Ministry of Education 

The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8 

Language    

REVISED 2006

INTRODUCTION 

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 expectations 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 excluded from much communication in today's world. Indeed, it is the excluded who can best appreciate the notion of "literacy as freedom". 

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

Literacy development lies at the heart of the Grade 1- 8 language curriculum. Literacy learning is a communal project and the teaching of literacy skills is embedded across the curriculum; however, it is the language curriculum that is dedicated to instruction in the areas 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 language in the elementary grades, they do more than master the basic skills. They learn to value the power of language and to use it responsibly. They learn to express feelings and opinions 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 diverse forms it can take to appropriately serve particular purposes and audiences. They learn to use the formal language appropriate for debates and essays, the narrative language of stories, the figurative language of poetry, the technical language of instructions and manuals. They develop an awareness of how language is used in different formal and informal situations. In sum, they come to appreciate language both as an important medium for communicating ideas and information and as a source of enjoyment. 

Language is the basis for thinking, communicating, and learning. Students need language skills in order to comprehend ideas and information, to interact socially, to inquire into areas 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 a variety 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 reflect on a rich variety of literary, informational, and media texts,1 they develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others and of the world around them. If they see themselves and others in the texts they read and the oral and media works they engage in, they are able to feel that the works are genuinely for and about them and they come to appreciate the nature and value of a diverse, multicultural society. They also develop the ability to understand and critically interpret a range of texts and to recognize that a text conveys one particular perspective among many. 

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. 

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 all subject areas, and using language for a broad range of purposes increases both their ability to communicate with precision and their understanding of how language works. Students develop 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 greater accuracy and fluency in an ever-expanding range of situations. They are also expected to assume responsibility for their own learning and to apply their language skills in more challenging and complex ways. 

PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THE LANGUAGE CURRICULUM 

The language curriculum is based on the belief that literacy is critical to responsible and productive citizenship, and that all students can become literate. The curriculum is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills that they need to achieve this goal. It aims to help students become successful language learners, who share the following 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 - effectively and 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 recognized, 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 literate in four strands, or broad areas of learning - Oral Communication, Reading, Writing, and Media Literacy. These areas of learning are closely interrelated, and the knowledge and skills described in the four strands are interdependent and complementary. Teachers are expected to plan activities that blend expectations from the four strands in order to provide students with the kinds of experiences that promote meaningful learning and that help students recognize how literacy skills in the four areas reinforce and strengthen one another. 

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

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

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

In recent years, research has shown that effective readers and writers unconsciously use a range of skills and strategies as they read and write, and that these strategies and skills can be identified and taught to enable all students to become effective communicators. The language curriculum focuses on comprehension strategies for listening, viewing, and reading; on the most effective reading and writing processes; on skills and techniques for effective oral and written communication and for the creation of effective media texts; and on the language conventions needed for clear and coherent communication. In addition, 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 and view at a deeper level, but also to help them become reflective, critical, and independent learners and, eventually, responsible citizens. 

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

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION 

Students 

Students' responsibilities with respect to their own learning develop gradually and increase over time, as students progress through elementary and secondary school. With appropriate instruction and with experience, students come to see how making an effort can enhance learning and improve achievement. As they mature and develop their ability to persist, to manage their own impulses, to take responsible risks, and to listen with understanding, students become better able to engage with their own learning. Learning to take responsibility for their progress and achievement is an important part of every student'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 pursue opportunities outside the classroom will extend and enrich their understanding of the communication process. Their understanding and skills will grow as they explore their world and engage in activities, for their own purposes, that involve reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and representing. Students develop their literacy skills when they seek out recreational reading materials and multimedia works that relate to their personal interests and to other subject areas, and when they engage in conversation with parents, peers, and teachers about what they are reading, writing, viewing, representing, and thinking in their daily lives. 

Parents 

Studies show that students perform better in school when their parents2 are involved in their education. Parents who are familiar with the curriculum expectations know what is being taught in each grade and what their child is expected to learn. This information allows parents to understand how their child is progressing in school and to work with teachers to improve their child's learning. 

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

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

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

Teachers 

Teaching is key to student success. Teachers are responsible for developing appropriate instructional strategies to help students achieve the curriculum expectations, and appropriate methods for assessing and evaluating student learning. They bring enthusiasm and varied teaching and assessment approaches to the classroom, addressing individual students' needs and ensuring sound learning opportunities for every student. 

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

Principals 

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

To support student learning, principals ensure that the Ontario curriculum is being properly 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 enhance teaching and student learning in all subjects, including language, principals promote learning teams and work with teachers to facilitate teacher participation in professional development activities. Principals are also responsible for ensuring that every student who has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is receiving the modifications and/or accommodations described in his or her plan - in other words, for ensuring that the IEP is properly developed, implemented, and monitored. 

Community Partners 

Community 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 living models of how the curriculum relates to life beyond school. Such modelling and mentoring can enrich not only the educational experience of students but also the life of the community. 

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 promoting a focus on literacy in and outside the school. Community partners can be included in literacy events held in the school, and school boards can collaborate with leaders of existing community-based literacy programs for youth, including programs offered in public libraries and community centres. 

THE PROGRAM IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION

CURRICULUM EXPECTATIONS 

The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Language, 2006 identifies the expectations for each grade 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 various other 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 curriculum, in language for Grades 1- 8 - overall expectations and specific expectations. The overall expectations describe in general terms the knowledge and skills that students are expected to demonstrate by the end of each grade. The specific expectations describe the expected knowledge and skills in greater detail. The specific expectations are grouped under numbered headings, each of which indicates the overall expectation to which the group of specific expectations corresponds. Taken together, the overall and specific expectations represent the mandated curriculum. 

In the language curriculum, the overall expectations outline standard sets of knowledge and skills required for effective listening and speaking, reading and writing, and viewing and representing. They encompass the types of understanding, skills, approaches, and processes that are applied by effective communicators of all ages and levels of development, and are therefore described in constant terms from grade to grade. The language curriculum focuses on developing the depth and level of sophistication of students' knowledge and skills associated with each of these key overall expectations by increasing the 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 to grade through (1) the wording of the expectation itself, (2) the examples that are given in parentheses in the expectation, and/or (3) the teacher prompts that may follow the expectation. The examples and teacher prompts help to clarify the requirements specified in the expectations 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 to serve as illustrations for teachers. Teachers can choose to use the examples and teacher prompts that are appropriate for their classrooms or they may develop their own approaches that reflect a similar level of complexity. Whatever the specific ways in which the requirements outlined in the expectations are implemented in the classroom, they must, wherever possible, be inclusive and reflect the diversity of the student population and the population of the province. 

STRANDS IN THE LANGUAGE CURRICULUM 

The expectations in the language curriculum are organized into four strands: Oral Communication, Reading, Writing, and Media Literacy. The program in all grades is designed to develop a range of essential skills in these four interrelated areas, built on a solid foundation of knowledge of the conventions of standard English and incorporating the use of analytical, critical, and metacognitive thinking skills. Students learn best when they are encouraged to consciously monitor their thinking as they learn, and each strand includes expectations that call for such reflection. 

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

Oral Communication 

Oral communication skills are fundamental to the development of literacy and essential for thinking and learning. Through talk, students not only communicate information but also 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, at school, 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, and current affairs. The language program should provide opportunities for students to engage in various oral activities in connection with expectations in all the strands, such as brainstorming 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 and defending 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 and speaking, differences in the norms and conventions associated with oral communication in different cultures must be taken into account. 

Although children normally start to develop oral language skills before they learn to read and write, the development of reading and writing skills can enhance their ability to use and 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 a variety of purposes; 
2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences 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 strategies effective listeners and speakers use to understand and interact with others. It also emphasizes the use of higher-order thinking skills to stimulate students' interest and engage them in their own learning. 

Reading 

The Ontario curriculum focuses on developing the knowledge and skills that will enable students to become effective readers. An effective reader is one who not only grasps the ideas communicated in a text but is able to apply them in new contexts. To do this, the reader must be able to think clearly, creatively, and critically about the ideas and information encountered in texts in order to understand, analyse, and absorb them and to recognize their relevance in other contexts. Students can develop the skills necessary to become effective readers by applying a range of comprehension strategies as they read and by reading a wide variety of texts. It is also important that they read a range of materials that illustrate the many uses of writing. By reading widely, students will develop a richer vocabulary and become more attuned to the conventions of written language. Reading various kinds of texts in all areas of the curriculum will also help students to discover what 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 opportunities to read for a variety of purposes. A well-balanced reading program will provide students with opportunities to read for the pleasure of discovering interesting information as well as for the pleasure of self-discovery, for self-enrichment, and for the sheer fun of it. Such reading activities are particularly important in the elementary grades, when attitudes towards reading and reading habits are first being formed. Reading experiences that invite students to discover new worlds and new experiences and to develop their imaginative powers will go a long way towards convincing them that reading can be a rich source 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 identifying the purpose of the reading activity and by activating their prior knowledge about the topic of the text. Teachers help build the necessary background knowledge for students whose life experiences may not have provided them with the information they need to understand the text. During reading, students may use "cueing systems" - that is, clues from context or from their understanding of language structures and/or letter-sound relationships - to help them solve unfamiliar words, and comprehension strategies to help them make meaning of the text. Comprehension strategies include predicting, visualizing, questioning, drawing inferences, identifying main ideas, summarizing, and monitoring and revising comprehension. After reading, students may analyse, synthesize, make connections, evaluate, and use other critical and creative thinking skills to achieve a deeper understanding of the material they have read. It is important to note that although the specific expectations for each grade may focus on particular strategies that emphasize grade-appropriate skills, they do not impose a restriction on the range of strategies students will apply in that grade. Teachers must use their professional judgement in deciding which comprehension strategies to model and teach, based on the identified learning 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 get advice, to locate information, for enjoyment, for practice, to build vocabulary, to satisfy curiosity, for research, or for personal interest. The purpose for reading will be determined by the teacher in some cases and by the student in others. The reading program should include a wide variety of literary, informational, and graphic texts - for example, picture books and novels; poetry; myths, fables, and folk tales; textbooks and books on topics in science, history, mathematics, geography, and other subjects; biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, and journals; plays and radio, film, or television scripts; encyclopaedia entries; graphs, charts, and diagrams in textbooks or magazine articles; recipes, instructions, and manuals; graphic novels, comic books, cartoons, and baseball cards; newspaper articles and editorials; and essays and reports. Teachers routinely use materials that reflect the 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 to another, students should be assigned texts of increasing complexity as they develop their reading skills, and should also have many opportunities to select their own reading materials. Frequent exposure to good writing will inspire students to work towards high standards in their own writing and will help them develop an appreciation for the power and beauty 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 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. 

This strand helps students learn to read with understanding, to read critically, to become familiar with various text forms and their characteristic elements, and to recognize the function and effects of various text features and stylistic devices. It helps students understand that reading is a process of constructing meaning and equips them with the strategies that good readers use to understand and appreciate what they read. 

Writing 

Writing ... provides students with powerful opportunities to learn about themselves and their connections to the world.Through writing, students organize their thoughts, remember important information, solve problems, reflect on a widening range of perspectives, and learn how to communicate effectively for specific purposes and audiences. They find their voice and have opportunities to explore other voices. By putting their thoughts into words and supporting the words with visual images in a range of media, students acquire knowledge and deepen their understanding of the content in all school subjects. Writing also helps students to better understand their own thoughts and feelings and the 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 to become disciplined thinkers in order to communicate their ideas clearly and effectively. Conversely, they need numerous opportunities to write, as the process of writing enables them to clarify their thinking and sort out and express their thoughts and feelings. As they learn to select and organize their ideas, they must also keep in mind the purpose for which they are writing and the audience they are addressing. To communicate clearly and effectively, 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 of writing instruction for students. Students should be given the kinds of assignments that provide opportunities to produce writing that is interesting and original and that reflects their capacity for independent critical thought. Writing activities that students see as meaningful and that challenge them to think creatively about topics and concerns of interest to them 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, especially 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 their vocabulary, 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 communicate ideas with ease and clarity, students need frequent opportunities to write for various purposes and audiences and to master the skills involved in the various tasks associated with the writing process. The more students read and write, the more likely they 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 purpose and audience; 
2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience; 
3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of language 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 strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing process. 
 
The overall expectations focus on the elements of effective writing (ideas/content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, language conventions, and presentation) and on 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 appropriate 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 that grade. Teachers will continue to make professional decisions about which writing forms and language conventions they will cover in every grade, based on the identified learning needs of the students in their classrooms. 

Media Literacy 

"Media literacy" is the result of study of the art and messaging of various forms of media texts. Media texts can be understood to include any work, object, or event that communicates meaning to an audience. Most media texts use words, graphics, sounds, and/or images, in print, oral, visual, or electronic form, to communicate information and ideas to their audience. Whereas traditional literacy may be seen to focus primarily on the understanding of the word, media literacy focuses on the construction of meaning through the combination of several media "languages" - images, sounds, graphics, and words. 

Media literacy explores the impact and influence of mass media and popular culture by examining texts such as films, songs, video games, action figures, advertisements, CD covers, clothing, billboards, television shows, magazines, newspapers, photographs, and websites.3 These texts abound in our electronic information age, and the messages they convey, both overt and implied, can have a significant influence on students' lives. For this reason, critical thinking as it applies to media products and messages assumes a special significance. Understanding how media texts are constructed and why they are produced enables students to respond to them intelligently and responsibly. Students must be able to differentiate between fact and opinion; evaluate the credibility of sources; recognize bias; be attuned to discriminatory portrayals of individuals and groups, including women and minorities; and question depictions of violence and crime. 

3. Teachers should make students aware that images, print materials, music, or video clips used in connection with tasks 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. 

Students' repertoire of communication skills should include the ability to critically interpret the messages they receive through the various media and to use these media to communicate their own ideas effectively as well. Skills related to high-tech media such as the Internet, film, and television are particularly important because of the power and pervasive influence these media wield in our lives and in society. Becoming conversant with these and other media can greatly expand the range of information sources available to students, 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 experience. They should also have opportunities to use available technologies to create media texts of different types (e.g., computer graphics, cartoons, graphic designs and layouts, radio plays, short videos, web pages). 

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 associated with them are used to create meaning; 
3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques; 
4. reflect on and identify their strengths, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found 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 the use and significance of particular conventions and techniques in the media and considers the roles of the viewer and the producer in constructing meaning in media texts. Students apply the knowledge and skills gained through analysis of media texts as they create their own texts. 

The specific expectations identify media forms and conventions that are appropriate for instruction in the given grade. These are not, however, the only forms and conventions that students may explore in that grade, nor are they exclusive to that grade. Teachers will continue to use their professional judgement to decide on the forms and conventions to examine in every grade, based on the identified learning needs of the students in their classrooms. 
 
ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT 

BASIC CONSIDERATIONS 

The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. Information gathered through assessment helps teachers to determine students' strengths and weaknesses in their achievement of the curriculum expectations in each subject in each grade. This information also serves to guide teachers in adapting curriculum and instructional approaches to students' needs and in assessing the overall effectiveness of programs and classroom practices. 

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

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

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

• address both what students learn and how well they learn; 
• are based both on the categories of knowledge and skills and on the achievement level descriptions given in the achievement chart on pages 20-21; 
• are varied in nature, administered over a period of time, and designed to provide opportunities 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; 
• are fair to all students; 
• accommodate students with special education needs, consistent with the strategies outlined 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 school year and at other appropriate points throughout the school year. 

All curriculum expectations must be accounted for in instruction, but evaluation focuses on students' achievement of the overall expectations. A student's achievement of the overall expectations is evaluated on the basis of his or her achievement of related specific expectations. The overall expectations are broad in nature, and the specific expectations define the particular content or scope of the knowledge and skills referred to in the overall expectations. Teachers will use their professional judgement to determine which specific expectations should be used to evaluate achievement of the overall expectations, and which ones will be covered in instruction and assessment (e.g., through direct observation) 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 achievement at level 3 in language can be constructed by reading from top to bottom in the shaded column of the achievement chart, headed "Level 3". Parents of students achieving at level 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 still reflecting a passing grade. Level 2 identifies achievement that approaches the standard. Level 4 identifies achievement that surpasses the standard. It should be noted that achievement at level 4 does not mean that the student has achieved expectations beyond those specified for a particular grade. It indicates that the student has achieved all or almost all of the expectations for that grade, and that he or she demonstrates the ability to use the knowledge and skills specified for that grade in more sophisticated ways than a student achieving at level 3. 

The Ministry of Education has provided teachers with materials that will assist them in improving their assessment methods and strategies and, hence, their assessment of student achievement. These materials include samples of student work (exemplars) that illustrate achievement at each of the four levels. (Adaptations can be made in the exemplar documents to align them with the revised curriculum.) 
 
THE ACHIEVEMENT CHART FOR LANGUAGE 

The achievement chart that follows identifies four categories of knowledge and skills in language. The achievement chart is a standard province-wide guide to be used by teachers. It enables teachers to make judgements about student work that are based on clear performance 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 grades and 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 Skills 

The categories, defined by clear criteria, represent four broad areas of knowledge and skills within which the subject expectations for any given grade are organized. The four categories should be considered as interrelated, reflecting the wholeness and interconnectedness of learning.

The categories of knowledge and skills are described as follows:

Knowledge and Understanding. Subject-specific content acquired in each grade (knowledge), 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 between various 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 is considered within the appropriate categories.

Criteria 

Within 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 are listed 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)
  
Thinking 

• use of planning skills (e.g., generating ideas, gathering information, focusing research, organizing information) 
• use of processing skills (e.g., making inferences, interpreting, analysing, detecting bias, 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) 

Communication 

• expression and organization of ideas and information (e.g., clear expression, logical organization) 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, including media forms 

Application 

• application 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 and personal 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 achievement chart, effectiveness is the descriptor used for each criterion in the Thinking, Communication, and Application categories. What constitutes effectiveness in any given performance task will vary with the particular criterion being considered. Assessment of effectiveness may therefore focus on a quality such as appropriateness, clarity, accuracy, precision, logic, relevance, significance, fluency, flexibility, depth, or breadth, as appropriate for the particular criterion. For example, in the Thinking category, assessment of effectiveness might focus on the degree of relevance or depth apparent in an analysis; in the Communication category, on clarity of expression or logical organization of information and ideas; or in the Application category, on appropriateness or breadth in the making of connections. Similarly, in the Knowledge and Understanding category, assessment of knowledge might focus on accuracy, and assessment of understanding might focus on the depth of an explanation. Descriptors help teachers to focus their assessment and evaluation on specific knowledge and skills for each category and criterion, and help students to better understand exactly what is being assessed and evaluated.

Qualifiers 

A 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 thorough for level 4. A qualifier is used along with a descriptor to produce a description of performance at a particular level. For example, the description of a student's performance at level 3 with respect to the first criterion in the Thinking category would be: "The student uses planning skills with considerable effectiveness". 

The descriptions of the levels of achievement given in the chart should be used to identify the level at which the student has achieved the expectations. Students should be provided with numerous and varied opportunities to demonstrate the full extent of their achievement of the curriculum expectations, across all four categories of knowledge and skills. 
  
ACHIEVEMENT CHART - LANGUAGE, GRADES 1-8

Categories:  
1. Knowledge and Understanding - Subject-specific content acquired in each grade (knowledge), and the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding) 
The student: 
Knowledge of content (e.g., forms of text; strategies associated with reading, writing, speaking, and listening; elements of style; terminology; conventions) 
• Level 1: demonstrates limited knowledge of content 
• Level 2: demonstrates some knowledge of content 
• Level 3: demonstrates considerable knowledge of content 
• Level 4: demonstrates thorough knowledge of content 

Understanding of content (e.g., concepts; ideas; opinions; relationships among facts, ideas, concepts, themes) 
• Level 1: demonstrates limited understanding of content 
• Level 2: demonstrates some understanding of content 
• Level 3: demonstrates considerable understanding of content 
• Level 4: demonstrates thorough understanding of content 
 
2. 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) 
• Level 1: uses planning skills with limited effectiveness 
• Level 2: uses planning skills with some effectiveness 
• Level 3: uses planning skills with considerable effectiveness 
• Level 4: uses planning skills with a high degree of effectiveness 

Use of processing skills (e.g., making inferences, interpreting, analysing, detecting bias, synthesizing, evaluating, forming conclusions) 
• Level 1: uses processing skills with limited effectiveness 
• Level 2: uses processing skills with some effectiveness 
• Level 3: uses processing skills with considerable effectiveness 
• Level 4: uses processing skills with a high degree of effectiveness 

Use of critical/creative thinking processes (e.g., reading process, writing process, oral discourse, research, critical/creative analysis, critical literacy, metacognition, invention) 
• Level 1: uses critical/creative thinking processes with limited effectiveness 
• Level 2: uses critical/creative thinking processes with some effectiveness 
• Level 3: uses critical/creative thinking processes with considerable effectiveness 
• Level 4: uses critical/creative thinking processes with a high degree of effectiveness 
 
3. Communication - The conveying of meaning through various forms 
The student: 
Expression and organization of ideas and information (e.g., clear expression, logical organization) in oral, visual, and written forms, including media forms 
• Level 1: expresses and organizes ideas and information with limited effectiveness 
• Level 2: expresses and organizes ideas and information with some effectiveness 
• Level 3: expresses and organizes ideas and information with considerable effectiveness 
• Level 4: expresses and organizes ideas and information with a high degree of effectiveness 

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 
• Level 1: communicates for different audiences and purposes with limited effectiveness 
• Level 2: communicates for different audiences and purposes with some effectiveness 
• Level 3: communicates for different audiences and purposes with considerable effectiveness 
• Level 4: communicates for different audiences and purposes with a high degree of effectiveness 

Use of conventions (e.g., grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage), vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline in oral, visual, and written forms, including media forms 
• Level 1: uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with limited effectiveness 
• Level 2: uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with some effectiveness 
• Level 3: uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with considerable effectiveness 
• Level 4: uses conventions, vocabulary, and terminology of the discipline with a high degree of effectiveness 

4. Application - The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts 
The student: 
Application of knowledge and skills (e.g., concepts, strategies, processes) in familiar contexts 
• Level 1: applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with limited effectiveness 
• Level 2: applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with some effectiveness 
• Level 3: applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with considerable effectiveness 
• Level 1: applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with a high degree of effectiveness 

Transfer of knowledge and skills (e.g., concepts, strategies, processes) to new contexts 
• Level 1: transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with limited effectiveness 
• Level 2: transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with some effectiveness 
• Level 3: transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with considerable effectiveness 
• Level 4: transfers knowledge and skills to new contexts with a high degree of effectiveness 

Making connections within and between various contexts (e.g., between the text and personal knowledge or experience, other texts, and the world outside the school; between disciplines) 
• Level 1: makes connections within and between various contexts with limited effectiveness 
• Level 2: makes connections within and between various contexts with some effectiveness 
• Level 3: makes connections within and between various contexts with considerable effectiveness 
• Level 4: makes connections within and between various contexts with a high degree of effectiveness 

SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING 

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

The Ministry of Education has produced or supported the production of a variety of resource documents that teachers may find helpful as they plan programs based on the expectations 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-Specific Examples: Media, Grades 7-10, 2005 
• Me Read? No Way! A Practical Guide to Improving Boys' Literacy Skills, 2004 

INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES 

High-quality instruction is a key to student success in mastering language skills. It is based on the belief that all students can be successful language learners. Teachers who provide 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 instruction for individual students and small groups according to need. Teachers explicitly teach and model learning strategies and encourage students to talk through their thinking and learning processes. They also provide many opportunities for students to practise and apply their developing knowledge and skills. 

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

Motivating students and instilling positive habits of mind, such as a willingness and determination to persist, to think and communicate with clarity and precision, to take responsible risks, and to question and pose problems, are integral parts of high-quality language instruction. 

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

Whenever possible, students should be given opportunities to experience reading and writing, listening and speaking, and viewing and representing as interconnected processes requiring 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 themselves questions such as "How does my skill as a reader make me a better writer?", "How does my 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 LEARNING 

Students need well-developed language skills to succeed in all subject areas. The development of skills and knowledge in language is often enhanced by learning in other subject areas. Teachers should ensure that all students have ample opportunities to explore a subject from multiple perspectives by emphasizing cross-curricular learning and integrated learning, as explained below. 

In cross-curricular learning, students are provided with opportunities to learn and use related content and/or skills in two or more subjects. For example, teachers can use social studies reading material in their language lessons, and incorporate instruction in how to read non-fiction materials into their social studies lessons. In mathematics, students learn to identify the relevant information in a word problem in order to clarify what is being asked. In science and technology, they build subject-specific vocabulary, interpret diagrams and charts, and read instructions relating to investigations and procedures. All subjects 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, viewing, and representing. 

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

SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING 

One example would be a unit linking expectations from the science and technology curriculum and the language curriculum. Every strand in each of Grades 1 to 8 in the science and technology curriculum has a set of specific expectations under the heading "Developing Skills of Inquiry, Design, and Communication". These expectations mirror many of the expectations in the Oral Communication, Writing, and Media Literacy strands in the language document. The science and technology expectations focus on tasks such as using appropriate vocabulary, designing graphic texts, and communicating results through oral and written descriptions. There is, therefore, a good fit between the expectations in the two disciplines, affording an opportunity for developing integrated units. 

Expectations from the arts curriculum can also be linked with language expectations to create integrated units. The arts curriculum provides students with rich opportunities to engage in auditory, visual, and kinaesthetic experiences that would also support learning required 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 enhance students' 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, evaluate, and revise ideas before writing. Conversely, students can use language to respond critically and creatively to music or works of art. 

PLANNING LANGUAGE PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS 

Classroom 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 with special education teachers, where appropriate, to achieve this goal. They commit to assisting 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 for Students With Special Education Needs, Kindergarten to Grade 6, 2005 describes a set of principles, based in research, that should guide all program planning for students with special education needs. Teachers planning language programs need to pay particular attention 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, other teachers, and professional resources (families and community agencies should be active contributors); 
• incorporates universal design; 
• involves differentiated instruction. 

In any given classroom, students may demonstrate a wide range of learning styles and needs. Teachers plan programs that recognize this diversity and give students tasks that respect their particular abilities so that all students can derive the greatest benefits possible from the teaching and learning process. The use of flexible groupings for instruction and the provision of ongoing assessment are important elements of programs that accommodate a diversity of learning needs. 

In planning language programs for students with special education needs, teachers should begin by examining both the curriculum expectations for the appropriate grade level and the needs of the individual student to determine which of the following options is appropriate for the student: 

• no accommodations4 or modifications; or 
• accommodations only; or 
• modified expectations, with the possibility of accommodations. 

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

If the student requires either accommodations or modified expectations, or both, the relevant information, as described in the following paragraphs, must be recorded in his or her Individual Education Plan (IEP). For a detailed discussion of the ministry's requirements for IEPs, see Individual Education Plans: Standards for Development, Program Planning, and Implementation, 2000 (referred to hereafter as IEP Standards, 2000). More detailed information about planning programs for exceptional students can be found in The Individual Education Plan (IEP): A Resource Guide, 2004 (referred to hereafter as the IEP Resource Guide, 2004). (Both documents are available at www.edu.gov.on.ca.) 

Students Requiring Accommodations Only 

With the aid of accommodations alone, some students with special education needs are able to participate in the regular grade-level curriculum and to demonstrate learning independently. (Accommodations do not alter the provincial curriculum expectations for the grade level.) The accommodations required to facilitate the student's learning must be identified in his or her IEP (see IEP Standards, 2000, page 11). A student's IEP is likely to reflect the same accommodations for many, or all, subject areas. 

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

If a student requires "accommodations only" in language, assessment and evaluation of his or her achievement will be based on the appropriate grade-level curriculum expectations and the achievement levels outlined in this document. 

Students Requiring Modified Expectations 

Some students with special education needs will require modified expectations, which differ from the regular grade-level expectations. In language, modified expectations will usually be based on the knowledge and skills outlined in curriculum expectations for a different grade level. Modified expectations must indicate the knowledge and/or skills the student is expected to demonstrate and have assessed in each reporting period (IEP Standards, 2000, pages 10 and 11). Students requiring modified expectations need to develop knowledge and skills in all four strands of the language curriculum. Modified expectations must represent specific, realistic, observable, and measurable achievements and must describe specific knowledge and/or skills that the student can demonstrate independently, given the appropriate assessment accommodations. They should be expressed in such a way that the student and parents can understand exactly what the student is expected to know or be able to do, on the basis of which his or her performance will be evaluated and a grade or mark recorded on the Provincial Report Card. The grade level of the learning expectations must be identified in the student's IEP. The student's learning expectations must be reviewed in relation to the student's progress at least once every 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 his or her achievement will be based on the learning expectations identified in the IEP and on the achievement levels outlined in this document. On the Provincial Report Card, the IEP box 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 information on the student's demonstrated learning of the modified expectations, as well as next steps for the student's learning in the subject. 

PLANNING LANGUAGE PROGRAMS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS 

Ontario 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 some varieties of English, such as Jamaican Creole. Many English language learners were born in Canada and raised in families and communities in which languages other than English were spoken, or in which the variety of English spoken differed significantly from the English 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 linguistic and 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 additional language in English-language schools) bring a rich diversity of background knowledge and experience to the classroom. These students' linguistic and cultural backgrounds not only support their learning in their new environment but also become a cultural asset in the classroom community. Teachers will find positive ways to incorporate this diversity into their instructional programs and into the classroom environment. 

Most English language learners in Ontario schools have an age-appropriate proficiency in their first language. Although they need frequent opportunities to use English at school, there are important educational and social benefits associated with continued development of their first language while they are learning English. Teachers need to encourage parents to continue to use their own language at home in rich and varied ways as a foundation for language and literacy development in English. It is also important for teachers to find opportunities to bring students' languages into the classroom, using parents and community members as a resource. 

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

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

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

In planning programs for children with linguistic backgrounds other than English, teachers need to recognize the importance of the orientation process, understanding that every learner needs to adjust to the new social environment and language in a unique way and at an individual pace. For example, children who are in an early stage of English-language acquisition may go through a "silent period" during which they closely observe the interactions and physical surroundings of their new learning environment. They may use body language rather than speech or they may use their first language until they have gained enough proficiency in English to feel confident of their interpretations and responses. Students thrive in a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment that nurtures their self-confidence while they are receiving focused literacy instruction. When they are ready to participate, in paired, small-group, or whole-class activities, some students 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 young children will develop oral fluency quite quickly, making connections between concepts and skills acquired in their first language and similar concepts and skills presented in English. However, oral fluency is not a good indicator of a student's knowledge of vocabulary or sentence structure, reading comprehension, or other aspects of language proficiency 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 to catch up to their English-speaking peers in their ability to use English for academic purposes. Moreover, the older the children are when they arrive, the greater the language knowledge and skills that they have to catch up on, and the more direct support they require from their teachers. 

Responsibility for students' English-language development is shared by the classroom teacher, the ESL/ELD teacher (where available), and other school staff. Volunteers and peers may also be helpful in supporting English language learners in the language classroom. Teachers must adapt the instructional program in order to facilitate the success of these students in their classrooms. Appropriate adaptations include: 

• modification of some or all of the subject expectations so that they are challenging but attainable for the learner at his or her present level of English proficiency, given the necessary support from the teacher; 
• use of a variety of instructional strategies (e.g., extensive use of visual cues, graphic organizers, 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, bilingual dictionaries, and materials that reflect cultural diversity); 
• use of assessment accommodations (e.g., granting of extra time; use of oral interviews, demonstrations or visual representations, or tasks requiring completion of graphic organizers or cloze sentences instead of essay questions and other assessment tasks that depend heavily on proficiency in English). 

While the degree of program adaptation required will decrease over time, students who are no longer receiving ESL or ELD support may still need some program adaptations to be successful. If a student's program has been adapted, a checkmark must be placed in the 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 Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development - A Resource Guide, 2001 and the resource guide Many Roots, Many Voices: Supporting English Language Learners in Every Classroom (Ministry of Education, 2005). 

ANTIDISCRIMINATION EDUCATION IN THE LANGUAGE PROGRAM 

The implementation of antidiscrimination principles in education influences all aspects of school life. It promotes a school climate that encourages all students to work to high standards, affirms the worth of all students, and helps students strengthen their sense of identity and develop a positive self-image. It encourages staff and students alike to value and show respect for diversity in the school and the wider society. It requires schools to adopt measures to provide a safe environment for learning, free from harassment, violence, and expressions of hate. Antidiscrimination education encourages students to think critically about 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, cultures, and experiences are an important aspect of an inclusive language program. In such a program, stories contain heroes and protagonists of both sexes from a wide variety of racial and cultural backgrounds. Students are made aware of the historical, social, and cultural contexts for both the traditional and non-traditional gender and social roles represented in the materials they are studying. Teachers routinely use materials that reflect the diversity of Canadian and world cultures, including those of contemporary Aboriginal peoples, and make them available to students. In the primary classroom, myths, fables, 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 provide rich thematic material for study. Storybooks, novels, magazine and newspaper articles, television programs, and films all provide opportunities for students to explore issues of culture 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 informational materials, 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 Practical Guide 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 reading and 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 antidiscrimination, critical literacy involves asking questions and challenging the status quo, and leads students to look at issues of power and justice in society. The language program empowers students by enabling them to express themselves and to speak out about issues that strongly affect them. In the language program, students develop the ability to detect negative bias and stereotypes in literary texts and informational materials; they also learn to use inclusive and non-discriminatory language in both oral and written work. In addition, in the context of the language program, both students and teachers should become aware of aspects of intercultural communication - for example, by exploring how different 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 mathematics curriculum. For example, clear, concise communication often involves the use of diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs, and the language curriculum emphasizes students' ability to interpret and use graphic texts. Students apply the knowledge and skills they acquire in their study of graphs and charts in mathematics to the interpretation and communication of precise information in texts supported by graphic forms. 

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

THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY IN LANGUAGE PROGRAMS 

The school library program can help to build and transform students' knowledge to support a lifetime of learning in an information- and knowledge-based society. The school library program supports student success across the language curriculum by encouraging students to read widely, teaching them to read for understanding and enjoyment, and helping them to improve their research skills and to use information gathered through research 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 informational texts produced in Canada and around the world; 
• obtain access to programs, resources, and integrated technologies that support all curriculum 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 literacy and research skills. In collaboration with classroom or content-area teachers, teacher-librarians develop, teach, and provide students with authentic information and research tasks 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 and technologies; 
• use information and research with understanding, responsibility, and imagination. 

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION 

Information and communications technologies (ICT) provide a range of tools that can significantly extend and enrich teachers' instructional strategies and support students' learning in language. Computer programs can help students collect, organize, and sort the data they gather and to write, edit, and present reports on their findings. Information and communications technologies can also be used to connect students to other schools, at home and abroad, and to bring the global community into the local classroom. 

Whenever appropriate, therefore, students should be encouraged to use ICT to support and communicate their learning. For example, students working individually or in groups can use computer technology and/or Internet websites to gain access to museums and archives in Canada and around the world. Students can also use digital cameras and projectors 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 of issues of privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the ways in which the Internet can be used to promote hatred. 

Teachers will also find the various ICT tools useful in their teaching practice, both for whole class instruction and for the design of curriculum units that contain varied approaches to learning to meet diverse student needs. 
 
GUIDANCE AND LANGUAGE EDUCATION 

The guidance and career education program should be aligned with the language curriculum. Teachers need to ensure that classroom learning across all grades and subjects provides ample opportunity for students to learn how to work independently (e.g., complete homework independently), cooperate with others, resolve conflicts, participate in class, solve problems, and set goals to improve their work. 

The language program can also offer opportunities for a variety of career exploration activities, including contacts with career mentors and visits from guest speakers such as authors, actors, illustrators, individuals working in radio and television, and representatives from the publishing world. 

HEALTH AND SAFETY IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION 

Although health and safety issues are not usually associated with language education, they may be important when the learning involves fieldwork. Out-of-school fieldwork can provide an exciting and authentic dimension to students' learning experiences. Teachers must preview and plan these activities carefully to protect students' health and safety. 

OVERVIEW OF GRADES 1 TO 3 

The expectations for Grades 1 to 3 focus on the foundational knowledge and skills that students need in order to establish a strong basis for language development. These include students' oral language, prior knowledge and experience, understanding of concepts 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 speaking with 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 Ontario classrooms from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Because this base of knowledge, experience, and skills varies from student to student, it is important for instruction 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 develop an understanding of appropriate listening and speaking behaviours and identify strategies they 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 talk about 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 interconnected 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 language curriculum; 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 become proficient language users and move towards achievement of the expectations. Initially, students engage in rehearsal through shared and guided practice; eventually, they demonstrate 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 individual level of language development will enhance the benefits of appropriately scaffolded instruction. It is important to ensure that, in addition to the materials provided for instruction, students are able to choose from a wide range of texts that are engaging and relevant to their personal interests as readers, writers, and viewers. All texts chosen for instruction should be worthy of study, and promote antidiscriminatory education. 

Grade 1 students should have access to oral, print, and media texts with familiar topics and 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 texts such as environmental print, simple fiction and non-fiction, picture books, and books in their 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 of sources to motivate and engage diverse groups of students. To facilitate the development of early reading and writing behaviours and concepts, print texts for guided instruction and independent reading will initially need to have many high-frequency words, illustrations that provide direct support for meaning and word solving, and language structures that are simple and natural. Eventually, Grade 1 students will encounter texts of greater length with somewhat more challenging ideas and vocabulary, somewhat more literary language, and low to moderate support from the illustrations. 

Modelled, shared, interactive, and guided learning experiences provide Grade 1 students with direction and support in producing oral, written, and media texts for a few different purposes. Through these experiences - and their growing familiarity with texts such as simple recounts, stories, procedures, and environmental print - they develop an understanding of the vocabulary and structure of a few oral text forms; of sound/symbol relationships, letter formation, and language structure; and of the communicative possibilities of images and sounds. Students also benefit from daily opportunities for independent practice in applying their speaking, writing, and media production knowledge and skills for personally meaningful purposes. Through these supported and independent experiences students learn to construct words and sentences and to combine words, images, and sounds to express personal thoughts and feelings and communicate ideas and information in a number of oral, written, and media forms. 

Grade 2 students should have access to oral, print, and media texts that provide opportunities to extend their life experiences by exploring less familiar topics. Oral texts such as poems, teacher read-alouds on new topics, readers' theatre, presentations or talks by guest speakers, large- and small-group discussions, and one-on-one conversations; print texts such as stories, folk tales or fairy tales from other cultures, picture books, early chapter or series 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 engage diverse groups of students. Print texts for guided instruction and independent reading should include an expanded vocabulary, more difficult ideas and language structures, and illustrations that extend the text and support interpretation. Grade 2 students need to be able to sustain their interest in and make meaning from longer texts, such as longer picture books and chapter books that include chapter titles, a few illustrations, somewhat more sophisticated plots, and multiple characters and events. 

Modelled, shared, interactive, and guided learning experiences provide Grade 2 students with direction and support in creating oral, written, and media texts. They also benefit from daily opportunities for independent practice in applying their speaking, writing, and media production skills for personally meaningful purposes and audiences. Grade 2 students speak more confidently and fluently, and their expanded oral vocabulary helps them choose effective words for their written and media texts. Their developing ability to use familiar spelling patterns and combine or sequence sentences helps them refine their ability to write words, sentences, and simple paragraphs. Their experience with a broader range of 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 to express thoughts and feelings and communicate ideas and information. 

Grade 3 students should have access to oral, print, and media texts that require more background knowledge, that allow them to explore new ideas and information and more complex and technical topics, and that may require more interpretation and inference. Oral texts such as plays, presentations, large- and small-group discussions, peer conferences, 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, video clips, comic strips, maps, storyboards, and photographs provide a variety of sources to motivate and engage diverse groups of students. Appropriate print texts for guided instruction and independent reading would include vocabulary that is specific to content; more symbolic or abstract themes; complex sentences with many multisyllabic and technical 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 to retain and recall information to support comprehension of the text over several days. 

Modelled, shared, and guided learning experiences and daily opportunities for independent practice provide Grade 3 students with the scaffolding they need to develop independence in creating oral, written, and media texts. Grade 3 students use their speaking skills to communicate increasingly complex ideas and information in both formal and informal contexts. As writers, they understand the stages of the writing process and use this process independently to produce finished pieces of writing. With help from peer and teacher 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, descriptive and explanatory paragraphs, a letter expressing a personal opinion, familiar stories or fables seen from a new perspective, a script for a play, or a brochure - enable them to select appropriate forms and extend their ability to express thoughts and feelings and communicate ideas and information fluently and effectively for purposes they see as meaningful. 

GRADE 1 

GRADE 1 | ORAL COMMUNICATION

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 audiences 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. 
 
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

1. Listening to Understand 

By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Purpose 

1.1 identify purposes for listening in a few different situations, formal and informal (e.g., to hear the sounds of language in songs, chants, and poems; to interact socially with classmates; to enjoy and understand a story read aloud by the teacher; to follow simple directions in large- and small-group settings; to exchange ideas with a peer in a paired sharing or small group) 

Active Listening Strategies 

1.2 demonstrate an understanding of appropriate listening behaviour by using active listening strategies in a few different situations (e.g., listen without interrupting and wait their turn to speak; show that they are paying attention and are interested by looking at the speaker, nodding, or asking relevant questions) 

Comprehension Strategies 

1.3 identify a few listening comprehension strategies and use them before, during, and after listening in order to understand and clarify the meaning of oral texts, initially with support and direction (e.g., use background knowledge, familiar word order, and context to make predictions about content or vocabulary before listening to an oral text; think about what known words might be related to the topic; ask questions to check understanding during and after listening; create mental pictures while listening to a read-aloud and draw or talk about what they visualized; retell the important information presented in a class discussion or a think-pair-share activity) 

Demonstrating Understanding 

1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the information and ideas in oral texts by retelling the story or restating the information, including the main idea (e.g., use time-order words, such as first, then, next, finally, to retell a story they have heard; restate information from a movie about community workers, including a topic statement and several supporting details) 

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts 

1.5 use stated and implied information and ideas in oral texts, initially with support and direction, to make simple inferences and reasonable predictions (e.g., attend to the words being spoken and also use personal experience and the speaker's intonation and facial expression to understand what is being said) Teacher prompt: "The boy said, 'You broke my airplane!' What helps you understand how he might be feeling? What do you think he might do next?" 

Extending Understanding 

1.6 extend understanding of oral texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge and experience; to other familiar texts, including print and visual texts; and to the world around them (e.g., make personal connections between their own ideas about a topic and the ideas in an oral text; identify other texts that have similar elements or content) 

Analysing Texts 

1.7 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 View 

1.8 begin to identify, with support and direction, who is speaking in an oral text and the point of view expressed by the speaker (e.g., the narrator may be a character in a story or an expert on the topic of an informational talk; the speaker may be recounting a personal anecdote or sharing a personal opinion) 
Teacher prompts: "Who is telling this story/presenting this information? What words/clues helped you figure that out?" "What do we know about the speaker?" "How might the story be different if another character were telling it?" 

Presentation Strategies 

1.9 begin to identify some of the presentation strategies used in oral texts and explain how they influence the audience (e.g., the use of differences in tone and pitch for different characters in a story; the use of props to engage the audience) 
Teacher prompts: "How did the speaker use his/her voice to make you like/not like a character?" "Why do you think the speaker used the puppets when he was speaking?" 

2. Speaking to Communicate 

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 the teacher; to establish positive personal and learning relationships with peers; to activate prior knowledge and make connections before listening; to retell stories and recount personal experiences to the class; to ask questions or explore solutions to problems in small-group and paired activities; to share ideas and information that contribute to understanding in large and small groups; to manipulate the sounds of language in songs, chants, and poems)

Interactive Strategies 

2.2 demonstrate an understanding of appropriate speaking behaviour in a few different situations, including paired sharing and small- and large-group discussions (e.g., give other group members an opportunity to speak; respond positively 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 a beginning, middle, and end sequence to retell a story read aloud by the teacher)

Appropriate Language 

2.4 choose appropriate words to communicate their meaning accurately and engage the interest of their audience (e.g., choose words relevant to the topic from the full range of their vocabulary, including new words used regularly in the classroom; use descriptive adjectives to clarify and add interest to a narrative; use inclusive language that conveys respect for all people)

Vocal Skills and Strategies 

2.5 begin to identify some vocal effects, including tone, pace, pitch, and volume, and use them appropriately to help communicate their meaning (e.g., increase volume to emphasize important points or to communicate to a large audience) 
  
Non-Verbal Cues 

2.6 identify some non-verbal cues, including facial expression, gestures, and eye contact, and use them in oral communications, appropriately and with sensitivity towards cultural differences, to help convey their meaning 

Visual Aids 

2.7 use one or more appropriate visual aids (e.g., pictures, photographs, props, puppets, masks) to support or enhance oral presentations (e.g., use a set of plastic animals during an oral recount about a visit to a zoo) 

3. Reflecting on Oral Communication Skills and Strategies 

By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Metacognition 

3.1 begin to identify, with support and direction, a few strategies they found helpful before, during, and after listening and speaking 
Teacher prompts: "How do you know what to listen for?" "What could you do after you listen to check and see if you understood what you heard?" "What could you do if you didn't understand what you heard?" "What do you think about before you begin to talk?" "When you are talking, how can you tell if the audience understands?" "What could you do to help the audience understand what you are saying?" 

Interconnected Skills 

3.2 begin to identify how their skills as viewers, representers, readers, and writers help them improve their oral communication skills 
Teacher prompts: "How do you learn new words that you can use when you are speaking?" "What words have you learned in the books you are reading that help you understand what you hear or that you can use while you are speaking?" 

GRADE 1 | READING 

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 

1. Reading for Meaning 

By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Variety of Texts 

1.1 read a few different types of literary texts (e.g., pattern books, rhymes, books from home, simple fiction stories), graphic texts (e.g., calendars, environmental print, signs), and informational texts (e.g., morning messages, strategy charts, instructions, simple non-fiction books, labels) 

Purpose 

1.2 identify a few different purposes for reading and choose reading materials appropriate for those purposes (e.g., picture books for entertainment, information, or reflection; simple factual and visual texts for information; magazines for entertainment and interest) 

Comprehension Strategies 

1.3 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 brainstorming about the cover, title page, or topic; describe how they visualize a character or scene in a text; ask questions about information or ideas presented in a text: I wonder if ...?, What if ...? Why did...?; identify important ideas in a text) 
Teacher prompt: "What do you think is the most important thing to remember so far about this text/topic? Why do you think it is important?"
  
Demonstrating Understanding 

1.4 demonstrate understanding of a text by retelling the story or restating information from the text, including the main idea (e.g., retell a story or restate facts, including the main idea and important events, in accurate time order; role-play or dramatize a story or informational text using puppets or props) 

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts 

1.5 use stated and implied information and ideas in texts, initially with support and direction, to make simple inferences and reasonable predictions about them 
Teacher prompt: "The text tells us that the girl broke her brother's toy airplane. Think about what you know about the boy so far. Predict what might happen next. Is there information in the illustration that can help you make your prediction?"

Extending Understanding 

1.6 extend understanding of texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge and experience, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them (e.g., identify personally significant events in stories, such as losing a tooth or getting a pet; relate information in a text to previous experiences, other familiar texts, movies, or trips) 
Teacher prompts: "What does this text remind you of in your life?" "Now that we have researched [topic X], what have we learned?" "Does this book remind you of a story that you have been told?" 

Analysing Texts 

1.7 identify the main idea and a few elements of texts, initially with support and direction (e.g., narrative: characters, setting, problem/solution; information text: introductory statement, facts, photographs) 

Responding to and Evaluating Texts 

1.8 express personal thoughts and feelings about what has been read (e.g., through role playing, drama, visual arts, music, discussion; by developing a plan to act on issues raised in the text) 
Teacher prompts: "How does the ending of this story make you feel?" "Do you think there are recycling ideas in the text that we could use in our classroom?" "Show me how you were feeling when..." "What would you say if you were...?" 

Point of View 

1.9 begin to identify, with support and direction, the speaker and the point of view presented in a text and suggest a possible alternative perspective (e.g., dramatize the story, taking on the role of different characters; create drawings, paintings, or models to represent the perspective of different characters in a text) 
Teacher prompts: "Who is talking in this story? Would the story be different if someone else were talking?" "What is the author telling us about this topic?" 

2. Understanding Form and Style 

By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Text Forms 

2.1 identify and describe the characteristics of a few simple text forms, with a focus on literary texts such as a simple fictional story (e.g., characters, setting, events, problem/solution), graphic texts such as a calendar (e.g., names of months and days, a grid, numbers), and informational texts such as a simple "All About____" book (e.g., labels, headings, pictures) 

Text Patterns 

2.2 recognize simple organizational patterns in texts of different types and explain, initially with support and direction, how the patterns help readers understand the texts (e.g., signal words such as first, second, then, finally help to identify time order or sequence) 

Text Features 

2.3 identify some text features (e.g., illustrations, symbols, photographs, title, page number, table of contents) and explain how they help readers understand texts 
Teacher prompts: "How does the title help you understand what you are going to be reading?" "How does an illustration or photograph help you understand what you are reading?" 

Elements of Style 

2.4 identify some simple elements of style, including voice and word choice, and explain, initially with support and direction, how they help readers understand texts (e.g., descriptive words help the reader make better mind pictures of the characters or setting in a story) 
Teacher prompt: "What words in the text helped you make a picture in your head?" 

3. Reading With Fluency 
By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Reading Familiar Words 

3.1 automatically read and understand some high-frequency words and words of personal interest or significance, in a variety of reading contexts (e.g., the same word in different graphic representations 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 Words 

3.2 predict the meaning of and solve unfamiliar words using different types of cues, including: 
• semantic (meaning) cues (e.g., familiar words, phrases, sentences, and visuals that activate existing knowledge of oral and written language); 
• syntactic (language structure) cues (e.g., predictable word order, predictable language patterns, punctuation); 
• graphophonic (phonological and graphic) cues (e.g., blending and segmenting of individual sounds in words; visual features of words such as shape and orientation; sound-letter relationships for initial, final, and medial sounds; onset and rime; common spelling patterns; words within words) 
Teacher prompt (for cross-checking of cues): "It looks right and sounds right, but does it make sense?" 

Reading Fluently 

3.3 read appropriate, familiar texts at a sufficient rate and with sufficient expression to convey the sense of the text to the reader (e.g., make oral reading of a role in a simple readers' theatre script sound like natural speech) 

4. Reflecting on Reading Skills and Strategies 

By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Metacognition 

4.1 begin to identify, with support and direction, a few strategies they found helpful before, during, and after reading 
Teacher prompts: "What do you do to get ready to read a new text?" "What do you do if your reading doesn't make sense to you?" "When you come to a word you don't know, what do you do?" "What strategies help you the most when you are reading?" 

Interconnected Skills 

4.2 explain, initially with support and direction, how their skills in listening, speaking, writing, viewing, and representing help them make sense of what they read (e.g., reading a text independently is easier after hearing it read aloud and/or talking about it in class) 
Teacher prompts: "How does listening to someone else read help you become a better reader?" "How does talking to someone else about what you are reading help you as a reader?" "How does looking at the illustrations help you make sense of what you are reading?" 

GRADE 1 | WRITING 

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 forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience; 
3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of language 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 strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing process. 

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

1. Developing and Organizing Content 

By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Purpose and Audience 

1.1 identify the topic, purpose, audience, and form for writing, initially with support and direction (e.g., a personal recount of a past experience, including pictures, to share with family or friends; an "All About the Seasons"book for the class library; labels and captions for a pictograph to share findings with a group after a math investigation) 
Teacher prompts: "What is your writing about?" "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., ask questions to identify personal experiences, prior knowledge, and information needs; brainstorm ideas with the class) 

Research 

1.3 gather information to support ideas for writing in a variety of ways and/or from a variety of sources (e.g., from listening to stories told by family members; from paired sharing with a peer; from observations; from various texts, including teacher read-alouds, mentor texts, and shared-, guided-, and independent-reading 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 pictures, labels, key words, hand-drawn or computer graphics, or simple graphic organizers such as a web, a list, or a five-W's framework: who, what, when, where, why) 

Organizing Ideas 

1.5 identify and order main ideas and supporting details, initially with support and direction, using simple graphic organizers (e.g., a story ladder, sequence chart) and simple organizational patterns (e.g., time order: first, then, next, finally; order of importance; beginning, middle, and end) 

Review 

1.6 determine, after consultation with the teacher and peers, whether the ideas and information they have gathered are suitable for the purpose (e.g., use pictures and words to explain their material to a classmate and ask for feedback) 
 
2. Using Knowledge of Form and Style in Writing 

By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Form 

2.1 write short texts using a few simple forms (e.g., a recount of personally significant experiences; a simple report on topics of interest to the writer and identified in non-fiction reading; "How to"books identifying the steps in a procedure such as "How to Make Applesauce", including pictures, symbols, and words; a story modelled on characters and events from stories read; their own variation on a familiar poem, chant, or song; a poster for the classroom) 

Voice 

2.2 begin to establish a personal voice in their writing by using pictures and words that convey their attitude or feeling towards the subject or audience (e.g., use pictures and words that project interest 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 View 

2.5 begin to identify, with support and direction, their point of view and one possible different point of view about the topic 
Teacher prompts: "How do you feel about this topic?" "How do you think your 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 feedback from the teacher and peers 
Teacher prompts: "Does this writing make sense to you?" "Does it say what you wanted to say?" 

Revision 

2.7 make simple revisions to improve the content, clarity, and interest of their written work, using a few simple strategies (e.g., cut out words or sentences and reorder them to improve clarity; insert words from oral vocabulary and the class word wall or word webs to clarify meaning and/or add interest) 

Producing Drafts 

2.8 produce revised draft pieces of writing to meet criteria identified by the teacher, based on the expectations 

3. Applying Knowledge of Language Conventions and Presenting Written Work Effectively 

By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Spelling Familiar Words 

3.1 spell some high-frequency words correctly (e.g., words from their oral vocabulary, 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 understanding sound-symbol relationships, word structures, and word meanings (e.g., segment words to identify and record individual sound-symbol correspondences, including short vowels and simple long-vowel patterns; listen for rhyming patterns; look for common letter sequences and onset and rime in frequently used words; make analogies 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 two resources (e.g., find pictures or words in a picture dictionary; locate words on an alphabetical word wall using first letter; refer to class-created word webs posted in the classroom) 

Punctuation 

3.4 use punctuation to help communicate their intended meaning, with a focus on the use of: a capital letter at the beginning of a sentence; a period, question mark, or exclamation mark at the end 
 
Grammar 

3.5 use parts of speech appropriately to communicate their meaning clearly, with a focus on the use of: nouns for names of people, places, and things; the personal subject pronouns I, you, he, she, it, we, they; verbs to tell what they do and feel; some adjectives; and simple prepositions of place (e.g., in, on, at, to) 

Proofreading 

3.6 proofread and correct their writing using a simple checklist or a few guiding questions posted by the teacher for reference (e.g., Can I read it? Does it "sound right"? Does it make sense? Are my word wall words spelled correctly?) 

Publishing 

3.7 use some appropriate elements of effective presentation in the finished product, such as print, different fonts, graphics, and layout (e.g., use drawings, photographs, or simple labels to clarify text; print legibly; leave spaces between words) 

Producing Finished Works 

3.8 produce pieces of published work to meet criteria identified by the teacher, based on the expectations 

4. Reflecting on Writing Skills and Strategies 

By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Metacognition 

4.1 identify some strategies they found helpful before, during, and after writing (e.g., during a regular writing conference, respond to teacher prompts about what strategies helped at a specific phase in the writing process; identify strategies used before, during, and after writing on a class anchor chart; identify a strategy for future use on a strategy bookmark or chart) 
Teacher prompts: "What strategy helped you organize your ideas?" "How did you know what words were missing?" "What helped you know what to do when you finished your first draft?" 

Interconnected Skills 

4.2 describe, with prompting by the teacher, how some of their skills in listening, speaking, reading, viewing, and representing help in their development as writers 
Teacher prompts: "How does what you know about reading and different kinds of books help you when you are writing?" "In what way do you think listening to someone else's ideas might help you with your writing?" 

Portfolio 

4.3 select pieces of writing they think show their best work and explain the reasons for their selection 
 
GRADE 1 | MEDIA LITERACY

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 associated with them are used to create meaning; 
3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, 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

1. Understanding Media Texts 

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 entertain children; this sign gives information to travellers) 
Teacher prompt: "Who would watch/listen to this? Why?" 

Making Inferences/Interpreting Messages 

1.2 identify overt and implied messages, initially with support and direction, in simple media texts (e.g., 
• overt message of a toy advertisement showing two boys playing with a car: This toy is fun; implied message: This toy is for boys;) 
• overt message of a cartoon: the violence here is funny and doesn't hurt anyone; implied message: violence is acceptable) 
Teacher prompt: "Let's try to think of an advertisement made for a specific audience - for example, for girls or boys, for mothers, or for teenagers. How do we know that the advertisement is for that audience?" 

Responding to and Evaluating Texts 

1.3 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/not like about the story told in this movie? What was your favourite part? How did it make you feel?" "Did the characters in this cartoon use violence to solve problems? Was the violence funny? Is this a good way to solve problems?" 

Audience Responses 

1.4 describe how different audiences might respond to specific media texts 
Teacher prompt: "Would your friends or 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 presented in a simple media text and suggest a possible alternative perspective (e.g., a cartoon told from the point of view of a mouse might be told from a cat's viewpoint) 

Production Perspectives 

1.6 identify, with support and direction, who makes some of the simple media texts with which they are familiar, and why those texts are produced (e.g., the government has traffic signs made to protect the safety of travellers and pedestrians; film companies hire manufacturers to produce toys and other products based on popular children's movies and television programs to sell to children) 
Teacher prompt: "Your doll is the main character from your favourite TV show. Do you think the same people who make the TV show made the doll, too? Are there any marks on your doll that tell us who made it?" 

2. Understanding Media Forms, Conventions, and Techniques 

By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Form 

2.1 identify some of the elements and characteristics of a few simple media forms (e.g., cartoon: colour, music, animation; picture book: cover, printed words, pictures) 
Teacher prompt: "How are books different from cartoons? How are they the same?" 

Conventions and Techniques 

2.2 identify, initially with support and direction, the conventions and techniques used in some familiar media forms (e.g., specific pictures and colours are used in traffic signs to make messages immediately recognizable to drivers and pedestrians; icons are used on computer screens instead of words to help users locate computer functions; jingles and slogans are used in television advertisements to make the messages memorable; background music may be used in a movie to communicate a mood such as suspense or happiness) 
Teacher prompts: "How do colour and size help you notice a sign?" "What happens to the music when the villain appears? What does that tell you? How does it affect you?" 

3. Creating Media Texts 

By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Purpose and Audience 

3.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audience for media texts they plan to create (e.g., a media text to explain the importance of hand-washing to a Kindergarten class, or to tell the story of a class trip to parents or visitors) 
Teacher prompt: "How can we use photographs to tell the story of our trip? What could we use in addition to the photographs to help visitors understand what we did on our trip?" 

Form 

3.2 identify an appropriate form to suit the purpose and audience for a media text they plan to create 
Teacher prompt: "Which would be a better way to tell the school about an upcoming book sale - a poster or a P.A. announcement by a student? Why?" 

Conventions and Techniques 

3.3 identify conventions and techniques appropriate to the form chosen for a media text they plan to create (e.g., tape-recorded music to reflect the changing scenes or moods in a picture book) 
Teacher prompt: "How will the music help people understand the book?" 

Producing Media Texts 

3.4 produce some short media texts for specific purposes and audiences, using a 
few simple media forms and appropriate conventions and techniques (e.g., 
• a tape-recorded soundtrack for a story 
• a sequence of pictures and/or photographs that tells a story 
• a sign or poster for their classroom or the school 
• a selection of images downloaded from the Internet to accompany a science project 
• a collage of items a story character might enjoy or own 
• an enactment of a scene about a character from a favourite movie) 

4. Reflecting on Media Literacy Skills and Strategies 

By the end of Grade 1, students will: 

Metacognition 

4.1 identify, initially with support and direction, what strategies they found most helpful in making sense of and creating media texts 
Teacher prompts: "How did thinking about your audience help you create your poster?" "How did looking at other posters help you come up with ideas for this poster?" 

Interconnected Skills 

4.2 begin to explain, initially with support and direction, how their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing help them to make sense of and produce media texts 
Teacher prompts: "How did talking about the project with other students help you create a better poster?" "What language skills did you use in creating this media text?" 

GRADE 2 

GRADE 2 | ORAL COMMUNICATION
 
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 audiences 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. 

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

1. Listening to Understand 

By the end of Grade 2, students will: 

Purpose 

1.1 identify purposes for listening in a variety of situations, formal and informal, and set personal goals for listening, initially with support and direction (e.g., to acquire information from a presentation by a guest speaker; to exchange ideas in a small-group discussion; to enjoy and understand poetry) 

Active Listening Strategies 

1.2 demonstrate an understanding of appropriate listening behaviour by using active listening strategies in a variety of situations (e.g., demonstrate understanding of when to speak, when to listen, and how much to say; restate what the speaker has said and connect it to their own ideas; express personal interest in what has been said by asking related questions: I like what ______ said about ______) 
Teacher prompt: "When First Nations peoples use a talking stick,* a person speaks only when holding the talking stick, while the rest of the group listens. Today we are going to speak and listen in a similar way." 

Comprehension Strategies 

1.3 identify several listening comprehension strategies and use them before, during, and after listening in order to understand and clarify the meaning of oral texts (e.g., listen for key words and phrases that signal important ideas; retell an oral text to a partner after a presentation; ask appropriate questions in order to make predictions about an oral text) 

Demonstrating Understanding 

1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the information and ideas in oral texts by retelling the story or restating the information, including the main idea and several interesting details (e.g., restate a partner's reflections after a think-pairshare activity; identify the important ideas in a group presentation; carry on a sustained conversation on a topic) 

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts 

1.5 use stated and implied information and ideas in oral texts to make simple inferences and reasonable predictions, and support the inferences with evidence from the text 
Teacher prompt: "You predicted _______. What clues from the oral text did you use to figure that out?" 

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

Extending Understanding 

1.6 extend understanding of oral texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge and experience; to other familiar texts, including print and visual texts; and to the world around them (e.g., talk about their own ideas and experiences related to the topic before listening; connect ideas from oral presentations to related school and community events and/or to other texts with similar topics or themes, including multicultural texts or texts in their own first language) 

Analysing Texts 

1.7 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 strictly factual information) 

Point of View 

1.8 identify, initially with support and direction, who is speaking in an oral text, and demonstrate an understanding that the speaker has his or her own point of view (e.g., people, events, and details are viewed differently by different people) 
Teacher prompts: "Does who is talking affect the way the information is presented or the way the story is told?" "How do you know what the speaker's feelings about the topic are? How does that affect you as a listener?" "How might the text change if [character X] were speaking instead?" 

Presentation Strategies 

1.9 identify some of the presentation strategies used in oral texts and explain how they influence the audience (e.g., the use of facial expressions helps the listener understand what is being said) 
Teacher prompts: "How does looking at the expression on a speaker's face help you to understand what is being said?" "Does the look on the speaker's face in some way change the meaning of the actual words being spoken?" 

2. Speaking to Communicate 

By the end of Grade 2, students will: 

Purpose 

2.1 ide