play an important role in literacy development and academic success.Research has shown that it takes five to seven years for most English language learners tocatch up to their English-speaking peers in their ability to use English for academic pur-poses. Moreover, the older the children are when they arrive, the greater the languageknowledge and skills that they have to catch up on, and the more direct support theyrequire from their teachers.

Responsibility for students’ English-language development is shared by the classroomteacher, the ESL/ELD teacher (where available), and other school staff. Volunteers andpeers may also be helpful in supporting English language learners in the language

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classroom. Teachers must adapt the instructional program in order to facilitate the successof these students in their classrooms. Appropriate adaptations include:

modification of some or all of the subject expectations so that they are challengingbut attainable for the learner at his or her present level of English proficiency, giventhe necessary support from the teacher;

use of a variety of instructional strategies (e.g., extensive use of visual cues, graphicorganizers, scaffolding; previewing of textbooks, pre-teaching of key vocabulary;peer tutoring; strategic use of students’ first languages);

use of a variety of learning resources (e.g., visual material, simplified text, bilingualdictionaries, and materials that reflect cultural diversity);

use of assessment accommodations (e.g., granting of extra time; use of oral inter-views, demonstrations or visual representations, or tasks requiring completion ofgraphic organizers or cloze sentences instead of essay questions and other assess-ment tasks that depend heavily on proficiency in English).

While the degree of program adaptation required will decrease over time, students whoare no longer receiving ESL or ELD support may still need some program adaptations tobe successful. If a student’s program has been adapted, a checkmark must be placed inthe ESL/ELD box on the student’s report card. If the student requires modified expectations,the appropriate statement from the Guide to the Provincial Report Card, Grades 1–8, 1998(page 8) must be inserted.

For further information on supporting English-language learners, refer to The OntarioCurriculum, Grades 1–8: English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development – A Resource Guide, 2001 and the resource guide Many Roots, Many Voices: SupportingEnglish Language Learners in Every Classroom (Ministry of Education, 2005).

ANTIDISCRIMINATION EDUCATION IN THE LANGUAGE PROGRAMThe implementation of antidiscrimination principles in education influences all aspects ofschool life. It promotes a school climate that encourages all students to work to high stand-ards, affirms the worth of all students, and helps students strengthen their sense of iden-tity and develop a positive self-image. It encourages staff and students alike to value andshow respect for diversity in the school and the wider society. It requires schools to adoptmeasures to provide a safe environment for learning, free from harassment, violence, andexpressions of hate. Antidiscrimination education encourages students to think criticallyabout themselves and others in the world around them in order to promote fairness,healthy relationships, and active, responsible citizenship.

Learning resources that reflect the broad range of students’ interests, backgrounds, cul-tures, and experiences are an important aspect of an inclusive language program. In sucha program, stories contain heroes and protagonists of both sexes from a wide variety ofracial and cultural backgrounds. Students are made aware of the historical, social, andcultural contexts for both the traditional and non-traditional gender and social roles rep-resented in the materials they are studying. Teachers routinely use materials that reflectthe diversity of Canadian and world cultures, including those of contemporary Aboriginalpeoples, and make them available to students. In the primary classroom, myths, fables,

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fairytales, and legends from a variety of cultures may be explored. In later years, stories,novels, informational texts, and media works relating to the immigrant experience providerich thematic material for study. Storybooks, novels, magazine and newspaper articles,television programs, and films all provide opportunities for students to explore issues ofculture and diverse identities.

Resources should also be chosen on the basis of their appeal for both girls and boys in the classroom. Recent research has shown that many boys are interested in informationalmaterials, such as manuals and graphic texts, as opposed to works of literature, which are often more appealing to girls. Both sexes read Internet materials, such as website articles, e-mail, and chat messages, outside the classroom. Me Read? No Way! A PracticalGuide to Improving Boys’ Literacy Skills (available on the Ministry of Education website)provides a number of useful literacy strategies that focus on engaging boys in readingand writing. They also represent practices that enhance the learning environment for both girls and boys.

Critical thinking skills include the ability to identify perspectives, values, and issues; detect bias; and read for implicit as well as explicit meaning. In the context of antidiscrimi-nation, critical literacy involves asking questions and challenging the status quo, and leadsstudents to look at issues of power and justice in society. The language program empowersstudents by enabling them to express themselves and to speak out about issues thatstrongly affect them. In the language program, students develop the ability to detect negative bias and stereotypes in literary texts and informational materials; they also learnto use inclusive and non-discriminatory language in both oral and written work. In addi-tion, in the context of the language program, both students and teachers should becomeaware of aspects of intercultural communication – for example, by exploring how differ-ent cultures interpret the use of eye contact and body language in conversation and during presentations.

NUMERACY AND INQUIRY/RESEARCH SKILLS The language curriculum builds on, reinforces, and enhances certain aspects of the math-ematics curriculum. For example, clear, concise communication often involves the use ofdiagrams, charts, tables, and graphs, and the language curriculum emphasizes students’ability to interpret and use graphic texts. Students apply the knowledge and skills theyacquire in their study of graphs and charts in mathematics to the interpretation and com-munication of precise information in texts supported by graphic forms.

Inquiry is at the heart of learning in all subject areas. In language, students are encour-aged from a very early age to develop their ability to ask questions and to explore a vari-ety of possible answers to those questions. In the primary grades, they begin to identifyvarious sources that can help them answer the questions they pose. As they advancethrough the grades, they acquire the skills to locate relevant information from a variety ofsources, such as books, newspapers, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, interviews, videos, andthe Internet. The questioning they practised in the early grades becomes more sophisti-cated as they learn that all sources of information have a particular point of view and thatthe recipient of the information has a responsibility to evaluate it, determine its validityand relevance, and use it in appropriate ways. The ability to locate, question, and validateinformation allows a student to become an independent, lifelong learner.

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THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY IN LANGUAGE PROGRAMSThe school library program can help to build and transform students’ knowledge to sup-port a lifetime of learning in an information- and knowledge-based society. The schoollibrary program supports student success across the language curriculum by encouragingstudents to read widely, teaching them to read for understanding and enjoyment, andhelping them to improve their research skills and to use information gathered throughresearch effectively. The school library program enables students to:

develop a love of reading for learning and for pleasure;

acquire an understanding of the richness and diversity of literary and informationaltexts produced in Canada and around the world;

obtain access to programs, resources, and integrated technologies that support allcurriculum areas;

understand and value the role of public library systems as a resource for lifelong learning.

The school library program plays a key role in the development of information literacyand research skills. In collaboration with classroom or content-area teachers, teacher-librarians develop, teach, and provide students with authentic information and researchtasks that foster learning, including the ability to:

access, select, gather, critically evaluate, create, and communicate information;

use the information obtained to solve problems, make decisions, build knowledge,create personal meaning, and enrich their lives;

communicate their findings for different audiences, using a variety of formats andtechnologies;

use information and research with understanding, responsibility, and imagination.

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN LANGUAGE EDUCATIONInformation and communications technologies (ICT) provide a range of tools that can sig-nificantly extend and enrich teachers’ instructional strategies and support students’ learn-ing in language. Computer programs can help students collect, organize, and sort thedata they gather and to write, edit, and present reports on their findings. Information andcommunications technologies can also be used to connect students to other schools, athome and abroad, and to bring the global community into the local classroom.

Whenever appropriate, therefore, students should be encouraged to use ICT to supportand communicate their learning. For example, students working individually or ingroups can use computer technology and/or Internet websites to gain access to museumsand archives in Canada and around the world. Students can also use digital cameras andprojectors to design and present the results of their research to their classmates.

Although the Internet is a powerful learning tool, all students must be made aware ofissues of privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the ways in which the Internetcan be used to promote hatred.

Teachers will also find the various ICT tools useful in their teaching practice, both forwhole class instruction and for the design of curriculum units that contain variedapproaches to learning to meet diverse student needs.

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GUIDANCE AND LANGUAGE EDUCATIONThe guidance and career education program should be aligned with the language cur-riculum. Teachers need to ensure that classroom learning across all grades and subjectsprovides ample opportunity for students to learn how to work independently (e.g., com-plete homework independently), cooperate with others, resolve conflicts, participate inclass, solve problems, and set goals to improve their work.

The language program can also offer opportunities for a variety of career explorationactivities, including contacts with career mentors and visits from guest speakers such asauthors, actors, illustrators, individuals working in radio and television, and representa-tives from the publishing world.

HEALTH AND SAFETY IN LANGUAGE EDUCATIONAlthough health and safety issues are not usually associated with language education,they may be important when the learning involves fieldwork. Out-of-school fieldwork canprovide an exciting and authentic dimension to students’ learning experiences. Teachersmust preview and plan these activities carefully to protect students’ health and safety.

The expectations for Grades 1 to 3 focus on the foundational knowledge and skills thatstudents need in order to establish a strong basis for language development. Theseinclude students’ oral language, prior knowledge and experience, understanding of con-cepts about print, phonemic awareness, understanding of letter-sound relationships,vocabulary knowledge, semantic and syntactic awareness, higher-order thinking skills,and capacity for metacognition.

Most of what primary students know about language comes from listening and speakingwith others, being read to by adults, and interacting with media texts such as advertisements,television programs, video games, songs, photographs, and films. The expectations for language build upon the prior knowledge and experience that students bring to Ontarioclassrooms from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Because this base ofknowledge, experience, and skills varies from student to student, it is important for instruc-tion to be differentiated to meet the needs of individuals and small groups of students.

Students listen and speak for different purposes, both formal and informal. They developan understanding of appropriate listening and speaking behaviours and identify strategiesthey can use to understand what they hear and clearly communicate what they want to say.With support and direction from the teacher, primary students use oral language to talkabout their learning as readers and writers and as viewers and producers of oral, print,and media texts. The expectations in oral communication provide a bridge to the intercon-nected knowledge, skills, and strategies that primary students will use to read, write, view,and represent. Real, purposeful talk is not only an essential component of the languagecurriculum; it needs to be threaded throughout every day and across the curriculum.

In all four strands, teachers explicitly teach and model the use of the knowledge, skills,and strategies most relevant to the particular strand. Explicit teaching and modelling help primary students to identify the skills and strategies they need in order to becomeproficient language users and move towards achievement of the expectations. Initially,students engage in rehearsal through shared and guided practice; eventually, theydemonstrate independently their achievement of the learning expectations through multiple, diverse learning opportunities and activities.

Appropriate instructional texts are central to students’ development of the knowledge,skills, and strategies embedded in the expectations across the language strands. Oral,print, and media texts that are designed to support and challenge students at their indi-vidual level of language development will enhance the benefits of appropriately scaf-folded instruction. It is important to ensure that, in addition to the materials provided for

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instruction, students are able to choose from a wide range of texts that are engaging andrelevant to their personal interests as readers, writers, and viewers. All texts chosen forinstruction should be worthy of study, and promote antidiscriminatory education.

Grade 1 students should have access to oral, print, and media texts with familiar topicsand structures. Oral texts such as songs, poems, teacher read-alouds or simple readers’theatre, large- and small-group discussions, and one-on-one conversations; print textssuch as environmental print, simple fiction and non-fiction, picture books, and books intheir first language; and media texts such as a soundtrack for a story, posters or signs,photographs or collages, cartoons, movies, and television shows provide a variety ofsources to motivate and engage diverse groups of students. To facilitate the developmentof early reading and writing behaviours and concepts, print texts for guided instructionand independent reading will initially need to have many high-frequency words, illustra-tions that provide direct support for meaning and word solving, and language structuresthat are simple and natural. Eventually, Grade 1 students will encounter texts of greaterlength with somewhat more challenging ideas and vocabulary, somewhat more literarylanguage, and low to moderate support from the illustrations.

Modelled, shared, interactive, and guided learning experiences provide Grade 1 studentswith direction and support in producing oral, written, and media texts for a few differentpurposes. Through these experiences – and their growing familiarity with texts such assimple recounts, stories, procedures, and environmental print – they develop an under-standing of the vocabulary and structure of a few oral text forms; of sound/symbol rela-tionships, letter formation, and language structure; and of the communicative possibilitiesof images and sounds. Students also benefit from daily opportunities for independentpractice in applying their speaking, writing, and media production knowledge and skills forpersonally meaningful purposes. Through these supported and independent experiencesstudents learn to construct words and sentences and to combine words, images, and soundsto express personal thoughts and feelings and communicate ideas and information in anumber of oral, written, and media forms.

Grade 2 students should have access to oral, print, and media texts that provide opportu-nities to extend their life experiences by exploring less familiar topics. Oral texts such aspoems, teacher read-alouds on new topics, readers’ theatre, presentations or talks by guestspeakers, large- and small-group discussions, and one-on-one conversations; print textssuch as stories, folk tales or fairy tales from other cultures, picture books, early chapter orseries books, non-fiction books on topics of personal interest, nature or science magazines,and books from home; and media texts such as digital images, recorded music, soundtracks,television commercials, and films provide a variety of sources to motivate and engagediverse groups of students. Print texts for guided instruction and independent readingshould include an expanded vocabulary, more difficult ideas and language structures,and illustrations that extend the text and support interpretation. Grade 2 students need tobe able to sustain their interest in and make meaning from longer texts, such as longerpicture books and chapter books that include chapter titles, a few illustrations, somewhatmore sophisticated plots, and multiple characters and events.

Modelled, shared, interactive, and guided learning experiences provide Grade 2 studentswith direction and support in creating oral, written, and media texts. They also benefit fromdaily opportunities for independent practice in applying their speaking, writing, and mediaproduction skills for personally meaningful purposes and audiences. Grade 2 students

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speak more confidently and fluently, and their expanded oral vocabulary helps themchoose effective words for their written and media texts. Their developing ability to usefamiliar spelling patterns and combine or sequence sentences helps them refine their abilityto write words, sentences, and simple paragraphs. Their experience with a broader rangeof texts – such as friendly letters, stories, factual recounts, folk tales, directions, posters,plays, films, and television shows – enables them to use a greater variety of forms toexpress thoughts and feelings and communicate ideas and information.

Grade 3 students should have access to oral, print, and media texts that require morebackground knowledge, that allow them to explore new ideas and information and morecomplex and technical topics, and that may require more interpretation and inference.Oral texts such as plays, presentations, large- and small-group discussions, peer confer-ences, and oral story telling; print texts such as adventure stories, chapter books, fables,instructions, letters, and longer picture books; and media texts such as magazines, videoclips, comic strips, maps, storyboards, and photographs provide a variety of sources tomotivate and engage diverse groups of students. Appropriate print texts for guidedinstruction and independent reading would include vocabulary that is specific to content;more symbolic or abstract themes; complex sentences with many multisyllabic and tech-nical words; and a variety of organizational features such as tables of contents, glossaries,indexes, diagrams, and chapter titles. Grade 3 readers will need to develop the ability toretain and recall information to support comprehension of the text over several days.

Modelled, shared, and guided learning experiences and daily opportunities for independ-ent practice provide Grade 3 students with the scaffolding they need to develop inde-pendence in creating oral, written, and media texts. Grade 3 students use their speakingskills to communicate increasingly complex ideas and information in both formal andinformal contexts. As writers, they understand the stages of the writing process and usethis process independently to produce finished pieces of writing. With help from peer andteacher conferences, they practise generating ideas; composing draft texts; and revising,editing, and publishing their writing. Students’ experiences with a broad range of oral,print, and media texts – such as oral reports, personal and factual recounts, descriptiveand explanatory paragraphs, a letter expressing a personal opinion, familiar stories orfables seen from a new perspective, a script for a play, or a brochure – enable them toselect appropriate forms and extend their ability to express thoughts and feelings andcommunicate ideas and information fluently and effectively for purposes they see asmeaningful.

GRADE 1

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GRADE 1 | ORAL COMMUNICATION

By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Purpose1.1 identify purposes for listening in a few

different situations, formal and informal(e.g., to hear the sounds of language insongs, chants, and poems; to interactsocially with classmates; to enjoy andunderstand a story read aloud by theteacher; to follow simple directions inlarge- and small-group settings; toexchange ideas with a peer in a pairedsharing or small group)

Active Listening Strategies1.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate listening behaviour byusing active listening strategies in a fewdifferent situations (e.g., listen withoutinterrupting and wait their turn to speak;show that they are paying attention andare interested by looking at the speaker,nodding, or asking relevant questions)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a few listening comprehension

strategies and use them before, during,and after listening in order to under-stand and clarify the meaning of oraltexts, initially with support and direc-tion (e.g., use background knowledge,familiar word order, and context to makepredictions about content or vocabularybefore listening to an oral text; think

about what known words might be relatedto the topic; ask questions to check under-standing during and after listening; createmental pictures while listening to a read-aloud and draw or talk about what theyvisualized; retell the important informa-tion presented in a class discussion or athink-pair-share activity)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the

information and ideas in oral texts byretelling the story or restating the infor-mation, including the main idea (e.g.,use time-order words, such as first, then,next, finally, to retell a story they haveheard; restate information from a movieabout community workers, including atopic statement and several supportingdetails)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 use stated and implied information and

ideas in oral texts, initially with supportand direction, to make simple inferencesand reasonable predictions (e.g., attendto the words being spoken and also usepersonal experience and the speaker’sintonation and facial expression to under-stand what is being said)

Teacher prompt: “The boy said, ’Youbroke my airplane!’ What helps youunderstand how he might be feeling?What do you think he might do next?”

1. Listening to Understand

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 1, students will:

1. listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;

2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiencesfor a variety of purposes;

3. reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of oral texts by

connecting the ideas in them to theirown knowledge and experience; toother familiar texts, including print andvisual texts; and to the world aroundthem (e.g., make personal connectionsbetween their own ideas about a topic andthe ideas in an oral text; identify othertexts that have similar elements or content)

Analysing Texts1.7 identify words or phrases that indicate

whether an oral text is fact or fiction,initially with support and direction (e.g., a personal recount might start “Last year in the summer holidays…”while a fictional story might start ”Once upon a time…”)

Point of View1.8 begin to identify, with support and

direction, who is speaking in an oraltext and the point of view expressed bythe speaker (e.g., the narrator may be acharacter in a story or an expert on thetopic of an informational talk; the speakermay be recounting a personal anecdote orsharing a personal opinion)

Teacher prompts: “Who is telling thisstory/presenting this information?What words/clues helped you figurethat out?” “What do we know aboutthe speaker?” “How might the story be different if another character weretelling it?”

Presentation Strategies1.9 begin to identify some of the presenta-

tion strategies used in oral texts andexplain how they influence the audience(e.g., the use of differences in tone andpitch for different characters in a story;the use of props to engage the audience)

Teacher prompts: “How did the speak-er use his/her voice to make youlike/not like a character?” “Why doyou think the speaker used the pup-pets when he was speaking?”

By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Purpose 2.1 identify a few purposes for speaking

(e.g., to express needs to peers and theteacher; to establish positive personal andlearning relationships with peers; to acti-vate prior knowledge and make connec-tions before listening; to retell stories andrecount personal experiences to the class;to ask questions or explore solutions toproblems in small-group and pairedactivities; to share ideas and informationthat contribute to understanding in largeand small groups; to manipulate the soundsof language in songs, chants, and poems)

Interactive Strategies2.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate speaking behaviour in afew different situations, includingpaired sharing and small- and large-group discussions (e.g., give other groupmembers an opportunity to speak; respondpositively to the contributions of others;stay on topic and speak to the point)

Clarity and Coherence 2.3 communicate ideas and information

orally in a clear, coherent manner (e.g., use a logical framework such as abeginning, middle, and end sequence toretell a story read aloud by the teacher)

Appropriate Language2.4 choose appropriate words to commu-

nicate their meaning accurately andengage the interest of their audience(e.g., choose words relevant to the topicfrom the full range of their vocabulary,including new words used regularly in theclassroom; use descriptive adjectives toclarify and add interest to a narrative; useinclusive language that conveys respectfor all people)

Vocal Skills and Strategies2.5 begin to identify some vocal effects,

including tone, pace, pitch, and volume,and use them appropriately to helpcommunicate their meaning (e.g., increasevolume to emphasize important points orto communicate to a large audience)

2. Speaking to Communicate

Non-Verbal Cues2.6 identify some non-verbal cues, including

facial expression, gestures, and eye con-tact, and use them in oral communica-tions, appropriately and with sensitivitytowards cultural differences, to helpconvey their meaning

Visual Aids2.7 use one or more appropriate visual aids

(e.g., pictures, photographs, props, pup-pets, masks) to support or enhance oralpresentations (e.g., use a set of plasticanimals during an oral recount about a visit to a zoo)

By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Metacognition3.1 begin to identify, with support and

direction, a few strategies they foundhelpful before, during, and after listen-ing and speaking

Teacher prompts: “How do you knowwhat to listen for?” “What could youdo after you listen to check and see

if you understood what you heard?”“What could you do if you didn’tunderstand what you heard?” ”Whatdo you think about before you beginto talk?” “When you are talking, how can you tell if the audienceunderstands?” “What could you do to help the audience understandwhat you are saying?”

Interconnected Skills3.2 begin to identify how their skills as

viewers, representers, readers, and writers help them improve their oralcommunication skills

Teacher prompts: “How do you learnnew words that you can use when youare speaking?” “What words have youlearned in the books you are readingthat help you understand what youhear or that you can use while you are speaking?”

3. Reflecting on OralCommunication Skills and Strategies

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By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Variety of Texts1.1 read a few different types of literary

texts (e.g., pattern books, rhymes, booksfrom home, simple fiction stories), graph-ic texts (e.g., calendars, environmentalprint, signs), and informational texts(e.g., morning messages, strategy charts,instructions, simple non-fiction books,labels)

Purpose1.2 identify a few different purposes for

reading and choose reading materialsappropriate for those purposes (e.g., pic-ture books for entertainment, information,or reflection; simple factual and visualtexts for information; magazines for enter-tainment and interest)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a few reading comprehension

strategies and use them before, during,and after reading to understand texts,initially with support and direction(e.g., activate prior knowledge by brain-storming about the cover, title page,or topic; describe how they visualize acharacter or scene in a text; ask questionsabout information or ideas presented in atext: I wonder if…?, What if…? Whydid…?; identify important ideas in a text)

Teacher prompt: “What do you think isthe most important thing to rememberso far about this text/topic? Why doyou think it is important?”

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate understanding of a text by

retelling the story or restating informa-tion from the text, including the mainidea (e.g., retell a story or restate facts,including the main idea and importantevents, in accurate time order; role-playor dramatize a story or informational text using puppets or props)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 use stated and implied information and

ideas in texts, initially with support anddirection, to make simple inferences andreasonable predictions about them

Teacher prompt: “The text tells us that thegirl broke her brother’s toy airplane. Thinkabout what you know about the boy sofar. Predict what might happen next. Isthere information in the illustration thatcan help you make your prediction?”

Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of texts by connect-

ing the ideas in them to their own knowl-edge and experience, to other familiartexts, and to the world around them (e.g., identify personally significant events in

1. Reading for Meaning

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 1, students will:

1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;

2. recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;

3. use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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stories, such as losing a tooth or getting a pet;relate information in a text to previous expe-riences, other familiar texts, movies, or trips)

Teacher prompts: “What does this textremind you of in your life?” “Nowthat we have researched [topic X],what have we learned?” “Does thisbook remind you of a story that youhave been told?”

Analysing Texts1.7 identify the main idea and a few elements

of texts, initially with support and direc-tion (e.g., narrative: characters, setting,problem/solution; information text:introductory statement, facts, photographs)

Responding to and Evaluating Texts1.8 express personal thoughts and feelings

about what has been read (e.g., throughrole playing, drama, visual arts, music,discussion; by developing a plan to act onissues raised in the text)

Teacher prompts: “How does the end-ing of this story make you feel?” “Doyou think there are recycling ideas inthe text that we could use in our class-room?” “Show me how you were feel-ing when…” “What would you say if you were…?”

Point of View1.9 begin to identify, with support and

direction, the speaker and the point of view presented in a text and suggesta possible alternative perspective (e.g.,dramatize the story, taking on the role of different characters; create drawings,paintings, or models to represent the per-spective of different characters in a text)

Teacher prompts: “Who is talking inthis story? Would the story be differentif someone else were talking?” “Whatis the author telling us about this topic?”

By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Text Forms2.1 identify and describe the characteristics

of a few simple text forms, with a focuson literary texts such as a simple fiction-al story (e.g., characters, setting, events,problem/solution), graphic texts such asa calendar (e.g., names of months anddays, a grid, numbers), and informational

texts such as a simple “All About____”book (e.g., labels, headings, pictures)

Text Patterns2.2 recognize simple organizational pat-

terns in texts of different types andexplain, initially with support anddirection, how the patterns help readersunderstand the texts (e.g., signal wordssuch as first, second, then, finally help to identify time order or sequence)

Text Features2.3 identify some text features (e.g., illustra-

tions, symbols, photographs, title, pagenumber, table of contents) and explainhow they help readers understand texts

Teacher prompts: “How does the titlehelp you understand what you aregoing to be reading?” “How does anillustration or photograph help youunderstand what you are reading?”

Elements of Style2.4 identify some simple elements of style,

including voice and word choice, andexplain, initially with support anddirection, how they help readers under-stand texts (e.g., descriptive words helpthe reader make better mind pictures ofthe characters or setting in a story)

Teacher prompt: “What words in thetext helped you make a picture in yourhead?”

By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Reading Familiar Words3.1 automatically read and understand

some high-frequency words and wordsof personal interest or significance, in a variety of reading contexts (e.g., thesame word in different graphic representa-tions such as: on the word wall; in shared-,guided-, and independent-reading texts;on shared- and interactive-writing charts;in personal writing; in a variety of fonts)

Reading Unfamiliar Words3.2 predict the meaning of and solve unfa-

miliar words using different types ofcues, including:

• semantic (meaning) cues (e.g., familiarwords, phrases, sentences, and visualsthat activate existing knowledge of oraland written language);

3. Reading With Fluency

2. Understanding Form and Style

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• syntactic (language structure) cues(e.g., predictable word order, predictablelanguage patterns, punctuation);

• graphophonic (phonological andgraphic) cues (e.g., blending and seg-menting of individual sounds in words;visual features of words such as shapeand orientation; sound-letter relation-ships for initial, final, and medialsounds; onset and rime; commonspelling patterns; words within words)

Teacher prompt (for cross-checking ofcues): “It looks right and sounds right,but does it make sense?”

Reading Fluently3.3 read appropriate, familiar texts at a suf-

ficient rate and with sufficient expres-sion to convey the sense of the text tothe reader (e.g., make oral reading of arole in a simple readers’ theatre scriptsound like natural speech)

By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Metacognition4.1 begin to identify, with support and

direction, a few strategies they foundhelpful before, during, and after reading

Teacher prompts: “What do you do toget ready to read a new text?” “Whatdo you do if your reading doesn’t

make sense to you?” “When you cometo a word you don’t know, what doyou do?” “What strategies help youthe most when you are reading?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain, initially with support and

direction, how their skills in listening,speaking, writing, viewing, and repre-senting help them make sense of whatthey read (e.g., reading a text independ-ently is easier after hearing it read aloudand/or talking about it in class)

Teacher prompts: “How does listeningto someone else read help you becomea better reader?” “How does talking tosomeone else about what you are read-ing help you as a reader?” “How doeslooking at the illustrations help youmake sense of what you are reading?”

4. Reflecting on Reading Skills andStrategies

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GRADE 1 | WRITING

By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, audience,

and form for writing, initially with sup-port and direction (e.g., a personalrecount of a past experience, includingpictures, to share with family or friends;an “All About the Seasons”book for theclass library; labels and captions for apictograph to share findings with a groupafter a math investigation)

Teacher prompts: “What is your writingabout?” “Why are you writing?”“Whom are you writing for?”

Developing Ideas 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic,

using a variety of strategies andresources (e.g., ask questions to identifypersonal experiences, prior knowledge,and information needs; brainstorm ideaswith the class)

Research1.3 gather information to support ideas

for writing in a variety of ways and/orfrom a variety of sources (e.g., from lis-tening to stories told by family members;from paired sharing with a peer; from

observations; from various texts, includ-ing teacher read-alouds, mentor texts, andshared-, guided-, and independent-reading texts)

Classifying Ideas1.4 sort ideas and information for their

writing in a variety of ways, with sup-port and direction (e.g., by using pictures,labels, key words, hand-drawn or com-puter graphics, or simple graphic organizerssuch as a web, a list, or a five-W’s frame-work: who, what, when, where, why)

Organizing Ideas 1.5 identify and order main ideas and sup-

porting details, initially with supportand direction, using simple graphicorganizers (e.g., a story ladder, sequencechart) and simple organizational pat-terns (e.g., time order: first, then, next,finally; order of importance; beginning,middle, and end)

Review1.6 determine, after consultation with the

teacher and peers, whether the ideasand information they have gathered aresuitable for the purpose (e.g., use picturesand words to explain their material to aclassmate and ask for feedback)

1. Developing and OrganizingContent

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 1, students will:

1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;

2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic formsand stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;

3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of languageconventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategiesthey found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Form2.1 write short texts using a few simple

forms (e.g., a recount of personally signif-icant experiences; a simple report on top-ics of interest to the writer and identifiedin non-fiction reading; “How to”booksidentifying the steps in a procedure suchas “How to Make Applesauce”, includingpictures, symbols, and words; a storymodelled on characters and events fromstories read; their own variation on afamiliar poem, chant, or song; a poster for the classroom)

Voice2.2 begin to establish a personal voice in

their writing by using pictures andwords that convey their attitude or feel-ing towards the subject or audience(e.g., use pictures and words that projectinterest or enthusiasm)

Word Choice 2.3 use familiar words and phrases to

convey a clear meaning (e.g., some simple, familiar descriptive adjectives of size, feeling, or colour: The black dog was happy.)

Sentence Fluency 2.4 write simple but complete sentences

that make sense

Point of View2.5 begin to identify, with support and

direction, their point of view and onepossible different point of view aboutthe topic

Teacher prompts: “How do you feelabout this topic?” “How do you thinkyour friend feels about this topic?”“How can you convey your feelings to your audience?”

Preparing for Revision 2.6 identify elements of their writing that

need improvement, including content,organization, and style, using feedbackfrom the teacher and peers

Teacher prompts: “Does this writingmake sense to you?” “Does it say whatyou wanted to say?”

Revision2.7 make simple revisions to improve the

content, clarity, and interest of theirwritten work, using a few simple strate-gies (e.g., cut out words or sentences andreorder them to improve clarity; insertwords from oral vocabulary and the classword wall or word webs to clarify mean-ing and/or add interest)

Producing Drafts2.8 produce revised draft pieces of writing

to meet criteria identified by the teacher,based on the expectations

By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Spelling Familiar Words 3.1 spell some high-frequency words cor-

rectly (e.g., words from their oral vocabu-lary, the class word wall, and shared-,guided-, and independent-reading texts)

Spelling Unfamiliar Words 3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety of

strategies that involve understandingsound-symbol relationships, word struc-tures, and word meanings (e.g., segmentwords to identify and record individualsound-symbol correspondences, includingshort vowels and simple long-vowel pat-terns; listen for rhyming patterns; look for common letter sequences and onsetand rime in frequently used words; makeanalogies between words that look similar;illustrate words to link meaning to spelling)

Vocabulary 3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings

or word choice using one or tworesources (e.g., find pictures or words in apicture dictionary; locate words on analphabetical word wall using first letter;refer to class-created word webs posted inthe classroom)

Punctuation3.4 use punctuation to help communicate

their intended meaning, with a focus onthe use of: a capital letter at the begin-ning of a sentence; a period, questionmark, or exclamation mark at the end

3. Applying Knowledge ofLanguage Conventions and Presenting Written Work Effectively

2. Using Knowledge of Form andStyle in Writing

Grammar3.5 use parts of speech appropriately to

communicate their meaning clearly,with a focus on the use of: nouns fornames of people, places, and things; thepersonal subject pronouns I, you, he,she, it, we, they; verbs to tell what theydo and feel; some adjectives; and simpleprepositions of place (e.g., in, on, at, to)

Proofreading3.6 proofread and correct their writing

using a simple checklist or a few guid-ing questions posted by the teacher forreference (e.g., Can I read it? Does it“sound right”? Does it make sense? Aremy word wall words spelled correctly?)

Publishing 3.7 use some appropriate elements of effec-

tive presentation in the finished product,such as print, different fonts, graphics,and layout (e.g., use drawings, photo-graphs, or simple labels to clarify text;print legibly; leave spaces between words)

Producing Finished Works3.8 produce pieces of published work to

meet criteria identified by the teacher,based on the expectations

By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify some strategies they found

helpful before, during, and after writing(e.g., during a regular writing conference,respond to teacher prompts about whatstrategies helped at a specific phase inthe writing process; identify strategiesused before, during, and after writing ona class anchor chart; identify a strategyfor future use on a strategy bookmark orchart)

Teacher prompts: “What strategyhelped you organize your ideas?”“How did you know what words weremissing?” “What helped you knowwhat to do when you finished yourfirst draft?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 describe, with prompting by the teacher,

how some of their skills in listening,speaking, reading, viewing, and repre-senting help in their development aswriters

Teacher prompts: “How does what youknow about reading and differentkinds of books help you when you arewriting?” “In what way do you thinklistening to someone else’s ideas mighthelp you with your writing?”

Portfolio 4.3 select pieces of writing they think show

their best work and explain the reasonsfor their selection

4. Reflecting on Writing Skills andStrategies

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By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the purpose and intended

audience of some simple media texts(e.g., this movie tells a story to entertainchildren; this sign gives information totravellers)

Teacher prompt: “Who wouldwatch/listen to this? Why?”

Making Inferences/Interpreting Messages1.2 identify overt and implied messages,

initially with support and direction, insimple media texts (e.g.,

• overt message of a toy advertisementshowing two boys playing with a car:This toy is fun; implied message: This toy is for boys;)

• overt message of a cartoon: the violencehere is funny and doesn't hurt any-one; implied message: violence isacceptable)

Teacher prompt: “Let’s try to think ofan advertisement made for a specificaudience – for example, for girls orboys, for mothers, or for teenagers.How do we know that the advertise-ment is for that audience?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts1.3 express personal thoughts and feelings

about some simple media works (e.g., state whether they like or dislike a character in a cartoon, song, or movie;draw a picture of the character in a song)

Teacher prompt: “What do you like/notlike about the story told in this movie?What was your favourite part? Howdid it make you feel?” “Did the charac-ters in this cartoon use violence tosolve problems? Was the violencefunny? Is this a good way to solveproblems?”

Audience Responses 1.4 describe how different audiences might

respond to specific media texts

Teacher prompt: “Would your friendsor parents like the same songs, movies,stories, games that you like? Why?Why not?”

Point of View 1.5 begin to identify, with support and

direction, whose point of view is pre-sented in a simple media text and sug-gest a possible alternative perspective(e.g., a cartoon told from the point of view of a mouse might be told from a cat’sviewpoint)

1. Understanding Media Texts

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 1, students will:

1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;

2. identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associatedwith them are used to create meaning;

3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriateforms, conventions, and techniques;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creating media texts.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

Production Perspectives1.6 identify, with support and direction,

who makes some of the simple mediatexts with which they are familiar, andwhy those texts are produced (e.g., thegovernment has traffic signs made to pro-tect the safety of travellers and pedestri-ans; film companies hire manufacturers toproduce toys and other products based onpopular children’s movies and televisionprograms to sell to children)

Teacher prompt: “Your doll is the maincharacter from your favourite TVshow. Do you think the same peoplewho make the TV show made the doll,too? Are there any marks on your dollthat tell us who made it?”

By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Form2.1 identify some of the elements and char-

acteristics of a few simple media forms(e.g., cartoon: colour, music, animation;picture book: cover, printed words, pictures)

Teacher prompt: “How are books dif-ferent from cartoons? How are theythe same?”

Conventions and Techniques2.2 identify, initially with support and

direction, the conventions and tech-niques used in some familiar mediaforms (e.g., specific pictures and coloursare used in traffic signs to make messagesimmediately recognizable to drivers andpedestrians; icons are used on computerscreens instead of words to help userslocate computer functions; jingles and slo-gans are used in television advertisementsto make the messages memorable; back-ground music may be used in a movie tocommunicate a mood such as suspense orhappiness)

Teacher prompts: “How do colour andsize help you notice a sign?” “Whathappens to the music when the villainappears? What does that tell you?How does it affect you?”

By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Purpose and Audience 3.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audi-

ence for media texts they plan to create(e.g., a media text to explain the impor-tance of hand-washing to a Kindergartenclass, or to tell the story of a class trip toparents or visitors)

Teacher prompt: “How can we use pho-tographs to tell the story of our trip?What could we use in addition to thephotographs to help visitors under-stand what we did on our trip?”

Form3.2 identify an appropriate form to suit the

purpose and audience for a media textthey plan to create

Teacher prompt: “Which would be abetter way to tell the school about anupcoming book sale – a poster or a P.A.announcement by a student? Why?”

Conventions and Techniques3.3 identify conventions and techniques

appropriate to the form chosen for a media text they plan to create (e.g., tape-recorded music to reflect thechanging scenes or moods in a picturebook)

Teacher prompt: “How will the musichelp people understand the book?”

Producing Media Texts 3.4 produce some short media texts for spe-

cific purposes and audiences, using afew simple media forms and appropri-ate conventions and techniques (e.g.,

• a tape-recorded soundtrack for a story

• a sequence of pictures and/or photo-graphs that tells a story

• a sign or poster for their classroom orthe school

• a selection of images downloaded fromthe Internet to accompany a scienceproject

• a collage of items a story charactermight enjoy or own

• an enactment of a scene about a characterfrom a favourite movie)

3. Creating Media Texts

2. Understanding Media Forms,Conventions, and Techniques

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By the end of Grade 1, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify, initially with support and

direction, what strategies they foundmost helpful in making sense of andcreating media texts

Teacher prompts: “How did thinkingabout your audience help you createyour poster?” “How did looking atother posters help you come up withideas for this poster?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 begin to explain, initially with support

and direction, how their skills in listen-ing, speaking, reading, and writing helpthem to make sense of and producemedia texts

Teacher prompts: “How did talkingabout the project with other studentshelp you create a better poster?”“What language skills did you use in creating this media text?”

4. Reflecting on Media LiteracySkills and Strategies

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GRADE 2 | ORAL COMMUNICATION

By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Purpose 1.1 identify purposes for listening in a

variety of situations, formal and infor-mal, and set personal goals for listening,initially with support and direction (e.g., to acquire information from a pres-entation by a guest speaker; to exchangeideas in a small-group discussion; toenjoy and understand poetry)

Active Listening Strategies1.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate listening behaviour byusing active listening strategies in avariety of situations (e.g., demonstrateunderstanding of when to speak, when to listen, and how much to say; restatewhat the speaker has said and connect it to their own ideas; express personalinterest in what has been said by askingrelated questions: I like what ______ said about ______)

Teacher prompt: “When First Nationspeoples use a talking stick,* a personspeaks only when holding the talkingstick, while the rest of the group listens.Today we are going to speak and listenin a similar way.”

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify several listening comprehen-

sion strategies and use them before,during, and after listening in order tounderstand and clarify the meaning oforal texts (e.g., listen for key words andphrases that signal important ideas; retellan oral text to a partner after a presentation;ask appropriate questions in order to makepredictions about an oral text)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the

information and ideas in oral texts byretelling the story or restating the infor-mation, including the main idea andseveral interesting details (e.g., restate a partner’s reflections after a think-pair-share activity; identify the importantideas in a group presentation; carry on a sustained conversation on a topic)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 use stated and implied information and

ideas in oral texts to make simple infer-ences and reasonable predictions, andsupport the inferences with evidencefrom the text

Teacher prompt: “You predicted_______. What clues from the oral textdid you use to figure that out?”

1. Listening to Understand

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 2, students will:

1. listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;

2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiencesfor a variety of purposes;

3. reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, andthe strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

* Talking sticks were originally used by some First Nations peoples to ensure impartial and fair council meetings, buttheir use is becoming popular again in talking and sentencing circles. A person speaks only when holding the talkingstick, while the rest of the group listens silently.

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Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of oral texts by

connecting the ideas in them to theirown knowledge and experience; toother familiar texts, including print andvisual texts; and to the world aroundthem (e.g., talk about their own ideas andexperiences related to the topic before lis-tening; connect ideas from oral presenta-tions to related school and communityevents and/or to other texts with similartopics or themes, including multiculturaltexts or texts in their own first language)

Analysing Texts1.7 identify words or phrases that indicate

whether an oral text is fact or opinion,initially with support and direction (e.g., phrases such as I think…I feel…indicate an opinion rather than strictlyfactual information)

Point of View1.8 identify, initially with support and

direction, who is speaking in an oral text,and demonstrate an understanding thatthe speaker has his or her own point ofview (e.g., people, events, and details areviewed differently by different people)

Teacher prompts: “Does who is talkingaffect the way the information is pre-sented or the way the story is told?”“How do you know what the speak-er’s feelings about the topic are? Howdoes that affect you as a listener?”“How might the text change if [charac-ter X] were speaking instead?”

Presentation Strategies1.9 identify some of the presentation strate-

gies used in oral texts and explain howthey influence the audience (e.g., the useof facial expressions helps the listenerunderstand what is being said)

Teacher prompts: “How does looking atthe expression on a speaker’s face helpyou to understand what is being said?”“Does the look on the speaker’s face insome way change the meaning of theactual words being spoken?”

By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Purpose 2.1 identify a variety of purposes for speaking

(e.g., to entertain the class; to establishpositive personal and learning relationships

with peers; to ask questions or exploresolutions to problems in small-group andpaired activities; to give directions to apartner in a shared activity; to explain toa small group the method used to solve aproblem; to share ideas or information inlarge and small groups)

Interactive Strategies2.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate speaking behaviour in avariety of situations, including pairedsharing and small- and large-group dis-cussions (e.g., make connections to whatother group members have said; demon-strate an understanding of when to speak,when to listen, and how much to say)

Clarity and Coherence 2.3 communicate ideas, opinions, and infor-

mation orally in a clear, coherent man-ner using simple but appropriate orga-nizational patterns (e.g., give an oralaccount of a current event using the fiveW’s to organize the information; restatethe main facts from a simple informa-tional text in correct sequence)

Appropriate Language2.4 choose a variety of appropriate words

and phrases to communicate theirmeaning accurately and engage theinterest of their audience (e.g., usedescriptive adjectives and adverbs to create vivid images for their audience)

Vocal Skills and Strategies2.5 identify some vocal effects, including

tone, pace, pitch, and volume, and usethem appropriately, and with sensitivitytowards cultural differences, to helpcommunicate their meaning (e.g., adjustvolume to suit the purpose for speakingand the size and type of audience)

Non-Verbal Cues2.6 identify some non-verbal cues, includ-

ing facial expression, gestures, and eyecontact, and use them in oral communi-cations, appropriately and with sensitiv-ity towards cultural differences, to helpconvey their meaning

Visual Aids2.7 use a few different visual aids, (e.g.,

photographs, artefacts, a story map) tosupport or enhance oral presentations(e.g., use a family photograph as part ofan oral recount of an event; use a storymap to retell a story)

2. Speaking to Communicate

By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Metacognition3.1 identify, initially with support and

direction, a few strategies they foundhelpful before, during, and after listen-ing and speaking

Teacher prompts: “What questions canyou ask yourself while listening to besure that you understand what youhear?” “What can you do after listeningto check that you have understood?”“How do you get ready to speak?”“While you are speaking, how do you check whether you are keepingthe attention of your audience?”

Interconnected Skills3.2 identify, initially with support and

direction, how their skills as viewers,representers, readers, and writers helpthem improve their oral communicationskills

Teacher prompts: “How does listeningmake you a better speaker?” “Howdoes viewing texts help you when you are listening?”

3. Reflecting on OralCommunication Skills and Strategies

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By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Variety of Texts1.1 read some different literary texts (e.g.,

poetry, folk tales, fairy tales from diversecultures, stories, books from home in theirfirst language), graphic texts (e.g., simplemaps, charts, diagrams, graphs), andinformational texts (e.g.,“How to”books,non-fiction books about topics of personalinterest, electronic texts, primary dictionaries)

Purpose1.2 identify several different purposes for

reading and choose reading materialsappropriate for those purposes (e.g., pic-ture books for entertainment or reflection,familiar favourite books to build fluency,simple factual and visual texts forresearch, a picture atlas for information)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify several reading comprehension

strategies and use them before, during,and after reading to understand texts(e.g., activate prior knowledge to askquestions or make predictions about thetopic or story; use visualization to helpclarify the sights and sounds referred to inthe text; ask questions to monitor under-standing during reading; identify impor-tant ideas to remember)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate understanding of a text by

retelling the story or restating informa-tion from the text, with the inclusion ofa few interesting details (e.g., retell astory or restate facts in proper sequence orcorrect time order, with a few supportingdetails; restate the important ideas from ashort informational text about the lifecycle of a butterfly in the correctsequence)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 use stated and implied information and

ideas in texts to make simple inferencesand reasonable predictions about them

Teacher prompts: “How did Carmen’sactions help us to know how she wasfeeling in the story?” “The text describeswhat articles of clothing the characteris wearing. How does that informationhelp us predict what the weather con-ditions might be?”

Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of texts by

connecting the ideas in them to theirown knowledge and experience, toother familiar texts, and to the worldaround them

Teacher prompts: “How is this storylike the one we read last week?” “How is our school like the one we are reading about?”

1. Reading for Meaning

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 2, students will:

1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;

2. recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;

3. use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

Analysing Texts1.7 identify the main idea and some addi-

tional elements of texts (e.g., narrative:characters, setting, problem, solution,events/episodes, resolution; procedure:goal, materials, method)

Teacher prompts: “What main idea dothese two stories share?” “What ele-ments did the author include to makethe recipe interesting and still easy to follow?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts1.8 express personal thoughts and feelings

about what has been read (e.g., by usingvisual art or music to communicate theirreaction)

Teacher prompts: “Why do you thinkwhat happened to the character wasfair/not fair?” “How might youexpress your feelings about what happened to this character?”

Point of View 1.9 identify, initially with support and

direction, the speaker and the point ofview presented in a text and suggest oneor two possible alternative perspectives(e.g., develop a narrative or role play topresent a story from the point of view ofone or two minor characters)

Teacher prompts: “What do you thinkthe author wants the reader to think?”“How might a different character tellthis story?”

By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Text Forms2.1 identify and describe the characteristics

of a few simple text forms, with a focuson literary texts such as a fairy tale (e.g.,plot, characters, setting), graphic textssuch as a primary dictionary (e.g., wordslisted in alphabetical order, simple defini-tions accompanied by picture clues or dia-grams), and informational texts such asa “How to” book (e.g., materials listed in order of use, numbered steps, labels,diagrams)

Text Patterns2.2 recognize simple organizational pat-

terns in texts of different types, andexplain, initially with support anddirection, how the patterns help readersunderstand the texts (e.g., numberedsteps help the reader follow a procedureor set of instructions correctly)

Text Features2.3 identify some text features and explain

how they help readers understand texts(e.g., table of contents, index, chart, illus-trations, pictures, diagrams, icons)

Teacher prompt: “How does the dia-gram help you understand the explanation?”

Elements of Style 2.4 identify some simple elements of style,

including voice, word choice, and dif-ferent types of sentences, and explainhow they help readers understand texts(e.g., descriptive adjectives help the readervisualize a setting; alliteration helps makeideas or characters stand out: red red robin)

By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Reading Familiar Words 3.1 automatically read and understand

many high-frequency words, some wordswith common spelling patterns, andwords of personal interest or significance,in a variety of reading contexts (e.g., thesame word in different graphic represen-tations such as: on charts or posters; in shared-, guided-, and independent-reading texts; in shared- and interactive-writing texts; in personal writing and thewriting of their peers)

Reading Unfamiliar Words3.2 predict the meaning of and quickly

solve unfamiliar words using differenttypes of cues, including:

• semantic (meaning) cues (e.g., familiarwords, phrases, sentences, and visualsthat activate existing knowledge of oraland written language);

• syntactic (language structure) cues(e.g., word order, language patterns,punctuation);

3. Reading With Fluency

2. Understanding Form and Style

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• graphophonic (phonological andgraphic) cues (e.g., letter clusters with-in words; onset and rime; commonspelling patterns; words within words;visual features of words such as shapeor size)

Teacher prompt (for cross-checking ofcues): “The word does have the samebeginning sound (bright and brought)but does it make sense in this sentence?”

Reading Fluently3.3 read appropriate texts at a sufficient rate

and with sufficient expression to conveythe sense of the text to the reader and toan audience (e.g., make oral readingsound like spoken language, with theappropriate pauses, stops, and starts indi-cated by the punctuation)

Teacher prompt: “Can you make yourreading sound just as if you are talking?”

By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify, initially with support and

direction, a few strategies that theyfound helpful before, during, and after reading

Teacher prompts: “What questions doyou ask yourself to check and see

whether you understand what you are reading? What do you do if youdon’t understand?” “When you cometo a word or phrase you don’t know,what strategies do you use to solve it?How do you check to see if you wereright?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain, initially with support and

direction, how their skills in listening,speaking, writing, viewing, and repre-senting help them make sense of whatthey read (e.g., reading a text independ-ently is easier after discussing the topicwith a partner and/or talking about it in agroup)

Teacher prompt: “How do discussionsbefore reading help you get ready toread about new topics?”

4. Reflecting on Reading Skills andStrategies

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By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, audience,

and form for writing (e.g., a fairy tale toentertain another class; the procedure forfire drills to inform the class; a poster topromote a favourite book or movie)

Teacher prompts: “What is your writingabout?” “Why are you writing?”“Whom are you writing for?”

Developing Ideas 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic,

using a variety of strategies and resources(e.g., formulate and ask questions such as the five W’s [who, what, when, where,why] to identify personal experiences,prior knowledge, and information needs;brainstorm ideas with a partner)

Research 1.3 gather information to support ideas for

writing in a variety of ways and/orfrom a variety of sources (e.g., from discussions with family and friends; from a variety of texts, including teacher read-alouds, mentor texts, shared-, guided-, andindependent-reading texts, and media texts)

Classifying Ideas 1.4 sort ideas and information for their

writing in a variety of ways, with support and direction (e.g., by using simple graphic organizers such as webs or a Venn diagram)

Organizing Ideas 1.5 identify and order main ideas and sup-

porting details, using graphic organizers(e.g., a story grammar: characters, set-ting, problem, solution; a sequentialchart: first, then, next, finally) and organizational patterns (e.g., problem-solution, chronological order)

Review 1.6 determine whether the ideas and infor-

mation they have gathered are suitablefor the purpose, and gather new materi-al if necessary (e.g., use a graphic organ-izer to explain their material to a classmateand ask for feedback to identify gaps)

By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Form2.1 write short texts using several simple

forms (e.g., a friendly letter; a factualrecount of a scientific or mathematical

2. Using Knowledge of Form andStyle in Writing

1. Developing and OrganizingContent

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 2, students will:

1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;

2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic formsand stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;

3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of languageconventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategiesthey found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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investigation; a recipe describing the procedure for cooking a favourite food;directions for playing a game; a para-graph describing the physical characteris-tics of an animal; an original story or anextension of a familiar story, modelledon stories read; their own variation on apatterned poem; an advertisement for a toy)

Voice 2.2 establish a personal voice in their

writing, with a focus on using familiarwords that convey their attitude or feel-ing towards the subject or audience(e.g., words that convey admiration for a character: a cool person)

Word Choice 2.3 use familiar words and phrases to

communicate relevant details (e.g., asequence of adjectives: The big, brownbear…)

Sentence Fluency 2.4 use a variety of sentence types (e.g.,

questions, statements, exclamations)

Point of View 2.5 identify, initially with support and

direction, their point of view and one or more possible different points ofview about the topic

Teacher prompt: “How do you feelabout this topic? How do you thinkother people – such as children from a different country or grandparents –might feel about this topic? How will you share these feelings in yourwriting?”

Preparing for Revision 2.6 identify elements of their writing that

need improvement, using feedbackfrom the teacher and peers, with a focuson content and word choice

Teacher prompts: “Do you have enoughinformation to support your ideas?”“Are there any other words that youcould use to create a better word pic-ture for your audience?”

Revision 2.7 make simple revisions to improve the

content, clarity, and interest of theirwritten work, using several types ofstrategies (e.g., reordering sentences topresent information in a more logicalsequence; adding linking words to connect

ideas; replacing general words with con-crete, specific words/phrases)

Teacher prompt: “What linking wordscould you use to connect two ideas?”“What words could you add to create amore vivid picture for the reader?”

Producing Drafts2.8 produce revised, draft pieces of writing

to meet criteria identified by the teacher,based on the expectations

By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Spelling Familiar Words 3.1 spell many high-frequency words cor-

rectly (e.g., words from their oral vocabu-lary, anchor charts, the class word wall,and shared-, guided-, and independent-reading texts)

Spelling Unfamiliar Words 3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety

of strategies that involve understandingsound-symbol relationships, word struc-tures, word meanings, and generaliza-tions about spelling (e.g., spell words outloud; segment words into clusters of let-ters to hear onset and rime; sort words bycommon sound patterns and/or lettersequences; link letters to words: You hearwith your ear; follow rules for addingendings to base words when the spellingdoesn’t change; use word meanings to helpspell simple contractions and homo-phones: bear/bare)

Vocabulary 3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings

or word choice using a few differenttypes of resources (e.g., locate words in alphabetical order by using first andsecond letters in a primary dictionary,on a word wall, or in an online picturedictionary)

Punctuation 3.4 use punctuation to help communicate

their intended meaning, with a focus on the use of: question marks, periods,or exclamation marks at the end of asentence; commas to mark pauses; andsome uses of quotation marks

3. Applying Knowledge ofLanguage Conventions and Presenting Written Work Effectively

Grammar 3.5 use parts of speech appropriately to

communicate their meaning clearly,with a focus on the use of: proper nounsfor local, provincial, and national placenames and for holidays; the personalobject pronouns me, you, him, her, us,them; adjectives to describe a noun;verbs in the simple present and pasttenses; joining words (e.g., and, but);simple prepositions of place and time(e.g., under, with, before, after)

Proofreading 3.6 proofread and correct their writing

using a simple checklist or a few guidingquestions developed with the teacherand posted for reference (e.g., Does eachsentence make sense? Are the ideas andinformation presented in a logical order?Does each sentence begin with a capitalletter and end with a period, questionmark, or exclamation mark? Whatresources can I use to check the spelling of a word if it doesn’t look right?)

Publishing 3.7 use some appropriate elements of effec-

tive presentation in the finished prod-uct, including print, different fonts,graphics, and layout (e.g., use legibleprinting, spacing, margins, varied printsize, and colour for emphasis; includea simple labelled diagram in a report; supply a caption for a photograph or illustration)

Producing Finished Works3.8 produce pieces of published work to

meet criteria identified by the teacher,based on the expectations

By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify some strategies they found

helpful before, during, and after writing(e.g., use a writer’s notebook to recordideas for writing, new and interestingwords, graphic organizers that could beused again)

Teacher prompts: “How do you gener-ate your ideas for writing?” “Whathelps you to get organized for writing?”

Interconnected Skills 4.2 describe, with prompting by the teacher,

how some of their skills in listening,speaking, reading, viewing, and repre-senting help in their development aswriters

Teacher prompts: “How does your conventions notebook help you as awriter?” “How does listening to storieshelp you when you are writing?”“How might the television programsyou watch help you as a writer?”

Portfolio 4.3 select pieces of writing that they think

show their best work and explain thereasons for their selection

4. Reflecting on Writing Skills and Strategies

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By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the purpose and intended audi-

ence of some simple media texts (e.g.,this television commercial is designed to sell breakfast cereal to parents or softdrinks to children or teens; this picturebook of nature stories is aimed at childrenwho are interested in animals)

Teacher prompts: “Who would enjoythis?” “Who would learn from this?”

Making Inferences/Interpreting Messages1.2 identify overt and implied messages in

simple media texts (e.g.,

• overt message of an advertisement forshoes: Great athletes wear theseshoes; implied message: If you wantto be like these athletes, buy theseshoes;

• overt message on a billboard advertisingbrand-name clothing: These attractivepeople wear this brand of clothing;implied messages: Wearing this brandof clothing will make you attractivetoo; clothing makes the person;

• overt message in a superhero cartoon:The hero is a tall, strong man; impliedmessage: Tall, strong men are like heroes)

Teacher prompt: “What is this adver-tisement telling us? Do you believe itsmessages?” “What do the heroes andvillains look like in the cartoons youwatch? What does this suggest?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts 1.3 express personal thoughts and feelings

about simple media works and explaintheir responses (e.g., explain why a par-ticular DVD/video or licensed charactertoy or game is more or less appealing tothem than another, similar product)

Teacher prompt: “Tell me three thingsthat make this game more fun to playthan that one. Do you think both girlsand boys would like both of thesegames?”

Audience Responses1.4 describe how different audiences might

respond to specific media texts

Teacher prompt: “Who do you think isthe main audience for Saturday morn-ing cartoons? Do your parents watchthem? Who watches sporting eventson television in your or your friends’families? Who seems most interestedin car advertisements? Do you thinksome of these things are interesting tovarious groups of people?”

1. Understanding Media Texts

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 2, students will:

1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;

2. identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associatedwith them are used to create meaning;

3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriateforms, conventions, and techniques;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creatingmedia texts.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

Point of View 1.5 identify, initially with support and

direction, whose point of view (e.g., thatof the hero, the villain, the narrator) ispresented in a simple media text andsuggest how the text might change if a different point of view were used

Teacher prompt: “Who is telling thisstory? How would the story be differ-ent if another character were tellingthe story?”

Production Perspectives 1.6 identify, initially with support and

direction, who makes some of the sim-ple media texts with which they arefamiliar, and why those texts are pro-duced (e.g., film production companiesproduce movies to entertain audiencesand to make money; companies produceadvertisements to persuade consumers tobuy their products)

Teacher prompt: “How do we know whoproduces the T-shirts with logos or slogans that we wear, or the dolls welike to play with?”

By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Form2.1 identify some of the elements and char-

acteristics of selected media forms (e.g., a television commercial uses speech,sound effects, and moving images to sell aproduct or service; a print advertisementuses words and pictures to sell a productor service; in a television news broadcast,an anchor and reporters report informa-tion about events that have actually hap-pened, and use film or video clips fromreal locations around the world to illus-trate those events)

Conventions and Techniques2.2 identify the conventions and techniques

used in some familiar media forms (e.g., cartoons use animation and sound tomake fantasy characters seem real; cerealboxes use bright, strong colours, bold type,and inviting pictures of servings of thecereal to attract customers’ attention)

Teacher prompt: “What do you noticeabout the colours, images, and printon the cereal boxes? How might themessage be different if the colours orimages were changed?”

By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Purpose and Audience 3.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audience

for media texts they plan to create (e.g., an advertisement to interest bothboys and girls in buying an action toy)

Form3.2 identify an appropriate form to suit the

purpose and audience for a media textthey plan to create (e.g., a photo essay orcollage to commemorate a class event orcelebration)

Teacher prompt: “Would a photo essayor a collage tell the story best? Howelse could we keep a record of theevent?”

Conventions and Techniques3.3 identify conventions and techniques

appropriate to the form chosen for amedia text they plan to create (e.g., abook cover with appropriate lettering forthe title and author’s name and a coverillustration depicting a scene or artefactfrom the story; sound effects or a sound-track for a dramatization of a poem)

Producing Media Texts 3.4 produce media texts for specific purposes

and audiences, using a few simple mediaforms and appropriate conventions andtechniques (e.g.,

• an advertisement for a healthy snackfood

• a board game based on the plot andcharacters of a favourite book or tele-vision show

• a sequence of pictures and/or photo-graphs telling the story of a class eventor celebration

• a story illustrated with diagrams anddigital images

• a weather report with illustrations andcaptions

• a selection of background music andsound effects to accompany a picturebook that will be read aloud to the class

• a role play of an interview between areporter and a fictional character in amovie)

3. Creating Media Texts

2. Understanding Media Forms,Conventions, and Techniques

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By the end of Grade 2, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify, initially with support and

direction, what strategies they foundmost helpful in making sense of andcreating media texts

Teacher prompt: “How did choosingmusic to go with the story help youunderstand the story or poem better?Would you choose to do this again?Why? Why not?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain, initially with support and

direction, how their skills in listening,speaking, reading, and writing helpthem to make sense of and producemedia texts

Teacher prompt: “Think about yourproject. How many different languageskills did you use?”

4. Reflecting on Media LiteracySkills and Strategies

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GRADE 3 | ORAL COMMUNICATION

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Purpose 1.1 identify purposes for listening in a vari-

ety of situations, formal and informal,and set personal goals related to listen-ing tasks (e.g., to explore ideas in a bookclub discussion; to understand and empa-thize with a favourite character in a play;to express an opinion or offer advice to apartner during a peer conference)

Active Listening Strategies1.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate listening behaviour byusing active listening strategies in orderto contribute meaningfully and workconstructively in groups (e.g., demon-strate an understanding of when to speak,when to listen, and how much to say;make connections between personal experiences and the contributions of othergroup members; ask relevant questions to clarify information and ideas)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a variety of listening compre-

hension strategies and use them appro-priately before, during, and after listeningin order to understand and clarify themeaning of oral texts (e.g., list the impor-tant ideas in a poem or story read in class;ask questions to monitor understanding ofan oral text; visualize and sketch to clarifyunderstanding of an oral text)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the

information and ideas in a variety oforal texts by identifying importantinformation or ideas and some support-ing details (e.g., paraphrase a partner’sreflections after a think-pair-share activ-ity; paraphrase the important ideas in aplay; engage in relevant dialogue after anoral presentation; create a poster/art workrepresenting the important ideas in apoem or song)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 distinguish between stated and implied

ideas in oral texts (e.g., distinguishbetween the actual words and the empha-sis placed on them by the speaker)

Teacher prompts: “How does theemphasis that the speaker places onspecific words or phrases help youunderstand what is being said?” “Whydo you think the speaker spoke thosewords so loudly?” “How does the waythe speaker chooses to say words changethe meaning of what he or she says?”

Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of oral texts by

connecting the ideas in them to theirown knowledge and experience; toother familiar texts, including print andvisual texts; and to the world aroundthem (e.g., brainstorm to connect a topicto their background knowledge of thetopic; compare oral texts with similar

1. Listening to Understand

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 3, students will:

1. listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;

2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiencesfor a variety of purposes;

3. reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, andthe strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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themes from different cultures; connectmessages in oral texts to social issues ofrelevance to the class)

Analysing Texts1.7 identify and explain the importance of

significant ideas and information in oraltexts (e.g., rank information in order ofimportance; compare key aspects of twooral texts using a Venn diagram; representthe main elements of an oral text on aweb organizer or story map)

Point of View1.8 identify the point of view in different

types of oral texts and cite words,phrases, ideas, and information fromthe texts that confirm their identification(e.g., the use of first- or third-person per-sonal pronouns in a narrative; the selec-tive use of facts on a given topic; the useof words and phrases that indicate gener-alizations: all, every, always, never,every single time)

Teacher prompts: “What helped youdetermine the point of view in thistext?” “What evidence do you havethat this is the speaker’s point ofview?” ”Has the speaker used lan-guage that includes everyone?” “Is this point of view a common one in our world today?”

Presentation Strategies 1.9 identify some of the presentation strate-

gies used in oral texts and explain howthey influence the audience (e.g., intona-tion, eye contact)

Teacher prompts: “Do you think thespeaker used intonation and eye contact in an appropriate and effectiveway? How did they influence yourresponse?” “What other strategiesmight be effective in engaging or influencing the audience?”

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Purpose2.1 identify a variety of purposes for speak-

ing (e.g., to entertain an audience; toestablish positive personal and learningrelationships with peers; to ask questionsor explore solutions to problems in small-group and paired activities; to explain to

a small group how to play a new game; topresent to the class an item or event ofpersonal interest; to share ideas or infor-mation in order to contribute to under-standing in large or small groups)

Interactive Strategies2.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate speaking behaviour in avariety of situations, including small-and large-group discussions (e.g., para-phrase or restate other group members’contributions; acknowledge another per-son’s point of view; link their responses tothe topic of conversation and/or what wassaid by the previous speaker)

Clarity and Coherence 2.3 communicate orally in a clear, coherent

manner, presenting ideas, opinions, and information in a logical sequence(e.g., use an organizational pattern suchas comparison or chronological order inpresenting a short oral report)

Appropriate Language 2.4 choose a variety of appropriate words

and phrases, including descriptivewords and some technical vocabulary,and a few elements of style, to commu-nicate their meaning accurately andengage the interest of their audience(e.g., use alliteration for emphasis; usecomparatives such as like, instead of,however, the same as, compared to,unlike to clarify similarities and differ-ences; use appropriate technical termswhen explaining a scientific investigation)

Vocal Skills and Strategies2.5 identify some vocal effects, including

tone, pace, pitch, and volume, and usethem appropriately, and with sensitivitytowards cultural differences, to helpcommunicate their meaning (e.g., pausein appropriate places long enough toallow others to respond during dialoguewith peers or in small groups)

Non-Verbal Cues2.6 identify some non-verbal cues, includ-

ing facial expression, gestures, and eyecontact, and use them in oral communi-cations, appropriately and with sensitiv-ity towards cultural differences, to helpconvey their meaning

2. Speaking to Communicate

Visual Aids2.7 use a variety of appropriate visual aids

(e.g., overheads, diagrams, graphic organ-izers, charts, artefacts) to support orenhance oral presentations (e.g., use alarge-size labelled diagram to illustratean explanation of how soil erodes)

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Metacognition3.1 identify, in conversation with the teacher

and peers, what strategies they foundmost helpful before, during, and afterlistening and speaking

Teacher prompts: “What questions doyou ask yourself after listening tocheck that you have understood?”“How do you check to be sure that the audience understands what youare saying?”

Interconnected Skills 3.2 identify, in conversation with the

teacher and peers, how their skills asviewers, representers, readers, and writers help them improve their oralcommunication skills

Teacher prompts: “How does speakingmake you a better listener?” “Howdoes seeing a television program on a topic help you when you are dis-cussing that topic in class?” “Doeslearning new words from your readinghelp you when you are listening tooral texts?”

3. Reflecting on OralCommunication Skills and Strategies

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By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Variety of Texts1.1 read a variety of literary texts (e.g.,

fables, traditional Aboriginal stories,poetry, chapter books, adventure stories,letters, diaries), graphic texts (e.g., comicbooks, posters, charts, tables, maps, graphs),and informational texts (e.g.,“How to”books, print and electronic referencesources, magazine articles)

Purpose1.2 identify a variety of purposes for reading

and choose reading materials appropriatefor those purposes (e.g., comic books andadventure stories for entertainment andinterest, trade books to find informationand answer questions, dictionaries to findword meanings and pronunciation, atlasesfor specific information about the world,newspapers for information on currentevents)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a variety of reading comprehen-

sion strategies and use them appropri-ately before, during, and after reading to understand texts (e.g., activate priorknowledge through brainstorming and/ordeveloping mind maps; ask questions tofocus reading and clarify understanding;use visualization to clarify details aboutsuch things as homes and clothing of

early settlers; use pictures to confirmunderstanding of printed text)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate understanding of a variety

of texts by identifying important ideasand some supporting details (e.g., restateimportant ideas and some related detailsfrom an informational text about earlysettlers; retell a story giving details aboutspecific elements of the text such as setting,characters, and theme)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 make inferences about texts using stated

and implied ideas from the texts as evidence

Teacher prompts: “Using informationfrom the story opening, what can youinfer about the outcome of the game?”“How do you think the other characterswill react to the actions of the maincharacter?” “Why do you think earlysettlers chose wood to build theirhomes? Is there any evidence in thetext to explain this?”

Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of texts by con-

necting the ideas in them to their ownknowledge and experience, to other famil-iar texts, and to the world around them

Teacher prompts: “How are homes inthis book the same as or different fromhomes today?” “Do you know of other

1. Reading for Meaning

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 3, students will:

1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informationaltexts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;

2. recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;

3. use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

reasons why trees are important besidesthe reasons mentioned in the book?”

Analysing Texts1.7 identify specific elements of texts and

explain how they contribute to themeaning of the texts (e.g., narrative: setting, characters, plot, theme; explana-tion of a procedure: procedure to beexplained, sequence of steps)

Teacher prompts: “In what way doesknowing more about the charactershelp you to understand the text?”“How does identifying the setting inthe text help you as a reader?” “Whyis it important to have the steps in aspecific sequence?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts1.8 express personal opinions about ideas

presented in texts (e.g., identify traitsthey admire in the characters; commenton actions taken by characters)

Teacher prompts: “Do any of the char-acters in this story remind you ofsomeone you know?” “What do youthink about the way this story ends?”

Point of View1.9 identify the point of view presented in a

text and suggest some possible alterna-tive perspectives (e.g., retell the storyfrom the point of view of someone otherthan the author)

Teacher prompts: “How does theauthor show his/her point of view onthis poster?” “How might the storyhave been different if the main charac-ter had been a girl instead of a boy ora senior instead of a child?”

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Text Forms2.1 identify and describe the characteristics

of a variety of text forms, with a focuson literary texts such as a fable oradventure story (e.g., plot development,characters, setting), graphic texts such asa comic book (e.g., speech bubbles, illus-trations, captions), and informationaltexts such as a nature magazine (e.g.,table of contents, diagrams, photographs,labels, captions)

Text Patterns

2.2 recognize a few organizational patterns intexts of different types, and explain howthe patterns help readers understand thetexts (e.g., classification/grouping of ideasin a report or a factual recount)

Teacher prompt: “How does this pat-tern help you understand the text?”

Text Features2.3 identify a variety of text features and

explain how they help readers under-stand texts (e.g., table of contents, chartsand chart titles, headings, an index, aglossary, graphs, illustrations, pictures,diagrams, hyperlinks, a menu)

Teacher prompt: “What is the purpose of a glossary in a non-fiction text?How could you use it to help youunderstand the text?”

Elements of Style2.4 identify some elements of style, includ-

ing voice, word choice, and differenttypes of sentences, and explain howthey help readers understand texts (e.g., different sentence types make thetext more interesting for the reader andhelp the author express different kinds of ideas – questions express or stimulatecuriosity; exclamations convey emotionssuch as surprise or excitement)

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Reading Familiar Words3.1 automatically read and understand

most high-frequency words, many regu-larly used words, and words of personalinterest or significance, in a variety ofreading contexts (e.g., words from grade-level texts; terminology used regularly indiscussions and posted on anchor charts;words from shared-, guided-, and independent-reading texts, and some regularly used resource materials in the curriculum subject areas)

Reading Unfamiliar Words3.2 predict the meaning of and rapidly

solve unfamiliar words using differenttypes of cues, including:

3. Reading With Fluency

2. Understanding Form and Style

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• semantic (meaning) cues (e.g., prefixes,suffixes, base words, phrases, sentences,and visuals that activate existing knowl-edge of oral and written language);

• syntactic (language structure) cues(e.g., word order, language patterns,punctuation);

• graphophonic (phonological andgraphic) cues (e.g., onset and rime; syllables; similarities between wordswith common spelling patterns andunknown words; words within words)

Teacher prompt (for cross-checking ofcues): “Does the word sound right andmake sense given your understandingof the text?”

Reading Fluently3.3 read appropriate texts at a sufficient rate

and with sufficient expression to conveythe sense of the text readily to the read-er and an audience (e.g., read a poem fortwo voices with a partner, using appro-priate phrasing and expression)

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify, initially with some support and

direction, what strategies they foundmost helpful before, during, and afterreading and how they can use these andother strategies to improve as readers

Teacher prompts: “What questions doyou ask yourself to make sure you are

understanding what you are reading?”“How do you know if you are on theright track?” “When you come to aword or phrase you don’t understand,how do you solve it?” “How do you fig-ure out what information is importantto remember?” “What do you do whenyou get confused during reading?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain, initially with some support and

direction, how their skills in listening,speaking, writing, viewing, and repre-senting help them make sense of whatthey read

Teacher prompts: “How does hearing asimilar text read aloud help you whenyou read a new text independently?””How does knowing specific words orphrases from speaking or listeninghelp you as a reader?” “How does dialogue with the teacher or peers in conferences help you as a reader?”“What do you know about writingthat helps you as a reader?”

4. Reflecting on Reading Skills andStrategies

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GRADE 3 | WRITING

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, audience,

and form for writing (e.g., an originalfable, modelled on the structures and con-ventions of fables read, to entertain theclass; a scientific explanation demonstrat-ing how some common levers make workeasier, for a peer group; a labelled map witha legend identifying the key componentsof an early settlement in Upper Canada,to accompany a small-group project)

Teacher prompts: “What is your writingabout?” “Why are you writing?”“Whom are you writing for?”

Developing Ideas 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic,

using a variety of strategies andresources (e.g., formulate and ask ques-tions to identify personal experiences,prior knowledge, and information needsand to guide searches for information;brainstorm and record ideas on the topic)

Research 1.3 gather information to support ideas for

writing in a variety of ways and/orfrom a variety of sources (e.g., from dis-cussions with family and friends; fromteacher read-alouds, mentor texts, shared-,guided-, and independent-reading texts,and media texts)

Classifying Ideas 1.4 sort ideas and information for their writ-

ing in a variety of ways (e.g., by usinggraphs, charts, webs, outlines, or lists)

Organizing Ideas 1.5 identify and order main ideas and sup-

porting details into units that could beused to develop a short, simple para-graph, using graphic organizers (e.g.,a story grammar, a T-chart, a paragraphframe) and organizational patterns (e.g., comparison, chronological order)

Review 1.6 determine whether the ideas and infor-

mation they have gathered are relevantand adequate for the purpose, and gathernew material if necessary (e.g., discussthe content with a peer or reading buddy;review material using a story map or web)

1. Developing and OrganizingContent

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 3, students will:

1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;

2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic formsand stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;

3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of languageconventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategiesthey found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Form2.1 write short texts using a variety of

forms (e.g., a personal or factual recountof events or experiences that includesphotographs or drawings and captions; areport comparing transportation in urbanand rural communities; a paragraphexplaining how physical geography andnatural resources affected the develop-ment of early settler communities; a letterfrom the point of view of a settler,describing how First Nations people havetaught the settlers to adapt to their newenvironment; a familiar story told from anew perspective; a patterned poem usingrhyme or repetition)

Voice 2.2 establish a personal voice in their writ-

ing, with a focus on using concretewords and images to convey their atti-tude or feeling towards the subject oraudience (e.g., words used literally or figuratively to communicate intensity offeeling: a shiver of excitement; hot anger)

Word Choice 2.3 use words and phrases that will help

convey their meaning as specifically aspossible (e.g., comparative adjectives suchas smaller, smallest; adverbs)

Sentence Fluency 2.4 vary sentence structures and maintain

continuity by using joining words (e.g., and, or) to combine simple sen-tences and using words that indicatetime and sequence to link sentences(e.g., first, then, next, before, finally, later)

Point of View 2.5 identify their point of view and other

possible points of view on the topic, anddetermine if their information supportstheir own view

Teacher prompt: “What supportingdetails have you included for yourpoint of view? Would this point ofview be accepted by others? Why, orwhy not?”

Preparing for Revision 2.6 identify elements of their writing that

need improvement, using feedbackfrom the teacher and peers, with a focuson specific features (e.g., a strong openingor “lead”; the clarity of the main idea)

Teacher prompts: “Can you think ofanother way you might get the atten-tion of your audience at the begin-ning?” “Have you provided enoughdetail to support your main idea?”

Revision 2.7 make revisions to improve the content,

clarity, and interest of their writtenwork, using several types of strategies(e.g., reordering sentences, removing repe-tition or unnecessary information, addingmaterial needed to clarify meaning, addingor substituting words to increase interest,adding linking words or phrases to high-light connections between ideas, usinggender-neutral language as appropriate)

Teacher prompts: “What similar wordsor phrases could you use insteadof…?” “What time order words mighthelp clarify the sequence of events inyour story?”

Producing Drafts2.8 produce revised, draft pieces of writing

to meet identified criteria based on theexpectations related to content, organi-zation, style, and use of conventions

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Spelling Familiar Words 3.1 spell familiar words correctly (e.g., words

from their oral vocabulary, anchor charts,the class word wall, and shared-, guided-,and independent-reading texts)

Spelling Unfamiliar Words 3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety

of strategies that involve understandingsound-symbol relationships, word struc-tures, word meanings, and generalizationsabout spelling (e.g., pronounce a word asit is spelled: Wed-nes-day; make analo-gies to rhyming words; apply knowledgeof short-vowel and long-vowel patterns;

3. Applying Knowledge ofLanguage Conventions and Presenting Written Work Effectively

2. Using Knowledge of Form andStyle in Writing

cluster words by visual similarities; fol-low rules for changing base words whenadding common endings: hope/hop-ing, slam/slammed; use memory aidssuch as visualization)

Vocabulary 3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings

or word choice using several differenttypes of resources (e.g., locate words inan alphabetized personal word book or dictionary using first, second, third, andfourth letters, entry words, or pronuncia-tion; use a variety of dictionaries, such as a rhyming dictionary or a dictionary ofsynonyms and antonyms; use a thesaurusto find alternative words)

Punctuation 3.4 use punctuation to help communicate

their intended meaning, with a focus onthe use of: quotation marks to indicatedirect speech; commas to mark grammat-ical boundaries within sentences; capitalletters and final punctuation to mark thebeginning and end of sentences

Grammar 3.5 use parts of speech appropriately to

communicate their meaning clearly,with a focus on the use of: proper nounsfor titles (e.g., of businesses, teams); thepossessive pronouns my, mine, your,yours, his, her, hers, its; action verbs inthe present and simple past tenses;adjectives and adverbs; question words(e.g., when, where, why, how)

Proofreading 3.6 proofread and correct their writing using

guidelines developed with peers and theteacher (e.g., a checklist modified in ateacher-student conference to supportindividual writing strengths and indicatenext steps; a posted class writing guideline)

Publishing 3.7 use some appropriate elements of effec-

tive presentation in the finished prod-uct, including print, script, differentfonts, graphics, and layout (e.g., use legible printing and some cursive writing;use different font sizes and colours on aposter to attract attention; use properparagraph form including spacing andmargins; supply captions for photographs)

Producing Finished Works3.8 produce pieces of published work to

meet identified criteria based on theexpectations related to content, organi-zation, style, use of conventions, anduse of presentation strategies

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify what strategies they found

most helpful before, during, and afterwriting and what steps they can take toimprove as writers (e.g., use a writer’snotebook to record ideas, sources forfuture reference, and useful types oforganizers for sorting information)

Teacher prompts: “How does yourwriter’s notebook help you generateideas for writing?” “How did youchoose the resources you used? Howwere they helpful?” “What strategydid you use to organize your informa-tion before you began writing?”

Interconnected Skills 4.2 describe, with prompting by the teacher,

how some of their skills in listening,speaking, reading, viewing, and repre-senting help in their development aswriters

Teacher prompts: “How does what youknow about reading help you whenyou are writing?” “How does listeningto or viewing different kinds of textshelp you generate ideas for writing?”

Portfolio 4.3 select pieces of writing that they think

show their best work and explain thereasons for their selection

4. Reflecting on Writing Skills andStrategies

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By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the purpose and intended audi-

ence of some media texts (e.g., this mag-azine is aimed at children/teens/adults;these boxes for DVDs/videos are aimed atthe parents of very young children)

Teacher prompt: “Who is this intendedfor? Who else would like it? Whowould not like it? Why, or why not?”

Making Inferences/Interpreting Messages1.2 use overt and implied messages to draw

inferences and make meaning in simplemedia texts (e.g., overt message of toys,clothing, or games associated with movies,television shows, or books: This productis closely connected to the charactersyou admire in your favourite book;implied message: If you own this product,you will be more closely connected toyour favourite book and more like thecharacters you admire)

Teacher prompts: “What things do youhave that are related to a TV show, amovie, or a book? What do they meanto you?” “Are the roles of girls andboys similar or different in the tele-vision shows that you watch?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts1.3 express personal opinions about ideas

presented in media texts (e.g., respond to the messages in a public serviceannouncement about recycling; explainwhy the Internet safety rules outlined in a school pamphlet are important)

Teacher prompt: “Do you agree or dis-agree with the message that we allhave a responsibility to reduce, reuse,and recycle? Why?” “Why do parentsworry about Internet safety? Whatonline rules should you know?”

Audience Responses1.4 describe how different audiences might

respond to specific media texts (e.g.,select a magazine that appeals to them,predict the responses of different agegroups or of children from different countries to the magazine, and explain the reasons for their predictions)

Teacher prompt: “Why do you like themagazine? Who else would like it? Why?Who would not like it? Why not?”

Point of View 1.5 identify whose point of view is present-

ed or reflected in a media text and sug-gest how the text might change if a dif-ferent point of view were used (e.g., aposter advertising the zoo aimed atyounger children might emphasize baby

1. Understanding Media Texts

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 3, students will:

1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;

2. identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associatedwith them are used to create meaning;

3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriateforms, conventions, and techniques;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creatingmedia texts.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

animals, whereas one aimed at adults orolder children might emphasize unusualor dangerous animals)

Teacher prompt: “Who is the intendedaudience for this poster? How do youknow? Whose perspective is reflected?Whose perspective is not reflected?”

Production Perspectives1.6 identify who produces selected media

texts and why those texts are produced(e.g., companies design eye-catching logosso their products will be immediately rec-ognizable to people; designers produceclothes as fashion statements and to makemoney)

Teacher prompt: “Where do we oftenfind logos?”

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Form2.1 identify elements and characteristics of

some media forms (e.g., newspapers useprint and mostly black-and-white photo-graphs; television news coverage hascolour, sound, and “live”action reporting;cartoons use animated drawings of char-acters, while movies and plays use liveactors)

Teacher prompt: “What would you lookfor in a television news show that youwouldn’t find in a newspaper? Andvice versa?”

Conventions and Techniques2.2 identify the conventions and techniques

used in some familiar media forms andexplain how they help convey meaning(e.g., DVDs/videos use dialogue, music,and sound effects to help explain the visu-al images; picture books use illustrations,layout, and different kinds of print to helpexplain and dramatize the printed words)

Teacher prompt: “Watch a section ofthis DVD without the sound. Watchagain with sound. How does thesoundtrack help convey the message?”

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Purpose and Audience 3.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audience

for media texts they plan to create (e.g.,a collage of images conveying the mood of a poem to help classmates understandthe poem)

Teacher prompts: “How will under-standing the mood help us understandthe poem’s meaning?” “Which of theimages in the collage help us under-stand the poem better?”

Form3.2 identify an appropriate form to suit the

specific purpose and audience for amedia text they plan to create (e.g., atape-recorded interview to present a class-mate’s opinion about a favourite show,toy, or game)

Teacher prompt: “Why would a tape-recording be better than a writtenrecord of the interview?”

Conventions and Techniques3.3 identify conventions and techniques

appropriate to the form chosen for amedia text they plan to create (e.g., apamphlet about a unit of study couldrequire titles, headings, subheadings,captions, different font sizes, colour,and illustrations)

Teacher prompt: “How can you usethese features to help you communi-cate your ideas effectively?”

Producing Media Texts 3.4 produce media texts for specific purposes

and audiences, using a few simplemedia forms and appropriate conven-tions and techniques (e.g.,

• a series of video stills or photographsabout a topic of their choice to displayto the class

• a simple slide show for a multimediapresentation to a younger class

• a tape-recorded interview with a classmate about a favourite show,toy, or game

3. Creating Media Texts

2. Understanding Media Forms,Conventions, and Techniques

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• a comic strip for publication in a class newsletter

• a skit, including sound effects, based on a photograph

• a compilation of images from maga-zines, newspapers, or the Internet thatconvey the mood of a poem or song

• an illustrated pamphlet about a unit ofstudy

• a storyboard for the climactic scene in ashort story

• a scrapbook of images from newspa-pers, magazines, posters, the Internet,and so on, illustrating camera shotsfrom different angles and distances)

By the end of Grade 3, students will:

Metacognition 4.1 identify, initially with support and

direction, what strategies they foundmost helpful in making sense of andcreating media texts

Teacher prompt: “What skills did youuse to understand this book/video/Internet site? Would you use your

skills differently or the same way thenext time you view a similar work?”

Interconnected Skills 4.2 explain, initially with support and

direction, how their skills in listening,speaking, reading, and writing helpthem to make sense of and producemedia texts

Teacher prompt: “What language skillsdid you need to use to make sense ofthe video? How does your knowledgeof fiction and non-fiction help youunderstand videos/movies/DVDs?”

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The expectations for Grades 4 to 6 focus on students’ ability to use their knowledge andskills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and representing to understand,critically analyse, and communicate a broad range of information and ideas from andabout their multicultural, multimedia environment.

Junior students’ language knowledge comes from their life experiences and prior knowl-edge and from the foundational language knowledge and skills acquired in the primaryschool years. The expectations in the junior years build upon this foundation. Because thebase of knowledge, experience, and skills varies from student to student, it is importantfor instruction to be differentiated to meet the needs of individuals and small groups ofstudents.

Language instruction in the junior years is designed to engage students in meaningfulinteractions with a wide variety of texts. They look beyond the literal meaning of textsand observe what is present and what is missing, in order to analyse and evaluate anauthor’s intent. Junior students learn to identify and explore multiple perspectives, ques-tion the messages in texts, and look at issues related to fairness, equity, and social justice.They analyse the structure and elements of a variety of text forms, and create a variety oforal, print, and media texts in order to communicate their own ideas and opinions for avariety of purposes and audiences. Junior students develop their abilities to monitor theirown learning and select appropriate strategies that will help them to make sense of andcreate increasingly complex and/or challenging texts for personally relevant purposes.They consciously use the knowledge, skills, and strategies from one strand to supporttheir learning in the other three strands. They reflect on and talk about the strategies thathave helped them construct meaning and communicate successfully in all strands andidentify steps they can take to improve. Real, purposeful talk is not only an essential com-ponent of the language curriculum; it needs to be threaded throughout every day andacross the curriculum to promote the transfer of language knowledge, skills, and strate-gies to learning across the curriculum.

In all four strands, teachers explicitly teach and model the use of the knowledge, skills,and strategies most relevant to the particular strand. Explicit teaching and modelling helpstudents to identify the skills and strategies they need in order to become proficient lan-guage users and move towards achievement of the expectations. Initially, students engagein rehearsal through shared, guided, and independent practice; eventually, they demon-strate independently their achievement of the learning expectations through multiple,diverse learning opportunities and activities.

OVERVIEW OF GRADES 4 TO 6

Appropriate instructional texts are central to students’ development of the knowledge,skills, and strategies embedded in the expectations across the language strands. Oral,print, and media texts that are designed to support and challenge students at their indi-vidual level of language development will enhance the benefits of appropriately scaf-folded instruction. It is important to ensure that, in addition to the materials provided forinstruction, students are able to choose from a wide range of texts that are engaging andrelevant to their personal experiences and interests as readers, writers, and viewers. Alltexts chosen for instruction should be worthy of study, and promote antidiscriminatoryeducation.

Junior students should have access to culturally diverse oral, print, and media texts thatallow them to explore more complex topics or issues related to fairness, equity, and socialjustice, more subtle or abstract themes, and particular genres; that use a variety of organi-zational patterns and features; and that require inference and analysis. Oral texts such asdramatic presentations, oral reports, think-alouds, commentaries, poetry readings,speeches, monologues, and song lyrics; print texts such as short stories, series books,biographies, chapter books, non-fiction books, sports magazines, graphic novels, diaries,poetry, myths, and legends; and media texts such as movie trailers, graphic designs forvarious products, newspaper or magazine articles, video games, comic books, flyers,posters, websites, and e-mails provide a variety of sources to motivate and engagediverse groups of students.

The level of challenge represented by a specific text will vary from reader to readerbecause individual students bring their own unique experiences, perspectives, and back-grounds to a text. To facilitate junior students’ ability to use the appropriate skills andstrategies to construct meaning from and analyse increasingly complex and/or challeng-ing texts, print texts for shared or guided instruction and independent reading shouldhave a range of levels of difficulty with respect to organizational patterns, language struc-tures, themes, vocabulary, and length; and a range of features such as hooks for interest,dialogue, illustrations, book or chapter leads, and tables of contents.

Modelled, shared, and guided learning experiences provide the instructional support jun-ior students need to communicate increasingly complex ideas and information using agreater variety of oral, written, and media forms. Students’ knowledge of many differenttext forms – including personal recounts, reports, formal and persuasive letters, sum-maries, explanations, reviews, fables, legends, fantasies, brochures, advertisements, andwebsites – enable them to select and use appropriate forms, language patterns, words,conventions, and stylistic elements to communicate effectively for a variety of purposesand audiences.

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GRADE 4 | ORAL COMMUNICATION

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Purpose 1.1 identify purposes for listening in a vari-

ety of situations, formal and informal,and set goals related to specific listeningtasks (e.g., to summarize the theme of asmall-group drama presentation; to recordimportant details about an upcomingevent announced on the radio; to clarifysuggestions for improvements in a peerwriting conference)

Active Listening Strategies1.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate listening behaviour byadapting active listening strategies tosuit a variety of situations, includingwork in groups (e.g., demonstrate anunderstanding of when to speak, when tolisten, and how much to say; summarizeinformation and ideas from a small-groupmeeting; ask relevant questions to clarifymeaning and link responses appropriatelyto the topic of conversation; adapt listen-ing behaviour to the requirements ofinformal social settings and more formalsettings)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a variety of listening compre-

hension strategies and use them appro-priately before, during, and after listeningin order to understand and clarify the

meaning of oral texts (e.g., make notes tosummarize what has been heard; usegraphic organizers, diagrams, or sketchesto record information or ideas presentedorally; prepare for a visit to the theatre byactivating prior knowledge of the struc-ture of a play and discussing the subjectof the play with peers)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the

information and ideas in a variety oforal texts by summarizing importantideas and citing important details (e.g., present an oral report to the classafter listening to a guest speaker; use agraphic organizer to map the importantideas in a text; represent the importantideas of an oral text through visual art,music, or drama)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 make inferences using stated and

implied ideas in oral texts (e.g., listen“between the lines”to detect bias in anoral text)

Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of oral texts by

connecting the ideas in them to theirown knowledge, experience, andinsights; to other texts, including printand visual texts; and to the worldaround them (e.g., relate the topic of anoral presentation to prior knowledge andinformation from personal experiences,

1. Listening to Understand

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 4, students will:

1. listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;

2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiencesfor a variety of purposes;

3. reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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articles, movies, stories, or televisionshows; ask questions about relevant statedand implied details; relate the ideas ofother speakers in a dialogue group to theirown experiences; use role play and dramato connect the themes and emotions depictedin an oral text to real-life situations)

Analysing Texts1.7 analyse oral texts and explain how spe-

cific elements in them contribute tomeaning (e.g., ideas and information,body language, tone of voice)

Teacher prompt: “How did the speak-er’s body language and tone of voicecontribute to the meaning?”

Point of View1.8 identify the point of view presented

in oral texts and ask questions aboutpossible bias (e.g., identify the use ofwords and/or phrases that signal general-izations or stereotypes about gender, cul-ture, ability, or age)

Teacher prompts: ”Whose point of view is presented in this poem?”“Whose point of view is excluded?”“Does this reflect the way the world is today?” “How might this text be different if another point of view were presented?”

Presentation Strategies 1.9 identify the presentation strategies used

in oral texts and analyse their effect onthe audience (e.g., the use of emotive language)

Teacher prompt: “Do you think thistype of emotive language influencesthe audience in the way the speakerintends?”

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Purpose 2.1 identify a variety of purposes for speak-

ing (e.g., to entertain a wider school audi-ence; to establish positive personal andlearning relationships with peers; to askquestions or explore solutions to problemsin small-group and paired activities; tosolicit opinions and react to informationand ideas in a discussion or dialogue group;to explain to another person how some-thing works; to summarize and comment

on an event or oral text for the class; toclarify and organize thinking in order tocontribute to understanding in large andsmall groups)

Interactive Strategies2.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate speaking behaviour in avariety of situations, including pairedsharing and small- and large-group dis-cussions (e.g., acknowledge and extendother group members’ contributions; makerelevant and constructive comments onthe contributions of other group members)

Clarity and Coherence 2.3 communicate in a clear, coherent man-

ner, presenting ideas, opinions, andinformation in a readily understandableform (e.g., respond in an appropriateorder to multi-part, higher-level questionsin a student-teacher conference or a groupdiscussion; explain the results of researchin an oral presentation, including a state-ment of the research focus, the proceduresfollowed, and the conclusions reached; usean organizational pattern such as chrono-logical order or cause and effect to presentideas in a dialogue or discussion)

Appropriate Language 2.4 use appropriate words and phrases

from the full range of their vocabulary,including inclusive and non-discrimina-tory terms, and appropriate elements ofstyle, to communicate their meaningaccurately and engage the interest oftheir audience (e.g., use evaluative termsto clarify opinions and for emphasis; usedescriptive words to give specificity anddetail to personal anecdotes; use humouror emotive language to engage the audi-ence’s interest or sympathy)

Vocal Skills and Strategies2.5 identify some vocal effects, including

tone, pace, pitch, volume, and a rangeof sound effects, and use them appro-priately and with sensitivity towardscultural differences to help communi-cate their meaning (e.g., adjust the paceof speaking for effect and to hold the lis-tener’s attention)

Non-Verbal Cues2.6 identify some non-verbal cues, including

facial expression, gestures, and eye con-tact, and use them in oral communica-tions, appropriately and with sensitivity

2. Speaking to Communicate

towards cultural differences, to helpconvey their meaning (e.g., use body lan-guage, such as moving closer, leaning for-ward, nodding or shaking their head foremphasis, to connect with their audience)

Visual Aids2.7 use a variety of appropriate visual aids

(e.g., CDs or DVDs, computer-generatedgraphic organizers, concrete materials,artefacts) to support or enhance oralpresentations (e.g., use pictures or samples of different kites to illustrate a talk on how to build a kite)

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Metacognition 3.1 identify, in conversation with the

teacher and peers, what strategies theyfound most helpful before, during, andafter listening and speaking and whatsteps they can take to improve their oralcommunication skills

Teacher prompts: “What strategies doyou use to monitor your listening to besure that you are understanding thespeaker?“ “If, after listening, you think

you don’t understand, what steps doyou take to clear up your confusion?”“How do you identify the things thatyou do well as a speaker and whatyou would like to improve upon?”

Interconnected Skills3.2 identify, in conversation with the

teacher and peers, how their skills as viewers, representers, readers, and writers help them improve theiroral communication skills

Teacher prompts: “How can viewingmedia texts help you as a listener orspeaker?” “How can reading textsfrom different cultures help you con-nect to your audience as a speaker?”

3. Reflecting on OralCommunication Skills and Strategies

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By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Variety of Texts1.1 read a variety of texts from diverse cul-

tures, including literary texts (e.g., myths,plays, short stories, chapter books, letters,diaries, poetry), graphic texts (e.g., graphicnovels, diagrams, brochures, graphs andgraphic organizers, charts and tables, maps),and informational texts (e.g., textbooks,non-fiction books on a range of topics,print and online newspaper and magazinearticles or reviews, print and online ency-clopedias and atlases, electronic texts suchas e-mails or zines)

Purpose1.2 identify a variety of purposes for reading

and choose reading materials appropri-ate for those purposes (e.g., letters anddiaries for information and new ideas,leisure/hobby books and magazines forrecreation and interest, print and onlinemagazine or newspaper articles to researcha current issue, instructions or informationabout how to play a computer game)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a variety of reading comprehen-

sion strategies and use them appropri-ately before, during, and after readingto understand texts (e.g., activate priorknowledge through brainstorming; askquestions to focus or clarify reading; use

visualization to clarify details about suchthings as the sights, sounds, and smells in a medieval castle; make and confirmpredictions based on evidence from thetext; synthesize ideas during reading togenerate a new understanding of a text)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate understanding of a variety

of texts by summarizing important ideasand citing supporting details (e.g., makean outline of a section from a textbook inanother subject to prepare for a test)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 make inferences about texts using stated

and implied ideas from the texts as evidence

Teacher prompts: “What does the graphicshow that the text doesn’t tell you?” “Ifyou just saw the picture without thespeech bubble/text box, what wouldyou think?” “What does the authorwant you to realize when she says…?”

Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of texts by con-

necting the ideas in them to their ownknowledge, experience, and insights, toother familiar texts, and to the worldaround them

Teacher prompts: “Are there personalconnections that you can make to theevents in the text?” “How are otherbooks by this author similar to the one

1. Reading for Meaning

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 4, students will:

1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;

2. recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;

3. use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

we are reading?” “Which other books/movies/articles/online texts share asimilar topic/theme/point of view?”

Analysing Texts1.7 analyse texts and explain how specific

elements in them contribute to meaning(e.g., narrative: characters, setting, mainidea, problem/challenge and resolution,plot development; review: statement ofopinion, reasons for opinion, concludingstatement)

Teacher prompts: “How does theauthor use the setting to establish themood of the text? Is it effective?”“How does the author use the openingparagraph to establish a framework forthe book review?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts1.8 express opinions about the ideas and

information in texts and cite evidencefrom the text to support their opinions

Teacher prompts: “Do you agree withthe decisions made by the main char-acter in the story?” “What is youropinion of this newspaper article?What evidence in the text supportsyour opinion?”

Point of View1.9 identify the point of view presented in a

text, citing supporting evidence fromthe text, and suggest some possiblealternative perspectives (e.g., identify wordsor phrases that reveal the point of viewpresented; write a letter or use role play to present the perspective of a characterwhose voice is not heard in the text)

Teacher prompt: “Whose voice/opinionis missing from this text? Why do youthink it has been left out of the text?What words might you give to thismissing voice?”

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Text Forms2.1 explain how the particular characteris-

tics of various text forms help commu-nicate meaning, with a focus on literarytexts such as a diary or journal (e.g.,first-person record of events, thoughts,and feelings, usually in prose, gives a per-sonal perspective on events; dated daily or

weekly entries provide context), graphictexts such as a brochure (e.g., headings,subheadings, text boxes, photographs,lists, and maps clarify and highlightimportant material), and informationaltexts such as an encyclopedia (e.g., tableof contents, glossary, index, headings, andsubheadings help the reader use keywords to locate information)

Text Patterns2.2 recognize a variety of organizational

patterns in texts of different types andexplain how the patterns help readersunderstand the texts (e.g., comparison inan advertisement; cause and effect in amagazine or newspaper article)

Text Features2.3 identify a variety of text features and

explain how they help readers under-stand texts (e.g., the back cover copy for abook helps readers decide whether thebook will interest them; titles, subtitles,captions, labels, a menu allow the readerto skim a text to get a general idea ofwhat it is about)

Elements of Style2.4 identify various elements of style –

including alliteration, descriptive adjectives and adverbs, and sentences of different types, lengths, and structures –and explain how they help communicatemeaning (e.g., alliteration and rhythmcan emphasize ideas or help convey amood or sensory impression)

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Reading Familiar Words3.1 automatically read and understand

high-frequency words, most regularlyused words, and words of personalinterest or significance in a variety ofreading contexts (e.g., words from grade-level texts; terminology used regularly in discussions and posted on anchorcharts; words from shared-, guided-,and independent-reading texts and some regularly used resource materials in the curriculum subject areas)

Reading Unfamiliar Words3.2 predict the meaning of and rapidly

solve unfamiliar words using differenttypes of cues, including:

3. Reading With Fluency

2. Understanding Form and Style

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• semantic (meaning) cues (e.g., prefixes,suffixes, base words, phrases, sentences,and visuals that activate existing knowl-edge of oral and written language);

• syntactic (language structure) cues(e.g., word order; language patternssuch as those for regular and irregularplurals, possessives, and contractions;punctuation);

• graphophonic (phonological andgraphic) cues (e.g., familiar wordswithin larger words: highlight, enlighten;recognizable sequences of letters withinlong words: spacious, conscious, delicious)

Reading Fluently3.3 read appropriate texts at a sufficient rate

and with sufficient expression to conveythe sense of the text readily to the read-er and an audience (e.g., read orally inrole as part of a readers’ theatre, usingappropriate phrasing and expression)

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify, in conversations with the

teacher and peers or in a reader’s note-book, what strategies they found mosthelpful before, during, and after readingand how they can use these and otherstrategies to improve as readers

Teacher prompts: “How do you check to be sure that you are understandingwhile you read?” “What helps you

identify the important ideas while youare reading?” “What helps you ’readbetween the lines’?” “How do youknow if you are not understanding?”“What ’fix-up’ strategies work effec-tively for you?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain, in conversations with the

teacher and peers or in a reader’s note-book, how their skills in listening,speaking, writing, viewing, and repre-senting help them make sense of whatthey read (e.g., orally summarizing whathas been read helps a reader to check onunderstanding; engaging in dialogue abouta text helps the reader understand otherperspectives and interpretations of a text)

Teacher prompt: “How does conferencingwith a peer or the teacher about a texthelp you understand the text better?”

4. Reflecting on Reading Skills andStrategies

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By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audi-

ence for a variety of writing forms (e.g.,a cinquain or shape poem modelled onthe structures and style of poems read, tocontribute to a student poetry anthologyfor the school library; a set of directions tocomplete a science experiment on pulleysand gears, for a class presentation; atimeline of significant events in thewriter’s life, to accompany a biographyfor a class collection)

Teacher prompts: “How will you identify your topic?” “What is the purpose of your writing?” “Whatformwill best suit the purpose?” “Who will your audience be?”

Developing Ideas 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic

using a variety of strategies andresources (e.g., brainstorm; formulate and ask questions to identify personalexperiences, prior knowledge, and information needs)

Research 1.3 gather information to support ideas for

writing using a variety of strategies andoral, print, and electronic sources (e.g.,identify key words to help narrow theirsearches; cluster ideas; develop a plan forlocating information; scan texts for specif-ic information, including teacher read-alouds, mentor texts, reference texts, shared-,guided-, and independent-reading texts,and media texts)

Classifying Ideas 1.4 sort and classify ideas and information

for their writing in a variety of ways(e.g., by underlining key words andphrases; by using graphic and printorganizers such as mind maps, conceptmaps, timelines, jot notes, bulleted lists)

Organizing Ideas 1.5 identify and order main ideas and sup-

porting details and group them intounits that could be used to develop asummary, using a variety of graphicorganizers (e.g., a Venn diagram, a para-graph frame) and organizational pat-terns (e.g., generalization with supportinginformation, cause and effect)

Review 1.6 determine whether the ideas and infor-

mation they have gathered are relevant

1. Developing and OrganizingContent

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 4, students will:

1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purposeand audience;

2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic formsand stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;

3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of languageconventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategiesthey found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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and adequate for the purpose, and domore research if necessary (e.g., discussmaterial with a peer or adult using aKWHLW organizer: What do I know?What do I want to learn? How will Ifind out? What have I learned? What doI still want to know?; compare theirmaterial to the content of similar texts)

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Form2.1 write more complex texts using a variety

of forms (e.g., a storyboard using captionsand photographs or drawings to recounta significant event in their life; a report,including jot notes, comparing the envi-ronments of two or more regions inCanada; a letter to the author about thestudent’s reaction to a particular text; asummary of the role of a medieval per-son; a review of a book or website; anoriginal folk tale, fairy tale, or tall tale, oran extension of an existing tale; a boardgame related to a unit of study)

Voice 2.2 establish a personal voice in their writ-

ing, with a focus on using words andstylistic elements that convey a specificmood such as amusement (e.g., use simple irony to poke fun at themselves:“Lucky me. I got to do the dishes.”)

Word Choice 2.3 use specific words and phrases to create

an intended impression (e.g., compara-tive adjectives such as faster; words thatcreate specific effects through sound, as inalliteration for emphasis: rotten rain)

Sentence Fluency 2.4 use sentences of different lengths and

structures (e.g., complex sentences incor-porating conjunctions such as because, so, if)

Point of View 2.5 identify their point of view and other

possible points of view on the topic, anddetermine whether their informationsufficiently supports their own view

Teacher prompt: “Have you includedenough details that support your pointof view? What facts or details that youhave left out would challenge yourpoint of view?”

Preparing for Revision 2.6 identify elements of their writing that

need improvement, using feedbackfrom the teacher and peers, with a focuson specific features (e.g., logical organi-zation, depth of content)

Teacher prompts: “How might youreorganize the information to make iteasier for the audience to understand?”“Are there clear links between yourideas?” “Can you add one sentencethat would help clarify your main idea?”

Revision 2.7 make revisions to improve the content,

clarity, and interest of their writtenwork, using several types of strategies(e.g., reordering sentences; removing repe-tition or unnecessary information; chang-ing the sequence of ideas and informationand adding material if appropriate; addingtransition words and phrases to link sen-tences and/or paragraphs and improve the flow of writing; adding or substitutingwords from other subject areas, word lists,and a variety of sources, such as a dic-tionary or thesaurus and the Internet, toclarify meaning or add interest; checkingfor and removing negative stereotypes,as appropriate)

Teacher prompts: “What words or phrasescould you use to help the reader followyour thinking more easily?” “Whatdescriptive words could you add tomake your characters come alive forthe reader?”

Producing Drafts2.8 produce revised, draft pieces of writing

to meet identified criteria based on theexpectations related to content, organi-zation, style, and use of conventions

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Spelling Familiar Words 3.1 spell familiar words correctly (e.g., words

from their oral vocabulary, anchor charts,and shared-, guided-, and independent-reading texts; words used regularly ininstruction across the curriculum)

3. Applying Knowledge ofLanguage Conventions and Presenting Written Work Effectively

2. Using Knowledge of Form andStyle in Writing

Spelling Unfamiliar Words 3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety

of strategies that involve understandingsound-symbol relationships, word struc-tures, word meanings, and generaliza-tions about spelling (e.g., pronounce thesilent letters in words: k-now; divide longwords into manageable chunks; makeconnections between words with similarspellings; apply knowledge of vowel pat-terns to new words; apply knowledge ofletter patterns and rules for forming regu-lar and irregular plurals and possessivecontractions; identify roots in relatedwords: explore, explorer, exploration;highlight the differences between similarwords; use mnemonics: twin is two)

Vocabulary 3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings

or word choice using different types ofresources appropriate for the purpose(e.g., locate words in online and print dictionaries using alphabetical order,entry words, guide words, pronunciation,and homographs; use a variety of diction-aries such as a dictionary of idioms orhomonyms; use a thesaurus to find alternative words)

Punctuation 3.4 use punctuation appropriately to help

communicate their intended meaning,with a focus on the use of: the apostro-phe to indicate possession, and quota-tion marks to indicate direct speech

Grammar 3.5 use parts of speech appropriately to

communicate their meaning clearly,with a focus on the use of: common andproper nouns; verbs in the simple pres-ent, past, and future tenses; adjectivesand adverbs; subject/verb agreement;prepositions; and conjunctions (e.g., since, through, until)

Proofreading 3.6 proofread and correct their writing

using guidelines developed with peersand the teacher (e.g., an editing checklistspecific to the writing task; a posted classwriting guideline)

Publishing 3.7 use some appropriate elements of effec-

tive presentation in the finished product,including print, script, different fonts,

graphics, and layout (e.g., use legibleprinting and some cursive writing; use avariety of font sizes and colours to distin-guish headings and subheadings from thebody of the text; supply detailed labels fordiagrams in a report; include graphs suchas a bar graph or a pie graph)

Producing Finished Works3.8 produce pieces of published work to

meet identified criteria based on theexpectations related to content, organi-zation, style, use of conventions, anduse of presentation strategies

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify what strategies they found

most helpful before, during, and afterwriting and what steps they can take to improve as writers

Teacher prompts: “Explain how youused the thesaurus to help with yourrevisions.” “How does keeping awriter’s notebook help you plan yournext steps for writing?”

Interconnected Skills 4.2 describe, with prompting by the teacher,

how their skills in listening, speaking,reading, viewing, and representing helpin their development as writers

Teacher prompts: “How does yourexperience of variety of texts help youas a writer?” “In what way is talkingbefore writing helpful to you?” “Howdoes it help you to listen to someoneelse read your writing?”

Portfolio 4.3 select pieces of writing that they think

reflect their growth and competence as writers and explain the reasons fortheir choice

4. Reflecting on Writing Skills andStrategies

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By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the purpose and audience for a

variety of media texts (e.g., this printadvertisement is designed to interest chil-dren in taking karate lessons; this websiteis designed to provide information to fansabout a favourite singer; this CD cover is designed to attract classical musicfans/pop fans/rap fans)

Teacher prompt: “Why do you thinkthis text was created? What age, gen-der, cultural group is it aimed at?How do you know?”

Making Inferences/Interpreting Messages1.2 use overt and implied messages to draw

inferences and construct meaning inmedia texts (e.g., overt message on pack-aging for a video game: In this adventuregame, characters take big risks and per-form amazing deeds; implied message: Ifyou buy this game, you can share in theexcitement and be more like the daringcharacters)

Teacher prompts: “What messages onthe packaging make you think youwould like to play this game? What dothe images on the package make youthink about? Which do you think

influence you more – the overt mes-sages or the implied messages?” “Ontelevision, what characteristics areshared by positive role models?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts1.3 express opinions about ideas, issues,

and/or experiences presented in mediatexts, and give evidence from the textsto support their opinions (e.g.,“I thinkthis documentary about lions is one-sidedbecause it only shows them as predators”;defend an opinion about whether or not asitcom or video game reflects reality)

Teacher prompts: “Which elements ofthis sitcom (or video game) seemedrealistic and believable to you? Why?Did anything seem exaggerated?” “Do the characters in the program accu-rately represent the diversity of society?Explain.”

Audience Responses 1.4 explain why different audiences might

respond differently to specific mediatexts (e.g., examine children’s books orvideo games that have been rated as suit-able for different age groups and suggestreasons for the ratings)

Teacher prompt: “Find the age ratingfor a DVD/video/game that youenjoy. Is it fair? Why/why not?”

1. Understanding Media Texts

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 4, students will:

1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;

2. identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associatedwith them are used to create meaning;

3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriateforms, conventions, and techniques;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creatingmedia texts.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

Point of View 1.5 identify whose point of view is present-

ed or reflected in a media text, citingsupporting evidence from the text, andsuggest how the text might change if adifferent point of view were used (e.g.,explain how the point of view reflected inan advertisement is conveyed and describehow the advertisement might change toreflect the point of view of a differentaudience; describe how a TV show mightchange if it were told from the point ofview of a different character)

Teacher prompts: “What kinds ofimages would you use in this adver-tisement for a children’s breakfastcereal if you wanted parents to buy the cereal?” “From whose point ofview is your favourite television show presented?”

Production Perspectives1.6 identify who produces various media

texts and the reason for their production(e.g., the government produces publicservice announcements, and the mediabroadcast them at no charge, to protectcitizens’ safety and the public interest;arts groups produce posters to advertiseupcoming events; publishers producenewspapers to provide information, influ-ence people’s thinking, and make money)

Teacher prompt: “Where would we find a public service announcement?”“How do people access or acquirenewspapers?”

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Form2.1 identify elements and characteristics

of some media forms (e.g., a televisiongame show: game host/hostess, contest-ants, prizes; a television nature program:outdoor setting, wildlife “actors”, voice-over narration, background music; abillboard: frame, large surface area,colour, images, graphics, words, font,punctuation)

Teacher prompts: “What would youexpect to see in a game-show pro-gram? A nature program?” “Whataspect of this billboard caught yourimmediate attention?”

Conventions and Techniques2.2 identify the conventions and techniques

used in some familiar media forms andexplain how they help convey meaning(e.g., movies and videos use camera close-ups to show details, medium and longshots to put people and objects in perspec-tive, high and low camera angles to createillusions of size or artistic effects, environ-mental sounds for realistic effects, back-ground music to suggest a mood)

Teacher prompt: “What kind of musicwould you use in a commercial forbicycles? Why?”

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Purpose and Audience 3.1 describe in detail the topic, purpose,

and audience for media texts they planto create (e.g., an album of camera shotsto help classmates understand the uses ofdifferent camera angles and distances inphotography and/or film)

Form3.2 identify an appropriate form to suit

the specific purpose and audience fora media text they plan to create (e.g., aposter advertising a school science fair; aflyer to encourage students to participatein the fair)

Teacher prompt: “Why is a poster betterto advertise the fair and a flyer betterto tell students how to participate?”

Conventions and Techniques3.3 identify conventions and techniques

appropriate to the form chosen for amedia text they plan to create (e.g., aboard game related to a unit of study froma curriculum subject area could include alist of game rules; a board showing thegame name, movement path, obstacles,and finish line; and visual details thatwill appeal to the intended audience)

Teacher prompt: “What are the essen-tial components of this form? Haveyou included them all?”

3. Creating Media Texts

2. Understanding Media Forms,Conventions, and Techniques

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Producing Media Texts3.4 produce media texts for specific purposes

and audiences, using a few simple mediaforms and appropriate conventions andtechniques (e.g.,

• an album of camera shots showing thedifferent angles and distances and com-menting on their uses

• a poem, announcement, or flyer pro-duced electronically by combiningword-processed text with picturesand/or photographs

• a mock television commercial for afavourite cereal, toy, or book

• a newspaper article that includes aphotograph and headline

• a board game related to a unit of studyfrom a curriculum subject area such asscience or health

• a picture book to accompany a unit ofstudy for a younger grade

• a storyboard identifying the soundeffects, images, and dialogue to be usedin filming a scene from a novel)

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify, initially with support and

direction, what strategies they foundmost helpful in making sense of andcreating media texts, and explain howthese and other strategies can help them improve as media viewers/listeners/producers

Teacher prompt: “What skills do youuse, before, during, and after youwork with or create a media text? Besure to consider all the skills requiredfor texts that have more than one form:for example, television uses sound,visual images, and sometimes print.”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain, initially with support and

direction, how their skills in listening,speaking, reading, and writing helpthem to make sense of and producemedia texts

Teacher prompt: “Does reading andwriting about a story after seeing themovie or DVD give you new ideasabout what you saw?”

4. Reflecting on Media LiteracySkills and Strategies

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GRADE 5 | ORAL COMMUNICATION

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Purpose 1.1 identify a range of purposes for listen-

ing in a variety of situations, formal andinformal, and set goals related to spe-cific listening tasks (e.g., to understandlearning strategies modelled by theteacher during think-alouds; to develop aresponse to a commentary on an issue; toshare information and ideas about a topicwith peers during conversations, discus-sions, and meetings; to become familiarwith and appreciate the sounds of differ-ent types of poetry)

Active Listening Strategies1.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate listening behaviour byadapting active listening strategies tosuit a range of situations, includingwork in groups (e.g., ask questions toclarify understanding before responding;affirm and build on the ideas of others;summarize and respond constructively toideas expressed by others; use brief vocalprompts to signal agreement or interestduring conversations: Yes; Say that again,please; Tell me more)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a variety of listening compre-

hension strategies and use them appro-priately before, during, and after listening

in order to understand and clarify themeaning of oral texts (e.g., ask questionsabout facts, inferences, and value judge-ments to focus and clarify understandingof the themes in an oral text; summarizeand synthesize ideas to deepen under-standing of an oral text; use self-question-ing and predict questions that might beasked to monitor understanding while listening)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the

information and ideas in oral texts bysummarizing important ideas and citing a variety of supporting details(e.g., summarize an episode of a favouritetelevision program for a small group;summarize the ideas in a book read aloudto the class)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 make inferences about oral texts using

stated and implied ideas in the texts as evidence (e.g., ask questions to gener-ate inferences about an oral text: Whatwould happen if…? I wonder what was meant by…?)

Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of oral texts by

connecting the ideas in them to theirown knowledge, experience, andinsights; to other texts, including printand visual texts; and to the worldaround them (e.g., relate the content of

1. Listening to Understand

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 5, students will:

1. listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;

2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiencesfor a variety of purposes;

3. reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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an oral presentation to that of books, arti-cles, movies, television shows, or videoson the same topic; discuss issues relatedto the topic of an oral text; use role playand drama to explore ideas, emotions, orissues presented in oral texts)

Analysing Texts1.7 analyse oral texts and explain how

specific elements in them contribute to meaning (e.g., ideas and information,word choice, tone of voice, pace of delivery,body language)

Teacher prompt: “Did the speaker’stone of voice communicate a differentmessage from his or her actual words?”

Point of View1.8 identify the point of view presented in

oral texts and ask questions to identifymissing or possible alternative points of view (e.g., use drama or role play toexplore the perspective of the minor char-acters in a play; respond to a speaker whoexpresses an alternative point of view onan issue; ask a variety of people for theirviews about a topic)

Teacher prompts: “How would the con-tent of this text change if it were pre-sented from a different point of view?”“How would the language the authoruses need to change to reflect a differ-ent point of view?” “What other voicesdo you think should be heard on thistopic?” “Is the text fair?”

Presentation Strategies 1.9 identify a range of presentation strate-

gies used in oral texts and analyse theireffect on the audience (e.g., the use ofemotive language, one-sided arguments,or exaggerated claims)

Teacher prompt: “Why do you think thespeaker repeats that phrase so often?”

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Purpose 2.1 identify a variety of purposes for speak-

ing (e.g., to justify opinions and thinkingin discussion and dialogue groups; to askquestions or explore solutions to problemsin small groups; to share information orideas about a topic with a group; to share

data; to entertain; to interact in social sit-uations; to contribute meaningfully andwork constructively in groups)

Interactive Strategies2.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate speaking behaviour in avariety of situations, including pairedsharing, dialogue, and small- and large-group discussions (e.g., ask questions toclarify understanding before responding;respond to a group member’s comment bymaking a personal connection to theirown experience; show awareness of andsensitivity towards the background andexperiences of other group members whenexpressing their own views)

Clarity and Coherence 2.3 communicate orally in a clear, coherent

manner, presenting ideas, opinions, andinformation in a readily understandableform (e.g., present an argument that has a clearly stated purpose, point-by-pointdevelopment, and relevant supportingdetails)

Appropriate Language 2.4 use appropriate words and phrases

from the full range of their vocabulary,including inclusive and non-discrimina-tory language, and stylistic devices suited to the purpose, to communicatetheir meaning accurately and engagethe interest of their audience (e.g., useevocative images, personal anecdotes,quotations, vocabulary from curriculumsubject areas, and appropriate technicalterminology to achieve particular effects)

Vocal Skills and Strategies2.5 identify some vocal effects, including

tone, pace, pitch, volume, and a varietyof sound effects, and use them appro-priately and with sensitivity towardscultural differences to help communi-cate their meaning (e.g., use a formal orinformal tone as required by the context)

Non-Verbal Cues2.6 identify a variety of non-verbal cues,

including facial expression, gestures,and eye contact, and use them in oralcommunications, appropriately andwith sensitivity towards cultural differ-ences, to help convey their meaning(e.g., use facial expression appropriatelyto indicate agreement or confusion duringa discussion)

2. Speaking to Communicate

Visual Aids2.7 use a variety of appropriate visual

aids (e.g., posters, charts, maps, globes,computer-generated organizers) to sup-port or enhance oral presentations (e.g., use ministry-licensed software tocreate a Venn diagram to compare two different biographies)

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Metacognition3.1 identify, in conversation with the teacher

and peers, what strategies they foundmost helpful before, during, and afterlistening and speaking and what stepsthey can take to improve their oral communication skills

Teacher prompts: “How do you checkto be sure you understand correctlywhat others are saying during a discus-sion?” “How do you make decisionsabout when to speak and when to listen?”

Interconnected Skills 3.2 identify, in conversation with the

teacher and peers, how their skills asviewers, representers, readers, and writers help them improve their oralcommunication skills

Teacher prompts: “What have youlearned as a writer that you can use tomake your oral presentations moreeffective?” “What do you think theconnection is between your experienceas a reader and your ability to under-stand what you hear?”

3. Reflecting on OralCommunication Skills and Strategies

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By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Variety of Texts1.1 read a variety of texts from diverse cul-

tures, including literary texts (e.g., shortstories, poetry, myths, culturally focusedlegends, plays, biographies, novels),graphic texts (e.g., graphic novels, hobbyor sports magazines, advertisements,logos, atlases, graphic organizers, chartsand tables), and informational texts (e.g.,editorials, reports, biographies, textbooksand other non-fiction materials, print andonline articles, personal electronic andonline texts such as e-mails)

Purpose1.2 identify a variety of purposes for read-

ing and choose reading materials appro-priate for those purposes (e.g., an onlineor print encyclopedia article for back-ground information, dictionaries to clarifyword meanings, biographies for informa-tion about authors or historical figures,print and online newspapers/magazinesfor information on current issues, e-mailand text messages from friends)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a variety of reading compre-

hension strategies and use them appro-priately before, during, and after

reading to understand texts (e.g., activateprior knowledge through asking questionsabout or discussing a topic; develop mindmaps to explore ideas; ask questions tofocus reading; use visualization to clarifydetails of a character, scene, or concept ina text; make predictions about a text basedon reasoning and related reading; rereadto confirm or clarify meaning)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate understanding of a variety

of texts by summarizing importantideas and citing supporting details (e.g., topic sentence and supporting pointsin paragraphs, reports, online and printnewspaper articles, restaurant or cafeteriamenus; theme and supporting plot detailsin short stories, myths, and fairy tales)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 use stated and implied ideas in texts to

make inferences and construct meaning

Teacher prompts: “What do you thinkwill happen based on what the authorhas told you so far?” “What is theauthor suggesting ’between the lines’?”

Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of texts by con-

necting the ideas in them to their ownknowledge, experience, and insights, toother familiar texts, and to the worldaround them

1. Reading for Meaning

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 5, students will:

1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informationaltexts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;

2. recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;

3. use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

Teacher prompts: “How does yourexperience of a similar situation helpyou understand this character’s choices?”“How does what you are reading nowcompare to what you have alreadyread on this topic?”

Analysing Texts1.7 analyse texts and explain how various

elements in them contribute to meaning(e.g., narrative: character development,plot development, mood, theme; report:introduction, body, conclusion)

Teacher prompts: “What devices didthe author use to try to make you sym-pathize with the character? Were theyeffective?” “How did the author tie theconcluding paragraph to the openingstatement?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts1.8 make judgements and draw conclusions

about the ideas and information in textsand cite stated or implied evidence fromthe text to support their views (e.g., sortand classify information from a text to seewhat conclusions it supports or suggests;create a profile of a character based onstated or implied information in the text)

Teacher prompt: “Do you think thischaracter’s actions accurately revealhis thoughts? What evidence from thetext supports your conclusion?”

Point of View 1.9 identify the point of view presented in

texts, ask questions to identify missingor possible alternative points of view,and suggest some possible alternativeperspectives (e.g., ask why the perspec-tive of certain characters in a story is notpresented and include some missing voicesin a dramatization of a text; with a partner,role-play an interview with a person whorepresents one of the missing voices)

Teacher prompts: “Whose point of viewis fully explored? Why?” “Do you seeany evidence of stereotyping in this text?”

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Text Forms2.1 analyse a variety of text forms and explain

how their particular characteristics help

communicate meaning, with a focus onliterary texts such as short stories (e.g., how character, setting, and plotillustrate the theme), graphic texts suchas a logo (e.g., how the elements worktogether to convey a message), andinformational texts such as a moviereview (e.g., how the “lead” is used tosignal whether the review is positive ornegative)

Text Patterns2.2 identify a variety of organizational pat-

terns in a range of texts and explainhow they help readers understand thetexts (e.g., comparison in a report; timeorder in a biography; cause and effect inan explanation)

Text Features2.3 identify a variety of text features and

explain how they help readers under-stand texts (e.g., indexes, maps, charts,lists, photographs, menus, glossaries,tables of contents help the reader locateand verify information)

Elements of Style 2.4 identify various elements of style – includ-

ing word choice and the use of similes,personification, comparative adjectives,and sentences of different types, lengths,and structures – and explain how theyhelp communicate meaning (e.g., a series of short sentences can help communicate asense of finality: He didn’t. He couldn’t. Hewouldn’t. The matter was settled. It wastime to move on.)

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Reading Familiar Words3.1 automatically read and understand

most words in common use (e.g., wordsfrom grade-level texts, subject-specific terminology used regularly in discussionsand posted on anchor charts, words fromshared- and guided-reading texts andsome regularly used resource materials in the curriculum subject areas)

Reading Unfamiliar Words3.2 predict the meaning of and rapidly

solve unfamiliar words using differenttypes of cues, including:

3. Reading With Fluency

2. Understanding Form and Style

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• semantic (meaning) cues (e.g., prefixes,suffixes, base words, phrases, sentences,and visuals that activate existing knowl-edge of oral and written language);

• syntactic (language structure) cues(e.g., word order, language patterns,punctuation);

• graphophonic (phonological andgraphic) cues (e.g., familiar wordswithin larger words, syllables withinlonger words, similarities betweenwords with known spelling patternsand unknown words, visual cues thatindicate irregular plurals)

Reading Fluently3.3 read appropriate texts with expression

and confidence, adjusting readingstrategies and reading rate to match theform and purpose (e.g., read a poemaloud with appropriate phrasing andemphasis)

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify the strategies they found most

helpful before, during, and after readingand explain, in conversation with theteacher and/or peers or in a reader’snotebook, how they can use these andother strategies to improve as readers

Teacher prompts: “Did preparing a listof questions to answer help you to

find the information you needed fromthe biography?” “How do you knowwhen you are not understanding dur-ing reading?” “What ’fix-up’ strategiesdo you use when a passage is hard to understand?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain, in conversations with peers

and/or the teacher or in a reader’s notebook, how their skills in listening,speaking, writing, viewing, and repre-senting help them make sense of whatthey read (e.g., viewing a television pro-gram or video about a topic before read-ing a text on the same topic builds back-ground knowledge, introduces content-specific vocabulary, and offers a different perspective on the topic)

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GRADE 5 | WRITING

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audience

for a variety of writing forms (e.g., a poemor song on a social issue for performance bythe class; a formal letter to the teacher outlin-ing their opinion on eliminating soft drinksfrom the school vending machine; an articleexplaining the water cycle and including aflow chart, for an online student encyclopedia)

Developing Ideas 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic

and identify those most appropriate forthe purpose

Research 1.3 gather information to support ideas for

writing, using a variety of strategies anda range of print and electronic resources(e.g., interview people with knowledge ofthe topic; identify and use graphic andmultimedia sources; keep a record ofsources used and information gathered)

Classifying Ideas 1.4 sort and classify ideas and information

for their writing in a variety of ways(e.g., by underlining or highlighting keywords or phrases; by using a graphicorganizer such as a web or ranking ladder)

Organizing Ideas 1.5 identify and order main ideas and sup-

porting details and group them intounits that could be used to develop sev-eral linked paragraphs, using a varietyof strategies (e.g., making jot notes; fol-lowing a writing framework) and organi-zational patterns (e.g., chronologicalorder, comparison, cause and effect)

Review 1.6 determine whether the ideas and infor-

mation they have gathered are relevant,appropriate, and adequate for the pur-pose, and do more research if necessary(e.g., review material with a partner usinga mind map or timeline)

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Form2.1 write longer and more complex texts

using a variety of forms (e.g., a biogra-phical sketch, based on research; a report,including research notes, describing theeffect of the natural environment on anearly civilization; an outline of the proce-dure for becoming a Canadian citizen; anexplanation of how a human organ systemfunctions, using pictures, captions, andnotes; a review of or commentary on a

2. Using Knowledge of Form andStyle in Writing

1. Developing and OrganizingContent

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 5, students will:

1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purposeand audience;

2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic formsand stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;

3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of languageconventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategiesthey found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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book, movie, or video game; a myth usingthemes identified in reading; a pamphleton a socially relevant topic they havestudied this year)

Voice 2.2 establish an appropriate voice in their

writing, with a focus on modifying lan-guage and tone to suit different circum-stances or audiences (e.g., use a serioustone in a letter to the editor, a humoroustone in a letter to a friend)

Word Choice 2.3 use some vivid and/or figurative

language and innovative expressions to add interest (e.g., some comparativeadjectives; similes or personification; comparative adverbs: more slowly)

Sentence Fluency 2.4 vary sentence types and structures, with

a focus on using conjunctions to connectideas, and pronouns to make links with-in and between sentences (e.g., The latchwas stiff, and the boy struggled to openthe door. Finally, with much effort, heforced it open.)

Point of View 2.5 identify their point of view and other

possible points of view, and determine,when appropriate, if their own view isbalanced and supported by evidence

Teacher prompt: “Identify a point ofview other than your own and list thearguments that would support it. Haveyou included evidence in your workthat would answer these arguments?”

Preparing for Revision 2.6 identify elements of their writing that

need improvement, using feedbackfrom the teacher and peers, with a focuson specific features (e.g., effective use oflanguage, logical organization)

Teacher prompts: “Can you describe two nouns more specifically by addingappropriate adjectives?” “Are thereideas in the body of the paragraph that should be included in your topicsentence?”

Revision 2.7 make revisions to improve the content,

clarity, and interest of their writtenwork, using a variety of strategies (e.g., use coloured pens and/or cutting and pasting to identify and move chunks

of text that need to be reordered; add orsubstitute words and phrases, includingvocabulary from other subjects and figurative language such as similes andpersonification, to achieve particulareffects; adjust sentence length and com-plexity to suit the audience and purpose;check that language is inclusive and non-discriminatory)

Teacher prompt: “Are your sentencestoo long and complicated/too shortand simple/too much the same toappeal to your intended audience?”

Producing Drafts 2.8 produce revised, draft pieces of writing

to meet identified criteria based on theexpectations related to content, organi-zation, style, and use of conventions

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Spelling Familiar Words 3.1 spell familiar words correctly (e.g., words

from their oral vocabulary, anchor charts,and shared-, guided-, and independent-reading texts; words used regularly ininstruction across the curriculum)

Spelling Unfamiliar Words 3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety

of strategies that involve understandingsound-symbol relationships, word struc-tures, word meanings, and generaliza-tions about spelling (e.g., pronounce thesilent letters in words: p-neumonia; dividepolysyllabic words into syllables; visualizeirregular plurals; apply rules for adding -ed,-ing and -er, -est to base words; use memorytricks to memorize the letter order of irreg-ular spellings; use the meaning of commonprefixes and suffixes to understand andspell new words)

Vocabulary 3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings

or word choice using a variety ofresources appropriate for the purpose(e.g., locate guide words, word meanings,spelling charts, pronunciation keys, schwasymbol, idioms, inflected forms, and infor-mation about word origins in online or

3. Applying Knowledge ofLanguage Conventions and Presenting Written Work Effectively

print dictionaries; use a variety of themat-ic dictionaries such as a bilingual diction-ary or a crossword dictionary; use a thesaurus to find alternative words)

Punctuation 3.4 use punctuation appropriately to help

communicate their intended meaning,with a focus on the use of: a commabefore and or but in compound sen-tences to join principal clauses; quota-tion marks for direct speech; and theplacement of commas, question marks,and exclamation marks inside quotationmarks in direct speech

Grammar 3.5 use parts of speech correctly to commu-

nicate their intended meaning clearly,with a focus on the use of: common,proper, and abstract nouns (e.g., courage,hope); collective nouns (e.g., flock ofbirds); adjectives, including comparativeadjectives (e.g., bigger, more expensive);the helping verb have; adverbs modify-ing verbs (e.g., when, where, how); com-parative adverbs (e.g., faster, slower)

Proofreading 3.6 proofread and correct their writing

using guidelines developed with peersand the teacher (e.g., an editing checklistspecific to the writing task)

Publishing 3.7 use a range of appropriate elements of

effective presentation in the finishedproduct, including print, script, differ-ent fonts, graphics, and layout (e.g., uselegible printing and cursive writing;include a labelled diagram, photographs,and a beginning glossary of terms in aread-aloud information book for youngerchildren; use a formal letter layout for aletter to a public official)

Producing Finished Works 3.8 produce pieces of published work to

meet identified criteria based on theexpectations related to content, organi-zation, style, use of conventions, anduse of presentation strategies

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify what strategies they found

most helpful before, during, and afterwriting and what steps they can take to improve as writers (e.g., use a three-column reflective journal to monitor thewriting process: What happened? How do I feel about it? What did I learn?)

Teacher prompts: “What did you knowabout your audience that informedyour planning process?” “What strategydid you find most helpful for organiz-ing information?” “What editingstrategies are most effective for you?”

Interconnected Skills 4.2 describe, with prompting by the teacher,

how their skills in listening, speaking,reading, viewing, and representing helpin their development as writers

Teacher prompts: “How has exploringdifferent authors’ perspectives on anissue helped you prepare for writing?”“Explain how dialogue with yourpeers can help you to express youropinion when you are writing.”

Portfolio 4.3 select pieces of writing that they think

reflect their growth and competence as writers and explain the reasons fortheir choices

4. Reflecting on Writing Skills andStrategies

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By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the purpose and audience for

a variety of media texts (e.g., this sit-com is designed to appeal to teenagers;this comic book is designed to appeal to younger girls; this CD-ROM con-tains information for people interested in sharks)

Teacher prompt: “Who is this workintended/not intended for? What evi-dence in the work tells you that?”

Making Inferences/Interpreting Messages1.2 use overt and implied messages to draw

inferences and construct meaning inmedia texts (e.g., overt message in anadvertisement showing the product’s usersurrounded by friends: This product is sogood that you and your friends will alllike it; implied messages: Using this prod-uct will make you popular; not using itmay make you an outsider; popularityis based on having the right things)

Teacher prompt: “What are the overtand implied messages conveyed bythis T-shirt, which displays the logo ofa popular rock band? Is the impliedmessage more powerful than the overtmessage? Why, or why not? Do you

think this T-shirt sends a messageabout the person wearing it?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts1.3 express opinions about ideas, issues,

and/or experiences presented in mediatexts, and give evidence from the textsto support their opinions (e.g., explainwhy they think the coverage of an eventby one media news source is more inter-esting and/or more reliable than the cov-erage of the same event by another source;defend an opinion about whether a mediatext that excludes groups such as girls orracial or ethnocultural minorities is send-ing a harmful message)

Audience Responses 1.4 explain why different audiences might

respond differently to the same mediatext (e.g., identify some different responsesto their favourite music and suggest reasons for the differences)

Teacher prompts: “What do you thinkof this media text? Who might agree ordisagree with your opinion?” “How doesgender/age/culture seem to influencepeople’s choices? Give examples.”

Point of View 1.5 identify whose point of view is present-

ed or reflected in a media text, ask ques-tions to identify missing or alternativepoints of view, and, where appropriate,

1. Understanding Media Texts

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 5, students will:

1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;

2. identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associatedwith them are used to create meaning;

3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriateforms, conventions, and techniques;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creatingmedia texts.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

suggest how a more balanced view mightbe represented (e.g., this documentaryabout various athletes does not includeathletes who have physical disabilities;another character could be included torepresent their experience)

Teacher prompt: “Whose point of viewis missing in this media text? Howcould the text be changed to includethat point of view?”

Production Perspectives1.6 identify who produces various media

texts, the reason for their production,how they are produced, and how theyare funded (e.g., publishers produce mag-azines for specific audiences to entertain,inform, and make money, using fundsfrom sales and advertising; music compa-nies produce CDs to entertain and makemoney, using funds from direct sales)

Teacher prompt: “What are the differentprofessions that would be involved inproducing a newspaper? A CD? Howmuch would it cost to produce a news-paper or a CD? How could we findout?”

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Form 2.1 describe in detail the main elements of

some media forms (e.g., television talkshow: host, studio audience, guests,commercial breaks; news broadcast:news anchor, reporters, video clips,commercial breaks; television sitcom:standard set, regular cast, visitingactors, laugh track, plot problem andcomplications, happy ending)

Teacher prompt: “What do you expectto see when you watch a sitcom thatyou don’t expect in a talk show?”

Conventions and Techniques2.2 identify the conventions and techniques

used in some familiar media forms andexplain how they help convey meaningand influence or engage the audience(e.g. newspapers: separate sections forinternational/national news, sports, enter-tainment, and local events to appeal to awide range of interests; headlines, photo-graphs with captions, and graphics to addhuman interest and impact; photographs

of columnists to signal that they areexpressing a personal opinion)

Teacher prompts: “In what ways are thelayouts of these two newspapers simi-lar? In what ways are they different?Can you suggest reasons for the simi-larities and differences?” “How manysections are there in this newspaper?What sorts of advertisements appearin the different sections? Can youexplain why they differ?”

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Purpose and Audience 3.1 describe in detail the topic, purpose,

and audience for media texts they planto create (e.g., an advertising campaign to encourage students to participate in acharity drive)

Teacher prompt: “What do you want tosay? Who is your audience? How doyou want to influence your audience?”

Form3.2 identify an appropriate form to suit

the specific purpose and audience for a media text they plan to create, andexplain why it is an appropriate choice(e.g., a pamphlet or newsletter to informparents, teachers, and students aboutenvironmental initiatives taken orplanned by members of the school community)

Teacher prompt: “Why would a pam-phlet or a newsletter be better than aposter to communicate this message?”

Conventions and Techniques3.3 identify conventions and techniques

appropriate to the form chosen for amedia text they plan to create, andexplain how they will use the conven-tions and techniques to help communi-cate their message (e.g., the componentsof the dinner menu for a restaurant: dif-ferent sections for each course, descrip-tions of ingredients, catchy titles for dif-ferent dishes, and prices are included tointerest diners in the various dishes andgive them information they need to makechoices)

Teacher prompt: “In what ways woulda menu for a fast-food restaurant differfrom a menu for a fine-dining restaurant?”

3. Creating Media Texts

2. Understanding Media Forms,Conventions, and Techniques

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Producing Media Texts 3.4 produce a variety of media texts for

specific purposes and audiences, usingappropriate forms, conventions, andtechniques (e.g.,

• a T-shirt to be worn by a character in astory or television show

• a pamphlet on a socially relevant topicthey have studied this year

• a collection of images (downloaded,clipped, or scanned, as appropriate) fromvarious sources, such as magazines, theInternet, newspapers, or textbooks, toillustrate a topic from a cross-curricularunit of study

• a flyer/poster, created using software, toadvertise a school event

• a mock television commercial for a foodproduct, drink, or item of clothing

• a news broadcast about a topic – suchas immigration – from a cross-curricularunit of study

• a breakfast, lunch, or dinner menu for arestaurant depicted in a novel, shortstory, or film)

By the end of Grade 5, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify, with some support and direc-

tion, what strategies they found mosthelpful in making sense of and creatingmedia texts, and explain how these andother strategies can help them improveas media viewers/listeners/producers

Teacher prompt: “Reflect on the mediaproduct(s) you have created. What didyou learn from the process? How willthat influence your next effort?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain, with some support and direc-

tion, how their skills in listening, speak-ing, reading, and writing help them tomake sense of and produce media texts

Teacher prompts: “How are reading,viewing, and listening similar? Howcan your strengths in one area help youin another?” “How can listening to amusic soundtrack help you understandthe feelings of a character?” “How aretalking, writing, and creating mediatexts similar? How do strengths in onearea help you in another? How canwriting skills help you in producingmedia texts?”

4. Reflecting on Media LiteracySkills and Strategies

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GRADE 6 | ORAL COMMUNICATION

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Purpose 1.1 identify a range of purposes for listen-

ing in a variety of situations, formal andinformal, and set goals related to specif-ic listening tasks (e.g., to identify the per-spective in an oral presentation; to identifythe strategies and devices used to enhancethe impact of a speech; to describe statedand implied ideas in the lyrics of a song)

Active Listening Strategies1.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate listening behaviour byadapting active listening strategies tosuit a variety of situations, includingwork in groups (e.g., ask questions todeepen understanding and make connec-tions to the ideas of others; summarize or paraphrase information and ideas tofocus or clarify understanding; use vocalprompts in dialogues or conversations toexpress empathy, interest, and personalregard: That’s really interesting. Youmust have been excited.)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a variety of listening compre-

hension strategies and use them appro-priately before, during, and after listeningin order to understand and clarify themeaning of increasingly complex oraltexts (e.g., use self-questioning to monitor

understanding; visualize different ele-ments of an oral text; use note-takingstrategies to record important ideas, keywords, questions, and predictions)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the

information and ideas in increasinglycomplex oral texts in a variety of ways(e.g., summarize and explain informationand ideas from an oral text, citing impor-tant details; ask questions to confirminferences and value judgements duringdiscussions after listening)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 interpret oral texts by using stated and

implied ideas from the texts

Teacher prompts: “What messages didyou get from the speaker’s tone ofvoice/body language/facial expres-sions?” “How does paying attention toa speaker’s body language help youinterpret what is being said?”

Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of oral texts by

connecting, comparing, and contrastingthe ideas and information in them totheir own knowledge, experience, andinsights; to other texts, including printand visual texts; and to the world aroundthem (e.g., use dialogue or drama to exploresimilarities and differences between ideasin oral texts and their own ideas)

1. Listening to Understand

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 6, students will:

1. listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;

2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiencesfor a variety of purposes;

3. reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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Analysing Texts1.7 analyse oral texts in order to evaluate

how well they communicate ideas,opinions, themes, and information (e.g., compare their own response to anoral text with a partner’s response, citingdetails from the text to support their ownview; explain what makes a war veteran’sRemembrance Day speech effective)

Point of View1.8 identify the point of view presented in

oral texts, determine whether they agreewith the point of view, and suggestother possible perspectives (e.g., askquestions about the values that are statedand implied by the perspective taken andthose that are ignored; use role play ordrama to express alternative views)

Teacher prompts: “Whose point of viewis being explored in this text?” “Whosevoice do we not hear? Is this fair?”

Presentation Strategies 1.9 identify a variety of presentation strate-

gies used in oral texts and analyse theireffect on the audience (e.g., the unex-pected use of humour or of changes inpace)

Teacher prompt: “Why do you thinkthe speaker paused for so long at thatpoint in the story?”

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Purpose 2.1 identify a variety of purposes for speak-

ing and explain how the purpose andintended audience influence the choiceof form (e.g., to clarify thinking throughdialogue; to explore different points ofview through drama and role playing; to present information to a group)

Interactive Strategies2.2 demonstrate an increasingly sophisti-

cated understanding of appropriatespeaking behaviour in a variety of situations, including paired sharing,dialogue, and small- and large-groupdiscussions (e.g., acknowledge differentpoints of view; paraphrase to clarifymeaning; adjust the level of formality tosuit the audience and purpose for speaking)

Clarity and Coherence 2.3 communicate orally in a clear, coherent

manner, using appropriate organizingstrategies and formats to link andsequence ideas and information (e.g., present an argument in favour of onepoint of view on an issue, with an openingstatement, sequence of points with sup-porting evidence, and summary/conclusion)

Appropriate Language 2.4 use appropriate words and phrases

from the full range of their vocabularyincluding inclusive and non-discrimi-natory language, and stylistic devicesappropriate to the purpose and context,to communicate their meaning accuratelyand engage the interest of their intend-ed audience (e.g., use similes, personifi-cation, and comparative adjectives andadverbs to achieve a desired effect)

Vocal Skills and Strategies2.5 identify a range of vocal effects, includ-

ing tone, pace, pitch, volume, and avariety of sound effects, and use themappropriately and with sensitivitytowards cultural differences to helpcommunicate their meaning (e.g., createdifferent-sounding “voices”for the charac-ters in a dramatization of a story)

Non-Verbal Cues2.6 identify a variety of non-verbal cues,

including facial expression, gestures,and eye contact, and use them in oralcommunications, appropriately andwith sensitivity towards cultural differ-ences, to help convey their meaning(e.g., count off on their fingers as theypresent each point in an argument)

Visual Aids2.7 use a variety of appropriate visual aids,

(e.g., video images, maps, posters, charts,costumes) to support or enhance oralpresentations (e.g., wear a costume tohelp portray the speaker in a monologue;create a slide show to accompany a report)

2. Speaking to Communicate

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Metacognition 3.1 identify, in conversation with the

teacher and peers, what strategies theyfound most helpful before, during, andafter listening and speaking and whatsteps they can take to improve their oralcommunication skills

Teacher prompts: “What strategies doyou use to help you understand andfollow a discussion among severalpeople?” “What strategies do you useto recall important information afterlistening?” “What factors do you con-sider when deciding whether to use an informal or a formal approachwhen speaking?”

Interconnected Skills 3.2 identify, in conversation with the

teacher and peers, how their skills asviewers, representers, readers, and writ-ers help them improve their oral com-munication skills

Teacher prompt: “What strategies that youuse when preparing to write help youorganize your ideas before speaking?”

3. Reflecting on OralCommunication Skills and Strategies

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By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Variety of Texts1.1 read a wide variety of texts from

diverse cultures, including literary texts(e.g., short stories, poetry, myths, legends,fantasies, novels, plays), graphic texts(e.g., graphic novels, advertisements, atlases,graphic organizers, charts and tables), andinformational texts (e.g., biographies,textbooks, and other non-fiction materials;articles and reports; print and online editorials, various electronic texts,webquest texts)

Purpose1.2 identify a variety of purposes for read-

ing and choose reading materials appro-priate for those purposes (e.g., onlineand print sources to compare differentapproaches to the same topic; webquesttexts for information on a historical topic;graphic organizers, charts, and tables forspecific information; a novel or a non-fiction book on a favourite topic for personal enjoyment)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a variety of reading compre-

hension strategies and use them appro-priately before, during, and after read-ing to understand increasingly complextexts (e.g., activate prior knowledge on a

topic through brainstorming and develop-ing concept maps; use visualization andcomparisons with images from othermedia to clarify details of characters,scenes, or concepts in a text; make predic-tions about a text based on knowledge ofsimilar texts; reread or read on to confirmor clarify understanding)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate understanding of increas-

ingly complex texts by summarizingand explaining important ideas and cit-ing relevant supporting details (e.g.,general idea and related facts in chapters,reports, tables and charts, concept maps,online and print magazine articles, editori-als, brochures or pamphlets, websites;main theme and important details inshort stories, poems, plays, legends)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 develop interpretations about texts

using stated and implied ideas to sup-port their interpretations

Teacher prompt: “What is the storybetween the lines … beyond the lines?What clues did the author give that led to your conclusion? Why do youthink the author doesn’t state theseideas directly?”

1. Reading for Meaning

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 6, students will:

1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;

2. recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;

3. use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of texts by con-

necting, comparing, and contrasting theideas in them to their own knowledge,experience, and insights, to other famil-iar texts, and to the world around them

Teacher prompt: “How does theauthor’s treatment of this topic com-pare with treatments of the topic inother sources?”

Analysing Texts1.7 analyse increasingly complex texts and

explain how the different elements inthem contribute to meaning (e.g., narra-tive: contribution of characters, setting,and plot to the theme; persuasive argu-ment: the role of the summing-up paragraph in highlighting the mostcompelling points in the argument)

Responding to and Evaluating Texts1.8 make judgements and draw conclusions

about ideas in texts and cite stated orimplied evidence from the text to support their views

Teacher prompts: “What conclusionscan you draw from the events or infor-mation presented in the text?” “Hasthe author chosen the most convincingfacts to support his or her opinion?”

Point of View1.9 identify the point of view presented in

texts; determine whether they can agreewith the view, in whole or in part; andsuggest some other possible perspec-tives (e.g., ask questions to identify anybiases that are stated or implied in theview presented)

Teacher prompts: “Who would be mostlikely to share this point of view? Whowould not?” “How would you revisethe text to appeal to a different or awider audience?” “Why do you thinkstereotypes are used in certain texts?”

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Text Forms2.1 analyse a variety of text forms and

explain how their particular characteris-tics help communicate meaning, with afocus on literary texts such as a myth(e.g., the use of imaginary/supernatural

characters tells the reader not to interpretthe story literally), graphic texts such asan advertisement (e.g., colour and layoutare used to emphasize the appeal andimportance of the product), and informa-tional texts such as an editorial (e.g., theformal, logical structure of thesis, develop-ment, and summary/conclusion helps createan authoritative impression)

Text Patterns2.2 identify a variety of organizational pat-

terns in a range of texts and explainhow they help readers understand thetexts (e.g., order of importance in a per-suasive letter or news report, a grid andcoordinates in a map, columns and rowsin a table, time order in a biography)

Text Features2.3 identify a variety of text features and

explain how they help readers under-stand texts (e.g., indexes, headings/subheadings, captions and labels, anddrop-down menus help the reader locatekey words, phrases, or ideas when skim-ming or scanning a text before reading)

Elements of Style2.4 identify various elements of style –

including voice, word choice, and theuse of hyperbole, strong verbs, dialogue,and complex sentences – and explainhow they help communicate meaning(e.g., hyperbole provides drama andemphasis in a persuasive article; a complexsentence allows the author to combineideas for succinctness and improved flow)

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Reading Familiar Words3.1 automatically read and understand most

words in a range of reading contexts(e.g., words from oral vocabulary andgrade-level texts; terminology used regu-larly in discussions and posted on anchorcharts; words from shared-, guided-, andindependent-reading texts and resourcematerials in the curriculum subject areas)

Reading Unfamiliar Words3.2 predict the meaning of and rapidly

solve unfamiliar words using differenttypes of cues, including:

• semantic (meaning) cues (e.g., prefixes,suffixes, base words, phrases, sentences,

3. Reading With Fluency

2. Understanding Form and Style

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and visuals that activate existing knowl-edge of oral and written language);

• syntactic (language structure) cues(e.g., word order, language patterns,punctuation);

• graphophonic (phonological andgraphic) cues (e.g., words within largerwords, syllables within longer words,similarities between words with knownspelling patterns and unknown words)

Reading Fluently3.3 read appropriate texts with expression

and confidence, adjusting readingstrategies and reading rate to match the form and purpose (e.g., read a radiodrama or radio editorial in role with suitable emphasis and phrasing)

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify the strategies they found most

helpful before, during, and after readingand explain, in conversation with theteacher and/or peers, or in a reader’snotebook, how they can use these andother strategies to improve as readers

Teacher prompts: “What questions doyou ask yourself to check that you

understand what you are reading?”“How do you know if you need toreread a section of a text?” “What elsecan you do if reading on or rereadingdoes not clarify the meaning?” “Inwhat way do you use your reader’snotebook to help you as a reader?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain, in conversation with the

teacher and/or peers or in a reader’snotebook, how their skills in listening,speaking, writing, viewing, and repre-senting help them make sense of whatthey read (e.g., using a particular formwhen writing enhances understandingwhen reading texts of a similar form)

Teacher prompt: “Think about the con-ventions you used when creating aclass newspaper. How will that infor-mation help you when you read thecommunity newspaper?”

4. Reflecting on Reading Skills andStrategies

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GRADE 6 | WRITING

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audi-

ence for a variety of writing forms (e.g.,an original poem, with an invented structureor based on a model such as a haiku, about atopic of personal interest, to share with theclass; a persuasive letter asking the schoolprincipal to look at a specific issue from anew point of view; a description of the pro-cedure for constructing a three-dimensionalmodel, to share with Grade 3 students; ascript on a topic of current interest for amock television broadcast for a generalaudience)

Developing Ideas 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic

and identify those most appropriate forthe purpose

Research 1.3 gather information to support ideas for

writing, using a variety of strategies anda range of print and electronic resources(e.g., identify the steps required to gatherinformation; interview people withknowledge of the topic; identify and usegraphic and multimedia resources; record

sources used and information gathered in aform that makes it easy to understand andretrieve)

Classifying Ideas 1.4 sort and classify information for their

writing in a variety of ways that allowthem to view information from differentperspectives and make connectionsbetween ideas (e.g., by underlining or highlighting key words or phrases; by using a graphic organizer such asa fishbone chart, a T-chart, or an

“Agree/Disagree”chart)

Organizing Ideas 1.5 identify and order main ideas and sup-

porting details and group them intounits that could be used to develop astructured, multi-paragraph piece ofwriting, using a variety of strategies(e.g., making outlines, writing notes, fill-ing in a ranking grid) and organizationalpatterns (e.g., order of importance)

Review 1.6 determine whether the ideas and infor-

mation they have gathered are relevant,appropriate, and adequate for the pur-pose, and do more research if necessary(e.g., review information critically with afriend using a concept map, checklist, orflowchart)

1. Developing and OrganizingContent

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 6, students will:

1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;

2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic formsand stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;

3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of languageconventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategiesthey found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Form2.1 write longer and more complex texts

using a wide range of forms (e.g., an“autobiography”in the role of a historicalor contemporary person, based on research;a journalist’s report on a real or imaginedevent for a newspaper or a television newsbroadcast; an explanation of the principlesof flight; an argument in support of onepoint of view on a current global issueaffecting Canadians; a made-up legendor fantasy, based on themes from theirreading, to entertain younger children)

Voice 2.2 establish a distinctive voice in their

writing appropriate to the subject andaudience (e.g., use punctuation, dialogue,and vivid language to create a particularmood or tone)

Word Choice 2.3 use some vivid and/or figurative lan-

guage and innovative expressions toenhance interest (e.g., strong verbs; con-crete, specific nouns; unusual adjectives;unexpected word order)

Teacher prompt: “Identify three lan-guage choices you have made andexplain the effect they will have on areader.”

Sentence Fluency 2.4 create complex sentences by combining

phrases, clauses, and/or simple sen-tences (e.g., combine several simple sen-tences – “Nora left the house. She washeading for the market. She didn’t wantto be late.” – to create a complex sentence –“Not wanting to be late, Nora left thehouse and headed for the market.”)

Point of View 2.5 identify their point of view and other

possible points of view; determine,when appropriate, if their own view isbalanced and supported by the evi-dence; and adjust their thinking andexpression if appropriate (e.g., revisewriting focusing on the use of inclusivelanguage, such as police officer insteadof policeman)

Preparing for Revision 2.6 identify elements in their writing that

need improvement, selectively usingfeedback from the teacher and peers,with a focus on supporting details andprecise language (e.g., identify one mainidea that is poorly supported; identifythree sentences that would be clarified byadding an adjective or adverb)

Teacher prompt: “How can you deter-mine which parts of your work needfurther clarification?”

Revision 2.7 make revisions to improve the content,

clarity, and interest of their writtenwork, using a variety of strategies (e.g.,use arrows or make notes to identify textthat needs to be moved; use sticky notes to indicate insertions; use underlining tofocus on overworked words; add or substi-tute words and phrases that would maketheir writing more vivid; use figurativelanguage such as similes and personifica-tion and rhetorical devices such as exag-geration to achieve particular effects;adjust sentence length, type, and complex-ity to suit the audience and purpose; check that language is inclusive and non-discriminatory)

Teacher prompt: “Can you use short,abrupt sentences to add drama to your writing?”

Producing Drafts 2.8 produce revised draft pieces of writing

to meet identified criteria based on theexpectations (e.g., adequate developmentof information and ideas, logical organi-zation, appropriate use of form and style,appropriate use of conventions)

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Spelling Familiar Words 3.1 spell familiar words correctly (e.g., words

from their oral vocabulary, anchor charts,and shared-, guided-, and independent-reading texts; words used regularly ininstruction across the curriculum)

3. Applying Knowledge ofLanguage Conventions and Presenting Written Work Effectively

2. Using Knowledge of Form andStyle in Writing

Spelling Unfamiliar Words 3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety

of strategies that involve understandingsound-symbol relationships, word struc-tures, word meanings, and generaliza-tions about spelling (e.g., orally empha-size hard-to-hear sounds in difficult,complex words: Feb-ru-ar-y; leaveunknown letters/letter clusters blank tosolve after having spelled the familiarparts of a word; visualize a known wordthat is like the “problem”word; apply rulesfor forming plurals to unfamiliar words)

Vocabulary 3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings

or word choice using a variety ofresources appropriate for the purpose(e.g., locate entry words, multiple meanings,pronunciation guides, charts of spellingsof sounds, inflected forms, suffixes andprefixes, primary and secondary stresses,different pronunciations, idioms, andhomographs in online and print diction-aries; use thematic dictionaries such as aword game dictionary or a homonym dic-tionary; use a thesaurus to explore alter-native word choices)

Punctuation 3.4 use punctuation appropriately to com-

municate their intended meaning inlonger and more complex sentences,with a focus on the use of: commas toseparate words in a list or after anintroductory word or phrase; quotationmarks in dialogue; and some uses of the colon, semi-colon, and brackets

Grammar 3.5 use parts of speech correctly to commu-

nicate their meaning clearly, with a focuson the use of: personal subject and objectpronouns (e.g., I, me) indefinite pronouns(e.g., someone, nobody); conjunctions;subordinate clauses; adverb phrases;and present, past, and future verb tenses

Proofreading 3.6 proofread and correct their writing

using guidelines developed with peersand the teacher (e.g., an editing checklistspecific to the writing task)

Publishing 3.7 use a range of appropriate elements of

effective presentation in the finishedproduct, including print, script, differ-ent fonts, graphics, and layout (e.g., use

legible printing and cursive writing; includephotographs or magazine pictures and amap in a travel brochure; include an indexto help the reader find specific informationin a report; supply a table of contents)

Producing Finished Works 3.8 produce pieces of published work to

meet identified criteria based on theexpectations (e.g., adequacy of informa-tion and ideas, logic and effectiveness oforganization, effective use of form andstylistic elements, appropriate use of conventions, effective presentation)

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify a variety of strategies they

used before, during, and after writing,explain which ones were most helpful,and suggest further steps they can taketo improve as writers

Teacher prompts: “How did the sourcesyou used allow you to generate a bal-anced selection of ideas?” “How doyou use your writer’s notebook to helpyou during the writing process?”

Interconnected Skills 4.2 describe how their skills in listening,

speaking, reading, viewing, and repre-senting help in their develop-ment as writers

Teacher prompts: “What do you knowabout different media texts that mighthelp when you are writing?” “In whatway do you think that the reading youdo helps you as a writer? Can you givean example?”

Portfolio 4.3 select pieces of writing that they think

reflect their growth and competence as writers and explain the reasons fortheir choices

4. Reflecting on Writing Skills andStrategies

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By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 explain how a variety of media texts

address their intended purpose andaudience (e.g., T-shirts intended for sup-porters of particular institutions, groups,or causes are decorated with relatedimages, logos, colours, and slogans; CDand DVD covers designed to appeal toyoung children have colourful images oftheir favourite characters; advertisementsgeared to parents of infants are broadcastduring the daytime whereas those gearedto single adults run during late-night programming)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Messages1.2 interpret media texts, using overt and

implied messages as evidence for theirinterpretations (e.g., explain why theadvertisements used in a particular maga-zine are appropriate for that magazine,identifying the messages that wouldappeal to the magazine’s audience;explain how advertisements for healthyfood and those for fast food differ)

Teacher prompt: “Is there a connectionbetween the articles and the advertise-ments used in a magazine?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts 1.3 evaluate the effectiveness of the presen-

tation and treatment of ideas, information,themes, opinions, issues, and/or experi-ences in media texts (e.g., evaluate thecoverage of the same news item in anewspaper article, a segment of a newsprogram, a website, and/or a blog; evalu-ate the effectiveness with which themesare developed, supported, and illustratedin a movie or music video)

Teacher prompt: “You’ve told me thatyou think this advertisement is veryeffective, but that the other one isweak. Explain what accounts for thesuccess or failure of each.”

Audience Responses 1.4 explain why different audiences

(e.g., boys, girls, adults, seniors, variouscultural groups) might have differentresponses to media texts (e.g., movies,songs, websites, video games, items ofclothing)

Teacher prompts: “Why might manyteenagers respond differently fromtheir parents to an election debate?”“Who do you think would be the mostlikely audience for a car magazine? An advertisement for a retirement

1. Understanding Media Texts

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 6, students will:

1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;

2. identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associatedwith them are used to create meaning;

3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriateforms, conventions, and techniques;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creatingmedia texts.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

residence? An investment brochure? An action-oriented video game? Afashion magazine? A television sciencespecial? A quiz show? Action figures?Explain your answers.”

Point of View 1.5 identify whose point of view is present-

ed in a media text, identify missing oralternative points of view, and, whereappropriate, determine whether thechosen view achieves a particular goal(e.g., identify biases in two differentmedia texts that focus on the same topicor event; evaluate the portrayal ofAboriginal people in the media)

Teacher prompts: “What bias or stereo-types can you detect in this advertise-ment? Can you think of reasons whythis view of the subject is used? Whatdoes this advertisement achieve?”“Are there different portrayals ofAboriginal people in the media? Howare they different? Why are they differ-ent? Which ones are most accurate?”

Production Perspectives1.6 identify who produces various media

texts, the reason for their production,how they are produced, and how theyare funded (e.g., political parties createadvertisements to win voter support, usingfunds raised by their members and support-ers; producers develop television dramas toentertain and make money by selling theirproducts to television conglomerates, whichthen broadcast the programs to make moneyby selling advertising spots in the programs’time slots)

Teacher prompt: “What are the differentprofessions that would be involved inproducing a television commercial?How much would it cost to produce?How could we find out?”

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Form2.1 describe in detail the main elements of

some media forms (e.g., drama scripts:cast of characters, description of setting,acts, scenes, stage directions; televisionquiz shows: host/hostess, contestants,prizes; magazines: cover images and

text, table of contents, regular columns,feature articles, advertisements)

Conventions and Techniques2.2 identify the conventions and techniques

used in some familiar media forms andexplain how they help convey meaningand influence or engage the audience(e.g., movie conventions: in old-fashionedwesterns, white and black cowboy hatswere used to identify “good” and “bad”characters; movie techniques: freeze-frame images, slow motion, thememusic in movies are used to communi-cate information non-verbally, empha-size or prolong important or appealingscenes, and maintain interest by keepingthe viewer wondering “what next?”)

Teacher prompt: “What visual cluesare used to identify ’good’ and ’bad’characters in movies and video gamesyou have seen recently?”

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Purpose and Audience 3.1 describe in specific detail the topic,

purpose, and audience for media textsthey plan to create, and identify chal-lenges they may face in achieving theirpurpose (e.g., a review of a televisionprogram, film, piece of art, or artistic performance to encourage children oradults to see it)

Teacher prompt: ’’Why do you think itis important for people to know aboutthis topic? Why might you need to beespecially persuasive to interest themin the topic?”

Form3.2 identify an appropriate form to suit the

specific purpose and audience for amedia text they plan to create, andexplain why it is an appropriate choice(e.g., a mock television, radio, or newspa-per announcement to inform studentsabout a school-related issue)

Teacher prompt: “Which form do youthink would be most likely to help youreach your audience? Why?”

Conventions and Techniques3.3 identify conventions and techniques

appropriate to the form chosen for a

3. Creating Media Texts

2. Understanding Media Forms,Conventions, and Techniques

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media text they plan to create, andexplain how they will use the conven-tions and techniques to help communi-cate their message (e.g., a scene for a tele-vision drama adapted from a novel orplay: the camera can focus on one charac-ter, object, or gesture at a time, allowingdifferent kinds of emphasis; cameraangles and distances can vary to createdifferent effects and perspectives; scenescan be edited to change the pace of theaction; background music can be used to enhance the mood)

Teacher prompt: “How do the conven-tions and techniques of this form makeit easier or harder to communicate cer-tain ideas?”

Producing Media Texts 3.4 produce a variety of media texts for spe-

cific purposes and audiences, usingappropriate forms, conventions, andtechniques (e.g.,

• a review of a television program, film,piece of art, or artistic performance thatincludes commentary on the effects cre-ated through the use of various conven-tions and techniques

• a mock television broadcast of anannouncement about a school-relatedissue

• a soundtrack to accompany the readingof a section of a graphic novel or comicbook

• a computer-generated cover design,including special fonts, to enhance apublished piece of writing

• a multimedia presentation to informyounger students about how to use awebsite to research a topic related to aunit of study

• a pamphlet outlining the researched orimagined biography of a writer

• a travelogue illustrating the journey ofan early Canadian explorer, includingcontacts with First Nations peoples

• a storyboard indicating the images to be used in a scene for a televisiondrama adapted from a novel or play

• a movie poster to advertise a moviebased on a narrative they have studied)

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify what strategies they found

most helpful in making sense of andcreating media texts, and explain howthese and other strategies can help them improve as media viewers/ listeners/producers

Teacher prompt: “What skills andknowledge have you needed to inter-pret and create the variety of mediaforms you have studied?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain how their skills in listening,

speaking, reading, and writing helpthem to make sense of and producemedia texts

Teacher prompt: “Which reading andlistening comprehension strategieshelp you most in developing interpre-tations of media texts such as moviesand advertisements?”

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The expectations for Grades 7 and 8 focus on the consolidation of students’ languageknowledge, skills, and strategies and their ability to use them independently and effec-tively to understand, reflect on, apply, and communicate information and ideas, and forcontinued learning in school and in a multicultural, multimedia world.

During the primary and junior years, students have acquired essential knowledge aboutlanguage. In addition to the rich diversity of language knowledge from home and com-munity that they bring to the classroom, they have a range of skills and strategies theycan use to analyse, evaluate, and create increasingly complex oral, print, and media texts.They have also developed the ability to reflect on, monitor, and take steps to improvetheir language knowledge and skills in all strands. The expectations for Grades 7 and 8build upon this foundation. Intermediate students consolidate and apply their languageknowledge, skills, and strategies across the curriculum in order to learn in all subjectareas as the content becomes increasingly challenging.

Because the base of language knowledge, skills, and strategies continues to vary from stu-dent to student, it is important for instruction to be differentiated to meet the needs ofindividuals and small groups of students, including students in need of additional timeor support to acquire foundational language knowledge and skills.

The language curriculum for Grades 7 and 8 is designed to engage students in tasks thatthey see as meaningful in order to motivate them to analyse, evaluate, and create textsout of interest as well as to meet curriculum expectations. The expectations encourage stu-dents to explore issues related to personal identity and community concerns as they inter-act with increasingly complex and/or challenging texts; to critically analyse and evaluateperspectives in texts and the influence of media on their lives; and to write about and discuss topics of relevance that matter in their daily lives. The expectations also promotethe use of language knowledge, skills, and strategies to facilitate learning in other subjects,such as science, mathematics, history, and geography, and as a tool to help studentsunderstand and participate in society beyond the school.

Teachers in the intermediate division explicitly teach and model the use of languageknowledge, skills, and strategies across all subject areas. Real, purposeful talk is not onlyan essential component of the language curriculum; it needs to be threaded throughoutevery day and across the curriculum. Explicit teaching and modelling help students toidentify the skills and strategies they need in order to become proficient language users in a variety of contexts and to move towards achievement of the expectations. While

OVERVIEW OF GRADES 7 AND 8

students in the intermediate division continue to engage in rehearsal through shared andguided practice, the goal of instruction is to move them to a greater level of independenceas language users. Students require multiple, diverse opportunities to practise independ-ently and demonstrate their achievement of the learning expectations.

Appropriate instructional texts are central to students’ development of the languageknowledge, skills, and strategies embedded in the expectations across all strands. Oral,print, and media texts that are designed to support and challenge students at their indi-vidual level of language development will enhance the benefits of appropriately scaf-folded instruction. It is important to ensure that, in addition to the materials provided forinstruction, students have access to a wide range of texts that are engaging and relevantto their personal experiences and interests as readers, writers, and viewers. All texts cho-sen for instruction should be worthy of study, and promote antidiscriminatory education.

The level of challenge represented by a specific text will vary from reader to readerbecause individual students bring their own unique experiences, perspectives, and back-grounds to a text. It is important, therefore, for intermediate students to have access to arange of texts that vary in length and form and that include a variety of types of themes,plots, ideas and information, organizational patterns, and features of text. The range oftexts should be sufficiently wide that readers at all levels will need to use a variety ofstrategies to understand and analyse vocabulary, plot, or theme.

All students, especially young adolescents, need to see themselves in the texts theyencounter. They need to be able to choose independently to read, listen to, or interactwith texts that have personal relevance in their day-to-day lives, including texts that dealwith issues related to fairness, equity, and social justice. Intermediate students shouldhave access to a broad range of relevant texts: oral texts such as speeches, debates, pre-sentations, radio advertisements or dramas, song lyrics, raps, and sound bites; print textssuch as memoirs, autobiographies, historical fiction, science fiction, realistic fiction, satire,essays, reviews, editorials, letters to the editor, and books in their own first language; andmedia texts such as magazines, online zines, websites, blogs, public-service announce-ments, comedy shows, video games, and newspapers.

As writers/producers of oral, print, and media texts, intermediate students use their language knowledge, skills, and strategies as tools for finding information, exploringideas, expressing opinions, and taking positions across the curriculum. They apply theirknowledge of different text forms – such as debates, speeches, persuasive letters, mem-oirs, realistic fiction, magazine articles, letters to the editor, maps, scripts, surveys, orgraphs – in a wide range of learning contexts. While modelled, shared, and guided learn-ing experiences continue to provide instructional support for intermediate students asthey consolidate their essential skills and processes, the focus of instruction is on helpingthem develop the ability to independently choose and use appropriate forms, structures,vocabulary, conventions, and stylistic elements to communicate ideas and informationeffectively for diverse purposes and audiences.

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GRADE 7 | ORAL COMMUNICATION

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Purpose 1.1 identify a range of purposes for listen-

ing in a variety of situations, formal andinformal, and set goals appropriate forspecific listening tasks (e.g., to analysethe arguments on both sides of a classdebate; to create a character sketch basedon a sound clip from a film or an audio-tape of an interview; to synthesize ideasin a literature circle)

Active Listening Strategies1.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate listening behaviour byadapting active listening strategies tosuit a wide variety of situations, includ-ing work in groups (e.g., take turns with-out interrupting or overlapping during aclass debate or panel discussion; ask ques-tions to make connections to the ideas ofothers; use vocal prompts in dialogue toexpress empathy, interest, and personalregard: After an experience like that, Ican imagine how you felt.)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a variety of listening compre-

hension strategies and use them appro-priately before, during, and after listen-ing in order to understand and clarifythe meaning of increasingly complex or challenging oral texts (e.g., use back-ground knowledge about the structure of

oral texts such as debates, interviews,speeches, monologues, lectures, and playsto make predictions and identify impor-tant ideas while listening; ask questionsfor clarification or further information;visualize scenes suggested by evocative ordescriptive language in a text; use note-taking strategies to keep track of or sum-marize important points made by aspeaker)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the

information and ideas in increasinglycomplex oral texts in a variety of ways(e.g., briefly outline the main ideas in atext; accurately carry out a procedure orfollow instructions; use a graphic form ofexpression, such as drawing or tableaux, todepict the important ideas in an oral text)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 develop and explain interpretations of

oral texts using stated and implied ideasfrom the texts to support their interpretation

Teacher prompt: “Explain what evi-dence you used to determine thetheme(s) in this oral text.”

Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of oral texts,

including increasingly complex texts, byconnecting, comparing, and contrastingthe ideas and information in them totheir own knowledge, experience, and

1. Listening to Understand

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 7, students will:

1. listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;

2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiencesfor a variety of purposes;

3. reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, andthe strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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insights; to other texts, including printand visual texts; and to the world aroundthem (e.g., activate prior knowledge inorder to assess the credibility of a speaker’sassertions; assess the validity of otherspeakers’ ideas in relation to their own andmodify their own ideas if appropriate;compare the information or ideas in anoral text to those in another text on thesame topic)

Analysing Texts1.7 analyse oral texts in order to evaluate

how effectively they communicate ideas,opinions, themes, or experiences, andsuggest possible improvements (e.g.,listen to two sides of an argument in adebate, make a judgement, and develop a personal position on the topic)

Point of View1.8 explain the connection between a speak-

er’s tone and the point of view or per-spective presented in oral texts (e.g., thereason why a speaker might employhumour to present a serious theme)

Teacher prompts: “How does the use ofhumour in this text influence the audi-ence?” “Why do you think the speakeruses sarcasm? Is it effective? Why, orwhy not?”

Presentation Strategies 1.9 identify a wide variety of presentation

strategies used in oral texts and evalu-ate their effectiveness (e.g., the use ofhumour, body language, visual aids,vocal effects)

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Purpose 2.1 identify a range of purposes for speak-

ing and explain how the purpose andintended audience might influence thechoice of speaking strategies (e.g., topresent conclusions about a research proj-ect through dramatization, a role play, ora monologue; to interest classmates in asocial issue through a debate; to solveproblems or investigate issues and ideasthrough a group brainstorming session)

Interactive Strategies2.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate speaking behaviour in mostsituations, adapting contributions andresponses to suit the purpose and audi-ence (e.g., ask questions and paraphraseto confirm understanding; request repeti-tion or an explanation from other groupmembers when meaning is unclear; uselanguage and forms of address that areappropriate to the formality or infor-mality of the situation)

Clarity and Coherence 2.3 communicate orally in a clear, coherent

manner, using a structure and styleappropriate to both the topic and theintended audience (e.g., use a formalstructure of opening statement, enumerationof points, and summary/conclusion, and a straightforward, impersonal style, topresent a position statement on an issue)

Appropriate Language 2.4 use appropriate words, phrases, and

terminology from the full range of theirvocabulary, including inclusive andnon-discriminatory language, and arange of stylistic devices, to communicatetheir meaning accurately and engagethe interest of their intended audience(e.g., use the technical vocabulary of thesubject area during a scientific investiga-tion in a group setting; incorporate literarylanguage and structures into personalanecdotes or imaginative narratives; useemotive language in a persuasive appealto a large group)

Vocal Skills and Strategies2.5 identify a range of vocal effects, including

tone, pace, pitch, volume, and a varietyof sound effects, and use them appro-priately and with sensitivity towardscultural differences to communicatetheir meaning (e.g., use pauses andchanges of pace to highlight the introduc-tion of each new point in a speech to thestudent body)

Non-Verbal Cues2.6 identify a variety of non-verbal cues,

including facial expression, gestures,and eye contact, and use them in oralcommunications, appropriately andwith sensitivity towards cultural differ-ences, to help convey their meaning(e.g., lean into a group to make a point;make eye contact with the person towhom the response/question is directed)

2. Speaking to Communicate

Visual Aids2.7 use a variety of appropriate visual aids

(e.g., charts, videos, props, multimedia) tosupport and enhance oral presentations(e.g., use a short video clip to support aformal presentation)

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Metacognition 3.1 identify what strategies they found

most helpful before, during, and afterlistening and speaking and what stepsthey can take to improve their oral com-munication skills

Teacher prompts: “What do you try tofind out before you begin to listen toan oral text?” “How can a partner helpyou clarify your ideas after listening toan oral text?” “What steps help youprepare to speak in a formal situation?”

Interconnected Skills 3.2 identify how their skills as viewers, rep-

resenters, readers, and writers helpthem improve their oral communicationskills

Teacher prompt: “How does readingabout an issue help you participate in a discussion about it?”3. Reflecting on Oral

Communication Skills and Strategies

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By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Variety of Texts1.1 read a wide variety of increasingly com-

plex or difficult texts from diverse cul-tures, including literary texts (e.g., shortstories, poetry, novels, mysteries, historicalfiction, autobiographies, scripts, lyrics),graphic texts (e.g., graphs and graphicorganizers, charts and tables, diagrams,surveys, maps), and informational texts(e.g., print and online encyclopedias, manu-als, and magazine and newspaper articles;magazines in their first languages, whereappropriate; electronic texts, textbooks, andnon-fiction materials; a variety of dictionar-ies, thesauri, and websites)

Purpose1.2 identify a variety of purposes for reading

and choose reading materials appropri-ate for those purposes (e.g., an electronicdatabase listing magazines, newspapers,and journals to verify information; anational, local, or community newspaperfor coverage of a specific/current issue;scripts and lyrics for enjoyment, recreation,and interest; an online or print encyclope-dia article for background information)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a variety of reading compre-

hension strategies and use them appropriately before, during, and after

reading to understand increasinglycomplex texts (e.g., activate prior knowl-edge on a topic through dialogue and dis-cussion; use visualization and compar-isons with images from other media toclarify details of characters, scenes, orconcepts; ask questions to monitor under-standing; summarize sections of text dur-ing reading; synthesize ideas to broadenunderstanding)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate understanding of increas-

ingly complex texts by summarizingimportant ideas and citing a variety of details that support the main idea(e.g., key information in manuals, surveys,graphs, online and print encyclopedias,websites, tables and charts; theme andrelated ideas in magazine articles, dramaticmonologues, television programs)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 develop and explain interpretations of

increasingly complex or difficult textsusing stated and implied ideas from thetexts to support their interpretations

Teacher prompts: “How does the infor-mation in the graphic influence yourinterpretation of the text?” “What doyou think the author wants you torealize about the character’s decisionin this scene? How is this informationcommunicated?”

1. Reading for Meaning

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 7, students will:

1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informationaltexts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;

2. recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;

3. use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategiesthey found most helpful before, during, and after reading.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

Extending Understanding 1.6 extend understanding of texts, including

increasingly complex or difficult texts, byconnecting the ideas in them to theirown knowledge, experience, andinsights, to other familiar texts, and tothe world around them (e.g., by compar-ing their own perspective to those of thecharacters in a historical novel)

Teacher prompt: “How is the immigra-tion experience of these characterssimilar to that of new arrivals today?How is it different?”

Analysing Texts1.7 analyse a variety of texts, both simple

and complex, and explain how the dif-ferent elements in them contribute tomeaning and influence the reader’sreaction (e.g., narrative: having ordinarycharacters caught up in an exciting plotmakes the story seem more real; debate:the formal, balanced structure encouragesthe reader to pay equal attention to bothsides of the argument)

Teacher prompts: “What does theauthor do to engage our sympathy forthe main character? Why do you thinkthe author makes us wait to find outwhat happens to this character?” “Doesreading about another point of viewmake you think about this issue differently?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts1.8 evaluate the effectiveness of both simple

and complex texts based on evidencefrom the texts

Teacher prompt: “Did the author’sargument convince you? Whatimpressed you the most – the factsthemselves or the way they were presented?”

Point of View1.9 identify the point of view presented in

texts, including increasingly complex ordifficult texts; give evidence of any biasesthey may contain; and suggest otherpossible perspectives (e.g., determinewhether an author’s choice of voices toinclude seems justified and suggest howthe meaning would change if differentvoices were chosen)

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Text Forms2.1 analyse a variety of text forms and explain

how their particular characteristics helpcommunicate meaning, with a focus onliterary texts such as a novel (e.g., therealistic portrayal of imagined charactersand actions helps the reader becomeinvolved in the story), graphic texts suchas a photo essay (e.g., the pictures andcaptions together communicate muchmore than they could separately), andinformational texts such as a manual(e.g., the use of headings, numbered steps,and illustrations makes the procedureseasy to follow)

Text Patterns2.2 analyse increasingly complex texts to

identify organizational patterns used inthem and explain how the patterns helpcommunicate meaning (e.g., a question-and-answer format in a report or article;groups and subgroups in a table or web)

Teacher prompt: “How does the organi-zational pattern make it easy for youto find the information you need?”

Text Features2.3 identify a variety of text features and

explain how they help communicatemeaning (e.g., a task bar, hyperlinks,margin notes,“Works Cited”or“References”lists)

Elements of Style2.4 identify various elements of style –

including foreshadowing, metaphor,and symbolism – and explain how they help communicate meaning andenhance the effectiveness of texts (e.g., ametaphor creates vivid, striking pictures inthe reader’s mind by suggesting an unex-pected analogy between one type of objector idea and a different object or idea: abudding poet)

2. Understanding Form and Style

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By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Reading Familiar Words3.1 automatically read and understand

most words in a wide range of readingcontexts (e.g., words from grade-leveltexts; terminology used in discussions and posted on anchor charts; words fromshared-, guided-, and independent-readingtexts, electronic texts, and resource materi-als in the curriculum subject areas)

Reading Unfamiliar Words3.2 predict the meaning of and rapidly

solve unfamiliar words using differenttypes of cues, including:

• semantic (meaning) cues (e.g., prefixes,suffixes, base words, phrases, sen-tences, and visuals that activate exist-ing knowledge of oral and written language);

• syntactic (language structure) cues(e.g., word order, language patterns,punctuation);

• graphophonic (phonological andgraphic) cues (e.g., familiar wordswithin larger words, syllables withinlonger words, similarities betweenwords with known spelling patternsand unknown words)

Reading Fluently3.3 read appropriate texts with expression

and confidence, adjusting readingstrategies and reading rate to match theform and purpose (e.g., read in role withsuitable emphasis and phrasing to drama-tize a text for an audience)

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify a range of strategies they found

helpful before, during, and after readingand explain, in conversation with theteacher and/or peers or in a reader’snotebook, how they can use these andother strategies to improve as readers

Teacher prompts: “What strategieshelped you to synthesize ideas whilereading a longer text?” “What kind ofgraphic organizers helped you to rep-resent your understanding of the textafter reading?” “What strategy worksbest for you when you come to a wordor concept that is unfamiliar?” “Whatquestions do you ask yourself thathelp you monitor your reading?” “What is the most effective use of your reader’s notebook?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain, in conversation with the

teacher and/or peers or in a reader’snotebook, how their skills in listening,speaking, writing, viewing, and repre-senting help them make sense of whatthey read

Teacher prompts: “How has your expe-rience of writing influenced the wayyou read?” “How do you think a litera-ture circle discussion helps you tounderstand a text?” “How does writingabout what you read in your reader’snotebook help you as a reader?”

4. Reflecting on Reading Skills andStrategies

3. Reading With Fluency

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GRADE 7 | WRITING

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audi-

ence for more complex writing forms(e.g., a rap poem or jingle, to express apersonal view to the class; a report for acommunity newspaper about a publicmeeting on an environmental issue affect-ing local neighbourhoods; an autobiogra-phy for a youth magazine, web page, blog,or zine)

Developing Ideas 1.2 generate ideas about more challenging

topics and identify those most appro-priate for the purpose

Research 1.3 gather information to support ideas for

writing, using a variety of strategies anda wide range of print and electronicresources (e.g., use a timeline to organizeresearch tasks; interview people withknowledge of the topic; identify and useappropriate graphic and multimediaresources; record sources used and infor-mation gathered in a form that makes iteasy to understand and retrieve)

Classifying Ideas 1.4 sort and classify ideas and information

for their writing in a variety of waysthat allow them to manipulate informa-tion and see different combinations andrelationships in their data (e.g., byunderlining or highlighting key words orphrases; by using a graphic organizersuch as a “Plus/Minus/Interesting”chart)

Organizing Ideas 1.5 identify and order main ideas and sup-

porting details and group them intounits that could be used to develop amulti-paragraph piece of writing, usinga variety of strategies (e.g., making jotnotes; grouping according to key words;making charts; drawing webs) and orga-nizational patterns (e.g., combined/multiple orders such as comparison and cause and effect)

Review1.6 determine whether the ideas and infor-

mation they have gathered are relevant,appropriate, and sufficiently specific forthe purpose, and do more research ifnecessary (e.g., check for errors or omis-sions in information using a T-chart)

1. Developing and OrganizingContent

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 7, students will:

1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purposeand audience;

2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic formsand stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;

3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of languageconventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategiesthey found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Form2.1 write complex texts of different lengths

using a wide range of forms (e.g., adescription of the procedure for growingrice or coffee; an explanation of multipleways to solve a mathematical problem or investigation; an argument stating theopposing points of view on a communityissue, including the response of each side to the points made by the other side, for a class/school debate, or to report on thedebate in a newsletter; a fictional narra-tive about a historical event to dramatizematerial studied; a mystery story modelledon the structures and conventions of the genre)

Voice 2.2 establish a distinctive voice in their

writing appropriate to the subject andaudience (e.g., use language that commu-nicates their “stance”or point of view onan issue and identify the words and/orphrases that help them achieve this goal)

Word Choice 2.3 regularly use vivid and/or figurative

language and innovative expressions in their writing (e.g., a wide variety ofadjectives and adverbs; similes, metaphors,and other rhetorical devices such as exag-geration or personification)

Teacher prompt: “Identify three lan-guage choices you have made andexplain the effect they will have on areader.”

Sentence Fluency 2.4 vary sentence structures to give their

writing rhythm and pacing by using avariety of connecting and/or introduc-tory words and phrases (e.g., however,for example, therefore, as a result) to helpcombine short, simple sentences intolonger, more complex sentences

Point of View 2.5 identify their point of view and other

possible points of view, evaluate other points of view, and find ways to acknowledge other points of view, if appropriate

Teacher prompt: “How could you letyour audience know you have thoughtabout other points of view?”

Preparing for Revision 2.6 identify elements in their writing that

need improvement, selectively usingfeedback from the teacher and peers,with a focus on voice, diction, and aneffective beginning and ending

Teacher prompts: “Would your audi-ence understand your feelings aboutyour topic?” “Could you add one figu-rative expression or rhetorical devicethat would strengthen your work?”“Will your opening sentence engagethe interest of your audience?”

Revision 2.7 make revisions to improve the content,

clarity, and interest of their written work,using a variety of strategies (e.g., usemargin notes or sticky notes while rereadingto record ideas for additions or changes; addor substitute words and phrases, includingvocabulary from other subjects; use rhetori-cal devices such as understatement toachieve particular effects; adjust sentencelength, type, and complexity to suit theaudience and purpose; use patterns such asrepetition of key phrases for emphasis andto engage the attention of the audience)

Teacher prompt: “Would a variety ofsentence types and lengths help to create suspense?”

Producing Drafts 2.8 produce revised draft pieces of writing

to meet identified criteria based on theexpectations (e.g., adequate developmentof information and ideas, logical organi-zation, appropriate use of form and style,appropriate use of conventions)

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Spelling Familiar Words 3.1 spell familiar words correctly (e.g., words

from their oral vocabulary, anchor charts,and shared-, guided-, and independent-reading texts; words used regularly ininstruction across the curriculum)

3. Applying Knowledge ofLanguage Conventions and Presenting Written Work Effectively

2. Using Knowledge of Form andStyle in Writing

Spelling Unfamiliar Words 3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety

of strategies that involve understandingsound-symbol relationships, word struc-tures, word meanings, and generalizationsabout spelling (e.g., write words syllableby syllable; sort words by visual patterns;highlight tricky letters or groups of letters;cluster root words and related forms:beauty, beautiful, beautician; applyknowledge of vowel and consonant pat-terns and rules for forming possessives,contractions, and plurals)

Vocabulary 3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings

or word choice using a variety ofresources appropriate for the purpose(e.g., locate syllables, stress patterns,inflected forms, multiple meanings, andinformation about word origins in onlineand print dictionaries, including thematicdictionaries such as a medical dictionary,bilingual dictionary, or dictionary ofidioms; use a thesaurus to explore alternative word choices)

Punctuation 3.4 use punctuation appropriately to com-

municate their intended meaning inmore complex writing forms, includingforms specific to different subject areas,with a focus on the use of: periods afterinitials, in abbreviations, and in decimalnumbers; parentheses; punctuation toindicate intonation, pauses, or gestures

Grammar 3.5 use parts of speech correctly to commu-

nicate their meaning clearly, with afocus on the use of: relative pronouns(e.g., who, whose, which, that); preposi-tions, including prepositional phrases;adjectives; conjunctions; adverbs; pres-ent, past, and future verb tenses; presentand past participles (e.g., I am reading,I have read)

Proofreading 3.6 proofread and correct their writing

using guidelines developed with peersand the teacher (e.g., an editing checklistspecific to the writing task)

Publishing3.7 use a wide range of appropriate elements

of effective presentation in the finishedproduct, including print, script, different

fonts, graphics, and layout (e.g., use legibleprinting and cursive writing; supply a time-line; supply captions and text boxes toaccompany the photographs in a photoessay; use a bulleted or point-form layout in a summary of key points for a debate)

Producing Finished Works 3.8 produce pieces of published work to

meet identified criteria based on theexpectations (e.g., adequacy of informa-tion and ideas, logic and effectiveness oforganization, effective use of form andstylistic elements, appropriate use of conventions, effective presentation)

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify a variety of strategies they

used before, during, and after writing,explain which ones were most helpful,and suggest future steps they can taketo improve as writers (e.g., use a three-column reflection journal to monitor thewriting process: What I did/What Ilearned/How I can use it)

Teacher prompt: “Explain how youused your writer’s notebook to helpyou identify your strengths as a writerand your next steps for writing.”

Interconnected Skills 4.2 describe how their skills in listening,

speaking, reading, viewing, and representing help in their develop-ment as writers

Teacher prompt: “In what way haveyour experiences with reading, view-ing, and listening to texts changed theway you think about the audience foryour writing?”

Portfolio 4.3 select pieces of writing that they think

reflect their growth and competence as writers and explain the reasons fortheir choices

4. Reflecting on Writing Skills andStrategies

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By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 explain how various media texts

address their intended purpose andaudience (e.g., this sports team uniformuses school colours and an image of theschool’s mascot to give the team a “brand”or “identity”to encourage fan loyalty; thismusic group’s web page uses electronicgraphics and intense colours to reflect thegroup’s style and to encourage fans to buyits new CD)

Teacher prompt: “Why do companiesand organizations consider it impor-tant to have a logo that gives them an’identity’ or ’brand’?”

Making Inferences/Interpreting Messages1.2 interpret increasingly complex or diffi-

cult media texts, using overt andimplied messages as evidence for theirinterpretations (e.g., identify the editorialpositions of two different newspapers bycomparing the selection of stories and thecomposition of elements [photos, images,text] on their front pages; identify thethemes in a contemporary action movie orcomedy and explain how these themescontribute to the popularity of the film;explain how standards of beauty areestablished in advertising)

Teacher prompts: “What are the differ-ences in the way these sources coverthis event? What do the differences tellyou about each news source?” “Whatstandards of beauty are projected inmovies and advertisements? How dothese standards affect students?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts 1.3 evaluate the effectiveness of the presen-

tation and treatment of ideas, informa-tion, themes, opinions, issues, and/orexperiences in media texts (e.g., explainwhy the editorial/photo essay in this e-zine did or did not convince you of itsposition; debate whether violence in tele-vised professional sporting events adds toor detracts from their appeal)

Teacher prompts: “How was this themedeveloped as the movie unfolded? Didthe use of suspense enhance the effec-tiveness of the message?” “Did thisvideo game deliver the excitement thatwas promised in the advertisement?What made it succeed/fail?” “Do thesports you see on television affect yourdecision about participating in particu-lar sports?”

Audience Responses 1.4 explain why different audiences (e.g.,

with respect to gender, age, nationality,ability/disability income level) mighthave different responses to a variety

1. Understanding Media Texts

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 7, students will:

1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;

2. identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associatedwith them are used to create meaning;

3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriateforms, conventions, and techniques;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creatingmedia texts.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

of media texts (e.g., messages in chatrooms, television broadcasts of interna-tional news stories, music, documentaries,clothing)

Point of View1.5 demonstrate understanding that differ-

ent media texts reflect different points ofview (e.g., compare pictures of the samecharacter and/or event in media textsaimed at different audiences and identifythe different perspectives represented)

Teacher prompt: “What differences canyou identify in the way the character isrepresented in the different texts?Which representation seems most/least fair? Why? What explanation canyou suggest for the differences in therepresentations?”

Production Perspectives1.6 identify who produces various media

texts and determine the commercial,ideological, political, cultural, and/orartistic interests or perspectives that the texts may involve (e.g., films may be classified as “artistic”, ”commercial”,“documentary”, and so on, reflecting thedifferent perspectives and approachesthey take; one magazine contains amajority of pieces offering a political per-spective, whereas another features variouspieces written from different perspectives)

Teacher prompt: “Identify two or moreperspectives evident on a cereal box.What makes these perspectives apparent?Are different kinds of graphics usedfor each? Are there differences in thepositioning of elements? Is one per-spective more dominant than the other?Explain why this might be the case.”

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Form2.1 explain how individual elements of var-

ious media forms combine to create,reinforce, and/or enhance meaning

Teacher prompt: ”Explain how differentelements of maps, such as colour (usedto show different topographical fea-tures) and legends (used to show scale

and compass orientation), are used incombination to make maps meaning-ful.” “Describe the interrelationship ofinstrumentals, lyrics, and vocals in afavourite song.”

Conventions and Techniques2.2 identify the conventions and techniques

used in a variety of media forms andexplain how they help convey meaningand influence or engage the audience(e.g., fashion magazine conventions:fashion and cosmetics advertisementsare more prominent than editorial content; fashion magazine techniques:“themed” presentation of clothing inphoto spreads, dramatic modelling posesto display novel features of the clothing)

Teacher prompts: “What does theplacement of the advertisements tellyou about a magazine?” “Identify dif-ferent camera angles used for the pho-tographs in the advertisements andexplain their effect.”

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Purpose and Audience 3.1 explain why they have chosen the topic

for a media text they plan to create (e.g.,a class newspaper or pamphlet to informparents about the achievements and activ-ities of students in the class), and identifychallenges they may face in engagingand/or influencing their audience

Teacher prompt: “Parents are very busypeople. What in your pamphlet willsucceed in capturing their attention?”

Form3.2 identify an appropriate form to suit the

specific purpose and audience for amedia text they plan to create (e.g., awebsite or multimedia presentation abouta unit of study to present research find-ings to the class), and explain why it isan appropriate choice

Teacher prompt: “What makes thisform an effective way to present yourmessage to this particular audience?”

3. Creating Media Texts

2. Understanding Media Forms,Conventions, and Techniques

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Conventions and Techniques3.3 identify conventions and techniques

appropriate to the form chosen for amedia text they plan to create, andexplain how they will use the conven-tions and techniques to help communi-cate their message (e.g., movie posterconventions: title, images of the actors“in role”, positive quotations fromreviewers; movie poster techniques:distinctive lettering, arresting or unus-ual layout or treatment of images)

Producing Media Texts 3.4 produce a variety of media texts of

some technical complexity for specificpurposes and audiences, using appro-priate forms, conventions, and tech-niques (e.g.,

• a class newspaper for parents

• a class magazine for students in a lower grade

• a multimedia report on a unit of studyfor geography

• a website about the school for new students

• a movie poster

• an advertisement for a new product

• a theatre review with commentary onthe use of conventions and techniquesfor a class/school newspaper

• a scene for a film based on a prose narrative

• two media texts on the same subjectusing different media forms)

By the end of Grade 7, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify what strategies they found

most helpful in making sense of andcreating media texts, and explain howthese and other strategies can help them improve as media viewers/listeners/producers

Teacher prompt: “What aspects of theplanning process were most importantto the success of your media text?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain how their skills in listening,

speaking, reading, and writing helpthem to make sense of and producemedia texts

Teacher prompts: “How do reading skillshelp you judge the effectiveness of yourown media texts?” “What writing skillsmight help you improve the effective-ness of your own media texts?”

4. Reflecting on Media LiteracySkills and Strategies

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GRADE 8 | ORAL COMMUNICATION

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Purpose 1.1 identify a range of purposes for listen-

ing in a variety of situations, formal andinformal, and set goals appropriate tospecific listening tasks (e.g., to evaluatethe effectiveness of the arguments on bothsides of a class debate on an environmen-tal, social, or global issue; to respond tofeedback in peer conferences andstudent/teacher conferences)

Active Listening Strategies1.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate listening behaviour byadapting active listening strategies tosuit a wide variety of situations, includ-ing work in groups (e.g., follow the con-versation and make relevant contributionsin a group discussion; express interest inwhat is being said by commenting andquestioning)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a variety of listening compre-

hension strategies and use them appro-priately before, during, and after listen-ing in order to understand and clarifythe meaning of increasingly complexand challenging oral texts (e.g., use back-ground knowledge about the structure oforal texts such as debates, interviews,speeches, monologues, lectures, and plays

to make predictions and identify impor-tant ideas while listening; ask questionsfor clarification or further information;use a range of note-taking strategies tokeep track of or summarize importantpoints; use self-questioning to monitorunderstanding of what is being said)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the

information and ideas in increasinglycomplex and difficult oral texts in avariety of ways (e.g., compare viewsabout an oral text with two other class-mates and prepare a joint summary topresent to the class; cite details from anoral text to support their opinions about itin a small-group discussion; use visual art,music, or drama to represent importantideas in an oral text)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 develop and explain interpretations of

oral texts using the language of the textand oral and visual cues to supporttheir interpretations

Teacher prompt: “Why might differentaudiences interpret the same oral textin different ways? Give examples tosupport your opinion.”

Extending Understanding1.6 extend understanding of oral texts,

including increasingly complex or difficulttexts, by connecting, comparing, andcontrasting the ideas and information

1. Listening to Understand

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 8, students will:

1. listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;

2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiencesfor a variety of purposes;

3. reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, andthe strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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in them to their own knowledge, experi-ence, and insights; to other texts, includ-ing print and visual texts; and to theworld around them (e.g., respond in roleas a character from an oral text whilebeing interviewed by another student; dis-cuss similarities and differences betweenoral and print texts on the same topic,focusing on specific elements such as theaccuracy and relevance of information;debate the wisdom of the choices made bya historical personage depicted in an oralbiography, based on ideas about whattheir own choices might have been)

Analysing Texts1.7 analyse a variety of complex or chal-

lenging oral texts in order to identifythe strategies that have been used toinform, persuade, or entertain, and eval-uate the effectiveness of those strategies(e.g., compare the tone and the ideasemphasized in speeches about non-smok-ing regulations by a tobacco companyrepresentative and a person with asthmaand suggest how each approach wouldinfluence an audience)

Point of View1.8 explain what the use of irony or satire in

an oral text reveals about the speaker ’spurpose and perspective

Teacher prompts: “What cues help youto recognize the use of irony or satirein a text?” “How does recognizingirony or satire help you to understandwhat is being said?”

Presentation Strategies 1.9 identify a wide variety of presentation

strategies used in oral texts, evaluatetheir effectiveness, and suggest otherstrategies that might have been as effec-tive or more so (e.g., compare two oralpresentations, with a focus on the effec-tiveness of the presentation strategies usedby each speaker)

Teacher prompt: “Did the speakers usefacial expressions, vocal effects, andbody language appropriately? Did theuse of these strategies make the mes-sage more convincing?”

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Purpose 2.1 identify a range of purposes for speak-

ing in a variety of situations, bothstraightforward and more complex, andexplain how the purpose and intendedaudience might influence the choice ofspeaking strategies (e.g., to introduce aspeaker; to support the resolution in adebate; to dramatize a favourite poem; toexplain a complex procedure to an indi-vidual or group; to work towards the solu-tion to a problem with a partner)

Interactive Strategies2.2 demonstrate an understanding of

appropriate speaking behaviour in mostsituations, using a variety of speakingstrategies and adapting them to suit thepurpose and audience (e.g., paraphrasedifferent points of view on an issue toclarify alternative perspectives; affirm thecontributions of others before responding;avoid making highly personal remarks inpublic or in formal situations)

Clarity and Coherence 2.3 communicate in a clear, coherent man-

ner, using a structure and style appro-priate to the purpose, the subject matter,and the intended audience (e.g., combinelogic with an appeal to emotion in a char-ity fund-raising speech; use a cause-and-effect structure in a report on the rise of apolitical movement or the emergence of acontentious Aboriginal issue)

Appropriate Language 2.4 use appropriate words, phrases, and ter-

minology from the full range of theirvocabulary, including inclusive andnon-discriminatory language, and arange of stylistic devices, to communi-cate their meaning effectively andengage the interest of their intendedaudience (e.g., use imagery, figurativelanguage such as similes and analogies,and other stylistic elements such asidioms and onomatopoeia to evoke a par-ticular mood in a dramatic monologue oran appeal for support)

2. Speaking to Communicate

Vocal Skills and Strategies2.5 identify a range of vocal effects, includ-

ing tone, pace, pitch, volume, and avariety of sound effects, and use themappropriately and with sensitivitytowards cultural differences to commu-nicate their meaning (e.g., use changes inpitch to differentiate voices in a story-telling session; use tone and volume toclarify implied messages in a rap poem)

Non-Verbal Cues2.6 identify a variety of non-verbal cues,

including facial expression, gestures,and eye contact, and use them in oralcommunications, appropriately andwith sensitivity towards cultural differ-ences, to help convey their meaning(e.g., rehearse and use hand gestures andincreased volume to emphasize pointsduring a formal presentation)

Visual Aids2.7 use a variety of appropriate visual aids

(e.g., photographs, multimedia, diagrams,graphs, charts, costumes, props, artefacts)to support and enhance oral presenta-tions (e.g., use a chart to clarify the orderof events in a report about a scientificbreakthrough; use a video clip from ananimated cartoon to show how sound isused to complement the image)

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Metacognition3.1 identify what strategies they found

most helpful before, during, and afterlistening and speaking and what stepsthey can take to improve their oral com-munication skills

Teacher prompts: “What listeningstrategies help you to contribute effec-tively in a group discussion?” “Whatquestions do you ask yourself to checkwhether you are understanding whatis being said?” “Can you identify themost effective elements in your oralpresentation? How do you know theywere effective?” “What would you dodifferently next time?”

Interconnected Skills3.2 identify how their skills as viewers, rep-

resenters, readers, and writers help themimprove their oral communication skills

Teacher prompt: “How does your expe-rience of creating media texts help youunderstand oral texts?”

3. Reflecting on OralCommunication Skills and Strategies

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By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Variety of Texts1.1 read a wide variety of increasingly com-

plex or difficult texts from diverse cul-tures, including literary texts (e.g., shortstories, novels, poetry, essays, science fiction, memoirs, scripts, satire), graphictexts (e.g., graphs and graphic organizers,charts and tables, surveys, maps, spread-sheets), and informational texts (e.g.,essays, Canadian and global print andonline sources, electronic texts, textbooks,dictionaries, thesauri, websites, transcripts)

Purpose 1.2 identify a variety of purposes for reading

and choose increasingly complex or dif-ficult reading materials appropriate forthose purposes (e.g., several online orprint articles by the same author to identifyconsistency or change in the author ’s pointof view; websites for information on a topicfrom different sources; stories from differentcultures, including Aboriginal cultures, tocompare treatments of similar themes)

Comprehension Strategies1.3 identify a variety of reading compre-

hension strategies and use them appro-priately before, during, and after read-ing to understand increasingly complex

or difficult texts (e.g., activate priorknowledge on a topic through dialogue orby developing mind maps; use visualiza-tion and comparisons with images in othertexts or media to clarify impressions ofcharacters, scenes, or concepts; ask ques-tions to monitor and clarify understand-ing; identify important ideas; synthesizeideas to broaden understanding)

Demonstrating Understanding1.4 demonstrate understanding of increasingly

complex and difficult texts by summa-rizing important ideas and explaininghow the details support the main idea(e.g., theme or argument and supportingevidence in reviews, essays, plays, poems;key information and related data in pub-lic documents, online and print referencearticles, manuals, surveys, graphs, tablesand charts, websites, transcripts)

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts1.5 develop and explain interpretations of

increasingly complex or difficult textsusing stated and implied ideas from thetexts to support their interpretations

Teacher prompt: “How do the statedand unstated messages in the dialoguebetween these characters complicatethe plot of this story? What details inthe dialogue support your interpretation?”

1. Reading for Meaning

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 8, students will:

1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;

2. recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;

3. use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

Extending Understanding 1.6 extend understanding of texts, including

increasingly complex or difficult texts, byconnecting the ideas in them to their ownknowledge, experience, and insights, toother texts, and to the world around them

Teacher prompts: “Do you have knowl-edge or experiences that affect the wayyou interpret the author’s message?”“How does the author’s approach dif-fer from the approach in other articlesyou have read on this topic?”

Analysing Texts 1.7 analyse a variety of texts, including

complex or difficult texts, and explainhow the various elements in them con-tribute to meaning and influence thereader’s reaction (e.g., narrative: risingaction holds attention and creates sus-pense; report on an investigation: theopening paragraph tells the reader aboutthe purpose, goals, and audience forthe report)

Teacher prompts: “Why does theauthor spend so much time describingthe preparation for the race?” “Howdoes the information in the openingparagraph help you understand therest of the report?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts 1.8 evaluate the effectiveness of a text based

on evidence taken from that text

Teacher prompts: “Were the instructionsfor doing the experiment clear and easyto follow? Why or why not?” “Were theauthor’s arguments well supported bycredible evidence? Did the argumentsmake sense? Why, or why not?”“Identify three uses of imagery in thepoem and explain how they help thepoet communicate the theme effectively.”

Point of View 1.9 identify the point of view presented in

texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts; give evidence of anybiases they may contain; and suggestother possible perspectives (e.g., determinewhether an environmental argumentshould include an economic perspectiveor an economic argument should includean environmental perspective)

Teacher prompt: “How will the additionof another perspective affect the impactor appeal of the text?”

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Text Forms2.1 analyse a variety of text forms and

explain how their particular characteris-tics help communicate meaning, with afocus on literary texts such as a memoir(e.g., the author’s personality and/or spe-cial experience of the subject are an impor-tant part of the narrative, even if theauthor is not the subject of the narrative),graphic texts such as a map (e.g., the dif-ferent colours for land and water helpreaders understand what geographical fea-tures they are looking at), and informa-tional texts such as a magazine article(e.g., sidebars allow minor themes to bedeveloped in detail without interruptingthe main narrative)

Text Patterns2.2 analyse increasingly complex texts to

identify different types of organizationalpatterns used in them and explain howthe patterns help communicate meaning(e.g., a “before-and-after”comparison inan advertisement; time order and causeand effect in an online magazine or newspaper article)

Text Features2.3 identify a variety of text features and

explain how they help communicatemeaning (e.g., tree diagrams, tables, end-notes, and “Works Cited”or “References”lists help readers locate information andunderstand its context)

Teacher prompt: “What do the types ofsources in the ‘References’ list tell youabout the author’s research?”

Elements of Style2.4 identify a range of elements of style –

including symbolism, irony, analogy,metaphor, and other rhetorical devices –and explain how they help communi-cate meaning and enhance the effective-ness of texts (e.g., the use of dramaticirony, in which the audience understandsthe implications of words or actions betterthan the characters do themselves, cancreate humour or a sense of foreboding)

2. Understanding Form and Style

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By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Reading Familiar Words3.1 automatically read and understand

most words in a wide range of readingcontexts (e.g., words from grade-leveltexts; terminology used in discussions andposted in the classroom; words fromshared-, guided-, and independent-reading texts, electronic texts, andresource material used in the curriculumsubject areas)

Reading Unfamiliar Words3.2 predict the meaning of and rapidly

solve unfamiliar words using differenttypes of cues, including:

• semantic (meaning) cues (e.g., basewords, prefixes, suffixes, phrases,sentences, and visuals that activateexisting knowledge of oral and written language);

• syntactic (language structure) cues(e.g., word order and the relationshipbetween words, language patterns,punctuation);

• graphophonic (phonological andgraphic) cues (e.g., familiar wordswithin larger words, syllables withinlarger words, similarities betweenwords with known spelling patternsand unknown words)

Teacher prompt: “Read to the end ofthe paragraph and see if the contextwill help you solve the word. Is theword essential to your understanding?If so, reread and see if you can solvethe word by…”

Reading Fluently3.3 read appropriate texts with expression

and confidence, adjusting readingstrategies and reading rate to match theform and purpose (e.g., orally read toentertain a younger class, using suitableemphasis, intonation, and phrasing)

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify the strategies they found most

helpful before, during, and after readingand explain, in conversation with theteacher and/or peers or in a reader’snotebook/reflective journal, how theycan use these and other strategies toimprove as readers

Teacher prompts: “What strategies doyou use most consistently to help youunderstand a new text?” “What typesof questions do you ask yourself to helpyou monitor your reading?” “What ‘fix-up’ strategies do you use when youdon’t understand?” “What strategies doyou use confidently and effectively?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain, in conversation with the

teacher and/or peers or in a reader’snotebook/reflective journal, how theirskills in listening, speaking, writing,viewing, and representing help themmake sense of what they read

Teacher prompts: “Did watching thetelevision program about space explo-ration help you when you were read-ing the newspaper reports of the spaceprobe?” “How does creating onlinetexts help you read electronic texts?”“What lessons have you learned as awriter/listener that will make you abetter reader?”

4. Reflecting on Reading Skills andStrategies

3. Reading With Fluency

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GRADE 8 | WRITING

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audience

for more complex writing forms (e.g., apersonal memoir about the school experi-ence to share with classmates, family, andfriends at graduation; a report on a topicof current interest in the style of a news-paper article, including headlines, for aschool or community newspaper; a cam-paign flyer or brochure to promote a can-didate for school government)

Developing Ideas 1.2 generate ideas about more challenging

topics and identify those most appro-priate to the purpose

Research 1.3 gather information to support ideas for

writing, using a variety of strategies anda wide range of print and electronicsources (e.g., produce a plan and timelinefor carrying out research tasks; interviewpeople with knowledge of the topic; iden-tify and use graphic and multimediaresources; record sources used and infor-mation gathered in a form that makes iteasy to understand and retrieve)

Classifying Ideas 1.4 sort and classify ideas and information

for their writing in a variety of waysthat allow them to manipulate informa-tion and see different combinations andrelationships in their data (e.g., by usingelectronic graphic organizers, tables, charts)

Organizing Ideas 1.5 identify and order main ideas and

supporting details and group them intounits that could be used to develop asummary, a debate, or a report of sever-al paragraphs, using a variety of strate-gies (e.g., making jot notes; makingsketchboard outlines of a procedure orseries of events) and organizational patterns (e.g., combined/multiple orderssuch as order of importance and cause and effect)

Review 1.6 determine whether the ideas and infor-

mation they have gathered are relevant,appropriate, and sufficiently specific forthe purpose, and do more planning andresearch if necessary (e.g., check for depthand breadth of coverage of the topic)

1. Developing and OrganizingContent

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 8, students will:

1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;

2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic formsand stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;

3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of languageconventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategiesthey found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

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By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Form2.1 write complex texts of a variety of lengths

using a wide range of forms (e.g., a memoirof a significant Canadian; a report comparingthe economies of two nations and explaininghow a new industry might affect each nation’seconomy; briefing notes for an oral debateoutlining both sides of an argument, includ-ing appeals to both logic and emotion; anarrative in the style of a particular author,adding to or extending a text by that author;an original satirical, science-fiction, or real-istic fiction piece modelled on the struc-tures and conventions of the genre; a freeverse or narrative poem, or a limerick)

Voice 2.2 establish a distinctive voice in their

writing appropriate to the subject andaudience, (e.g., use emotive language topersuade the audience to share their feel-ings, and explain the effect they think itwill have on the audience)

Word Choice 2.3 regularly use vivid and/or figurative

language and innovative expressions in their writing (e.g., adjective phrases:The car with the fluorescent red racingstripe; adverb phrases: He walked withthe gait of a sailor; specialized vocabularyand terminology; analogies and idioms)

Teacher prompt: “Identify three lan-guage choices you have made andexplain the effect they will have on areader.”

Sentence Fluency 2.4 vary sentence types and structures for

different purposes (e.g., to alter the paceor mood), with a focus on using a rangeof relative pronouns (e.g., who, which),subordinate conjunctions (e.g., whenever,because, although), and both the activeand passive voice

Point of View 2.5 identify their point of view and other

possible points of view, evaluate otherpoints of view, and find ways to respondto other points of view, if appropriate

Teacher prompt: “How can you addressin your writing the questions that

would come from others who hold adifferent point of view?”

Preparing for Revision 2.6 identify elements in their writing that

need improvement, selectively usingfeedback from the teacher and peers, with a focus on depth of content andappropriateness of tone

Teacher prompts: “Are there any keyideas that are missing or need moreexplanation?” “Does your writinghave an identifiable tone (e.g., sincerity,humour, horror, irony, pathos)? Is the toneappropriate to the subject matter? Doesit accurately reflect your point of view?”

Revision 2.7 make revisions to improve the content,

clarity, and interest of their writtenwork, using a variety of strategies (e.g., use sticky notes while rereading torecord questions and ideas; cut and paste toimprove logic of organization; add or substi-tute words and phrases, including vocabu-lary from other subject areas; use idioms,figurative language, and rhetorical devicessuch as analogy to achieve particular effects;adjust sentence length, type, and complexityto suit the audience and purpose; use pat-terns such as repetition with variations toemphasize important points and hold theattention of the audience)

Teacher prompt: “Could you use twodifferent sentence lengths and patternsto highlight the two points of view inyour argument?”

Producing Drafts 2.8 produce revised draft pieces of writing

to meet identified criteria based on theexpectations (e.g., adequate developmentof information and ideas, logical organi-zation, appropriate use of form and style,appropriate use of conventions)

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Spelling Familiar Words 3.1 spell familiar words correctly (e.g., words

from their oral vocabulary, anchor charts,and shared-, guided-, and independent-reading texts; words used regularly ininstruction across the curriculum)

3. Applying Knowledge ofLanguage Conventions and Presenting Written Work Effectively

2. Using Knowledge of Form andStyle in Writing

Spelling Unfamiliar Words 3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety

of strategies that involve understandingsound-symbol relationships, word struc-tures, word meanings, and generaliza-tions about spelling (e.g., orally empha-size differences in easily confused words:affect/effect, technicality/technically;compare complicated words to words withknown letter patterns; use knowledge ofthe history of a word to help spell it:sheep herder/shepherd; use knowledgeof familiar words to spell technical terms)

Vocabulary 3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings

or word choice using a wide variety ofresources appropriate for the purpose(e.g., locate entry words, pronunciationkeys, prefixes, and information aboutword origins in online and print diction-aries, including thematic dictionaries suchas a dictionary of synonyms, antonyms,and homonyms, a science dictionary)

Punctuation 3.4 use punctuation appropriately to com-

municate their intended meaning inmore complex writing forms, includingforms specific to different subjects acrossthe curriculum, with a focus on the useof: commas to separate introductoryphrases from the main part of a sentenceand to separate words, phrases, andclauses in a series; quotation marks todistinguish words being discussed aswords and to indicate titles; ellipses (…)and dashes to indicate sentence breaks,ambiguities, or parenthetical statements

Grammar 3.5 use parts of speech correctly to commu-

nicate their meaning clearly, with afocus on subject/verb agreement andthe use of nouns, pronouns, adjectives,adverbs, and prepositions

Proofreading 3.6 proofread and correct their writing

using guidelines developed with peersand the teacher (e.g., an editing checklistspecific to the writing task)

Publishing 3.7 use a wide range of appropriate ele-

ments of effective presentation in thefinished product, including print, script,different fonts, graphics, and layout(e.g., use legible printing and cursivewriting; use an imaginative text layout,drawings, and a table of contents in aclass poetry anthology for the schoollibrary; use a spreadsheet to displaydetailed specific information)

Producing Finished Works 3.8 produce pieces of published work to

meet identified criteria based on theexpectations (e.g., adequacy of informa-tion and ideas, logic and effectiveness oforganization, effective use of form andstylistic elements, appropriate use of con-ventions, effective presentation)

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify a variety of strategies they used

before, during, and after writing, explainwhich ones were most helpful, and sug-gest future steps they can take to improveas writers (e.g., use a three-column reflec-tion journal to monitor the writing process:What I learned/How I learned it/How Ican use it)

Teacher prompt: “Explain how you usedyour writer’s notebook/journal to helpyou identify your strengths as a writerand your next steps for writing.”

Interconnected Skills 4.2 describe how their skills in listening,

speaking, reading, viewing, and repre-senting help in their develop-ment as writers

Teacher prompts: “How does assumingthe role of the reader of your ownwriting help you revise your writing?”“How do you think listening to oral textshas helped you become a better writer?”“How can reading texts from differentcultures improve your writing?”

Portfolio 4.3 select pieces of writing that they think

reflect their growth and competence as writers and explain the reasons fortheir choice

4. Reflecting on Writing Skills andStrategies

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By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Purpose and Audience 1.1 explain how a variety of media texts

address their intended purpose andaudience (e.g., this stage productionbased on a popular novel uses music andlighting to enhance the original andappeal to its fans; this commercial for asports car uses fast-paced editing and rockmusic to appeal to the target audience –young, single men and women)

Teacher prompts: “Why might a pro-ducer think that yet another version ofthis well-known story would attract awide audience?” “What kind of driveris this car advertisement designed toappeal to?”

Making Inferences/Interpreting Messages1.2 interpret increasingly complex or diffi-

cult media texts, using overt andimplied messages as evidence for theirinterpretations (e.g., compare the cover-age of a lead story in a morning newspa-per to the coverage of that story on theevening news; compare the order in whichnews stories are reported on two differenttelevision channels and suggest reasonsfor the differences; compare the treatment

of a historical figure in a movie to his orher treatment in a print biography)

Teacher prompts: “Did the newspaperand the television news program usethe same lead story? Why or why not?Did the different news sources providedifferent information on the sametopic? Did they take a different posi-tion?“ “Which historical portrait ismore convincing? More accurate?More interesting? Why?”

Responding to and Evaluating Texts 1.3 evaluate the effectiveness of the presen-

tation and treatment of ideas, informa-tion, themes, opinions, issues, and/orexperiences in media texts (e.g., explainhow a series of newspaper stories on acontroversial issue captured and main-tained their interest; explain the similari-ties and differences in the treatment of aparticular topic or theme in different mediatexts and evaluate the relative effectivenessof the treatments; as a class, evaluate themedia’s coverage of a social or environ-mental issue over a two-week period)

Audience Responses 1.4 explain why different audiences (e.g., with

respect to gender, age, culture, race, incomelevel) might have different responses to avariety of media texts (e.g., predict how

1. Understanding Media Texts

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 8, students will:

1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;

2. identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associatedwith them are used to create meaning;

3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriateforms, conventions, and techniques;

4. reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creatingmedia texts.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

a member of a particular age/gender/ ethnocultural/socio-economic group mightreact to a controversial article in a print oronline news magazine and give reasonsfor their prediction)

Teacher prompt: “Do you think allmembers of a particular group wouldreact the same way to this issue?Could an older person react the sameway as a teenager? Why, or why not?”

Point of View 1.5 demonstrate understanding that differ-

ent media texts reflect different points of view and that some texts reflect mul-tiple points of view (e.g., a televisionbroadcast of a sports game presents theviews of fans, the announcers, the spon-sors, and the television network; differentmedia texts represent people of differentage, gender, income level, or ethnoculturalbackground differently, communicatingobvious or subtle messages that mightindicate bias or stereotyping; differentpoints of view are often presented in anews report of a conflict)

Teacher prompts: “What differentgroups are represented in the text?Are the different groups treated differ-ently? If so, how?” “In this newsreport about a conflict between twocountries, does the reporter appear tofavour one side over the other? Giveevidence for your view.”

Production Perspectives1.6 identify who produces various media

texts and determine the commercial,ideological, political, cultural, and/orartistic interests or perspectives that thetexts may involve (e.g., a music company’sinterest in a recording may be differentfrom that of the artist; the company thatproduces a video game and the game’screator may have different views on howthe game should be promoted)

Teacher prompt: ”How are commercialand artistic interests reflected in thecontents and presentation of this CDby your favourite group?” ”Explainhow a more ideological approachmight affect the appeal of this maga-zine for its current broad range ofreaders.”

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Form2.1 explain how individual elements of var-

ious media forms combine to create,reinforce, and/or enhance meaning (e.g., print advertisements use text, images,colour, different fonts, and different cameraangles in a seamless combination to createan effect)

Teacher prompt: ”Why do you thinkeach of these elements is included?How are the elements combined to create a coherent message?”

Conventions and Techniques2.2 identify the conventions and techniques

used in a variety of media forms andexplain how they help convey meaningand influence or engage the audience(e.g., website conventions: home pagesprovide users with a convenient previewof the types of information available;website techniques: “sidebars” with invit-ing audio/video elements entice viewersto browse and explore new topics thatmight not have been their first priority)

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Purpose and Audience 3.1 explain why they have chosen the topic

for a media text they plan to create (e.g.,a poster advertising a class fund-raisingcampaign to appeal to local parentgroups, businesses, or service organiza-tions), and identify challenges they mayface in engaging and/or influencingtheir intended audience

Teacher prompt: “What are the chal-lenges involved in reaching each ofthese groups? How can you appeal toall of the groups in a single poster? Ifyou were to develop three posters, onefor each of them, how would theposters differ?”

3. Creating Media Texts

2. Understanding Media Forms,Conventions, and Techniques

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Form3.2 identify an appropriate form to suit the

purpose and audience for a media textthey plan to create (e.g., a multimediapresentation about their class or grade, tobe presented to parents during graduationceremonies) and explain why it is anappropriate choice

Teacher prompt: “What different typesof media could you use for the presen-tation? How would they be organizedand combined?”

Conventions and Techniques3.3 identify conventions and techniques

appropriate to the form chosen for amedia text they plan to create, andexplain how they will use the conven-tions and techniques to help communi-cate their message (e.g., conventions inadvertisements for a product to appeal to different age groups among the stu-dents: text, images, “free offer” promo-tional gimmicks; techniques: use of age-appropriate content in all elements of the advertisement)

Teacher prompt: “What are the impor-tant things you need to know aboutyour audience when designing yourmedia text?”

Producing Media Texts 3.4 produce a variety of media texts of some

technical complexity for specific purposesand audiences, using appropriate forms,conventions, and techniques (e.g.,

• a multimedia presentation examiningtwo or more elements of a narrative,such as theme, plot, setting, or character

• a one-minute video advertising a class fund-raising project

• a website based on the content of a unit of study

• a report on school sports events to be presented during morningannouncements

• magazine advertisements for a particu-lar product, aimed at different agegroups among the students in the school

• an interview with a family memberabout his or her cultural heritage forpublication in a school or communitymagazine/newspaper

• a public-service announcement on acurrent issue that is relevant to theirfellow students, such as daily physicalactivity, literacy, or bullying

• a storyboard for a video of a favouritesong that is not available as a video)

By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Metacognition4.1 identify what strategies they found most

helpful in making sense of and creatingmedia texts, and explain how these andother strategies can help them improveas media viewers/listeners/producers

Teacher prompt: “Why was it helpful to think about your audience’s needs or wants before creating your advertisement?”

Interconnected Skills4.2 explain how their skills in listening,

speaking, reading, and writing helpthem to make sense of and producemedia texts

Teacher prompt: “How could readingabout food and health help you whenyou are trying to create an advertisementfor a ‘healthy eating’ ad campaign?”

4. Reflecting on Media LiteracySkills and Strategies

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Aboriginal person. A person who is adescendant of the original inhabitants of North America. The Canadian Constitution (1982) recognizes three primary groups as Aboriginal peoples:Indians, Inuit, and Métis.

achievement levels. Brief descriptions offour different degrees of student achieve-ment of the provincial curriculum expec-tations for any given grade. Level 3, whichis the “provincial standard”, identifies ahigh level of achievement of the provincialexpectations. Parents of students achievingat level 3 in a particular grade can be con-fident that their children will be preparedfor work at the next grade. Level 1 identi-fies achievement that falls much below theprovincial standard. Level 2 identifiesachievement that approaches the standard.Level 4 identifies achievement that sur-passes the standard.

anchor charts. Charts designed by theclass or by the teacher that list steps, pro-cedures, or processes for a particularactivity (e.g., the stages of the writingprocess, procedures for a literature circle)or reference items (e.g., examples of capi-talization, parts of speech, reading/think-ing strategies).

audience. The intended readers, listeners,or viewers for a particular text.

blog. A slang term for Web log. An onlineforum where people share personal jour-nal entries, opinion articles, and/or photo-graphs with others on a regular basis.

comprehension. The ability to understandand draw meaning from spoken, written,and visual communications in all media.

comprehension strategies. A variety ofcognitive and systematic techniques thatstudents use before, during and after lis-tening, reading, and viewing to constructmeaning from texts. Examples include:making connections to prior knowledgeand experience and to familiar texts; visualizing to clarify or deepen under-standing of a text; finding important ideas;questioning; summarizing information;inferring; analysing and synthesizing;skimming text for information or detail;scanning text to determine the purpose of the text or type of material; adjustingreading speed according to the level ofdifficulty of the text or the kind of reading.

concept map. A graphic organizer stu-dents can use to explore knowledge andgather and share information and ideas.Features of concept maps may includevarious shapes and labels, as well as arrowsand other links to show relationshipsbetween ideas.

The following definitions and lists of examples are intended to help teachers and parentsuse this document. It should be noted that the examples provided are suggestions and arenot meant to be exhaustive.

GLOSSARY

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concepts of print. Concepts related to theway language is conveyed in print. Printconcepts include directionality (English-language text is read from left to right andfrom top to bottom), the difference betweenletters and words (letters are symbols thatrepresent sounds; words are made up ofletters; there are spaces between words),the use of capitalization and punctuation,and the common characteristics of books(title, author, front/back).

conventions. Accepted practices or rulesin the use of language. In the case of writtenor printed materials, some conventionshelp convey meaning (e.g., punctuation,typefaces, capital letters) and other con-ventions aid in the presentation of content(e.g., table of contents, headings, footnotes,charts, captions, lists, pictures, index). Seealso text features.

creative thinking. The process of thinkingabout ideas or situations in inventive andunusual ways in order to understand thembetter and respond to them in a new andconstructive manner. Students think cre-atively in all subject areas when theyimagine, invent, alter, or improve a con-cept or product.

critical literacy. The capacity for a partic-ular type of critical thinking that involveslooking beyond the literal meaning oftexts to observe what is present and whatis missing, in order to analyse and evalu-ate the text’s complete meaning and theauthor’s intent. Critical literacy goesbeyond conventional critical thinking infocusing on issues related to fairness, equity,and social justice. Critically literate stu-dents adopt a critical stance, asking whatview of the world the text advances andwhether they find this view acceptable.

critical thinking. The process of thinkingabout ideas or situations in order tounderstand them fully, identify theirimplications, and/or make a judgement

about what is sensible or reasonable tobelieve or do. Critical-thinking skills usedin reading include: examining opinions,questioning ideas, interpreting informa-tion, identifying values and issues, detect-ing bias, detecting implied as well asexplicit meanings. Critical-thinking skillsused in writing include: questioning,hypothesizing, interpreting, inferring,analysing, comparing, contrasting, evalu-ating, predicting, reasoning, distinguish-ing between alternatives, making andsupporting judgements, synthesizing,elaborating on ideas, identifying valuesand issues, detecting bias, detectingimplied as well as explicit meanings.

cross-checking. The use of differentsources of information (e.g., the three cueing systems) to confirm reading accuracy and/or comprehension.

cueing systems. Cues or clues that effectivereaders use in combination to read unfa-miliar words, phrases, and sentences andconstruct meaning from print. Semantic(meaning) cues help readers guess or pre-dict the meaning of words, phrases, orsentences on the basis of context and priorknowledge. Semantic cues may includevisuals. Syntactic (structural) cues helpreaders make sense of text using knowl-edge of the patterned ways in which wordsin a language are combined into phrases,clauses, and sentences. Graphophonic(phonological and graphic) cues helpreaders to decode unknown words usingknowledge of letter or sound relationships,word patterns, and words recognized by sight.

cues, non-verbal. Aspects of spoken orunspoken communication that conveymeaning without the use of words.Examples include: facial expressions, gestures, body language.

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cues, verbal (oral language). Aspects ofspoken language that convey meaning.Examples include: types of words (e.g.,nouns, verbs, linking words, modifiers);prefixes and suffixes (e.g., indicators ofplurals, verb tenses); sound patterns (e.g., rhyme); pauses; pace; tone of voiceor intonation; volume; pitch; modulation;inflection.

culture. The way in which people live, think,and define themselves as a community.

differentiated instruction. An approach toinstruction that maximizes each student’sgrowth by considering the needs of eachstudent at his or her current stage ofdevelopment and then offering that stu-dent a learning experience that respondsto his or her individual needs.

diversity. In reference to a society, thevariety of groups of people who share a range of commonly recognized physical,cultural, or social characteristics. Categoriesof groups may be based on various factorsor characteristics, such as gender, race, cul-ture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability/disability, age, religion, and socio-economiclevel.

editing. The making of changes to thecontent, structure, and wording of draftsto improve the organization of ideas,eliminate awkward phrasing, correctgrammatical and spelling errors, and generally ensure that the writing is clear, coherent, and correct.

elements of text. The characteristic aspectsof a particular text form (e.g., story: plot,characters, setting, theme).

elements of writing (composition and style).Essential aspects of written compositions.Examples include: a central theme or topic;the organization of information and ideas;diction (word choice); the use of conven-tions of spelling, punctuation, grammar,sentence structure, and paragraphing; plot;characterization; atmosphere; point of view;literary (stylistic) devices.

expectations. The knowledge and skillsthat students are expected to develop andto demonstrate in their class work, on tests,and in various other activities on whichtheir achievement is assessed. Overallexpectations describe in general terms theknowledge and skills that students areexpected to demonstrate by the end ofeach grade. Specific expectations describethe expected knowledge and skills ingreater detail.

explicit teaching. Direct, purposefulteaching of specific knowledge, skills, orstrategies. In explicit teaching, the teacher:explains what the knowledge, skill, orstrategy is, why it is used, and when touse it; models how to use it; guides andcoaches students as they practise it (e.g.,in shared reading and then in guidedreading sessions); and then asks them todemonstrate their learning independently.

figurative language. Words or phrasesused in a non-literal way to create adesired effect (e.g., metaphors, similes,personification, oxymoron). See alsoimagery, literary device.

fishbone map. A graphic organizer thatuses framing questions to show the causalrelationships involved in a complex event.Framing questions might include: “Whatare the factors that cause X? How do theyrelate to one another?”

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five key concepts of media literacy. Forthe purposes of this document, the fivekey concepts of media literacy are:

1. All media are constructions.2. The media contain beliefs and

value messages.3. Each person interprets messages

differently.4. The media have special interests

(commercial, ideological, political).5. Each medium has its own language,

style, form, techniques, conventions,and aesthetics.

five (5) W’s. The five basic questions (who,what, where, when, and why?) that providea framework for recounting personal orfactual experiences and retelling stories or events.

fix-up strategies. Reading strategies thatstudents can use to repair a breakdown ofcomprehension (e.g., rereading a passageto clarify meaning; reading ahead; con-sidering how the meaning of the textmatches up with prior knowledge). See also reading strategies.

flow chart. A visual way of organizinginformation and ideas to show relation-ships (e.g., to show the sequence of eventsin a short story; to describe relationshipsamong characters in a situation comedy).

forms of informational texts. Examplesinclude: history book, geography text,report, essay, theatre or concert program,book review, editorial, newspaper or magazine article, television or radio script,letter (personal, business), invitation,manual, public sign, label, biography,autobiography, speech, résumé, personaljournal, diary, brochure, reference book,encyclopedia.

forms of literary texts. Examples include:story, short story, adventure story, detectivestory, myth, legend, folk tale, cumulativetale, lyric poem, dramatic poem, ballad,novel, mystery novel, historical novel,

science fiction novel, soliloquy, play,script, storybook, picture book, patternbook, chapter book.

forms of media texts. Examples include:advertisement, e-mail, film, video, DVD,clothing, athletic wear, food packaging,action figure, jewellery, newspaper, magazine,brochure, movie trailer, editorial, sculpture,song, dance, news report, sports program,documentary, situation comedy (sitcom),television or radio drama, nature program,interview, travelogue, television commercial,cartoon, web page, CD-ROM dictionary,interactive software, multimedia text,blog, database.

forms of oral texts. Examples include:greeting, conversation, question, statement,exclamation, instructions, directions,poem, rhyme, song, rap, story, anecdote,announcement, news broadcast, interview,oral presentation, speech, recitation,debate, report, role play, drama.

forms of writing. Examples include: storyor other narrative piece, anecdote, com-mentary, critical review, description,instructions or procedures, recount (per-sonal or informational), transcription ofan interview, announcement, argument,position paper, essay, research report, television or radio script, editorial, speech,letter, minutes of a meeting, notes, jottings,poem, song text, dialogue, label, supportedopinion, summary, cartoon caption, log,diary, memoir, journal, riddle, script for a commercial, advertisement, list, survey,word web, chart.

graphic novel. A story in comic-strip form,published as a book.

graphic organizer. A visual framework(e.g., a Venn diagram, a word web, a flow chart) that helps students organize,analyse, synthesize, and assess informa-tion and ideas. See also individual typesof organizers.

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graphophonics. The study of the relation-ships between the symbols and sounds ofa language and the visual information onthe page.

graphophonics cues. See cueing systems.

higher-order thinking. The process ofmentally manipulating and transforminginformation and ideas in order to solveproblems, acquire understanding, and discover new meaning. Higher-orderthinking skills include: focusing, informa-tion gathering, combining facts and ideas,organizing, analysing, synthesizing, generalizing, integrating, explaining,hypothesizing, interpreting, evaluating,drawing conclusions.

homonym. A word that has the samespelling as another word but a differentmeaning (e.g., ear, meaning the organ ofhearing, and ear [of corn], meaning theseed-bearing head of a cereal plant).

homophone. A word that has the samesound as another word but a differentmeaning (e.g., seas and seize).

hyperbole. A literary device in whichexaggeration is used deliberately for effector emphasis (e.g., a flood of tears, piles ofmoney).

hyperlink. In an electronic document, across-reference or link to a web page oranother electronic document. A hyperlinkis usually a particular word, button, orgraphic. When the user clicks on it, thenew web page or document is displayed.

idiom. A group of words that, throughusage, has taken on a special meaning dif-ferent from the literal meaning (e.g., Keepyour shirt on! Or It’s raining cats and dogs.).

imagery. Descriptions and figures ofspeech (e.g., metaphors, similes) used bywriters to create vivid mental pictures inthe mind of the reader. See also figurativelanguage, literary device.

implicit meaning. Ideas and concepts thatare present but stated indirectly.

inclusive language. Language that is equi-table in its reference to people, therebyavoiding stereotypes and discriminatoryassumptions (e.g., police officer includesboth males and females, whereas police-man refers only to males). See also non-discriminatory language.

inferring. Drawing meaning from orreaching a conclusion using reasoning andevidence from a text, based on what theauthor states and implies in the text andwhat the reader brings to the text from hisor her prior knowledge and experience.

informational text. See forms of informa-tional texts.

irony. A statement or situation that has anunderlying meaning different from its lit-eral or surface meaning.

language pattern. A particular arrange-ment of words that helps the reader deter-mine meaning by providing a certain levelof predictability; for example, inversion ofsubject and verb in interrogative sentences.

listening and speaking skills. Skills thatinclude: determining the purpose of lis-tening; paying attention to the speaker or performer; following directions andinstructions; recalling ideas accurately;responding appropriately to thoughtsexpressed; judging when it is appropriateto speak or ask questions; allowing othersa turn to speak; speaking clearly andcoherently; asking questions to clarifymeaning or to obtain more information;responding with consideration for others’feelings; using and interpreting facialexpressions, gestures, and body languageappropriately.

literary (or stylistic) device. A particularpattern of words, a figure of speech, or atechnique used in literature to produce aspecific effect. Examples include: rhyme,

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parallel structure, analogy, comparison,contrast, irony, foreshadowing, allusion,juxtaposition, simile, metaphor, personifi-cation, pun, hyperbole, oxymoron, symbol-ism. See also figurative language, imagery.

literary text. See forms of literary texts.

mass media. Means of communicationaimed at a very large audience. Examplesinclude: mass-market paperback books,television, movies, newspapers, maga-zines, the Internet.

media. The plural of medium. Means ofcommunication, including audio, visual,audio-visual, print, and electronic means.

media conventions and techniques. Themeans of producing particular effects usingvoice, images, and sound to support themessages or themes in a text. Examplesinclude the use of: colour, voice-over nar-ration, animation, simulation, variationsin camera angles or distance, fading inand out of sounds or images, hot linksand navigation buttons on a website, liveaction, special effects, variations in volume,variations in speed or pace, motion, flash-backs, collages, dialogue, variations in sizeand type of lettering or size of images,sequencing of sounds and images, symbols,speech, music, background sounds, soundeffects, dialects and accents, silence, narra-tion, graphics, logos, props (e.g., costumes,furnishings), aspects of design and layout,credits, details of sponsorship, animation.

media literacy. An informed and criticalunderstanding of the nature of the media,the techniques used by them, and theimpact of these techniques. Also, the ability to understand and use the massmedia in an active, critical way. See alsofive key concepts of media literacy.

media text. A product that is communicat-ed through a medium. See also forms ofmedia texts.

medium. A communication vehicle such as radio, television, or the Internet. Theplural is media.

mentor texts. Texts that are chosen andused intentionally/explicitly by the teacherto illustrate specific teaching points (e.g.,voice, word choice, use of dialogue).

metacognition. The process of thinkingabout one’s own thought processes.Metacognitive skills include the ability tomonitor one’s own learning.

mind map. A graphic representation ofinformation that is intended to clarifymeaning. In making a mind map, stu-dents summarize information from a textand organize it by listing, sorting, orsequencing it, or by linking informationand/or ideas. Mind maps help studentsunderstand the relative importance ofindividual points and the way in whichthese points relate to one another.

mnemonics. Techniques for improving or supporting the memory (e.g., memorytricks that are used to help remember thespelling of a difficult word – Ice is a nounand so is practice).

modelling. A demonstration by the teacherof how to perform a task or use a strategy.Students copy the teacher in order to learnthe modelled processes and skills. Modellingmay include thinking aloud, to help stu-dents become aware of the processes andskills involved.

multimedia presentation. A single workthat uses more than one medium to pres-ent information and/or ideas: for example,an oral report that includes a slide show,diagrams, and a video or audio clip.

non-discriminatory language. Languagethat conveys respect for all people andavoids stereotyping based on gender, race, religion, culture, social class, sexualorientation, ability, or age. See alsoinclusive language.

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onset. The consonant or consonants thatoccur before a vowel in a syllable (e.g., theg in gain, the fr in fright). See also rime.

onset and rime patterns. The repetition of the same rime, with changing onsets(e.g., cake, rake, make, lake, fake, bake) to create “word families”.

oral language structures. Verbal structuresthat are used in speaking. Examplesinclude: conventional sentence structures(e.g., interrogative, exclamatory; simple,compound, complex); colloquial structures(e.g., one-word answers, verbless sen-tences); contractions; colloquial idioms.

oral text. See forms of oral texts.

organizational patterns of text. Ways inwhich texts are structured in differentforms or genres of writing. Examplesinclude: time order or chronological order(events presented in time sequence); com-parison and contrast (an outline of simi-larities and differences); cause and effect(an outline of events or actions linked totheir consequences); generalization (gen-eral statements supported by examples);combined/multiple orders (two or moreorganizational patterns used together: forexample, comparison/contrast andcause/effect).

overall expectations. See expectations.

paraphrase. A restatement of an idea ortext in one’s own words.

phonemic awareness. The ability to hear,identify, and manipulate phonemes (thesmallest units of spoken language) in spoken words.

phonics. Instruction that teaches childrenthe relationships between the letters(graphemes) of written language and the individual sounds (phonemes) of spoken language.

phonological awareness. The ability tofocus on and manipulate units of lan-guage, including phonemes and largerspoken units such as syllables and words.Phonological awareness activities can alsoinvolve rhymes, onsets, and rimes. See alsoonset, rime.

point of view. The position of the narratorin relation to the story; thus, the vantagepoint from which events are seen (e.g., the omniscient, the third-person, or thefirst-person point of view).

pragmatics. The study of how peoplechoose what they say or write from therange of possibilities available in the lan-guage and the effect of those choices onlisteners or readers. Pragmatics involvesunderstanding how the context influencesthe way sentences convey information(e.g., the speaker/author/producer’schoice of text form, text features, use ofconventions, and presentation style affecthow the listener, reader, or viewer willunderstand the text).

print and electronic resources.Information/reference materials in printor electronic media. Examples include:books (fiction and non-fiction), newspa-pers, magazines, encyclopedias, reports,television programs, videos, CD-ROMs,computer graphics programs, word-processing programs, models for writing (e.g., stories or essays by published writers),style guides, databases, dictionaries, thesauri, spell-check programs.

prior knowledge. The background experi-ence and knowledge that a student bringsto classroom learning. Instruction buildson prior knowledge in order to introducenew learning. Since students come toschool with a wide variety of prior knowl-edge, teachers need to be aware of theirstudents’ backgrounds in planning lessons.

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proofreading. The careful reading of a finaldraft of written work to eliminate typo-graphical errors and to correct errors ingrammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation.

reader’s notebook. A notebook in whichindividual students record observationsand reflections about texts read and theirreading process, as well as related diagrams,definitions, lists (e.g., “books read”, “booksto read”), explanations, descriptions, predictions, findings, and conclusions.The reader’s notebook supports students’thinking about their reading and is ahelpful tool for discussing their readingwith the teacher and their peers.

readers’ theatre. An instructional activityin which students: adopt the roles of dif-ferent characters and of a narrator to reada text; or develop scripts based on familiartexts, practise their parts, and then presenttheir rehearsed reading to others.

reading fluency. The ability to read withsufficient ease and accuracy to focus thereader’s or listener’s attention on themeaning and message of a text. Readingfluency involves not only the automaticidentification of words but also qualitiessuch as rhythm, intonation, and phrasingat the phrase, sentence, and text levels, aswell as anticipation of what comes next in a text.

reading strategies. Approaches usedbefore, during, and after reading to figureout unfamiliar words, determine meaning,and increase understanding of a text.Examples include comprehension strategiesand word-solving strategies, including theuse of cueing systems. Good readers use a combination of word-solving and com-prehension strategies, while maintaining a focus on developing and deepeningtheir understanding of a text.

revising. The process of making majorchanges to the content, structure, and

wording of a draft to improve the organi-zation of ideas, eliminate awkward phras-ing, correct errors, and generally ensurethat the writing is clear, coherent, and cor-rect. See also editing, proofreading, writ-ing process.

rhetorical devices and techniques.Elements of style used in speech or writ-ing to achieve special effects, usually inorder to persuade, interest, or impress anaudience (e.g., rhythm, repetition, rhetori-cal question, emphasis, balance, dramaticpause).

rime. The part of a syllable that containsthe vowel and all that follows it (e.g., -onein bone and tone). A rime is smaller than asyllable but larger than a phoneme. Seealso onset.

scaffolding. Instruction that helps stu-dents build on their prior knowledge andexperiences in order to reach higher levelsof learning and proficiency. Teachers pro-vide temporary support until studentsdevelop the ability to apply newly learnedskills and knowledge independently.

schwa. A vowel that is unstressed, tonelessand neutral, occurring in unstressed syl-lables (e.g., a in about or o in synonym).Schwa vowels are often transcribed usingthe symbol .

semantics. The meaning in language,including the meaning of words, phrases,and sentences, alone and in context.

semantics cues. See cueing systems.

specific expectations. See expectations.

stereotype. An image of a particular typeof person or thing that has become fixedthrough being widely held. Stereotypesare usually conventional, formulaic, andoversimplified.

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story grammar. The structure and ele-ments of narrative text. In Western cul-tures, story grammars have the followingelements: setting (time, place); characters;the introduction of a problem or conflict;events (e.g., the reaction of the centralcharacter and his or her attempts to solvethe problem); a resolution or conclusion;and a theme. A story map is a graphicorganizer that traces the story grammar.

storyboard. A sequence of images used toplan a film, video, television program, ordrama.

strands. The four major areas of languageuse into which the curriculum forLanguage is organized: Oral Communi-cation, Reading, Writing, and MediaLiteracy.

strategy bookmark. A bookmark for useby individual students that lists a varietyof reading strategies. Often a replica of alarger strategy chart that is posted in theclassroom for use by the teacher and stu-dents when reading strategies are beingexplicitly taught, it is used by studentsto support their independent applicationof these strategies.

student-teacher conference. A teacher’splanned dialogue with an individual stu-dent about his or her learning. Confer-ences offer teachers opportunities to get toknow their students’ strengths and thechallenges they face in relation to specificlearning strands or expectations; to monitortheir progress; and to plan future instructionbased on identified needs and interests.

stylistic device. See literary device.

summarizing. Stating the main points orfacts of a text.

synonym. A word that has the same oralmost the same meaning as another word(e.g., clean/pure).

syntax. The predictable structure of a lan-guage and the ways in which words arecombined to form phrases, clauses, andsentences. Syntax includes classes ofwords (e.g., nouns, verbs, adjectives) andtheir functions (e.g., subject, object). Seealso cueing systems.

syntax cues. See cueing systems.

synthesis. A new whole that is formedwhen ideas and information are linked,combined, and/or integrated.

text. A means of communication that uses words, graphics, sounds, and/orimages, in print, oral, visual, or electronicform, to present information and ideas toan audience.

text features. The physical or design char-acteristics of a text that clarify and/or give support to the meaning in the text(e.g., title, headings, subheadings, boldand italic fonts, illustrations). See alsoconventions.

text form. A category or type of text thathas certain defining characteristics. Theconcept of text forms provides a way forreaders and writers to think about thepurpose of a text and its intended audience.

tone. A manner of speaking, writing, or creating that reveals the speaker’s,author’s, or producer’s attitude towards a subject and/or audience.

trade book. A book that is published andmade available, for sale, to the generalpublic and that is not a textbook, pro-fessional or academic treatise, referencebook, or official publication of an institu-tion or government body. Examplesinclude fiction, poetry, humour, and non-fiction.

tree diagram. A graphic organizer that isused to classify a topic into groups anditems: for example, when summarizing orplanning a report.

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voice. The style or character of a piece ofwriting conveyed through the author’s useof vocabulary, sentence structure, imagery,rhythm, and other elements that contributeto the mood of the piece as a whole.

webcast. A broadcast or recording of anevent on the World Wide Web.

web page. A page of information at a web-site. It may include text, graphics, and linksto other web pages.

webquest. An inquiry in which most or allof the information gathered is drawn fromthe World Wide Web.

website. A collective term for all of theweb pages at a particular site on the Web.A website can cover one topic or a varietyof topics.

word pattern. The particular arrangementof the components in a group of wordsthat have elements in common withrespect to meaning, syntax, spelling,and/or sound; for example, the formationof the past tense in a group of verbs byadding the suffix -ed to the verb root.

word-solving strategies. Any of a varietyof semantic, syntactic, or graphophonicstrategies that help students read a word.Examples include: decoding words; usingknowledge of the structure or meaning ofwords to read unfamiliar words; combin-ing knowledge of letter-sound relation-ships with clues from an illustration topredict the word.

word wall. A list of words, groupedalphabetically and prominently displayedin the classroom, that teachers use to helpstudents become familiar with high-frequency words.

word web. A graphic presentation ofwords associated with a subject showingthe relationships between or among ideasor information.

writer’s notebook. A notebook in whichindividual students record notes, lists,drafts, observations, strategies, informa-tion, and ideas to support their writingdevelopment. The writer’s notebook ispersonal – a place where students capturemoments and scenes that they want toremember and outline strategies that willhelp them develop as writers.

writing process. The process involved inproducing a polished piece of writing. Thewriting process comprises several stages,each of which focuses on specific tasks.The main stages of the writing process are:planning for writing, drafting, revising,editing, proofreading, and publishing.

writing skills. The skills needed to pro-duce clear and effective writing. Writingskills include: organizing and developingideas logically; identifying the level of lan-guage appropriate to the purpose for writ-ing and the audience being addressed;choosing the form of writing appropriateto the purpose for writing; choosingwords, phrases, and structures that areboth appropriate for the context and effec-tive in conveying one’s message; usinglanguage structures and patterns correct-ly; using correct grammar, spelling, andpunctuation; attending to style, tone, andpoint of view; showing awareness of theaudience; revising to improve the devel-opment and organization of ideas; editingto improve style and to correct errors ingrammar, spelling, and punctuation.

zine. A word, derived from magazine, thatdenotes an inexpensively produced, self-published publication. An e-zine is a zinethat is published electronically, especiallyon the Internet.

The Ministry of Education wishes to acknowledge the contribution of the many individuals, groups, andorganizations that participated in the development and refinement of this curriculum policy document.

Ministry of Education

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The Ontario CurriculumGrades 1-8

Language