Ministère de l'Éducation Le curriculum de l'Ontario Anglais de la 4e à la 8e année RÉVISÉ 2006 INTRODUCTION Le présent document Le curriculum de l'Ontario - Anglais de la 4e à la 8e année, édition révisée, 2006 est destiné aux écoles de langue française; il remplace le document intitulé Le curriculum de l'Ontario - Anglais de la 4e à la 8e année, 1998. À compter de septembre 2006, tous les programmes d'anglais de la 4e à la 8e année seront fondés sur les attentes et les contenus d'apprentissage énoncés dans le présent programme-cadre. La Loi sur l'éducation stipule que l'anglais doit être enseigné dans les écoles de langue française dès la 5e année. En général, cet enseignement commence en 4e année. C'est la raison pour laquelle ce programme-cadre comprend des attentes et des contenus d'apprentissage à partir de la 4e jusqu'à la 8e année, bien que les écoles de langue française ne soient pas tenues de dispenser un tel enseignement avant la 5e année. En raison de la matière enseignée, ce document est rédigé en anglais, sauf les sections Introduction, Organisation du programme-cadre d'anglais et Planification de l'apprentissage et de l'enseignement. Toutes les autres sections de ce document ont été présentées en anglais afin de faciliter le travail de programmation du personnel enseignant et de permettre aux parents de se familiariser avec la terminologie utilisée en classe. La raison d'être du programme-cadre Ce programme-cadre maintient des attentes élevées et des contenus d'apprentissage rigoureux pour chaque année d'études et décrit les compétences à évaluer dans toutes les écoles de langue française de la province. Il a pour but d'informer les élèves, les parents et le public en général sur les composantes du programme d'anglais, de faciliter la planification de l'enseignement et de l'apprentissage de l'anglais et d'assurer la réussite de tous les élèves qui fréquentent l'école de langue française. L'école de langue française À l'école élémentaire de langue française, un apprentissage de qualité se déroule dans un environnement propice à la quête de l'identité francophone. En effet, s'éveiller et s'ouvrir à la francophonie, prendre conscience de ses enjeux, identifier ses caractéristiques, s'y engager avec fierté et contribuer à la vitalité de ses institutions représentent sans aucun doute la plus-value de l'apprentissage proposé. C'est dans cet esprit que, conformément à la Politique d'aménagement linguistique de l'Ontario pour l'éducation en langue française, 2004 et au mandat de l'école de langue française qu'elle sous-tend, le personnel scolaire doit tenir compte des attentes génériques suivantes : • L'élève utilise la langue française et l'ensemble des référents culturels pour exprimer sa compréhension, synthétiser l'information qui lui est communiquée et s'en servir dans différents contextes. • L'élève utilise sa capacité à communiquer oralement en français pour explorer ses propres idées, les cerner, les organiser et les partager tout en s'inspirant de ses échanges avec les autres. Dans sa planification des activités d'enseignement et d'apprentissage, le personnel enseignant de l'école conçoit des interventions en aménagement linguistique qui réunissent les conditions favorables à la création d'un espace francophone respectueux du dynamisme et du pluralisme de la communauté et qui contrent les effets négatifs du contexte anglo-dominant sur la réussite des élèves. L'école devient ainsi un milieu de bilinguisme additif qui permet d'acquérir de solides compétences langagières en français, à l'oral et à l'écrit. Elle invite les élèves à prendre conscience des avantages de maîtriser les deux langues officielles du Canada. Les programme-cadres de la 1re à la 8e année proposent des attentes qui permettent aux élèves de développer et de mettre en pratique leurs compétences en littératie. Les activités d'apprentissage se déroulent continuellement en français, qu'elles aient lieu à l'école ou hors de l'école sauf pour le programme-cadre d'anglais où l'enseignement se fait en anglais. Puisqu'une langue sert aussi de véhicule à la culture qu'elle exprime, l'école doit aussi s'assurer de créer des situations d'apprentissage qui permettront aux élèves de s'affirmer au plan identitaire. La construction identitaire. Les attentes du programme-cadre assurent le cheminement des élèves aux plans personnel, interpersonnel et professionnel. En les incitant à échanger sur des concepts à l'étude pour les relier à des émotions, des valeurs et des connaissances antérieures, on développe simultanément chez eux l'expression de la pensée et le courage d'exposer un point de vue et de le confronter à d'autres avec sagesse et tolérance. Les attentes constituent ainsi un tremplin à partir duquel l'élève peut construire son identité tout en perfectionnant ses compétences linguistiques. Une telle situation de communication, reprise quotidiennement dans une ambiance collégiale et respectueuse des habiletés linguistiques et des différences culturelles de chacun, contribue à rehausser l'estime de soi et à construire une identité forte et engagée La place du programme-cadre d'anglais dans le curriculum Dispersées sur tout le territoire de la province, les écoles de langue française sont à l'image des milieux qu'elles desservent et sont caractérisées par la diversité, laquelle tient à leur situation géographique, au profil linguistique de leur localité ou de leur région, aux conditions socio-économiques de leur clientèle ainsi qu'au degré de compétence langagière de leurs élèves. Cette diversité se vit dans un contexte minoritaire, et le programme-cadre d'anglais s'adresse à tous les élèves de la province qui ont déjà une connaissance de la langue anglaise. L'intervention en milieu minoritaire des écoles de langue française est axée sur un bilinguisme additif. Chez les élèves des écoles de langue française, le bilinguisme additif se traduit par un niveau élevé de compétence langagière en français et en anglais, une forte identité culturelle liée au français et des attitudes positives à l'égard de la langue française, de la culture et de la communauté d'expression française et par une utilisation continue et générale du français dans tous les domaines d'activités, tant publics que privés. Dans le contexte francophone de l'Ontario, le bilinguisme additif ne peut se réaliser que lorsque l'élève utilise avec aisance le français et que le français est valorisé par le milieu et par l'élève. Connaître le français et l'anglais présente un double avantage pour l'élève : cet apprentissage lui permet, d'une part, de comprendre et d'utiliser deux langues reconnues mondialement et lui donne, d'autre part, la souplesse accrue qui en découle sur le plan intellectuel. La sensibilisation aux divers aspects socioculturels liés à la langue anglaise viendra enrichir le développement de la pensée et de l'esprit critique chez l'élève et l'amènera à utiliser un langage plus nuancé et complexe, tant en français qu'en anglais. C'est pour ces raisons que, dans une vision d'un bilinguisme additif, le développement de bonnes compétences langagières en anglais chez l'élève est très important. Afin que l'élève développe au maximum ses compétences langagières, il importe que les enseignantes et enseignants aménagent des programmes de langue en tenant compte du milieu sociocommunautaire et du profil linguistique des élèves ainsi que de leurs difficultés, et leur fournissent le soutien approprié. Le rôle de l'élève L'élève est responsable de son apprentissage. En consacrant le temps nécessaire à ses travaux scolaires et en s'efforçant d'apprendre, l'élève se rendra compte de ses progrès et du développement de ses habiletés, ce qui l'incitera à poursuivre ses apprentissages. En dépit de leurs efforts, certains élèves éprouveront cependant des difficultés. Pour réussir, ils devront pouvoir compter sur l'attention et l'encouragement du personnel enseignant et, dans certains cas, sur un soutien supplémentaire. Il reste qu'apprendre à réfléchir à ses apprentissages, à en assumer la responsabilité et à être l'artisan de son succès doit faire partie de l'éducation de tout élève. L'élève devrait saisir toutes les occasions possibles en dehors de la classe pour approfondir sa compréhension des concepts étudiés et pour explorer le lien entre ces concepts et son vécu. En outre, il importe que l'élève s'implique activement dans ses apprentissages, fournisse les efforts nécessaires, comprenne que patience et persévérance vont de pair avec l'apprentissage et fasse preuve de collaboration et d'esprit d'équipe. Le rôle des parents Le rôle des parents1 dans l'éducation de leur enfant s'articule principalement autour des axes suivants : connaître le curriculum, accompagner leur enfant dans son apprentissage, faire du foyer un milieu d'apprentissage et un lieu d'épanouissement culturel. 1. Dans le présent document, le terme parents désigne aussi les tutrices et tuteurs. Connaître le curriculum. L'élève fournit généralement un meilleur rendement scolaire lorsque ses parents s'intéressent à ses études. En se familiarisant avec les programmes-cadres du curriculum, les parents sauront quelles connaissances, habiletés et compétences leur enfant doit acquérir chaque année. Ils pourront mieux suivre ses progrès scolaires et en discuter en connaissance de cause. En outre, ils pourront mieux comprendre les compétences décrites dans son bulletin et collaborer plus étroitement avec l'enseignante ou l'enseignant en vue d'améliorer son rendement scolaire. Enfin, il est souhaitable que les parents prennent connaissance des attentes et des contenus d'apprentissage des autres années d'études pour avoir une vue d'ensemble du programme. Accompagner leur enfant dans son apprentissage. Les parents peuvent manifester leur intérêt pour l'apprentissage de leur enfant de bien des façons, par exemple, l'inviter à parler de sa journée à l'école, l'encourager à faire ses devoirs, assister aux réunions de parents ou s'assurer que l'enfant dispose d'un endroit spécial à la maison pour effectuer ses travaux. Comme l'apprentissage de leur enfant se fait en français, il est important qu'ils valorisent l'acquisition d'une bonne compétence langagière en français. En ce qui concerne le présent programme-cadre, les parents peuvent insister sur l'importance du bilinguisme en encourageant leur enfant dans son étude de la langue anglaise tout en valorisant son héritage francophone. Les parents peuvent aussi s'intéresser aux lectures, aux projets de recherche, aux activités de rédaction et de création de textes en posant des questions qui exigeront de leur enfant une réflexion critique par rapport à ses travaux. Faire du foyer un milieu d'apprentissage. Les parents peuvent prendre l'habitude de s'adonner avec leur enfant à des activités qui élargiront progressivement ses horizons et enrichiront sa compréhension du monde qui l'entoure, par exemple : lire chaque jour pour le plaisir ou pour apprendre, raconter et inventer des histoires pour se souvenir ensemble ou pour transformer la réalité ou encore jouer à des jeux de société où les mots sont essentiels (p. ex., jeu du dictionnaire, bonhomme pendu, Scrabble). Le foyer fournit à l'enfant la chance de se familiariser avec des objets, des lieux, des êtres, des situations et des discours. Sécurisé par l'attention bienveillante des parents, l'enfant mis en confiance peut appréhender quantité d'informations, étendre son vocabulaire à divers domaines de la connaissance et reconnaître certains faits de discours et de langue, comme l'organisation narrative du récit (début, milieu, fin) ou la structure des phrases déclaratives, négatives, interrogatives et impératives. Toute cette activité. contribue au développement des habitudes d'écoute et d'attention qui jouent un rôle crucial dans l'acquisition d'une langue et d'un savoir-faire en matière de littératie. Faire du foyer un lieu d'épanouissement culturel. L'appui des parents est essentiel pour favoriser le développement de l'identité francophone. Le fait de parler français à la maison, de prévoir des activités culturelles et récréatives en français, d'offrir des ressources en français renforcera le travail éducatif fait à l'école de langue française. Cela permettra à l'enfant de mieux réussir à l'école et de s'identifier à la culture d'expression française. Le rôle de l'enseignante ou l'enseignant Le rôle de l'enseignante ou l'enseignant s'articule autour de trois axes : créer un milieu d'apprentissage convivial, proposer des activités pertinentes et présenter l'enseignement de l'anglais dans un contexte d'aménagement linguistique en français. Créer un milieu d'apprentissage convivial. L'enseignante ou l'enseignant a pour tâche d'élaborer une gamme de stratégies d'enseignement et d'évaluation fondées sur une pédagogie éprouvée. Il lui faut concevoir des stratégies qui tiennent compte des différents styles d'apprentissage et les adapter pour répondre aux divers besoins de ses élèves, afin de les aider à acquérir des compétences reliées à la communication orale, à la lecture et à l'écriture, lesquelles sont nécessaires pour réussir non seulement dans leurs études, mais aussi pour se tailler une place, en tant que citoyennes ou citoyens, dans la société canadienne et mondiale où le bilinguisme de haut niveau est de plus en plus essentiel. Les stratégies utilisées devraient aussi viser à insuffler à chaque élève le désir d'apprendre et l'inciter à donner son plein rendement. Enfin, l'enseignante ou l'enseignant exerce une influence déterminante en favorisant chez les élèves l'adoption d'une attitude positive envers l'apprentissage de l'anglais dans un contexte d'un bilinguisme additif. Proposer des activités pertinentes. Il incombe à l'enseignante ou l'enseignant de présenter des textes oraux, écrits et visuels variés et d'utiliser des stratégies d'enseignement et d'apprentissage qui se fondent sur un apprentissage actif. En utilisant des textes pertinents et stimulants, elle ou il amènera l'élève à développer non seulement ses compétences langagières, mais aussi son esprit critique, son appréciation de la littérature et de la lecture plus pratique, ainsi que sa curiosité. L'enseignante ou l'enseignant encouragera l'élève à apprécier et à questionner le contenu, la qualité et la validité des textes auxquels elle ou il sera exposé dans le programme d'anglais. L'enseignement de l'anglais dans un contexte d'aménagement linguistique en français. La politique d'aménagement linguistique de l'Ontario reconnaît l'importance et l'avantage du bilinguisme pour les élèves des écoles de langue française de l'Ontario. Cependant, le bilinguisme présente aussi un risque fondamental, c'est-à-dire la perte graduelle de la langue minoritaire, soit le français. Il est donc essentiel que l'enseignement de l'anglais soit présenté dans le contexte d'un bilinguisme additif, en maintenant un équilibre entre l'apprentissage de l'anglais et du français. Il faut donc offrir à l'élève un milieu linguistique cohérent, où tout contribue d'abord à enrichir ses compétences linguistiques en français, à capitaliser sur celles-ci pour ensuite favoriser un transfert de ces connaissances vers l'anglais. Pour les élèves qui ont déjà une bonne connaissance de l'anglais ou d'autres langues, il s'agit de bien valoriser celles-ci pour favoriser un transfert linguistique vers le français. Le rôle de la directrice ou du directeur d'école De concert avec les intervenantes et intervenants, la directrice ou le directeur d'école prendra les mesures nécessaires pour fournir la meilleure expérience scolaire possible à tous les élèves, y compris aux élèves moins performants et aux élèves en difficulté. Elle ou il veille à ce que le curriculum de l'Ontario soit mis en oeuvre dans sa totalité, dans toutes les classes, et à ce que des ressources appropriées soient mises à la disposition des élèves et du personnel enseignant. Il lui appartient aussi de concevoir des mesures pour appuyer l'épanouissement d'une culture d'expression française, en conformité avec la politique d'aménagement linguistique du conseil scolaire. À cet égard, la directrice ou le directeur d'école travaille en collaboration avec des intervenantes et intervenants pour créer une communauté apprenante, laquelle constituera un milieu communautaire où il fait bon vivre et apprendre en français. Elle ou il encouragera également la participation du personnel enseignant aux activités de perfectionnement professionnel afin de favoriser l'excellence de l'enseignement en milieu minoritaire. La directrice ou le directeur d'école a la responsabilité de s'assurer que l'élève qui a un plan d'enseignement individualisé (PEI) obtienne les adaptations et les changements décrits dans son PEI. Il lui incombe aussi de voir à l'élaboration, à la mise en oeuvre et au suivi du PEI. ORGANISATION DU PROGRAMME-CADRE D'ANGLAIS Les attentes et les contenus d'apprentissage Dans le présent document, les attentes et contenus d'apprentissage en anglais sont décrits par année d'études. Les attentes énoncent en termes généraux les connaissances et les habiletés que l'élève doit avoir acquises à la fin de son année d'études. Par rapport aux attentes, l'élève doit démontrer son degré de compétence dans le contexte d'activités et de travaux divers. Les contenus d'apprentissage décrivent en détail les connaissances, les processus et les habiletés que l'élève doit maîtriser pour satisfaire aux attentes. Ces contenus d'apprentissage sont répertoriés sous des rubriques se rattachant chacune à une attente. Certaines rubriques ont des sous-titres, question d'organiser plus clairement la séquence des contenus d'apprentissage, facilitant ainsi la planification des activités d'apprentissage. Les attentes et les contenus d'apprentissage sont regroupés dans différents domaines pour chaque année d'études. Cette façon de répartir les attentes et les contenus d'apprentissage selon des domaines d'étude ne signifie nullement que l'enseignement relié à un domaine ne puisse se faire en même temps que l'enseignement relié à un autre. Au contraire, il incombe au personnel enseignant de choisir des stratégies pédagogiques qui intègrent les contenus d'apprentissage des différents domaines. L'organisation des attentes et des contenus d'apprentissage reflète la nature progressive de l'apprentissage d'une langue : les attentes et les contenus d'apprentissage qui décrivent une stratégie ou un processus sont souvent répétés à chaque année d'études. Les exemples qui accompagnent ces contenus d'apprentissage illustrent l'envergure, la portée, le type d'habileté, le type de stratégie, le type d'activité ou le degré de complexité visés pour les éléments à l'étude. Ils ne sont cependant ni obligatoires ni exhaustifs. L'enseignante ou l'enseignant pourra choisir de concentrer sa leçon sur un ou deux des exemples suggérés ou choisir d'autres exemples pertinents. Les domaines d'étude Le programme-cadre d'anglais de la 4e à la 8e année est divisé en trois domaines d'étude : Oral and Oral-Visual Communication, Reading and Interpretation, et Writing and Representation. Le programme-cadre d'anglais a été conçu pour permettre aux élèves : • de communiquer oralement en anglais avec clarté et aisance en Oral and Oral-Visual Communication; • d'acquérir les connaissances et les habiletés langagières nécessaires à une bonne maîtrise de la lecture et de l'écriture en Reading and Interpretation et Writing and Representation; • de développer une appréciation de textes variés de langue anglaise et la capacité d'interpréter, d'analyser, de juger et d'exprimer les réactions suscitées par ces textes tant oraux qu'imprimés. Vous trouverez une description détaillée des domaines d'étude à la page 23. PLANIFICATION DE L'APPRENTISSAGE ET DE L'ENSEIGNEMENT L'enseignante ou l'enseignant doit planifier son programme d'anglais en tenant compte de certaines considérations, notamment celles qui sont présentées ci-après. Les stratégies d'enseignement et d'apprentissage Les enseignantes et enseignants planifieront une programmation de l'enseignement de l'anglais qui aidera les élèves à acquérir une bonne compétence langagière par l'entremise de stratégies d'enseignement qui favoriseront un apprentissage actif et comporteront des activités diversifiées. Étant donné l'interdépendance des trois domaines de la langue, les enseignantes et enseignants puiseront dans le matériel pédagogique propre aux différents domaines du programme-cadre d'anglais pour élaborer leurs activités. Avant de rédiger un texte, par exemple, les élèves seront amenés à parler d'un thème en guise de complément à leurs lectures ou examineront des sources médiatiques avant de préparer des exposés ou des débats. Cet apprentissage se combine bien à l'apprentissage coopératif en petits groupes. L'enseignante ou l'enseignant pourrait inviter les élèves à travailler en équipe pour discuter des différentes stratégies possibles pour réviser un texte, développant ainsi un sens de collaboration. Afin d'encourager la tenue d'un dialogue constructif et de développer les compétences à l'oral, l'enseignante ou l'enseignant pourrait aussi tenir des séances de remue-méninges pour toute la classe ou organiser des rencontres en classe pour discuter d'un sujet avec des personnes de l'extérieur ou des élèves plus âgés. L'enseignante ou l'enseignant devrait toujours présenter aux élèves des activités d'apprentissage permettant une communication authentique, qu'il s'agisse de raconter des histoires, de présenter des exposés, de composer des lettres ayant un destinataire réel, de publier un récit ou de réaliser des entrevues avec des membres de la communauté. En proposant des activités de communication orale, de lecture et d'écriture aux élèves, les enseignantes et enseignants les aideront à s'ouvrir à de nouvelles idées et à de nouveaux points de vue. Faire un choix judicieux de textes littéraires et courants est un aspect important du travail des enseignantes et enseignants. Ces derniers choisiront des textes qui stimulent les élèves et qui les initient à la littérature jeunesse d'expression anglaise, d'hier et d'aujourd'hui, y compris des oeuvres d'auteures ou d'auteurs ontariens ou canadiens. Il est aussi pertinent de présenter des textes d'auteurs francophones qui ont été écrits ou traduits en anglais. Les enseignantes et enseignants suggéreront aussi aux élèves des lectures susceptibles de les intéresser et qui correspondent à leurs habiletés. Il incombe aux élèves de développer leur sens critique par rapport à leur choix de lectures et des messages véhiculés par les auteures ou auteurs. On réservera aussi du temps, après chaque activité d'apprentissage, pour s'adonner avec les élèves à l'objectivation, l'une des pratiques fondamentales de la démarche pédagogique. La création d'un milieu d'enseignement et d'apprentissage stimulant et engageant tant pour les garçons que pour les filles et ce, dans la richesse de leur complémentarité, contribue à la réussite de tous les élèves. Pour créer un tel milieu, il faut déterminer les interventions qui devraient être conservées, celles qui peuvent être améliorées et celles qui pourraient être mises en place pour mieux rejoindre les garçons et mieux accompagner les filles dans leur apprentissage. Faire le lien entre l'apprentissage du français et de l'anglais Les élèves qui ont acquis de solides compétences de base en communication orale, en lecture et en écriture en français auront de bonnes assises pour commencer l'apprentissage de l'anglais. Par exemple, l'élève qui sait très bien utiliser une variété de stratégies de lecture en français fera sans doute appel à ces mêmes stratégies pour lire des textes anglais et en comprendre le sens. Dans la rédaction de textes anglais, l'élève appliquera probablement le même processus d'écriture que dans ses cours de français. En retour, l'apprentissage de l'anglais renforcera des compétences dans la langue française puisque l'élève pourra faire des comparaisons et mieux saisir le génie propre au français et à l'anglais. Ainsi, l'élève prendra conscience des différences et des similitudes entre les deux langues et apprendra à utiliser chacune de façon appropriée. Anglais pour débutants Les écoles de langue française offrent un programme d'anglais pour débutants (APD) aux élèves qui parlent peu ou pas du tout l'anglais. L'objectif est de donner à ces élèves une compétence de base dans la langue anglaise pour leur permettre d'intégrer le plus rapidement possible les cours du programme-cadre d'anglais ordinaire. On peut consulter Le curriculum de l'Ontario - Anglais pour débutants de la 4e à la 8e année sur le site Web du ministère de l'Éducation à www.edu.gov.on.ca. Le programme-cadre d'anglais pour les élèves en difficulté Au moment de planifier le programme d'anglais à l'intention des élèves en difficulté, le personnel enseignant devrait examiner les attentes de l'année d'études et les besoins de l'élève, et décider si l'élève aurait besoin : • d'adaptations seulement ou • d'attentes modifiées et d'adaptations au besoin. On trouvera des renseignements sur les exigences du ministère de l'Éducation relatives aux plans d'enseignement individualisés (PEI) dans le document intitulé Plan d'enseignement individualisé - Normes pour 'élaboration, la planification des programmes et la mise en oeuvre, 2000. Par ailleurs, on trouvera des renseignements plus détaillés sur la planification des programmes pour 'enfance en difficulté dans la partie E du guide intitulé Enfance en difficulté - Guide pour les éducatrices et éducateurs, 2001. On peut consulter ces deux documents sur le site Web du Ministère à www.edu.gov.on.ca. PLANIFICATION DE L'APPRENTISSAGE ET DE L'ENSEIGNEMENT Les élèves en difficulté qui ne requièrent que des adaptations. Certains élèves en difficulté peuvent suivre le programme-cadre d'anglais prévu et démontrer un apprentissage autonome si on leur fournit des adaptations. Les attentes du programme-cadre pour l'année d'études ne sont nullement modifiées par l'utilisation d'adaptations. Les adaptations requises pour faciliter l'apprentissage de l'élève doivent être inscrites dans le PEI (voir pages 11 et 12 du Plan d'enseignement individualisé - Normes pour l'élaboration, la planification des programmes et la mise en oeuvre, 2000). Les mêmes adaptations seront probablement inscrites dans le PEI pour plusieurs matières, sinon pour toutes les matières. Il existe trois types d'adaptations. Les adaptations pédagogiques désignent les changements apportés aux stratégies d'enseignement (p. ex., styles de présentation, méthodes d'organisation, utilisation d'outils technologiques et du multimédia). Les adaptations environnementales désignent les changements apportés à la salle de classe ou au milieu scolaire (p. ex., désignation préférentielle d'un siège, recours à un éclairage particulier). Les adaptations en matière d'évaluation désignent les changements apportés aux stratégies d'évaluation pour permettre à l'élève de démontrer son apprentissage (p. ex., donner plus de temps à l'élève pour terminer les examens ou ses travaux scolaires, lui permettre de répondre oralement à des questions d'examen). Pour des exemples supplémentaires, voir page 14 du Plan d'enseignement individualisé - Normes pour l'élaboration, la planification des programmes et la mise en oeuvre, 2000. Si seules des adaptations sont nécessaires en anglais, le rendement de l'élève sera évalué par rapport aux attentes du programme-cadre pour l'année d'études et par rapport aux niveaux de rendement décrits dans le présent document. Les élèves en difficulté qui requièrent des attentes modifiées. Certains élèves en difficulté requièrent des attentes modifiées qui ne correspondent pas exactement aux attentes prévues pour l'année d'études. En anglais, les attentes modifiées reflètent les attentes prévues pour l'année d'études, mais aussi des changements en nombre et en complexité. Les attentes modifiées indiquent les connaissances ou les habiletés que l'élève devrait pouvoir démontrer et qui seront évaluées à chaque étape du bulletin, (voir pages 10 et 11 du Plan d'enseignement individualisé - Normes pour l'élaboration, la planification des programmes et la mise en oeuvre, 2000). Les attentes modifiées doivent représenter des réalisations précises, observables et mesurables, et décrire des connaissances ou des habiletés précises que l'élève peut démontrer de façon autonome en utilisant au besoin des adaptations en matière d'évaluation. Dans certains cas, le programme d'une ou d'un élève pour une matière peut comprendre un sous-ensemble limité des attentes prévues pour l'année d'études. Dans ce cas, toutes les attentes doivent être consignées dans le PEI de l'élève. Lorsqu'on estime que l'élève peut satisfaire à la plupart des attentes de la matière, telles qu'elles figurent dans le programme-cadre, ainsi qu'à quelques attentes modifiées, il faut le préciser dans le PEI et y inscrire les modifications. Les attentes inscrites dans le PEI de l'élève doivent être revues une fois au moins à toutes les étapes du bulletin et être mises à jour au besoin, à la lumière des progrès faits par l'élève (voir page 11 du Plan d'enseignement individualisé - Normes pour l'élaboration, la planification des programmes et la mise en oeuvre, 2000). Si l'élève requiert des attentes modifiées en anglais, l'évaluation de son rendement sera fondée sur les attentes inscrites dans son PEI et sur les niveaux de rendement décrits dans le présent document. Sur le bulletin scolaire de l'Ontario, on doit cocher la case réservée au PEI pour chaque matière pour laquelle l'élève requiert des attentes modifiées, et on doit inscrire l'énoncé approprié du Guide d'utilisation du bulletin scolaire de l'Ontario de la 1re à la 8e année (voir page 8). Les commentaires de l'enseignante ou l'enseignant doivent comprendre des renseignements pertinents sur la capacité de l'élève à démontrer qu'elle ou il a satisfait aux attentes modifiées. Le personnel enseignant doit aussi indiquer les prochaines étapes. L'éducation antidiscriminatoire dans le programme-cadre d'anglais Comme tous les programmes-cadres qui composent le curriculum de l'Ontario, le programme-cadre d'anglais prépare les élèves à devenir des citoyennes et des citoyens responsables qui comprennent la société complexe dans laquelle ils vivent et qui y participent pleinement. On s'attend donc à ce que l'élève comprenne bien en quoi consistent les droits, les privilèges et les responsabilités inhérents à la citoyenneté. On s'attend aussi à ce que, dans ses paroles et dans ses actes, elle ou il fasse preuve de respect, d'ouverture et de compréhension envers les individus, les groupes et les autres cultures. Pour ce faire, l'élève doit comprendre toute l'importance de protéger et de respecter les droits de la personne et de s'opposer au racisme et à toute autre forme de discrimination et d'expression de haine. De plus, la contribution des peuples autochtones à la richesse et à la diversité de la vie au Canada doit être valorisée et appréciée. En ce qui a trait tout particulièrement au présent programme-cadre, l'élève sera amené à reconnaître la contribution de divers individus et de différentes cultures à la littérature de langue anglaise. Les activités d'apprentissage mises en place dans le cadre du programme devraient être de nature inclusive, refléter divers points de vue et expériences, et sensibiliser l'élève aux expériences et à la perception des autres. Les habiletés de réflexion et de recherche acquises au cours du programme apprendront à l'élève à reconnaître les partis pris, les stéréotypes et les représentations fondées sur des préjugés et à comprendre comment les affaires sont réellement gérées dans un milieu de travail mondialisé. L'éducation inclusive vise à fournir à tous les élèves de la province une chance égale d'atteindre leur plein potentiel en leur permettant d'évoluer dans un environnement sain et sécuritaire. En effet, les élèves ont besoin d'un climat de classe sécurisant et propice à l'apprentissage pour s'épanouir et développer leurs connaissances et compétences, y compris leurs habiletés intellectuelles de niveau supérieur. À cet égard, l'enseignante ou l'enseignant joue un rôle primordial, entre autres, en fixant des attentes pour tous ses élèves et en procurant à chacune et chacun une attention particulière. C'est en planifiant des activités enrichissantes permettant d'établir des liens entre les textes à l'étude et des situations concrètes de la vie que l'enseignante ou l'enseignant fournira à ses élèves des occasions de consolider les connaissances et les habiletés rattachées à l'éducation inclusive qui consiste notamment à sensibiliser les élèves à divers problèmes sociaux. En proposant aux élèves des activités qui mettent en valeur le rôle et l'utilité de l'apprentissage de l'anglais dans le contexte d'un bilinguisme additif dans la vie socioéconomique, l'enseignante ou l'enseignant contribue à accroître l'intérêt et la motivation des élèves, tout en les préparant à devenir des citoyennes et des citoyens responsables. À cet égard, un regard critique des messages véhiculés par les médias sur des questions d'actualité se révèle efficace. PLANIFICATION DE L'APPRENTISSAGE ET DE L'ENSEIGNEMENT La littératie et la numératie Les compétences liées à la littératie et à la numératie sont essentielles à tous les apprentissages, dans toutes les disciplines. On définit la littératie comme la maîtrise des savoirs qui permettent à l'élève de s'exprimer, d'écrire, de lire, de chercher des informations, d'utiliser les technologies de l'information et de la communication et d'exercer une pensée critique à un niveau fonctionnel dans ses apprentissages actuels et futurs. Quant à la numératie, c'est l'ensemble des compétences faisant appel aux concepts mathématiques et aux compétences connexes. Ces compétences essentielles permettent à l'élève d'utiliser la mesure et les propriétés des nombres et des objets géométriques, de résoudre des problèmes divers, de développer sa pensée critique, ainsi que de lire, d'interpréter et de communiquer des données et des idées mathématiques. Toute la vie durant, la littératie et la numératie sont des outils d'apprentissage et d'accès à des niveaux de pensée supérieure dans toutes les disciplines. Il incombe au personnel enseignant de toutes les disciplines de s'assurer que l'élève progresse dans l'acquisition des compétences liées à la littératie et à la numératie. L'enseignante ou l'enseignant qui remarque qu'un élève accuse un retard dans l'acquisition de ces compétences devra prendre des dispositions particulières pour l'aider en s'inspirant des initiatives de littératie et de numératie élaborées par son conseil scolaire et son école. La place des technologies dans le programme-cadre d'anglais Les technologies de l'information et de la communication (TIC) proposent divers outils enrichissants pour l'enseignement et l'apprentissage de l'anglais. Les logiciels de production (p. ex., traitement de texte, dessin, multimédia, dictionnaire), des outils numériques (p. ex., appareil photo, enregistreuse, table de mixage) et des jeux éducatifs aident les élèves à comprendre les nouveaux concepts. Par exemple, rédiger une ébauche à l'ordinateur permet, avec vitesse et souplesse, de réviser et d'étudier, à l'écran ou sur papier, les ratures et les changements apportés au texte, d'apporter d'autres changements, de corriger et d'imprimer une copie finale; enregistrer un cercle de lecture sur vidéo peut amener les élèves à mieux comprendre l'art de la discussion, et enregistrer des émissions radiophoniques peut leur servir à mieux saisir les concepts de la prosodie. Il faut encourager l'élève à utiliser les TIC chaque fois que cela est approprié. En outre, il est important que l'élève puisse disposer (dans leur version traditionnelle, électronique ou numérique) de toute une gamme d'outils pour lire ou interpréter des documents sous toutes leurs formes et en tirer les renseignements offerts. L'élève pourra ainsi développer les habiletés nécessaires à l'utilisation des innovations technologiques et médiatiques et des applications numériques informatisées, à des fins de collecte de données, de simulation, de production, de présentation ou de communication. Les TIC peuvent aussi servir à relier l'élève au monde qui l'entoure. Et grâce aux sites Web et à divers supports numériques, l'élève a maintenant accès aux sources primaires conservées dans diverses banques de données, ce qui lui permet d'effectuer des recherches plus diversifiées et plus authentiques qu'auparavant. Le programme d'orientation et de formation au cheminement de carrière Pour assurer la complémentarité du programme d'orientation et de formation au cheminement de carrière avec l'anglais, le personnel enseignant doit collaborer pour développer les habiletés de l'élève en matière de cheminement personnel, de cheminement interpersonnel et de cheminement professionnel, telles qu'elles sont présentées dans le document Des choix qui mènent à l'action - Politique régissant le programme d'orientation et de formation au cheminement de carrière dans les écoles élémentaires et secondaires de l'Ontario, 1999. Les activités d'exploration de carrière peuvent prendre de nombreuses formes (p. ex., visites de conférenciers, préparation de documents reliés à la recherche d'emploi, lecture de textes informatifs reliés à l'éducation secondaire). La santé et la sécurité Quand l'apprentissage fait appel à des activités pratiques (en particulier, celles qui se déroulent hors de l'école), il faut prendre les dispositions nécessaires sur les questions de santé et de sécurité. L'enseignante ou l'enseignant reverra la politique du conseil scolaire sur les démarches à respecter lors des sorties éducatives et planifiera avec soin ces activités afin de prévoir les problèmes éventuels et de prévenir les risques pour la santé et la sécurité des élèves. 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 and conversations/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 taking Anglais pour débutants (APD); • 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 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. The characteristics given in the achievement chart (pages 20-21) for level 3 represent the "provincial standard" for achievement of the expectations. 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 provides 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. The Achievement Chart for Anglais The achievement chart that follows identifies four categories of knowledge and skills in Anglais. 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 purpose of the achievement chart is 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, as follows: - planning skills (e.g., generating ideas, brainstorming, gathering information, focusing research, organizing information) - processing skills (e.g., interpreting, inferring, comparing, analysing, evaluating, forming conclusions) - critical/creative thinking processes (e.g., hypothesizing, reasoning, synthesizing). • Communication. The conveying of meaning through various oral, written, and visual forms, including media 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 manner 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. For example, in Knowledge and Understanding, the criteria are "knowledge of content" and "understanding of content". The criteria identify the aspects of student performance that are assessed and/or evaluated, and serve as guides to what to look for. 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 - Anglais, Grades 4-8 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., form, structure, and elements of texts; strategies associated with reading, writing, speaking, and listening; processes; conventions; vocabulary) 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, processes, conventions, vocabulary) Level 1: demonstrates limited understanding of concepts Level 2: demonstrates some understanding of concepts Level 3: demonstrates considerable understanding of concepts Level 4: demonstrates thorough understanding of concepts 2. Thinking - The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes The student: • Use of planning skills (e.g., generating ideas, brainstorming, 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., interpreting, inferring, comparing, analysing, 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., hypothesizing, reasoning, synthesizing) 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 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 (e.g., parents, friends, teachers) and purposes (e.g., to inform, to persuade) 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., spelling, grammar, syntax, and punctuation), 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 in familiar contexts (e.g., strategies, reading process, writing process, oral presentation process) 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 4: applies knowledge and skills in familiar contexts with a high degree of effectiveness • Transfer of knowledge and skills (e.g., strategies, reading process, writing process, oral presentation process) 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., social, cultural, personal) 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 Reporting Student Achievement Student achievement must be communicated formally to students and parents by means of the Provincial Report Card, Grades 1-6 and Grades 7-8. The report card focuses on two distinct but related aspects of student achievement: the achievement of curriculum expectations and the development of learning skills. To more clearly reflect these two aspects of student achievement, the report card contains separate sections for reporting on achievement of the overall expectations identified in the curriculum documents, and for reporting on demonstrated skills required for effective learning. The report card also includes teachers' comments on the student's strengths, areas in which improvement is needed, and ways in which improvement might be achieved. Separate sections are provided for recording attendance and lateness in each course. Reporting on Achievement of Curriculum Expectations. The report card provides a record of the student's achievement of the overall expectations set out in the curriculum documents for Grades 1 to 8. Achievement is reported on the Provincial Report Card using letter grades and percentage marks. For all students in Grades 1 to 6, student achievement should be reported as a letter grade (A, B, C, etc.), with a plus or minus sign as required. For all students in Grades 7 and 8, student achievement should be reported as a percentage mark. The percentage grade represents the quality of the student's achievement of the overall expectations set out in the Ontario curriculum and reflects the corresponding level of achievement as described in the achievement chart for each subject. Teachers will use the general descriptors in the four achievement levels as the basis for assessing student work. These descriptors encourage teachers and students to focus on what the student has learned and provide specific information to students about what they can do to improve. Teachers will use a variety of methods to assess what students know and are able to do during each reporting period and identify the most consistent level of achievement for reporting purposes. These judgements will be based on student achievement of the overall expectations that are introduced or further developed during each reporting period. Reporting on Demonstrated Learning Skills. The report card provides a record of the learning skills demonstrated by the student in every subject, in the following nine categories: independent work, initiative, homework completion (work habits), use of information, ooperation with others, conflict resolution, class participation, problem solving, and goal setting to improve work (with assistance, with peers, independently). The learning skills are evaluated using a four-point scale (E-excellent, T-très bien, S-satisfaisant, N-amélioration nécessaire). The separate evaluation and reporting of the learning skills in these nine areas reflects their critical role in the students' achievement of the curriculum overall expectations. To the extent possible, the evaluation of learning skills, apart from any that may be included as part of a curriculum expectation in a subject, should not be considered in the determination of letter grades and percentage marks. STRANDS IN THE ANGLAIS CURRICULUM The expectations in the Anglais curriculum are organized into three strands: Oral and Oral-Visual Communication, Reading and Interpretation, and Writing and Representation. The program is designed to develop a range of essential skills in these three interrelated areas, including a solid foundation in critical thinking and critical literacy skills. As the strand names imply, the texts studied in each strand will include a variety of media forms. Students will therefore learn to interpret, analyse, and assess the ideas, information, and messages in a wide range of English-language literary and informational texts, including visual, audio-visual, and multimedia texts, and to communicate in English in a variety of text forms, often using technological resources to enhance their messages. The forms of texts mentioned in the specific expectations for each grade are the same in all three strands of the grade. For example, in Grade 6, students will listen to and present persuasive texts (debates), read persuasive texts, and write persuasive texts (among other forms). This cross-strand focus reinforces students' ability to understand each form - its purpose, structure, and elements - and to produce good examples of the form. Many of the expectations in the Anglais program are repeated in each grade, reflecting the importance of students' continuing to develop and apply certain skills (e.g., active listening strategies, reading comprehension strategies, a writing process) as they progress from grade to grade. However, as the examples that accompany repeated expectations clearly indicate, students are expected to use these skills with increasing levels of sophistication and apply them to increasingly complex texts as they progress through the grades. Most French-language students in Ontario begin to formally learn English in Grade 4. In those areas where English is introduced at another grade level, the overall and specific expectations will have to be adjusted. Oral and Oral-Visual Communication The Anglais curriculum places great emphasis on helping students develop strong oral and oral-visual communication skills. The ability to listen and view actively and critically, to interact verbally with others, and to express and clarify thoughts, feelings, and opinions in formal and informal speaking situations, using visual and/or technological aids where appropriate, are at the core of basic literacy. These skills play a central role in students' learning, enabling them to become better communicators at school, at home, and in the community. Given the importance of bilingualism in our province and our global society, it is vital that students in French-language schools be able to interact in both official languages with various groups, agencies, organizations, and services in their community and elsewhere. To develop their oral and oral-visual communication skills, students need numerous opportunities to listen to and view communications on a range of subjects and for a variety of purposes. When exposed to a wide variety of oral and oral-visual communications in different media, students develop a better understanding of the relationship among form, purpose, audience, and context, and of the importance of active and critical listening and viewing to comprehend both spoken and unspoken messages. To become effective speakers, students need frequent opportunities to practise speaking English in formal and informal situations. They need to be explicitly taught techniques and strategies of effective speaking, and given opportunities to practise them, so that they can become accomplished speakers of English, able to speak precisely, coherently, and with purpose to a variety of audiences. Students must also learn to adjust their voice, speaking style, and the level of language they use to suit their purpose and audience, and, when making presentations, to integrate visual or multimedia aids that will enhance their message. The Anglais program should provide students with opportunities to engage in oral activities related to the expectations in all strands, such as brainstorming to identify what they know about the topic of a new text they are about to hear or read, discussing problem-solving strategies related to a writing assignment or a collaborative oral-visual presentation, debating issues set out in texts heard or read, defending their own ideas, and offering critiques of the ideas of others. By listening carefully to and respecting the ideas and opinions of others, by interacting with their classmates and audiences in a variety of contexts and settings, and by working with others to prepare and deliver collaborative presentations such as interviews, skits, and debates, students not only develop their oral language skills, but also their social and interpersonal skills. Reading and Interpretation The Reading and Interpretation strand focuses on developing the skills that will enable students to become effective interpreters of all forms of texts, including media texts. Students need to be able to read well in English to be fully engaged in the civic and social life of their community, province, and country. During their secondary school years, and particularly during their postsecondary studies and in their careers, they will often need to rely on their English-language reading skills to accomplish their studies and their work successfully. An effective reader and interpreter is one who not only grasps the essential ideas communicated in a text, but who is able to use and apply these ideas later in new contexts. Students must, therefore, develop the skills needed to understand, analyse, and absorb both stated and implied information from a broad range of sources and the skills needed to think clearly, creatively, and critically. As their English vocabulary becomes richer, students will come to understand the subtleties of the English language, and, as a result, be better able to express themselves in English as well as to understand English-language speakers and writers. Important as they are, reading for information and reading for learning are only two of the purposes for reading that should be emphasized as students develop their reading skills. A well-balanced reading program will provide students with many opportunities to read for pleasure, self-discovery, and self-enrichment. Such reading activities are particularly important in the elementary grades, when attitudes to and habits of reading are first formed, including the attitudes and habits developed in their study of Français. Reading experiences that invite students to discover new worlds and new experiences and to develop their own imaginative powers will go a long way towards convincing them that literature and other reading materials can be a rich source of pleasure and knowledge. Reading is a complex process that requires students to understand the relationships among written language, speech, and imagery, and to relate the ideas and information encountered in reading to their store of knowledge and experience, including the knowledge and experience they have acquired in French. To become independent and fluent readers, students need to read frequently and to apply comprehension strategies at all stages of the reading process (before, during, and after reading) and throughout their education, as they progress to reading increasingly complex texts. Furthermore, by investigating how authors use language, layout, graphics, and images, and how they omit or include certain perspectives and techniques to influence what a reader takes from a text, students will acquire deeper insight into texts, developing important critical thinking and critical literacy skills. The Anglais reading program should include a wide range of materials in a variety of fiction and non-fiction genres and in various media. The kinds of texts studied should not be limited to those set out in the specific expectations or the examples in the substrand "Understanding Forms and Their Characteristics". These expectations and examples, however, can serve as a guide to help teachers provide a diversified reading program. The program should include both classic and contemporary literature of a high standard, including works produced by Canadians. It should include not only picture books, novels, and traditional Anglais textbooks, but also autobiographies, memoirs, and journals; encyclopedias and atlases; graphs, charts, and diagrams; instructions, recipes, and other procedural texts; essays and reports; plays and interviews in print; and media texts such as newspapers, magazines, posters, pamphlets, advertisements, menus, and websites. Frequent exposure to writing of a high quality will inspire students to work towards high standards in their own writing and to develop an appreciation for the power and beauty of the written word. Writing and Representation Learning to write is a multifaceted process involving the development and refinement over time of a range of knowledge and skills. Students build on their writing knowledge and skills from one school year to the next, learning to express themselves in writing with increasing precision and clarity in personal, academic, and, later on, workplace situations. The Anglais program teaches students to use a process approach to writing, in which the different stages of writing overlap and are revisited in a recursive pattern, from the initial planning stage, which involves the generation of ideas and the development of a writing plan, through the drafting, revising, editing, and publishing stages. The overall expectations in the Anglais curriculum reflect this writing process. The goals of the Writing and Representation strand are to help students learn to communicate their ideas clearly and effectively in English, to express themselves creatively in English, and to find and develop their own English-language "voice". Students need to learn to select and organize their ideas, keeping in mind the purpose for which they are writing and the audience they are addressing. They also need to learn the appropriate form of text to use, the conventions of standard Canadian English language usage, and the strategies and techniques, including visual and technological aids, that will enhance their writing or representations. Equally important, they need to become disciplined, creative, and critical thinkers, in order to assess and refine their own work. However, before students are able to write in a certain form, they need to have been exposed to a variety of models of the form and explicitly taught how to recreate it, making appropriate use of the form's structure and elements, and the strategies and techniques associated with the form, including the use of visual and technological aids that help convey messages. Students should be required to use such aids to enhance many of their published texts. In Grades 7 and 8, the concept of research is formally introduced into the curriculum. As students prepare for secondary school, their skills in note-taking, summarizing, and paraphrasing, as well as their skills in organizing, assessing, documenting, and reporting information from a variety of sources all become increasingly important. Finally, writing and representation activities that students see as meaningful and that challenge them to think creatively about topics and issues that are of concern to them will lead them to a fuller and more lasting mastery of the essential skills of writing. GRADE 4 OVERVIEW The literacy skills students have acquired in French by Grade 4 - a basic vocabulary, an understanding of letter-sound relationships, semantic and syntactic awareness - provide them with a solid foundation for learning and developing proficiency in English. They have had considerable experience with the processes and strategies involved in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The Anglais expectations for Grade 4 build on this foundation, and teachers help students apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired in French to their study of the new language. In determining their teaching strategies, however, teachers must take into account that students' level of exposure to English, and their proficiency in the language, may vary widely. The aim of the Grade 4 Anglais curriculum is to develop students' basic communication skills in English. Students receive direct instruction in the processes involved in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. They also learn to interpret and to write, produce, and present simple English-language media texts. Teachers explicitly teach, and model the use of, the knowledge, skills, and strategies that Grade 4 students need to learn in order to achieve the expectations in all three strands and to develop proficiency in English. They provide students with multiple, varied opportunities to practise these new skills. Initially, students "rehearse" their new learning in shared and guided learning sessions; eventually, they demonstrate their achievement of the learning expectations independently through a variety of diverse activities. Grade 4 students learn effective listening, speaking, and presentation skills by listening to, viewing, and responding to simple formal and informal oral and oral-visual communications; by using simple vocabulary and sentence types, basic conversational conventions, and simple organizational structures when speaking and making presentations; by listening to and imitating models of proper pronunciation; by using simple strategies and techniques, including visual and multimedia aids, to enhance their formal presentations; and by having frequent opportunities to speak English purposefully in informal situations, such as classroom and group discussions. Through modelled, shared, interactive, and guided learning experiences, Grade 4 students receive direction and support in learning to interpret and to write/produce simple English-language texts in a variety of forms and genres: short literary texts such as poems and stories; short informational texts such as narrative and descriptive paragraphs and simple procedures such as instructions and directions; and simple media texts such as children's magazines and friendly messages in greeting cards. Through these learning experiences, students begin to develop their knowledge of English vocabulary, grammar, and syntax; their understanding of the strategies and techniques used to enhance texts and influence audiences; and the creative and critical thinking skills necessary for all aspects of learning. GRADE 4 | ORAL AND ORAL-VISUAL COMMUNICATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 4, students will: • use active listening strategies and a range of thinking skills to comprehend and respond to a variety of oral and oral-visual communications; • use vocabulary and conventions of spoken language appropriate for this grade correctly and use the appropriate level of language in classroom discussions and presentations; • prepare and deliver a variety of short independent and collaborative oral and oral-visual presentations, using a process approach and applying knowledge of the basic characteristics and techniques associated with each type of presentation. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Listening and Responding - recognize and use some basic active listening strategies (e.g., stop what they are doing, look at the speaker); - recognize that oral and oral-visual communications have a purpose, and identify that purpose (e.g., to obtain information, to follow simple verbal instructions, to respond to comprehension questions) when listening and viewing; - identify the important ideas, information, and/or messages in oral and oral-visual communications, restating them in their own words; - identify some of the characteristics of formal and informal oral and oral-visual communications, as well as some of the basic techniques used to convey messages (e.g., intonation and pauses in voice recordings, the use of visual aids in speeches, background music and sound effects in radio and television shows); - contribute ideas and opinions to formal and informal discussions, and respond with courtesy and respect to the contributions of others (e.g., take turns speaking during class discussions, provide a simple explanation when agreeing or disagreeing); - express their thoughts and feelings about the ideas and information presented in oral and oral-visual communications, drawing on their own prior knowledge, experience, values, and beliefs (e.g., describe the feelings a poem recited by a classmate evokes in them, play a recording of a favourite piece of music and explain why they like it); Applying the Conventions of Spoken Language - use basic vocabulary and conversational conventions (e.g.,"Please excuse me", "May I ...") correctly in classroom discussions and presentations; - use basic sentence structures, simple verb tenses, and simple connecting words (e.g., but, and, or) when contributing to classroom discussions and making presentations; - use a simple, logical sequence to communicate ideas, information, and opinions clearly and coherently (e.g., present events and information in chronological order when recounting a personal experience, provide instructions for a simple procedure in the order in which the instructions need to be carried out); - identify and distinguish among sounds in spoken language (e.g., distinguish between the use of hard and soft consonants such as c and g , or long and short vowels; identify vowel digraphs), and imitate models of correct pronunciation of familiar vocabulary when speaking; - use formal and informal language appropriately in classroom settings; - read aloud with some fluency (i.e., attempt a fluid rhythm), focusing on correct pronunciation, intonation, and pace (e.g., pausing for commas, stopping for periods); Preparing and Delivering Presentations - plan, develop, review, revise, and rehearse their independent or collaborative oral and oral-visual presentations (e.g., practise pronouncing and articulating words before reciting a poem, plan each group member's role in a collaborative presentation); - deliver a variety of short oral and/or oral-visual presentations, independently or in collaboration with other students, incorporating the characteristics of and techniques associated with the particular type of presentation (e.g., make an audio presentation of a piece of their narrative or descriptive writing, incorporating sound effects, or make an audio-visual presentation of the same work, incorporating both sound effects and photographs; explain a set of procedures to a group, using short imperative sentences delivered in a logical order); - use strategies of effective presentation that are appropriate for the intended purpose (e.g., make eye-contact with their audience when making an important point, use non-verbal cues such as gestures and facial expressions to help describe an event or situation); - use a variety of visual and/or multimedia aids to enhance their presentations (e.g., use appropriate objects to demonstrate a process, use basic video or audio recording technology); - identify, with the teacher's assistance, their presentation strengths, the areas in which they are experiencing problems, and the areas on which they need to focus in order to improve (e.g., "I selected good pictures to go with my presentation, but I need to spend more time rehearsing my speech"). GRADE 4 | READING AND INTERPRETATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 4, students will: • demonstrate an understanding of unfamiliar words and the important ideas, information, and messages in various forms of literary and informational texts, including media texts, using simple comprehension strategies to construct meaning; • identify and describe the form, structure, and elements of a variety of texts, including elements such as literary devices and other techniques used to enhance a text's effectiveness; • demonstrate critical literacy skills by identifying and analysing the messages conveyed by and perspectives taken in texts, and the techniques used in texts to communicate meaning and achieve effects. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Comprehending and Interpreting Using Comprehension Strategies - activate their prior knowledge about the topic of a new text before reading (e.g., brainstorm to identify what they already know about the topic; describe personal experiences related to the topic); - identify different purposes for reading (e.g., for pleasure, to obtain information), and describe the types of texts that are most appropriate for these purposes; - make predictions about the content of a text before and during reading on the basis of illustrations and other graphic elements in the text; - use simple text features (e.g., cover, illustrations, table of contents) to become familiar with the general contents of a text; - apply their knowledge of French vocabulary and grammar in a variety of ways, including the following, to help them understand texts: - recognize words that are similar in both languages (e.g., table/table); - find the verb in a sentence; - use basic word-solving strategies, including the following, to decode and pronounce unfamiliar words: - identify common letter patterns (e.g., ing in thing and living); - identify sound-symbol relationships (e.g., the various ways in which ough is pronounced in English, as in tough, through, and doughnut); - consult a visual dictionary; - use visualization strategies to predict the meaning of unfamiliar words and to help them understand the main ideas, information, and messages in texts (e.g., create a mental image to determine the possible meanings of the word lemur in the sentence, "Put the lemur back in the cage"); - monitor and, where necessary, revise their comprehension of a text (e.g., by asking questions during and after reading, such as, "What is causing the pollution in the river? Did the author tell us earlier in the article?"); - read texts that are appropriate for their reading level at a sufficient rate and with sufficient precision and expression to convey the sense of the text readily to the reader and to an audience; Interpreting Text - identify the important ideas, information, and messages in literary and informational texts, restating them in their own words and providing interpretations, supported by illustrations in the text; - distinguish between works of fiction (e.g., fables, comic books) and informational texts (e.g., magazine articles); - identify and describe the main events in narrative texts, presenting them in sequence; - describe the characters in narrative texts, including their physical traits, their actions, and the conflicts in which they are engaged (e.g., human versus human, human versus nature); - retell a story by adapting it, or an aspect of it, for presentation in another form (e.g., create a poem about the main character in a story); Understanding Forms and Their Characteristics - read a variety of story books and other narrative texts (e.g., graphic novels, folk tales) and identify their basic elements (e.g., narrator, characters, main conflict); - read a variety of poems and describe their form and structure (e.g., in an acrostic poem, the first letters of the lines of the poem, listed consecutively, form a word, often the title of the poem); - read a variety of narrative and descriptive paragraphs and identify their purpose, their structure (e.g., topic sentence, developing sentences, and concluding sentence), and some of the characteristics common to each form (e.g., narrative paragraphs include connecting words that indicate the passage of time, descriptive paragraphs include descriptive vocabulary); - read a variety of children's magazines and identify their common elements (e.g., word games, short articles, illustrations, advertisements); - read a variety of simple procedural texts (e.g., instructions for a treasure hunt, directions to the school cafeteria) and identify their common elements (e.g., imperative sentences, sequential steps); - read and view a variety of simple friendly messages produced in different media forms (e.g., postcards, greeting cards, e-invitations), and identify elements and techniques that are characteristic of each form (e.g., short messages, illustrations); Applying Critical Literacy Skills - develop their own opinions by considering and comparing ideas and information presented in texts and relating the ideas and information to their prior knowledge, experience, values, and beliefs; - identify examples of advertisements in various media that they encounter in their daily lives, and describe the influence those advertisements have on them (e.g., discuss whether advertisements for toys on cereal boxes increase their desire to own those toys); - identify the words and expressions (e.g., descriptive language in poetry) and the comparisons (e.g., similes, metaphors) chosen by authors to evoke clear mental images and impressions in the minds of readers; - draw inferences about the ideas and messages in a text on the basis of evidence in the text and their prior knowledge (e.g., violence in a cartoon may imply that violence is acceptable in general), and present a possible alternative perspective (e.g., retell a cartoon's story from a different character's viewpoint). GRADE 4 | WRITING AND REPRESENTATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 4, students will: • generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience; • write simple texts in a variety of forms and for various media, applying their knowledge of the basic elements and techniques associated with each form; • revise and edit their texts, applying their knowledge of language conventions; • use their knowledge of publishing and production skills and strategies to enhance the presentation of their work. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Developing and Organizing Content - determine, independently or with guidance from the teacher, the purpose of and audience for the text they are planning to create; - use a variety of simple pre-writing strategies independently and as a class to generate and develop ideas and to select an appropriate topic or form for their writing (e.g., independently create a story web; as a class, brainstorm to generate a list of topics); - sort and classify their ideas and information, listing those they intend to present in a logical order; - identify the literary/stylistic devices and/or media techniques they intend to use in writing and producing the text; Applying Knowledge of Forms and Techniques - write simple poems, including acrostic poems: - using expressive vocabulary related to a theme; - applying basic elements of the form (e.g., stanzas) and some simple literary devices (e.g., alliteration); - write narrative paragraphs: - relating events in chronological order; - using connecting words to indicate the passage of time (e.g., yesterday, later, the next day); - write descriptive paragraphs (e.g. , describing a person, place, or thing): - using an appropriate structure (i.e., a topic sentence, developing sentences, and a concluding sentence); - using descriptive vocabulary; - write simple procedural texts (e.g., instructions for a treasure hunt, directions to the cafeteria): - using imperative verbs; - including simple but detailed information; - following a logical order; - produce simple friendly messages in a variety of media forms (e.g., postcards, greeting cards, e-invitations), using elements and techniques (e.g., greetings, good wishes, illustrations, clip art) that are characteristic of the form selected; Revising and Editing Texts - make simple revisions to improve the content, clarity, and interest of their written work, using feedback from the teacher and focusing on the following: - ensuring that all relevant ideas and information are included, and deleting unnecessary ideas and information; - introducing new words from their - reading into their writing; - using words from their oral vocabulary, personal word lists, and class lists compiled in brainstorming sessions; - using common synonyms (e.g., small/little/tiny) and antonyms (e.g., tall/short); - varying their verbs (e.g., using synonyms of the verb to use); - edit and proofread their written work, using reference material (e.g., personal word lists, visual dictionaries) and guidelines developed by the teacher (e.g., an editing checklist specific to the writing task, a posted class writing guideline), and applying the language conventions set out on page 34; Producing Finished Work - produce a clean and legible final draft, using simple techniques and resources to format and enhance the presentation, with a focus on the following: - using headings appropriately to help organize the text; - using underlining, colour, and/or a different style of lettering (e.g., printing, cursive writing, a different font) to emphasize certain text; - integrating clip art, photos, and/or diagrams to supplement or to reinforce information and messages; - identify, with the teacher's assistance, their writing strengths, the areas in which they are experiencing problems, and the parts of the writing process on which they need to focus in order to improve (e.g., "I spelled almost all my words correctly, but I had difficulty choosing a topic. I need to focus on brainstorming to come up with good ideas"). Language Conventions In drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading their texts, students apply their knowledge of the language conventions appropriate for their grade. In Grade 4, students will apply the following conventions correctly: Sentence Structures - the affirmative and negative forms of simple declarative and imperative sentences; - basic connecting words (e.g., and, then, but) to join simple sentences; Parts of Speech - common and proper nouns and personal pronouns (e.g., I, you, he) as subjects; - descriptive adjectives (e.g., big, nice, tall); Use of Verbs - past and present verb tenses in the indicative mood for the most common regular verbs and for the irregular verbs to be and to have; - noun-pronoun agreement (person, number, and gender) and subject-verb agreement; Capitalization and Punctuation - initial capital letters for proper nouns, including the names of days and months; - capitalization and punctuation of abbreviations for respectful titles for people (e.g., Mr., Ms., Dr.) and, where appropriate, for days, months, and places; - the period in declarative and imperative sentences; - commas to separate items in lists, dates, and addresses; Spelling - the correct plural of most common nouns (e.g., add es to form the plural of words ending in s, z, x, sh, and ch). In addition, Grade 4 students will use the following strategies to spell words correctly: - break words into parts; - apply their knowledge of common letter patterns (e.g., double letters), silent letters (e.g., the k in knife and know), and the meaning of words; - apply their knowledge of French vocabulary when words are the same or similar in French and in English (e.g., question/question, table/table). GRADE 5 OVERVIEW In Grade 5, students build on the basic English-language communication skills they acquired in Grade 4, developing their ability to interpret, analyse, and communicate ideas, information, and messages in English. Teachers continue to help students apply the literacy knowledge and skills they have acquired in French to their study of English. The aim of the Grade 5 Anglais curriculum is to further develop students' basic communication skills in English. Students continue to receive direct instruction in the processes involved in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. They also improve their ability to interpret and to write, produce, and present English-language media texts. Teachers explicitly teach, and model the use of, the knowledge, skills, and strategies that Grade 5 students need to learn in order to achieve the expectations in all three strands and to develop proficiency in English. They provide students with multiple, varied opportunities to practise their new skills. Initially, students "rehearse" their new learning in shared and guided learning sessions; eventually, they demonstrate their achievement of the learning expectations independently through a variety of diverse activities. Grade 5 students learn effective listening, speaking, and presentation skills by listening to, viewing, and responding to a variety of formal and informal oral and oral-visual communications; by using new and familiar vocabulary, basic spoken-language conventions, and simple organizational structures when speaking and making presentations; by beginning to use different levels of language to suit particular purposes and audiences; by using a variety of basic strategies and techniques, including visual and multimedia aids, to enhance their formal presentations; and by having frequent opportunities to speak informally. In Grade 5, teachers continue to give students many opportunities to speak English purposefully in informal situations, such as classroom and group discussions and peer conferences. Through modelled, shared, interactive, and guided learning experiences, Grade 5 students receive direction and support in learning to interpret and to write and produce English-language texts in a variety of forms and genres: narrative texts such as comics and short stories; other literary texts such as poems; informational texts such as scripts, interviews, expository paragraphs, and procedural texts; and media texts such as children's magazines, classified ads, and posters. Through these learning experiences, students continue to develop their knowledge of English vocabulary, grammar, and syntax; their understanding of the strategies and techniques used to enhance texts and influence audiences; and the creative and critical thinking skills necessary for all aspects of learning. GRADE 5 | ORAL AND ORAL-VISUAL COMMUNICATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 5, students will: • use active listening strategies and a range of thinking skills to comprehend and respond to a variety of oral and oral-visual communications; • use vocabulary and conventions of spoken language appropriate for this grade correctly and use the appropriate level of language in classroom discussions and presentations; • prepare and deliver a variety of short independent and collaborative oral and oral-visual presentations, using a process approach and applying knowledge of the basic characteristics and techniques associated with each type of presentation. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Listening and Responding - recognize and use basic active listening strategies (e.g., maintain eye contact with the speaker, ignore other sounds and noises); - set a purpose for listening and viewing (e.g., to identify the important ideas in a presentation; to compare opinions; to retell details, events, or situations described); - identify and compare the important ideas, information, and/or messages in various oral and oral-visual communications (e.g., distinguish fact from fiction, compare the ideas presented in two speeches on the same topic); - identify a similar message conveyed by two different forms of oral or oral-visual communication (e.g., an interview and as kit), and compare the ways in which the characteristics of and techniques specific to each form help convey the message; - contribute ideas and opinions to formal and informal discussions, and respond with courtesy and respect to the contributions of others (e.g., contribute their own ideas to large-group discussions, give respectful feedback to peers on their presentations); - express opinions about the ideas and views presented in oral and oral-visual communications, and defend those opinions on the basis of evidence in the communication and their own prior knowledge, experience, values, beliefs, and observations (e.g., state whether they think the portrayal of a character in an audiotaped skit is realistic or a stereotype, and explain why); Applying the Conventions of Spoken Language - use familiar and new vocabulary (e.g., terminology,jargon) and conversational conventions (e.g., the conventions of standard Canadian English) correctly in formaland informal classroom discussions and presentations; - use simple and compound sentences, correct subject-verb agreement, and avariety of connecting words (e.g., then, if, because) when contributing to classroom discussions and making presentations; - use simple organizational patterns (e.g., point-by-point development, chronological order) to communicate ideas, information, and opinions clearly and coherently (e.g., explain their opinions by presenting facts, details, and/or examples in a logical, point-by-point manner); - use correct pronunciation and appropriate intonation and volume when speaking; - distinguish among the different levels of language (e.g., formal: “I do not understand”; informal: “I don’t understand”; colloquial: “Don’t have a clue”), and begin to adapttheir level of language to their purpose and audience (e.g., use informal language when interviewing a classmate about his orher sports activities); - read aloud with increasing fluency and expression, focusing on correct pronunciation and appropriate intonation (e.g., using interrogatory inflections to convey questions), pace, and volume (e.g., raising their voice to convey anger or excitement); Preparing and Delivering Presentations - plan, develop, review, revise, and rehearse their independent or collaborative oral and oral-visual presentations (e.g., practise pronouncing and articulating words and expressions, decide on the gestures and facial expressions that will emphasize characters' emotions in a skit); - deliver a variety of short oral and/or oral-visual presentations, independently or in collaboration with other students, incorporating the characteristics of and techniques associated with the particular type of presentation (e.g., interview a real or fictional character, introducing the person being interviewed, asking open-ended questions, and listening attentively to the answers; present a skit, projecting their voices to ensure that the audience can hear them and using gestures and facial expressions to convey characters'emotions); - use strategies of effective presentation that are appropriate for different purposes and audiences and that help clarify their message (e.g., adjust the language level to suit the presentation, use a catchy opening and a memorable conclusion); - use a variety of visual and/or multimedia aids to enhance their presentations (e.g., present a collage that expresses visually their interpretation of a poem, use a flashlight or other simple lighting technique to highlight the facial expressions of characters in a skit); - identify, with the teacher's assistance, their presentation strengths, the areas in which they are experiencing problems, and the areas on which they need to focus to improve (e.g.,"I think that I spoke clearly, but I didn't use any gestures to help convey the emotion of the poem. I feel awkward making gestures, and I need to practise them until they feel more natural"). GRADE 5 | READING AND INTERPRETATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 5, students will: • demonstrate an understanding of unfamiliar words and the important ideas, information, and messages in various forms of literary and informational texts, including media texts, using simple comprehension strategies to construct meaning; • identify and describe the form, structure, and elements of a variety of texts, including elements such as literary devices and other techniques used to enhance a text's effectiveness; • demonstrate critical literacy skills by identifying and analysing the messages conveyed by and perspectives taken in texts, and the techniques used in texts to communicate meaning and achieve effects. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Comprehending and Interpreting Using Comprehension Strategies - activate their prior knowledge about the topic of a new text before reading (e.g., by identifying and describing other texts they have read on the topic); - set a purpose for reading (e.g., for pleasure, to write a book report), and choose a text that is appropriate for that purpose; - make predictions about a text's ending or message on the basis of clues and information at the beginning of the text; - use common text features (e.g., chapter titles, headlines, headings, subheadings) to become familiar with the general contents of a text and to begin to search for specific information; - apply their knowledge of French vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure in a variety of ways, including the following, to help them understand texts: - recognize words that are similar in both languages (e.g., separate/séparer); - identify a variety of sentence structures; - use word-solving strategies, including the following, to decode and pronounce unfamiliar words: - identify common letter patterns (e.g., knight, knit, knot); - break words into syllables; - identify root words, prefixes, - suffixes, and compound words; - consult a variety of print and electronic dictionaries; - use visualization strategies to help them understand ideas, information, and messages in texts (e.g., using a graphic organizer, create a time line to show the chronology of events in an adventure novel); - monitor and, where necessary, revise their comprehension of a text (e.g., by asking questions during and after reading, by slowly rereading sections where they encountered difficulty); - read texts that are appropriate for their reading level at a sufficient rate and with sufficient precision and expression to convey the sense of the text readily to the reader and to an audience; Interpreting Text - identify the important ideas, information, and messages in literary and informational texts, restating them in their own words and providing interpretations, supported by illustrations and key words in the text; - distinguish between works of fiction and informational texts, and identify their different purposes (e.g., to entertain, to inform, to persuade); - identify and explain the causes of events and conflicts in narrative texts; - identify the strengths and weaknesses of characters in narrative texts by describing their actions, what they say, and the main conflicts in which they are engaged (e.g., human versus human, human versus nature); - adapt or extend a text, or some aspect of it, in a way that demonstrates their understanding of the text (e.g., change the setting or the ending of a novel; add a stanza to a poem); Understanding Forms and Their Characteristics - read a short adventure novel and a variety of other narrative texts (e.g., comic books, graphic novels, short stories) and identify their elements (e.g., characters, conflicts, settings); - read a variety of poems and identify their form (e.g., rhyming), their structure (e.g., stanzas), and some of their basic common and distinctive elements (e.g., common elements such as metre, distinctive elements such as the use of alliteration); - read a variety of scripts (e.g., short dramas, humorous skits) and identify their elements (e.g., dialogue, scenes,stage directions); - read a variety of expository paragraphs and identify their purpose, audience, and structure (e.g., topic sentence; developing sentences that add facts, details, or examples; and concluding sentence); - read and view a variety of children's magazines, identify their purpose, audience, and contents, and explain how the contents are related to the purpose and audience (e.g., a science magazine for preteens will have articles explaining scientific topics of interest to preteens, as well as quizzes and games to keep preteens interested); - read a variety of interviews (e.g., with a local volunteer in a newspaper, with a movie star in a teen magazine) and identify their purpose, audience, and common characteristics (e.g., brief introductions, open-ended questions in a logical order, summary questions); - read a variety of procedural texts and identify their purpose, audience, and elements (e.g., elements common to recipes include a list of ingredients followed by step-by-step instructions in the form of imperative sentences); - read and view short media texts in a variety of forms (e.g., classified ads, posters) and identify their purpose, their audience, and the elements and techniques that are characteristic of each form (e.g., precise vocabulary in a classified ad, catchy headings and varied font sizes in a poster); Applying Critical Literacy Skills - express their opinions about ideas, information, and messages presented in texts, and justify those opinions by drawing on their prior knowledge, experience, values, beliefs, and observations; - select advertisements from various media forms (e.g., teen magazine, television show), and describe how these advertisements influence their choices, preferences, and desires (e.g., clothing choices, music preferences, desire for a particular lifestyle); - identify the ways in which language (e.g., figurative language, including similes and metaphors) and visual elements (e.g., pictures that accompany recipes, fonts that vary according to emphasis) are used to communicate meaning and to enhance the effect of texts and media works on readers and viewers; - draw inferences about the ideas and messages in a text on the basis of evidence in the text and their prior knowledge (e.g., a book about children's hockey that does not include girls playing the game may be promoting stereotypes about gender), and present a possible alternative perspective (e.g., dramatize a text, reversing the stereotypes presented in it). GRADE 5 | WRITING AND REPRESENTATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 5, students will: • generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience; • write simple texts in a variety of forms and for various media, applying their knowledge of the basic elements and techniques associated with each form; • revise and edit their texts, applying their knowledge of language conventions; • use their knowledge of publishing and production skills and strategies to enhance the presentation of their work. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Developing and Organizing Content - determine the purpose of and audience for the text they are planning to create; - use a variety of pre-writing strategies independently and in groups to generate and develop ideas and to select an appropriate topic or form for their writing (e.g., independently engage in free writing; as a group, create a five-senses chart to generate descriptive language); - sort and classify the material they have gathered, listing the ideas and information they intend to present in a logical order, keeping their purpose and audience in mind (e.g., use chronological order for instructions, put the most important feature first in an advertisement); - identify a variety of literary/stylistic devices, and/or media techniques appropriate to the form of text they are planning to create, then choose the ones that best suit their purpose and audience; Applying Knowledge of Forms and Techniques - write poems, including rhyming poems: - using elements of the form such as a rhyming scheme or metre; - using simple literary devices (e.g., assonance, similes); - write the script for a short drama (e.g., a skit): - using dialogue; - using other elements of the form (e.g., scenes, stage directions, a basic plot); - write an expository paragraph: - with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea; - with developing sentences that add facts, details, and examples in a logical order; - with a concluding sentence that summarizes the main idea; - write the text of the questions for an interview (e.g., with the principal, with a local community worker): - with a brief introduction; - with well-formulated, open-ended questions; - with the questions presented in a logical sequence; - write procedural texts (e.g., a recipe, instructions for changing a bicycle tire): - setting out the procedure in a logical sequence (e.g., list a recipe's ingredients in the order in which they are to be used); - using subheadings as organizers; - using imperative verbs; - produce short, persuasive media texts in various forms (e.g., classified ads, posters), using literary/stylistic devices and technological resources (e.g., catchy headings, precise vocabulary, a variety of colours and font sizes) to enhance the persuasiveness of the text; Revising and Editing Texts - make simple revisions to improve the content, clarity, and interest of their written work, using feedback from the teacher and focusing on the following: - ensuring that all relevant ideas and information are included, and deleting unnecessary ideas and information; - ensuring that their ideas progress logically and that the text is coherent; - introducing new words from their reading into their writing; - using synonyms (e.g., big/huge) and antonyms (e.g., long/short); - using prefixes (e.g., unfriendly) and suffixes (e.g., friendship) correctly; - edit and proofread their written work, using reference material (e.g., print and electronic dictionaries, checklists) and guidelines developed by the teacher (e.g., an editing checklist specific to the writing task, a posted class writing guideline), and applying the language conventions set out on page 43; Producing Finished Work - produce a clean and legible final draft, using a variety of techniques and resources to format and enhance the presentation, with a focus on the following: - using headings and subheadings appropriately to help organize the text; - using underlining, colour, and/or a different style of lettering (e.g., printing, cursive writing, a different font) to emphasize certain elements of the text (e.g., use underlining or a bold font for titles and headings); - integrating clip art, photos, and/or diagrams to supplement and help clarify information and messages; - labelling diagrams accurately; - identify, with the teacher's assistance, their writing strengths, the areas in which they are experiencing problems, and the parts of the writing process on which they need to focus in order to improve (e.g.,"I used three different powerful words to describe the car's speed, but I need to check my spelling more carefully"). Language Conventions In drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading their texts, students apply their knowledge of the language conventions appropriate for their grade. In Grade 5, students will apply the following conventions correctly: Sentence Structures - the affirmative and negative forms of simple and compound imperative, exclamatory, and interrogative sentences; - connecting words to link ideas in sentences, and to combine two simple sentences into a compound sentence; Parts of Speech - common and proper nouns, interrogative pronouns (e.g., what, which, who), and demonstrative pronouns (e.g., this, that, these); - personal pronouns in their three cases: nominative (I, you, he, she, we, they), objective (me, you, her, him, us, them), and possessive (my, mine,your, yours, his, her, hers, our, ours, their, theirs); - adjectives and regular adverbs (e.g., quickly, quietly, softly); - collective nouns (e.g., herd, flock, class); - compound subjects (e.g., Tim and I went to the park); Use of Verbs - the past, present, and future tenses of common regular verbs in the indicative mood; - subject-verb agreement with collective nouns (e.g., The flock of geese was flying high in the sky); Capitalization and Punctuation - capitalization and punctuation for abbreviations, where abbreviations are appropriate (e.g., tsp.for teaspoon, P.S. for postscript); - end marks in declarative, imperative, exclamatory, and interrogative sentences; - commas after salutations; - the apostrophe in common contractions (e.g., don't, can't, won't) and to indicate possession (e.g., the girl's dog, the boys' mothers); - colons after the speakers' names in scripts and interview texts; - hyphens to spell certain compound words (e.g., self-control, sit-up, blue-eyed); - hyphens between syllables when dividing words at the end of a line; Spelling - the correct plural of all nouns. In addition, Grade 5 students will use the following strategies to spell words correctly: - apply their knowledge of common letter patterns, silent letters, word structure, and root words; - apply their knowledge of the meaning of words and word parts (e.g., ed at the end of a regular verb usually indicates past tense); - apply their knowledge of French vocabulary when words are the same or similar in French and in English. GRADE 6 OVERVIEW In Grade 6, students continue to build on the English-language communication skills they acquired in the earlier grades, beginning to develop fluency in the language and further developing their ability to interpret, analyse, and communicate ideas, information, and messages in English. Teachers continue to help students apply the literacy knowledge and skills they have acquired in French to their study of English. Teachers explicitly teach, and model the use of, the knowledge, skills, and strategies that Grade 6 students need to learn in order to achieve the expectations in all three strands and to develop proficiency in English. They provide students with multiple, varied opportunities to practise their new skills. Initially, students "rehearse" their new learning in shared and guided learning sessions; eventually, they demonstrate their achievement of the learning expectations independently through a variety of diverse activities. Grade 6 students learn effective listening, speaking, and presentation skills by listening to, viewing, and responding to a variety of formal and informal oral and oral-visual communications; by incorporating specialized vocabulary, applying the conventions of spoken English, and using a variety of organizational structures when speaking and making presentations; by using a level of language that is appropriate for their purpose and audience; by using a variety of strategies and techniques, including effective speaking strategies and various visual and multimedia aids, to enhance their formal presentations; and by having frequent opportunities to speak informally. In Grade 6, teachers continue to give students many opportunities to speak English purposefully in informal situations, such as classroom and group discussions and peer conferences. Through modelled, shared, interactive, and guided learning experiences, Grade 6 students receive direction and support in learning to interpret and to write and produce English-language texts in a variety of forms and genres: poems; narrative texts such as short stories, fables, comic strips, and personal narratives; informational texts such as persuasive paragraphs, event summaries, and short biographies; and media texts such as magazines and pamphlets. Through these learning experiences, students continue to develop their knowledge of English vocabulary, grammar, and syntax; their understanding of the strategies and techniques used to enhance texts and influence audiences; and the creative and critical thinking skills necessary for all aspects of learning. GRADE 6 | ORAL AND ORAL-VISUAL COMMUNICATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 6, students will: • use active listening strategies and a range of thinking skills to comprehend and respond to a variety of oral and oral-visual communications; • use vocabulary and conventions of spoken language appropriate for this grade correctly and use the appropriate level of language in classroom discussions and presentations; • prepare and deliver a variety of independent and collaborative oral and oral-visual presentations, using a process approach and applying knowledge of the characteristics and techniques associated with each type of presentation. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Listening and Responding - use active listening strategies (e.g., maintain an attentive posture, leaning their upper body towards the speaker; use non-verbal language that indicates they are paying attention, such as nodding in agreement); - set a purpose for listening and viewing (e.g., to identify and understand both sides of an argument in a debate, to understand and be able to follow detailed verbal instructions); - summarize the ideas and information in oral and oral-visual communications, and identify the point of view expressed (e.g., summarize a speaker's views on a topic); - identify the primary characteristics of and techniques associated with various forms of oral and oral-visual communications, including media forms (e.g., in debates, speakers speak clearly, use formal language, and speak in a specified order; in televised news reports, the news reader or "anchor" uses formal language and delivers the news from an anchor desk, with the camera focused on his or her face); - contribute ideas and opinions to formal and informal discussions, and respond constructively to others' contributions (e.g., offer a speaker an additional point to support his or her opinion; offer a differing opinion in an objective, respectful manner); - compare their own views to the views and messages presented in oral and oral-visual communications, defending their opinions on the basis of evidence in the communication as well as their own prior knowledge, experience, and observations; Applying the Conventions of Spoken Language - incorporate new and specialized vocabulary regularly into classroom discussions and presentations, keeping in mind their purpose and audience; - use a variety of simple and compound sentences, the past, present, and future tenses of verbs, and a variety of connecting words when contributing to classroom discussions and making presentations, keeping their purpose and audience in mind; - use a variety of organizational patterns (e.g., comparison, a list of reasons with supporting evidence for each reason) to communicate ideas, information, and opinions clearly and coherently (e.g., in presenting an argument, begin by clearly stating a position, then present a list of reasons with supporting evidence, and end by restating the position); - use most of the strategies of effective speaking (e.g., appropriate vocabulary; correct pronunciation; appropriate tone, pace, and pitch); - distinguish among the different levels of language (i.e., formal, informal, colloquial), and use the level that is appropriate for their purpose and audience (e.g., use formal language when presenting a news report); - read aloud with increasing fluency and expression, focusing on pronouncing clearly and correctly, varying their intonation, adjusting the pace of their delivery (e.g., in response to punctuation), and adjusting the volume of their voice (e.g., to appropriately convey the mood of a poem); Preparing and Delivering Presentations - plan, develop, review, revise, and rehearse their independent or collaborative oral and oral-visual presentations (e.g., practise intonation and pace, test and adjust equipment and all components before making a multimedia presentation); - deliver a variety of oral and/or oral-visual presentations, independently or in collaboration with other students, incorporating the characteristics of and techniques associated with the particular type of presentation (e.g., collaborate on the presentation of a mini-debate, speaking clearly, using formal language, and respecting the basic rules of debating; present an audio or audio-visual recording of a news report based on one of their event summaries, using formal language, varying their intonation, delivering the news from an anchor desk, and using an appropriate camera angle); - use strategies of effective presentation that are appropriate for their purpose and audience and that help clarify their message (e.g., speak forcefully and maintain eye contact with their opponent and the audience in a debate, pause for emphasis when delivering a news report); - use a variety of visual and/or multimedia aids to enhance their presentations (e.g., show a short video clip that will help an audience understand a presentation, display items related to the presentation topic); - identify, with the teacher's assistance, their presentation strengths, the areas in which they are experiencing problems, and the areas on which they need to focus in order to improve, and set personal goals for improvement. GRADE 6 | READING AND INTERPRETATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 6, students will: • demonstrate an understanding of unfamiliar words and the ideas, information, and messages in various forms of literary and informational texts, including media texts, using comprehension strategies to construct meaning; • identify and describe the form, structure, and elements of a variety of texts, including elements such as literary devices and other techniques used to enhance a text's effectiveness; • demonstrate critical literacy skills by identifying and analysing the messages conveyed by and perspectives taken in texts, and the techniques used in texts to communicate meaning and achieve effects. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Comprehending and Interpreting Using Comprehension Strategies - activate their prior knowledge about the topic of a new text before reading (e.g., make a connection between the topic and related topics or issues they have read about or viewed a presentation on in the media); - set a purpose and determine an appropriate speed (e.g., skimming, reading closely) for reading by previewing the content and structure of texts; - make predictions about the content of a text before and during reading on the basis of clues provided in the text (e.g., "Based on the author's description of the house, I think that it will turn out to be haunted"); - use text features (e.g., glossary, index) to become familiar with the general contents of a text and to locate specific information; - apply their knowledge of French vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, and syntax in a variety of ways, including the following, to help them understand texts: - identify and pronounce unfamiliar words (e.g., use their knowledge that ph is pronounced like f to pronounce the word elephant); - identify the function of a word (e.g., a descriptive word next to a verb [usually an adverb] modifies the meaning of the verb); - use word-solving strategies, including the following, to decode and pronounce unfamiliar words and phrases: - use the context of the word or phrase; - use their knowledge of the structure of words (e.g., words can consist of root words plus a prefix and/or suffix, compound words consist of two words); - consult a variety of print and electronic dictionaries and other resources, including thesauruses; - use visualization strategies to help them understand ideas, information, and messages in texts (e.g., set out in chart form the reasons an author gives to support his or her opinion); - monitor and, where necessary, revise their comprehension of a text (e.g., by asking questions during and after reading; by slowly rereading sections where they encountered difficulty; by drawing inferences based on evidence in the text, such as: "Earlier in the book we learned that the boy is afraid of the bully. I think that's why he decided not to go to practice."); - read texts that are appropriate for their reading level at a sufficient rate and with sufficient precision and expression to convey the sense of the text readily to the reader and to an audience; Interpreting Text - identify and summarize the important ideas, information, and messages in literary and informational texts, providing interpretations based on evidence from the text; - identify and distinguish between facts and opinions in informational texts from various media (e.g., pamphlets, children's magazines, websites); - identify the main events in narrative texts and their location in the plot (e.g., introduction, rising action, climax, falling action or dénouement); - describe the points of view, motivations, and internal and/or external conflicts of the main and secondary characters in narrative texts; - distinguish between the topic of a text (e.g., a brother and sister who play hockey) and its theme (e.g., gender discrimination in children's hockey); - compare different forms of texts (e.g., a pamphlet and a newspaper article on the same topic) by describing their distinctive elements and purposes; Understanding Forms and Their Characteristics - read a short fantasy novel and other forms of short fiction (e.g., short stories, fables, legends) and identify their elements (e.g., characters, plot, theme); - read a variety of poems and identify their form (e.g., free verse, diamante), their structure (e.g., the diamond shape of a diamante poem), and their common and distinctive elements (e.g., common elements such as the use of figurative language, distinctive elements such as image patterns in free verse or rhymes in a rhyming poem); - read a variety of persuasive paragraphs; identify their purpose, audience, and point of view; and describe their structure (e.g., an introductory sentence that clearly states the opinion; supporting arguments; a conclusion that restates the opinion); - read a variety of magazines, identify their purpose, audience, and contents, and describe how the contents address the purpose and audience (e.g., articles about, pictures of, and advertisements for high-powered cars in a teen magazine are intended to persuade teens that these cars are desirable); - read a variety of event summaries (e.g., reports of sports events, cultural events, field trips) and identify their elements (e.g., the 5 W's - who, what, when, where, why); - read a variety of short biographies and identify their purpose and common characteristics (e.g., chronological order of events; the author's use of primary sources such as diaries, letters, and eyewitness accounts); - read and view a variety of pamphlets and identify their purpose (e.g., to inform, to persuade), their audience, and their elements (e.g., catchy slogans, attractive visuals, precise vocabulary); - read and view a variety of short comic strips (e.g., from a local newspaper), and identify their characteristic elements (e.g., short, precise dialogue presented in speech bubbles; a direct relationship between the illustrations and the characters' words; a series of frames presenting the action in a logical sequence); Applying Critical Literacy Skills - express their opinions about a topic after reading a variety of texts on that topic, and justify their opinions by making connections among what they have read, their prior knowledge and experience, and their observations; - explain how the placement of particular advertisements in particular media forms (e.g., toy commercials in Saturday morning cartoons, car advertisements in financial magazines) targets and attempts to persuade particular audiences; - assess the effectiveness of specific techniques used in a variety of texts (e.g., sentence patterns and imagery in fiction, dark colours in horror movie posters) to create mood and to evoke images in the minds of readers and viewers; - draw inferences about the purpose of a text, and the opinions it conveys, on the basis of evidence in the text (e.g., by depicting an honest but poor character stealing food, the author may be suggesting that poverty can change people's behaviour), and present a possible alternative perspective (e.g., that stealing is never justified). GRADE 6 | WRITING AND REPRESENTATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 6, students will: • generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience; • write texts in a variety of forms and for various media, applying their knowledge of the elements and techniques associated with each form; • revise and edit their texts, applying their knowledge of language conventions; • use their knowledge of publishing and production skills and strategies to enhance the presentation of their work. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Developing and Organizing Content - determine the purpose of and audience for the text they are planning to create; - use a variety of pre-writing strategies independently and collaboratively to generate and develop ideas and to select an appropriate topic and form for their writing (e.g., create a mind map, brainstorm with others and consult resources such as magazines to generate possible topics); - plan their writing, using simple outline formats to sort information and to list and organize their ideas in a logical manner; - identify a variety of literary/stylistic devices and/or media techniques appropriate to the form of text they are planning to create, then choose the ones that best suit their purpose and audience; Applying Knowledge of Forms and Techniques - write short pieces of fiction and/or personal narratives: - fiction: with a simple plot, setting, and characters; personal narratives: with a brief account of a personal experience, and descriptions of the setting and people involved; - with a focus on ensuring coherence throughout the text (e.g., by using connecting words related to the passage of time, by changing verb tenses as appropriate); - write a variety of poems, including simple free-verse and diamante poems: - applying elements of the form (e.g., the characteristic structure of a diamante poem); - using literary devices (e.g., imagery, onomatopoeia); - with a focus on using descriptive vocabulary; - write persuasive or argumentative paragraphs: - with a specific audience in mind; - with a topic sentence that clearly states an opinion; - with three arguments in support of the opinion; - with a conclusion that restates the opinion; - write an event summary (e.g., of a sports event, field trip): - using the five W's (who, what, when, where, why) to organize the information; - with a catchy introduction and a conclusion; - with a development section that describes simple facts and provides details and/or examples; - write a short (e.g., five-paragraph) biography: - combining narration and description; - with an introduction, a body, and a conclusion; - using at least one primary source (e.g., interview, eyewitness account, memoir); - produce a promotional pamphlet (e.g., promoting a product or service): - with a specific audience in mind; - using clear and precise vocabulary; - using short sentences to convey the desired information; - using literary/stylistic devices and technological resources (e.g., a catchy slogan, lists of benefits or advantages, attractive visual elements such as clip art and different fonts) to enhance the persuasiveness of the text and to produce a clean and appealing document; - produce a comic strip based on a text under study or a personal experience: - using clear and precise vocabulary to convey the characters' thoughts; - using characteristics of the form (e.g., short and clear dialogue in speech bubbles, a logical sequence of events depicted in distinct frames); Revising and Editing Texts - make revisions to improve the content, clarity, and interest of their written work, using feedback from the teacher and focusing on the following: - following their outline and revising it if necessary; - adding details that clarify or support their intended meaning, or that would appeal to their target audience; - introducing new words and expressions from their reading into their writing; - using specialized or technical language or jargon when appropriate to the subject and audience; - using a variety of sentence structures; selecting and using the most effective adverbs for their purpose (e.g., Julian cautiously placed the crystal vase on the glass table); - edit and proofread their written work, using a variety of reference materials (e.g., print and electronic dictionaries, spell-check programs, grammar and style guides) and guidelines developed by the teacher (e.g., an editing checklist specific to the writing task), and applying the language conventions set out on page 53; Producing Finished Work - produce a clean and legible final draft, using a variety of techniques and resources to format and enhance the presentation, with a focus on the following: - using headings and subheadings appropriately to help organize the text; - using underlining, colour, and/or varied styles of lettering appropriately for different purposes (e.g., use eye-catching colours in a promotional pamphlet); - integrating clip art, photos with appropriate captions, and/or accurately labelled diagrams to supplement or reinforce information and messages; - identify, with the teacher's assistance, their writing strengths, the areas in which they are experiencing problems, and the parts of the writing process on which they need to focus in order to improve, and set personal goals for improvement. Language Conventions In drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading their texts, students apply their knowledge of the language conventions appropriate for their grade. In Grade 6, students will apply the following conventions correctly: Sentence Structures - the affirmative and negative forms of all types of simple and compound sentences; - connecting words to link ideas and to combine simple sentences; Parts of Speech - indefinite pronouns (e.g., all, everyone, few); - prepositions (e.g., in, into, at, by); - coordinating conjunctions (e.g., and, but); - modifiers such as comparative and superlative adjectives (e.g., big/bigger/biggest) and adverbs (e.g., fast/faster/fastest); - nouns and pronouns as subjects, direct objects, or indirect objects, depending on their grammatical functions; - subjects and predicates in all sentences (except imperative sentences, where the subject is understood); - compound subjects and compound verbs in both simple and compound sentences; Use of Verbs - the past, present, and future tenses of regular and irregular verbs in the indicative mood; - subject-verb agreement for compound subjects (e.g., Roman and I jump ...); Capitalization and Punctuation - capitalization and punctuation of abbreviations and acronyms (e.g., St., YWCA, CPR); - commas with appositives (e.g., My friend from Montreal, Danielle, is visiting me); - colons to introduce dialogue; - quotation marks to indicate direct speech; - hyphens after certain prefixes (e.g., co-pilot) and in the numbers 21 to 99 when written in words (e.g., twenty-one, ninety-nine); Spelling - homophones, in context (e.g., The tree was bare;The bear was as tall as the tree). In addition, Grade 6 students will use the following strategies to spell words correctly: - apply their knowledge of common letter patterns (e.g., consonant digraphs like ch and sh), word structure, root words, and the meaning of words; - apply generalizations about spelling (e.g., i before e except after c, or when sounded like ay as in neighbour or weigh), and recognize exceptions to rules (e.g., the "i before e" rule does not apply to weird); - apply their knowledge of French vocabulary when words are the same or similar in French and in English. GRADE 7 OVERVIEW In Grade 7, students begin to consolidate their English-language communication skills, improving their fluency, their confidence in using the language, and their ability to interpret, analyse, and communicate ideas, information, and messages in English. Teachers continue to help students apply the literacy knowledge and skills they have acquired in French to their study of English. They also continue to provide students with multiple, varied opportunities to practise newly acquired knowledge, skills, and strategies, and, eventually, to demonstrate their achievement of the learning expectations in all strands independently through a variety of diverse activities. Grade 7 students continue to develop effective listening, speaking, and presentation skills by listening to, viewing, and responding to increasingly complex and challenging oral and oral-visual communications; by defending their views about ideas and information presented; by adapting their vocabulary, organizational structure, level of language, and speaking style to their purpose and audience; by using a variety of strategies and techniques, including effective speaking strategies and various visual and multimedia aids, to enhance their formal presentations; and by having frequent opportunities to speak informally. In Grade 7, teachers continue to give students many opportunities to speak English purposefully in informal situations, such as classroom and group discussions and peer conferences. In Grade 7, students are formally introduced to researching. As researchers, interpreters, and writers/producers of print and media texts, Grade 7 students use their language knowledge, skills, and strategies as tools for finding information, exploring ideas, expressing opinions, and taking positions. They interpret and write/produce English-language texts in a variety of forms and genres - literary texts such as short stories, other narrative forms, and poems; informational texts such as reports, articles, opinion letters, and reviews; and media texts such as games - and they apply their knowledge of these different texts in a wide range of learning contexts. Modelled, shared, and guided learning experiences continue to provide instructional support for Grade 7 students as they consolidate their knowledge of essential skills and processes. However, the focus of instruction is on helping students analyse and think critically about the texts they encounter and develop the ability to independently choose and use appropriate forms, structures, vocabulary, conventions, and stylistic elements to communicate ideas and information effectively for diverse purposes and audiences. GRADE 7 | ORAL AND ORAL-VISUAL COMMUNICATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 7, students will: • use active listening strategies and a range of thinking skills to comprehend and respond to a variety of oral and oral-visual communications; • use vocabulary and conventions of spoken language appropriate for this grade correctly and use the appropriate level of language in classroom discussions and presentations; • prepare and deliver a variety of independent and collaborative oral and oral-visual presentations, using a process approach and applying their knowledge of the characteristics and techniques associated with each type of presentation. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Listening and Responding - use a variety of active listening strategies (e.g., take notes)and interact withthe speaker in appropriate ways (e.g., listen to the entire presentation before commenting or asking questions); - set a purpose for listening and viewing (e.g.,to analyse the speaker’s opinion, tosynthesize ideas presented in a literature circle); - ask for clarification when necessary, restating the speaker’s message in theirown words to verify their understanding (e.g., “If I understood correctly, what you’re saying is...”); - summarize and compare information generated by a variety of oral and/or oral-visual sources (e.g., news broadcasts, radio talk shows) that express differentperspectives on a topic; - identify the primary characteristics of and techniques associated with various forms of oral and oral-visual communications, including media forms (e.g., in multimedia presentations, speakers adjust their pace, pausing before each new point, and use manually or electronically produced visual elements, and sound, if appropriate, to support each point); - contribute ideas and opinions to formaland informal discussions, and respond constructively to others’ contributions, defending their own opinions (e.g., offering supporting evidence for their opinions when they disagree with another student’s review of a film, listening attentively and with an open mind to others’ suggestions during peer conferencing); - express and defend their opinions about the ideas and views in oral and/ororal-visual communications, making reference to a range of diverse, documented sources that they have consulted; Applying the Conventions of Spoken Language - adapt new and specialized vocabulary to their purpose and audience (e.g., use correct technical terms in presenting are search report, use appropriate slang expressions in a humorous skit); - use a variety of sentence types, including complex sentences, as well as appropriate verb tenses and a variety of connecting and transitional words and phrases (e.g., therefore, later that day) when contributing to classroom discussions and presentations; - use a structure and style appropriate to both the topic and the intended audience to communicate ideas, information, and opinions clearly and coherently (e.g., use a formal cause-and-effect structure in presenting a research report; use a straight forward,impersonal style to deliver a prepared review of a novel, movie, or television program); - use most of the strategies of effective speaking (e.g., appropriate vocabulary; correct pronunciation; appropriate tone, pace, and pitch), striving for a fluent, confident, and natural delivery when speaking or when reading out loud; - distinguish among the different levels of language, and use the level that is appropriate for their purpose and audience (e.g., formal, in an essay; informal, in classroom discussions; colloquial, in conversation with friends after school); Preparing and Delivering Presentations - plan, develop, review, revise, and rehearse their independent or collaborative oral and oral-visual presentations (e.g., practise a smooth and natural delivery, modify a presentation by adding or removing material or by using a more appropriate visual aid); - deliver a variety of oral and/or oral-visual presentations, independently or in collaboration with other students, incorporating the characteristics of and techniques associated with the particular type of presentation (e.g., present a prepared review of a novel, movie, or television program, using specialized vocabulary, such as metaphor or fadeout, and making eye contact with the audience; conduct a quiz that requires class participation and interaction, using a tone and pace that will encourage a lively exchange and including props or visual elements that will engage their classmates; present a multimedia version of one of their research reports, including a text delivered orally, slowing their pace when explaining difficult concepts and incorporating visual aids, such as a photo montage or digital photos); - begin to adapt their presentation strategies to their audience's non-verbal reactions, taking steps to maintain, repair, or increase the effectiveness of their delivery (e.g., adjusting their intonation to reflect the mood of a poem they are reciting, pausing or slowing the pace of their delivery to help the audience comprehend their meaning or message, becoming more animated when reviewing a television program); - use a variety of visual and/or multimedia aids to enhance presentations (e.g., create cue cards or question-and-answer cards for the presentation of a quiz, use software to create and modify graphics for a presentation); - identify, with the teacher's assistance, their presentation strengths, the areas in which they are experiencing problems, and the areas on which they need to focus to improve, with an emphasis on setting personal goals for improvement and revising their presentations with those goals in mind. GRADE 7 | READING AND INTERPRETATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 7, students will: • demonstrate an understanding of unfamiliar words and the ideas, information, and messages in various forms of literary and informational texts, including media texts, using comprehension strategies to construct meaning; • identify and describe the form, structure, and elements of a variety of texts, including elements such as literary devices and other techniques used to enhance a text's effectiveness; • demonstrate critical literacy skills by identifying and analysing the messages conveyed by and perspectives taken in texts, and the techniques used in texts to communicate meaning and achieve effects. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Comprehending and Interpreting Using Comprehension Strategies - activate their prior knowledge about the topic of a new text before reading (e.g., brainstorm to identify what they know about the topic and what they would like to know about it); - set a purpose for reading (e.g., to acquire information), and select a text that is appropriate for that purpose, contains an appropriate level of complexity, and is at their reading level; - make predictions about the content of a text before and during reading by using their knowledge of the text's form and/or genre; - use text features (e.g., margin organizers; graphic texts that present important information in a visual form, such as maps, diagrams, and charts) to quickly locate specific information that will help them interpret the text; - apply their knowledge of French vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, syntax, and text organization in a variety of ways, including the following, to help them understand texts: - identify and pronounce unfamiliar words (e.g., use their knowledge of the word entrevue to comprehend and pronounce interview); - identify the form of a text from the way it is organized (e.g., recognize an opinion piece); - use word-solving strategies, including the following, to decode and pronounce unfamiliar words and phrases: - use the context of the word or phrase; - use their understanding of the role of transition words (e.g., first, then, and next indicate position in a sequence); - consult a variety of print and electronic dictionaries and other resources, including thesauruses and glossaries; - use visualization strategies to help them understand ideas, information, and messages in texts (e.g., create mental images to help them understand figures of speech such as metaphors and personification); - monitor and, where necessary, revise their comprehension of a text (e.g., by asking questions during and after reading; by rereading when necessary; by checking their understanding of the author's use of figurative language - "The boy's head couldn't be as big as a pumpkin! Oh, I see, it's a simile."); - read texts that are appropriate for their reading level at a sufficient rate and with sufficient precision and expression to convey the sense of the text readily to the reader and to an audience; Interpreting Text - identify and summarize the important ideas, information, and messages and the supporting details in literary and informational texts, providing interpretations based on detailed evidence from the text; - identify and distinguish between facts and opinions or points of view in informational texts from various media (e.g., articles and opinion pieces from various magazines; movie reviews; websites); - predict events in narrative texts and the consequences of these events for both characters and plot, citing evidence from the text to support their predictions; - identify the motivations and internal and/or external conflicts of individual characters in narrative texts, and predict how these motivations and conflicts will influence the actions of other characters; - distinguish between the topic of a text (e.g., an end-of-year field trip) and its theme (e.g, the importance of friendship to one's well-being), and describe the techniques used by authors to convey themes (e.g., the effect or consequences of a character's actions, the use of literary devices such as symbolism); Understanding Forms and Their Characteristics - read a science fiction novel and a variety of short literary texts, including short stories and poems, and identify their elements (e.g., theme), the ways in which certain elements are developed (e.g., plot: cause and effect; characters: motivation, response to actions of others), and the literary devices (e.g., metaphors, personification) used in the texts; - read magazine articles on a variety of issues and identify their structure (e.g., introductory statement, body, and closing statement) and the author's point of view, where present (e.g., in opinion pieces); - read a variety of research reports and identify their structure (e.g., title, introduction, body, conclusion, and references); - read a variety of opinion letters and identify their structure (e.g., introduction that attracts attention and/or states the topic or opinion, supporting arguments, and conclusion that summarizes the opinion); - read a variety of reviews (e.g., of movies, plays, television shows) and identify their elements (e.g., a short summary of the work, the author's opinion about the work, the author's recommendations to the reader); - view a variety of games (e.g., board games, television quiz shows, video games), reading any related text (e.g., instructions), and identify elements that are common to the form (e.g., clear and concise language, scoring rules, attractive graphics, sound effects); Applying Critical Literacy Skills - develop and clarify their opinions about texts they have read by comparing their own views to opinions expressed by others about the same texts (e.g., consider their classmates' opinions, and then defend their own views or explain how and why they have changed their mind; describe a review they have read of a text and its influence on their opinion); - identify subliminal advertising techniques used in media texts or by media producers to target specific audiences (e.g., product placement in television shows aimed at teen audiences, movie-related gadgets that come with meals in fast-food restaurants); - assess the effectiveness of specific structures and other organizational techniques used in texts (e.g., a cause-and-effect format in a research report, flashbacks in novels and films) in helping readers and viewers understand the text; - draw inferences about the presence of bias, values, and/or point of view in a text, on the basis of evidence in the text (e.g.,"Because this pamphlet describes the pollution caused by cars and the benefits of riding bikes, it must advocate protection of the enviroment"), and present a possible alternative perspective (e.g., create a pamphlet on a related topic, presenting a different point of view). GRADE 7 | WRITING AND REPRESENTATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 7, students will: • generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience, conducting research as required; • write texts in a variety of forms and for various media, applying their knowledge of the elements and techniques associated with each form; • revise and edit their texts, applying their knowledge of language conventions; • use their knowledge of publishing and production skills and strategies to supplement or reinforce the ideas or information they are presenting and to enhance the presentation of their work. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Developing and Organizing Content - determine the purpose of and audience for the text they are planning to create; - use a variety of pre-writing strategies independently and collaboratively to generate and develop ideas and to select an appropriate topic and form for their writing (e.g., research a topic to get ideas for a specific theme or focus, use clustering to sort and develop their ideas); - conduct research, when it is required (e.g., for essays, articles, research reports), in the following way: - determine the focus of their research, and develop a plan for gathering relevant information (e.g., identify the categories and potential sources of the information needed); - locate, select, and evaluate the material gathered according to their plan; - record important ideas and information by summarizing and/or paraphrasing them, making appropriate records of all sources to avoid plagiarism; - use graphic organizers to sort information and examples into categories; - plan their writing, using outline formats to sort information and organize their material in a logical and effective manner; - select literary/stylistic devices and/or media techniques that are appropriate to their topic and purpose and that will enhance their message and appeal to their audience; Applying Knowledge of Forms and Techniques - write short narrative texts stemming from their own or imagined experiences (e.g., travelogues, fables): - applying elements of the form (e.g., setting, plot or sequence of events, theme); - presenting events and supporting details in a logical manner; - write a variety of free-verse poems based on their personal responses (e.g., feelings, thoughts) to life around them: - using descriptive language related to the five senses; - incorporating literary devices (e.g., metaphor, personification, imagery); - write a short magazine article on a topic of interest to teens (e.g., musical groups, sports, movies): - providing relevant information about the topic; - using a writing style appropriate to the form, purpose, and audience (e.g., using informal and/or colloquial language); - respecting the elements of and techniques associated with the form (e.g., a catchy title, quotes from sources, graphics or pictures, column layout); - with a closing statement that summarizes their personal opinion about the topic or that suggests alternative views; - write a three-paragraph research report related to a text or theme under study: - following the prescribed formats for presentation and for citing and document sources; - with a clear introduction; - with a fully developed body paragraph that effectively summarizes and/or paraphrases information gathered from sources; - with a definitive conclusion; - write an opinion letter: - with an introductory paragraph that attracts the reader's attention, states the topic, and provides their opinion about the topic; - with a body paragraph that sets out their arguments; - with a concluding paragraph that restates their opinion about the topic in summary form; - write a review (e.g., of a movie, a play, a television show): - with an introduction that gives a short summary of the work (e.g., plot, setting, mood); - with details and examples that enhance or detract from the work's quality or appeal; - with a conclusion that offers a clearly stated opinion about the work and a recommendation to the reader; - produce a short game related to a theme or text under study (e.g., a board game related to the subject of a novel they have read, a television quiz show related to a unit of study in another subject): - using clear and concise language to convey information (e.g., clearly written rules; well-formulated, closed questions, categorized by subject; limited, precise answers); - using characteristics of the form (e.g., a host and a panel of players, scoring rules, cards providing answers); Revising and Editing Texts - make revisions to improve the content, clarity, and interest of their written work, using feedback from the teacher and focusing on the following: - following and, if necessary, revising their outline, ensuring that their message is clear; - creating logical transitions between ideas; - using a variety of sentence structures; - using the appropriate level of language (e.g., formal language for a research report, informal language in a narrative, colloquial language in direct quotations); - varying their choice of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs to make their writing more effective (e.g., change "the games were fun"to "the challenging hockey games always provided non-stop entertainment"); - edit and proofread their written work, using a variety of reference materials (e.g., print and online dictionaries, thesauruses, glossaries, spell-check programs) and guidelines developed by the teacher (e.g., an editing checklist specific to the writing task), and applying the language conventions set out on page 63; Producing Finished Work - produce a clean and legible final draft, using a variety of techniques and resources to format and enhance the presentation, with a focus on the following: - creating title pages for assignments; - using underlining and/or varied styles of lettering appropriately for specific purposes (e.g., print titles and headings in capital letters and use cursive writing for the body of the text; use a different font size for each level of heading in a research report); - integrating clip art, photos with appropriate captions, and/or accurately labelled graphs and diagrams to supplement or to reinforce information and messages; - for research reports: following the prescribed formats for presentation (e.g., title page: method of organization, spacing) and for citing and documenting sources; - identify, with the teacher's assistance, their writing strengths, the areas in which they are experiencing problems, and the parts of the writing process on which they need to focus in order to improve, with an emphasis on setting personal goals for improvement and reviewing their drafts with those goals in mind. Language Conventions In drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading their texts, students apply their knowledge of the language conventions appropriate for their grade. In Grade 7, students will apply the following conventions correctly: Sentence Structures - a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences with coordinating and subordinating conjunctions; - connecting words to link ideas in compound and complex sentences, and transitional words to link paragraphs; Parts of Speech - relative pronouns (e.g., which, whichever, what, whatever); - subordinating conjunctions (e.g., because); - modifiers, including irregular comparative and superlative adjectives (e.g., good/better/best), irregular comparative and superlative adverbs (e.g., little/less/least), prepositional phrases (e.g., on the beach), and dependent clauses (e.g., when Aimée arrived home); - verb forms used as nouns (i.e., gerunds) (e.g., Singing is fun) or as adjectives (e.g., The falling snow was a beautiful sight), depending on their grammatical function; - compound subjects and compound verbs in all types of sentences; - direct and indirect objects in all types of sentences; Use of Verbs - the past, present, and future progressive tenses of regular and irregular verbs (e.g., Scott is painting. Scott was painting. Scott will be painting.); Capitalization and Punctuation - capitalization and punctuation of abbreviations and acronyms (e.g., Ave., RCMP, UNICEF); - commas to clarify or emphasize ideas (e.g., My sister arrived, in tears, and explained what had happened to her.); - quotation marks to indicate direct speech; Spelling - common standard Canadian spelling conventions (e.g., colour,not color); - English spellings for words that are similar to French words with the same meaning (e.g., biography, not biographie; mask, not masque). In addition, Grade 7 students will use the following strategies to spell words correctly: - apply their knowledge of common letter patterns, word structure, root words, and the meaning of words; - apply generalizations about spelling (e.g., some verbs that end with a consonant double the consonant before adding ed or ing, such as stop/stopped and travel/travelling), and recognize exceptions to the rules (e.g., words that end in c add a k before adding ed or ing,such as panic/panicked). GRADE 8 OVERVIEW In Grade 8, students continue to consolidate their English-language communication skills, improving their fluency, their confidence in using the language, and their ability to interpret, analyse, and communicate ideas, information, and messages in English. Teachers continue to help students apply the literacy knowledge and skills they have acquired in French to their study of English. They also continue to provide students with multiple, varied opportunities to practise newly acquired knowledge, skills, and strategies, and, eventually, to demonstrate their achievement of the learning expectations in all strands independently through a variety of diverse activities. Grade 8 students continue to develop effective listening, speaking, and presentation skills by listening to, viewing, and responding to increasingly complex and challenging oral and oral-visual communications; by defending their opinions about the accuracy of information, conclusions, and views presented; by adapting, as appropriate, their material, organizational structure, and level of language, and the strategies and techniques they use to help convey their message and enhance their delivery, in order to help their audience comprehend their message and enjoy their presentation; and by having frequent opportunities to speak informally. In Grade 8, teachers continue to give students many opportunities to speak English purposefully in informal situations, such as classroom and group discussions and peer conferences. As researchers, interpreters, and writers/producers of print and media texts, Grade 8 students use their language knowledge, skills, and strategies as tools for finding information, exploring ideas, expressing opinions, and taking positions. They interpret and write/produce English-language texts in a variety of forms and genres - literary texts such as poems, dramas, and short stories; informational texts such as reports, articles, and opinion texts; and media texts such as advertisements - and they apply their knowledge of these different texts in a wide range of learning contexts. Modelled, shared, and guided learning experiences continue to provide instructional support for Grade 8 students as they continue to consolidate their knowledge of essential skills and processes. However, the focus of instruction is on helping students analyse and think critically about the texts they encounter and develop the ability to independently choose and use appropriate forms, structures, vocabulary, conventions, and stylistic elements to communicate ideas and information effectively for diverse purposes and audiences. GRADE 8 | ORAL AND ORAL-VISUAL COMMUNICATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 8, students will: • use active listening strategies and a range of thinking skills to comprehend and respond to a variety of oral and oral-visual communications; • use vocabulary and conventions of spoken language appropriate for this grade correctly and use the appropriate level of language in classroom discussions and presentations; • prepare and deliver a variety of independent and collaborative oral and oral-visual presentations, using a process approach and applying their knowledge of the characteristics and techniques associated with each type of presentation. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Listening and Responding - use a variety of active listening strategies, and interact with the speaker in appropriate ways (e.g., give feedback at an appropriate time); - set a purpose for listening and viewing (e.g., to synthesize information being gathered for an assignment, to identify and analyse a point of view presented in a speech); - ask for clarification when necessary, restating the speaker's message in their own words to verify their understanding and as a way to retain and comprehend what they have heard; - classify and compare information and opinions generated by a variety of oral and oral-visual sources, identifying the points of view expressed and any bias that may exist (e.g., classify and compare opinions about a current news story that have been presented in a student's speech, a radio news broadcast, and a televised documentary); - identify the primary idea, message, or theme of various forms of oral and oral-visual communications, and explain how the characteristics of and techniques associated with each form help to convey the main idea, message, or theme and address the purpose and audience of the communication (e.g., in a town-hall debate between candidates for mayor, the candidates speak clearly, provide carefully reasoned opinions about local issues, and change their tone, inflection, and level of language to emphasize points or to criticize their opponents' views, all to convince the audience of their suitability for the job; in a television commercial promoting an action movie, loud sound effects and video clips of fast-paced scenes are used to attract the attention of young people and persuade them that they will enjoy the movie); - contribute appropriate ideas and opinions to formal and informal discussions, building on the ideas and opinions of others and respecting opinions that differ from their own (e.g., assume tasks in collaborative group work, respectfully consider and respond to the ideas of others); - express and defend their opinions about the accuracy of information, conclusions, or views in various forms of oral and oral-visual communications, basing their opinions on evidence in the communication and in a range of diverse, documented sources that they have consulted; Applying the Conventions of Spoken Language - select and use vocabulary that enhances their contributions to discussions and presentations (e.g., strong verbs, effective modifiers) and that is appropriate to their purpose and audience (e.g., specialized terms in a research report, standard Canadian English in a book review, slang expressions in classroom discussions); - use a variety of sentence structures, appropriate verbs and verb tenses, appropriate levels of language, and a variety of connecting and transitional words and phrases (e.g., first, second, third; such as) when contributing to classroom discussions and presentations; - use a structure and style appropriate to both the topic and the intended audience to communicate ideas, information, and opinions clearly and coherently (e.g., in presenting the results of research, begin by stating the research focus, the procedures followed, and the conclusions reached; combine logic with an appeal to emotion in a charity fund-raising speech); - use a variety of strategies of effective speaking (e.g., clear enunciation, varied intonation, appropriate pace and pitch), adapting their delivery as appropriate to help listeners comprehend their message and enjoy their presentation; - combine formal, informal, and/or colloquial levels of language in appropriate ways to suit a specific context, audience, or purpose (e.g., in negotiating responsibilities in collaborative assignments, to recapture an audience's attention if it has wandered during a presentation); Preparing and Delivering Presentations - plan, develop, review, revise, and rehearse their independent or collaborative oral and oral-visual presentations (e.g., for a speech, practise varying their pace, intonation, and gestures to maintain their audience's interest; for a collaborative presentation, prepare a draft that includes the material required, each member's responsibilities, and all deadlines); - deliver a variety of oral and/or oral-visual presentations, independently or in collaboration with other students, incorporating the characteristics of and techniques associated with the particular type of presentation (e.g., deliver a speech, making limited use of cue cards, using speaking strategies that are appropriate for the topic, purpose, and audience, and making eye contact with the audience; present an audiotape of a short radio show on a topic of common interest, interviewing someone who is knowledgeable about the topic and including theme music; present one of their research reports orally, using formal language and specialized terms and incorporating visual aids, using presentation software if desired); - increasingly adapt their presentation strategies to their audience's non-verbal reactions, taking steps to maintain, repair, or increase the effectiveness of their delivery (e.g., pointing to a graphic representation of information on a chart, encouraging and responding to questions during their presentations); - use a variety of visual and/or multi media aids to enhance their presentations (e.g., integrate music and/or sound effects into an audiotape; use props representative of a historical period being discussed; include graphics or film clips that illustrate aspects of their topic); - identify, independently and with the teacher's assistance, their presentation strengths, the areas in which they are experiencing problems, and the areas on which they need to focus to improve, with an emphasis on assessing their presentation plans and making revisions that will improve their delivery and the strategies and techniques they use to enhance their presentations. GRADE 8 | READING AND INTERPRETATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 8, students will: - demonstrate an understanding of unfamiliar words and the ideas, information, and messages in various forms of literary and informational texts, including media texts, using comprehension strategies to construct meaning; - identify and describe the form, structure, and elements of a variety of texts, including elements such as literary devices and other techniques used to enhance a text's effectiveness; - demonstrate critical literacy skills by identifying and analysing the messages conveyed by and perspectives taken in texts, and the techniques used in texts to communicate meaning and achieve effects. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Comprehending and Interpreting Using Comprehension Strategies - activate their prior knowledge about the topic of a new text before reading (e.g., research the topic by perusing related articles or media works such as a documentary on the topic); - set a purpose for reading and adopt an approach to reading that is appropriate for both the purpose and the form of the text (e.g., scan the text features to become familiar with the general contents, skim a text looking for specific information, read carefully to absorb the mood of a novel); - make predictions about the content of a text before and during reading by using their knowledge of the text's form, genre, and/or author; - use a variety of text features (e.g., special fonts, highlighted quotes) to quickly locate specific information that will help them interpret the text; - apply their knowledge of French vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, syntax, and text organization in a variety of ways, including the following, to help them understand texts: - identify the author's opinion in a persuasive paragraph, applying their knowledge that the opinion is usually stated in the first sentence; - use a wide variety of word-solving strategies, including the following, to decode and pronounce unfamiliar words and phrases: - use the context of the word or phrase; - consult a variety of print and electronic dictionaries and other resources, including encyclopedias on CD-ROMs; - use visualization strategies to help them understand ideas, information, and messages in texts (e.g., create mental images to predict the meaning of figures of speech and unfamiliar expressions); - monitor and, where necessary, revise their comprehension of a text (e.g., by asking questions during and after reading; by rereading when necessary; by checking their understanding of the author's use of compositional elements, as in a flashback or dream sequence that contains a change in time or setting); - read texts that are appropriate for their reading level at a sufficient rate and with sufficient precision and expression to convey the sense of the text readily to the reader and to an audience; Interpreting Text - identify and summarize the important ideas, information, and messages and the supporting details in literary and informational texts, providing interpretations based on specific passages, elements of the text, and techniques used by the author; - identify and distinguish between facts and opinions or points of view in informational texts from various media (e.g., television advertisements, newspaper articles and editorials), and identify some techniques authors use to support their opinions (e.g., supplying statistics, quoting experts, manipulating facts); - describe the development of plots, and the connections between plots and subplots, in narrative texts; - identify the motivations and internal and/or external conflicts of individual characters in narrative texts, describe how these conflicts influence the choices the characters make, and predict how the choices characters make will affect the plot and subplots; - compare the treatment of themes in two or more texts (e.g., compare the way the theme of friendship is explored in two different texts); Understanding Forms and Their Characteristics - read a mystery novel, a play, and a variety of short stories and poems, and identify certain elements (e.g., setting, mood), the ways in which these elements are developed (e.g., for plot: subplots, conflict and resolution; for characters: internal conflicts, reactions to stereotypes), and the literary devices (e.g., symbols, hyperbole) used in the texts; - read a variety of magazine articles and identify their elements (e.g., hook and/or topic sentence; introduction; presentation of facts, ideas, or opinions and supporting details; conclusion) and the author's point of view, where present (e.g., in persuasive essays); - read a variety of news articles and identify their elements (e.g., headlines, bylines, place/location lines, leads, the five W's, photographs, the inverted pyramid style) and the author's point of view, where present (e.g., in journalists' columns); - read a variety of research reports (e.g., a research article in a teen science magazine, a research paper on a social studies topic) and compare their structures (e.g., identify similarities and differences in the way material is organized, in the style used for citing sources and reference material); - read a variety of opinion texts (e.g., letters to the editor and editorials from various newspapers and magazines) and identify their common and distinctive elements (e.g., common elements such as the standard format used to present an argument, distinctive elements such as the use of exaggeration as a persuasive technique); - read and view a variety of advertisements (e.g., from newspapers, television, billboards), and identify their characteristic elements (e.g., catchy slogans, powerful vocabulary intended to convince, visual and sound effects, persuasive techniques such as celebrity endorsements); Applying Critical Literacy Skills - defend their opinions about texts they have read, citing evidence in the text and comparing their own views to a range of opinions expressed by others about the same text (e.g., compare several magazine or newspaper reviews of a novel they have read, and explain how and why the other opinions have influenced their views); - identify how the portrayal of teenagers in various media affects their values, self-image, and lifestyle (e.g., male and female stereotypes on television, images of the human body in magazines and advertisements); - assess the effectiveness of various techniques used to communicate messages in texts, with respect to achieving the text's purpose and engaging its intended audience (e.g., the hook in a magazine article, the colourful graphics and informal language used in a poster promoting healthy eating to teenagers); - draw inferences about the way various media texts portray reality by comparing the "constructed reality" in these works to their own experience of life (e.g., assess the level of realism in the portrayal of preteens in advertisements from various media), and present a possible alternative perspective (e.g., use research they have done on the effect of constructed reality on preteens to describe more realistic scenarios than those presented in the advertisements). GRADE 8 | WRITING AND REPRESENTATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 8, students will: • generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience, conducting research as required; • write texts in a variety of forms and for various media, applying their knowledge of the elements and techniques associated with each form; • revise and edit their texts, applying their knowledge of language conventions; • use their knowledge of publishing and production skills and strategies to supplement or reinforce the ideas or information they are presenting and to enhance the presentation of their work. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS To achieve the overall expectations, students will: Developing and Organizing Content - determine the purpose of and audience for the text they are planning to create; - use a variety of pre-writing strategies independently and collaboratively to generate ideas, to develop ideas and arguments, and to select an appropriate topic and form for their writing (e.g., explore print and electronic resources to generate ideas, use concept mapping to develop ideas, use graphic organizers to sort information); - conduct research, when it is required (e.g., for essays, articles, research reports), in the following way: - determine the focus of their research, and develop a plan for gathering relevant information (e.g., identify the categories and potential sources of the information needed); - locate, select, and evaluate research material gathered according to their plan; - record important ideas and information by summarizing and/or paraphrasing them, making appropriate records of all sources to avoid plagiarism; - use graphic organizers to sort information and examples by topic and sub-topic, and use the sorted information as a basis for developing an outline for their report; - plan their writing, using an appropriate outline format to organize their material, indicating on it the transitions they propose to make between ideas and information to create a logical flow; - select literary/stylistic devices and/or media techniques that are appropriate to their topic and purpose and that will enhance their message and appeal to their audience; Applying Knowledge of Forms and Techniques - write a variety of free-verse poems (e.g., song lyrics): - appealing to the senses in their creation of atmosphere or mood; - incorporating figures of speech (e.g., personification, metaphor) and other literary devices (e.g., hyperbole, contrast, alliteration); - write the script for a short drama (e.g., a scene from a play): - with a fast-paced plot; - with realistic characters; - with effective dialogue and stage directions; - write one-paragraph responses to questions on texts that they have read: - with a topic sentence that repeats key - words in the question; - with two or three sentences that answer the question; - with a closing statement that summarizes the key ideas in the response; - write a news article on a current event (e.g., for the school newspaper): - using the five W's (who, what, when, where,why) to organize the information; - varying their verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, and incorporating colloquial language (e.g., in direct quotations); - write a multi-paragraph research report: - following the prescribed formats for presentation and for citing and document sources; - with a clear introduction; - with fully developed body paragraphs that effectively paraphrase relevant ideas and/or information from at least two print and/or electronic sources; - with a conclusion that summarizes their key findings; - write a five-minute speech on a topic of personal interest to them or for a community event (e.g., a campaign speech before a school election; a speech for the opening of a new sports facility): - with an attention-grabbing introductory sentence (i.e., a hook); - with the ideas and opinions presented in a logical order; - with a forceful conclusion; - produce an advertisement (e.g., for television, newspapers, a billboard): - using clear and concise language to convey information and to convince the target audience; - using characteristics of the form (e.g., a catchy slogan, visual and/or sound effects, persuasive techniques such as celebrity endorsements); Revising and Editing Texts - make revisions to improve the content, clarity, and interest of their written work, using feedback from the teacher and their peers and focusing on the following: - using clear and appropriate transitions between ideas and information; - clarifying their purpose by adding relevant information and removing irrelevant information and unnecessary words; - using the appropriate level of language (i.e., formal, informal, colloquial), and varying it for effect where appropriate; - varying their choice of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs (e.g., change "the activity was great"to "the multimedia presentation quickly generated excitement in the auditorium"); - edit and proofread their written work, using a variety of reference materials (e.g., print and online dictionaries, thesauruses, glossaries, spell-check programs) and guidelines developed with the teacher and their peers (e.g., an editing checklist specific to the writing task), and applying the language conventions set out on page 73; Producing Finished Work - produce a clean and legible final draft, using a variety of techniques and resources to format and enhance the presentation, with a focus on the following: - creating title pages for assignments; - underlining or using an italic font for the titles of books, magazines, and movies and for foreign or emphasized words or phrases in their work; - including tables or spreadsheets as appropriate to convey specific kinds of information (e.g., statistics, survey data, financial information); - integrating clip art, photos with appropriate captions, and/or accurately labelled tables, graphs, and diagrams to supplement or to reinforce information and messages; - for research reports, following the prescribed formats for presentation (e.g., title page, table of contents, method of organization, spacing) and for citing and documenting sources; - identify, independently and with the teacher's assistance, their writing strengths, the areas in which they are experiencing problems, and the parts of the writing process on which they need to focus in order to improve, with an emphasis on assessing their own drafts and making revisions that improve the quality, clarity, and style of their writing. Language Conventions In drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading their texts, students apply their knowledge of the language conventions appropriate for their grade. In Grade 8, students will apply the following conventions correctly: Sentence Structures - a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences, that use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions; - a variety of transitional words and phrases to link sentences and paragraphs; Parts of Speech - reciprocal pronouns (e.g., each other, one another) and reflexive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves); - present participles used as nouns (i.e., gerunds) (e.g., Baking is fun) or as adjectives (e.g., the lurking cat), depending on their grammatical function; - past participles used as adjectives (e.g., the painted car) or as verbs (e.g., They have painted the car red), depending on their grammatical function; - compound subjects and compound verbs in all types of sentences; - a variety of modifiers, including prepositional phrases (e.g., beside the table) and dependent clauses (e.g., because they fell to the ground); - the objective case in prepositional phrases (e.g., Chris noticed his father in the crowd and walked towards him); Use of Verbs - the past, present, and future perfect tenses of regular and irregular verbs (e.g., I had been, I have been,I will have been); - transitive and intransitive verbs in the active voice (e.g., transitive: make; intransitive: exist); Capitalization and Punctuation - capitalization and punctuation of abbreviations and acronyms; - commas to separate introductory phrases or clauses from the main part of sentences, and to separate phrases and clauses in a series; - ellipses to indicate incomplete thoughts or omissions from quoted material; - a dash to show breaks in sentences or to indicate interruptions in speech; - quotation marks to indicate direct speech and to distinguish words being discussed as words (e.g., What is the definition of "homophone"?); Spelling - common standard Canadian spelling conventions (e.g., practise [v.],not practice); - English spellings for words that are similar to French words with the same meaning (e.g., address, not adresse; marriage, not mariage). In addition, Grade 8 students will use the following strategy to spell words correctly: - apply their knowledge of common letter patterns, word structure, root words, and the meaning of words. GLOSSARY achievement levels. Brief descriptions of four different degrees of student achievement of the provincial curriculum expectations for any given grade. Level 3, which is the "provincial standard", identifies a high level of achievement of the provincial expectations. Parents of students achieving at level 3 in a particular grade can be confident that their children will be prepared for work at the next grade. Level 1 identifies achievement that falls much below the provincial standard. Level 2 identifies achievement that approaches the standard. Level 4 identifies achievement that surpasses the standard. acrostic. A poem or series of lines in which certain letters, usually the first in each line, form a word or phrase (e.g., name, motto, message) when read in sequence. active listening strategies. Behaviour that helps a person listen intently to and understand spoken language. Examples include: facing the speaker, removing or ignoring distractions, demonstrating attentiveness (e.g., by leaning ones' upper body towards the speaker), taking notes and reformulating information (e.g., by paraphrasing, summarizing), waiting to ask questions until the presentation is over or the speaker has asked for questions. advertisement. A paid notice in the print, broadcast, or electronic media promoting a product or service, usually for sale, or an idea, position, or person (e.g., a political ad during an election campaign). alliteration. The effect created by the repetition of a letter or sound at the beginning of each, or most, of the words in a series of words (e.g., the sweet smell of success, a dime a dozen). assonance. The similarity of sounds in closely connected words caused by the repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds, especially in stressed syllables (e.g., tilting at windmills). atmosphere. See mood. audience. The intended readers, listeners, or viewers of a particular text; the specific group at which the ideas, information, and/or message in the text are aimed. Also called target audience. biography. An account of a person's life written or produced by another person. celebrity endorsement. A persuasive technique used by marketers, whereby a celebrity endorses a product or service in order to promote it. classified ads. Short advertisements, usually published in print media, selling items or services. The ad can consist of as little as the type of item being sold (e.g., clothing) and a telephone number to call for more information, or it can contain more detail about the item or services offered (e.g., a detailed description) and more information about contacting the seller. Pictures and graphics are not usually included. climax. The most intense point of a plot, and often the turning point, when the resolution is determined. See also plot. clip art. Ready-made pictures, symbols, and other forms of graphic art, such as illustrations, borders, and backgrounds, that can be copied from software programs to illustrate a text. clustering. A pre-writing technique used to develop a topic. In clustering, the student writes his or her topic in the centre of a page and then writes ideas that are related to or inspired by the topic, or supporting details and facts, in clusters around the topic. The resulting diagram can be used to create a structure for the text, and to help the student decide what information to keep and what to discard. Also called mind-mapping and webbing. colloquial. A casual level of language that may be used in everyday conversation, but not in formal speech (e.g., Don't have a clue). comic strip. A sequence of cartoon panels that tells a brief, usually humorous, story. concept map. A graphic representation of information that helps readers clarify the meaning of a text. In making a concept map, students summarize information from a text and organize it by listing, sorting, or sequencing it, or by linking ideas and information. Concept maps help students understand the relative importance of individual points and the way in which these points relate to one another. conventions. Accepted practices or rules in the use of spoken or written language. critical literacy. The capacity for a particular type of critical thinking that involves looking beyond the literal meaning of texts to observe what is present and what is missing, in order to analyse and evaluate the author's intent. Critical literacy goes beyond conventional critical thinking in that it focuses on issues related to fairness, equity, and social justice. Critically literate students adopt a critical stance, asking what view of the world the text advances and whether they find this view acceptable. debate. A formal discussion in which reasons are advanced for and against a proposition or proposal. Debaters follow rules pertaining to the order in which they present their views and rebut their opponents' views, and are subject to time limits. dénouement. The part of a plot that follows the climax, when events are explained and conflicts resolved. Also called falling action and resolution. See also plot. descriptive text. A text that describes something or someone, providing concrete and specific details that appeal to one or more of the reader's five senses and often using figurative language. diamante. A seven-line poem, shaped like a diamond. documentary. A factual and informative account, in a film or a radio or television program, of a political, historical, or socially or culturally significant figure or event. Documentaries often consist of a narrated text accompanied by interviews, photographs, film footage, and/or sound recordings. draft. A preliminary version of a text. editing. The making of changes to the content, structure, and wording of drafts to improve the organization of ideas, eliminate awkward phrasing, correct grammatical and spelling errors, and generally ensure that the writing is clear, coherent, and correct. elements of text. The characteristic aspects of a particular form of text (e.g., the elements of a story include plot, characters, setting, theme). enunciation. The clear pronunciation of words or parts of words. event summary. A short narrative text that recounts events, usually in the student's life (e.g., a sports game, a field trip, an incident witnessed). explicit teaching. Direct, purposeful teaching of specific knowledge, skills, or strategies. In explicit teaching, the teacher explains what the knowledge, skill, or strategy is, why it is used, and when to use it; models how to use it; guides and coaches students as they practise it (e.g., in shared reading and then in guided reading sessions); and then asks them to demonstrate their learning independently. expository text. A form of text that is used to explain, describe, or inform. fable. A fictional, usually short, narrative that makes an edifying or cautionary point. In fables, the characters are often animals that speak and act like humans. falling action. See dénouement. fantasy novel. A work of fiction that contains highly fanciful or supernatural elements. figure of speech. A word or phrase used in a non-literal way to create a desired effect (e.g., metaphor, simile, personification, oxymoron). See also literary (or stylistic) device. five (5) W's. The five basic questions (who, what, where, when, and why) that provide a framework for recounting personal or factual experiences and retelling stories or events. fluency. Ease, accuracy, and apparent effortlessness in the flow of speech or writing, usually resulting from practice and from confidence in one's mastery of a language. form of text. A category or type of text that has certain defining characteristics. The concept of text forms provides a way for readers and writers to think about the purpose of a text and its intended audience. Examples include: story or other narrative piece, anecdote, commentary, critical review, description, instructions or procedures, recount (personal or informational), transcription of or script for an interview, announcement, poetry, argument, position paper, essay, research report, television or radio script, editorial, speech, letter, minutes of a meeting, notes, jottings, poem, song text, dialogue, label, supported opinion, summary, cartoon caption, log, diary, memoir, journal, riddle, commercial, advertisement, list, survey, word web, chart. free verse. Poetry composed of lines that vary in length and that do not rhyme or follow a particular metre. genre. A category in which a literary or other artistic work may be included, on the basis of its style, form, or content (e.g., comedy, drama, science fiction, mystery). graphic novel. A story in comic-strip form, published as a book. graphic organizer. A visual framework that helps students organize, analyse, synthesize, and assess information and ideas (e.g., a Venn diagram, a word web, a flow chart). hyperbole. A literary device in which exaggeration is used deliberately for effect or emphasis (e.g., a flood of tears, piles of money). imagery. Descriptions and figures of speech (e.g., metaphors, similes) used by writers to create vivid mental pictures in the mind of the reader. See also figure of speech and literary (or stylistic) device. inference. An interpretation made or a conclusion reached about a text by a reader, listener, or viewer using reasoning and based on stated and implied ideas in the text and prior knowledge and experience. interview. A conversation in which one person poses a series of questions, often prepared in advance, to another person (e.g., a reporter conducts interviews with people of interest to the public, such as politicians, experts, or celebrities; an employer conducts interviews with job applicants). intonation. The rise and fall of the voice or change of pitch that helps convey meaning (e.g., the voice rises at the end of a question). inverted pyramid. The name used to describe a style of writing, traditionally preferred in journalism, in which the most important information is presented at the beginning of the text (represented by the wide part of the inverted pyramid), and the remaining material is presented in descending order of importance. jargon. Another word for specialized or technical language, but one that usually carries a negative connotation. Jargon should be avoided, except in a text that is intended for an audience of people who are familiar with, and regularly use, the jargon. See also specialized or technical language. literary (or stylistic) device. A particular pattern of words, a figure of speech, or a technique used in literature to produce a specific effect. Examples include: rhyme, parallel structure, analogy, comparison, contrast, irony, foreshadowing, allusion, juxtaposition, simile, metaphor, personification, pun, hyperbole, oxymoron, symbolism. See also figure of speech and imagery. literary text. Examples include: story, short story, adventure story, detective story, fable, myth, legend, folk tale, poem, novel, mystery novel, historical novel, fantasy novel, science fiction novel, play, script, story book, picture book. mass media. Means of communication aimed at a very large audience. Examples include: mass-market paperback books, billboards, television, movies, newspapers, magazines, the Internet. media. The plural of medium. A medium is a means of communication. Examples include: print, radio, television, the Internet. media form (of text)/media text. A text that is communicated through a medium. Examples include: advertisement; brochure, pamphlet; food packaging, clothing, jewellery, action figure, etc., used to advertise or promote a product; newspaper, magazine, newspaper or magazine article, zine; cartoon; website, Web page, blog; greeting card, e-mail message; television program (documentary, news program, sports program, nature program, reality show, situation comedy); movie, movie trailer; dictionary, encyclopedia, and other reference works on CD-ROM; interactive software; multimedia text; database. metaphor. A literary device that involves attributing a name or quality to something to which that name or quality cannot be attributed literally, in order to imply a comparison; a comparison of two different things, without the use of like or as (e.g., her presence was a ray of light in a dark world). See also simile. metre. The rhythm of a poem, which depends on the number and length of feet in each line. modelling. A demonstration by the teacher of how to perform a task or use a strategy. Students copy the teacher in order to learn the modelled processes and skills. Modelling may include thinking aloud, to help students become aware of the processes and skills involved. mood. The overall tone of a literary work. Authors establish mood partly through their descriptions of setting and partly through the traits they assign to their characters, and the objects and events they choose to describe. Also called atmosphere. multimedia presentation. A single work that uses more than one medium to present information and/or ideas; for example, an oral report that includes a slide show, diagrams, and a video or audio clip. narrative text. A text that recounts events or tells a story. Examples include: short story, novel, personal narrative. Plays and poems that focus on plot and action can also be narrative texts. onomatopoeia. The imitation or suggestion, in the sound of a word, of sounds associated with the thing or action that the word signifies (e.g., buzz, splash, murmur). oral communication. Examples include: greeting, conversation, question, statement, exclamation, instructions, directions, poem, rhyme, song, rap, story, anecdote, announcement, news broadcast, interview, oral presentation, speech, recitation, debate, report, role-play, drama. oral-visual communication/presentation. Any form of oral communication that includes visual and/or multimedia elements. pace. The rate of speed at which an activity such as speaking or reading proceeds. pamphlet. A small, unbound print publication, often folded into three or more panels, containing information about or promoting a product, service, or event, or an idea or opinion. paraphrase (verb). Restate an idea, a piece of information, or an opinion in one's own words. See also summarize. personification. A literary device that gives human traits to, or that attributes human thoughts, actions, and perceptions to, inanimate objects or abstract ideas (e.g., Hope had grown gray hairs). persuasive or argumentative text. A text in which the speaker, writer, or producer attempts to convince his or her audience of an idea or point of view by presenting a combination of facts and opinions and, in visual versions of the form, elements such as graphics and pictures that are intended to enhance the persuasiveness of the text (e.g., photographs that appeal to the viewer's emotion). phonics. Instruction that teaches children the relationships between the letters (graphemes) of written language and the individual sounds (phonemes) of spoken language. pitch. The level (i.e., high, low, somewhere between high and low) of a sound or tone. plagiarism. The use of someone else's ideas or work as if they were one's own, or without crediting the source. plot. The main sequence of events in a novel, drama, or film. A common plot structure involves an introduction, rising action, a climax, falling action (also called dénouement or resolution), and a conclusion, and features characters in conflict with nature, events, or other characters. point of view. An opinion about or attitude towards a subject that may be stated or implied in a text. Examining a writer's/producer's point of view often reveals an underlying set of values or a bias. Point of view is also a literary term used for the position of the narrator in relation to a story; thus, the vantage point from which events are seen (e.g., omniscient, third-person, or first-person point of view). print and electronic resources. Information and reference material in print or electronic media. Examples include: dictionaries, thesauruses, atlases, and encyclopedias, including those on CD-ROMs; databases; spell- and grammar-check programs and computer-graphics programs; models for writing (e.g., stories or essays by published writers) and style guides; books (fiction and non-fiction), newspapers, magazines, and reports; television programs, audio and video recordings, and films. procedural text. A text that presents a series of actions in a particular order as the official or accepted way of doing something (e.g., recipe, car repair manual). proofreading. The careful reading of a final draft of written work to eliminate typographical errors and to correct errors in grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation. reading strategies. Approaches used before, during, and after reading to figure out unfamiliar words, determine meaning, and increase understanding of a text. Examples include comprehension strategies and word-solving strategies. Good readers use a combination of these strategies, while maintaining a focus on developing and deepening their understanding of a text. research report. An oral or written text that presents a topic or thesis, summarizes and analyses ideas and information about the topic or thesis that have been collected from print and electronic resources (documenting the sources), and presents the speaker's or author's conclusions. resolution. See dénouement. review. A critical evaluation of a text (e.g., book, film, television program, piece of music, piece of art or architecture). Usually refers to the type of review published in or presented through the mass media, not to scholarly criticism. revising. The process of making major changes to the content, structure, and wording of a draft to improve the organization of ideas, eliminate awkward phrasing, correct errors, and generally ensure that the writing is clear, coherent, and correct. See also editing, proofreading, and writing process. rising action. The events of a plot that lead up to the climax. See also plot. script. The written text of a skit, play, television or radio program, or movie. setting. The time, place, environment, and atmosphere in which a story or other narrative (e.g., a play) takes place. short story. A short work of fiction that usually involves few characters and a fully developed theme and that aims to create a unified effect. simile. A literary device that compares one thing or idea to another, and usually employs the words like or as (e.g., His hair was as white as snow). See also metaphor. skit. A short, usually comic, dramatic presentation. slogan. A short, distinctive phrase that conveys an idea or represents a position effectively. Slogans are often used in advertising and politics. sound effect. An imitative sound produced artificially for dramatic effect (e.g., thunder in a radio drama, an explosion in a film, sounds such as pops and gurgles in computer programs). specialized or technical language. Words and phrases that have a particular meaning because of the context in which they are used or that are specific to a trade or profession (e.g., film terms such as close-up or fade-out). See also jargon. stanza. The group of lines that make up a unit or section of a poem. stereotype. An image or depiction of a group of people that is widely held, but that is oversimplified and often based on ignorance or prejudice. strands. The three major areas of language use into which the Anglais curriculum is organized: Oral and Oral-Visual Communication, Reading and Interpretation, and Writing and Representation. subplot. A plot that is secondary and subordinate to the main plot of a narrative text. summarize. Recount succinctly the main ideas, information, or opinions in a text or texts without assessing or evaluating them. See also paraphrase. syntax. The predictable structure of a language and the ways in which words are combined to form phrases, clauses, and sentences. Syntax includes classes of words (e.g., nouns, verbs, adjectives) and their functions (e.g., subject, object). target audience. See audience. text. 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. text features. The physical and design characteristics of a text that clarify and support the meaning of the text or that help readers and viewers locate information they want in a text (e.g., title, table of contents, headings, subheadings, bold and italic fonts, illustrations, sidebars, text boxes, glossary). topic sentence. The sentence in a text or in a section or paragraph of the text, often placed at the beginning, that states the main idea or thesis of the text, section, or paragraph. visual and/or multimedia aids. The means of producing particular effects using voice, images, and sound to support the messages or themes in a text. Examples include the use of: colour, voice-over narration, animation, simulation, variations in camera angles or distance, fading in and out of sounds or images, hot links and navigation buttons on a website, live action, special effects, variations in speed or pace, motion, flashbacks, collages, dialogue, variations in size and type of lettering or size of images, sequencing of sounds and images, speech, music, background sounds, sound effects, volume, dialects and accents, silence, narration, graphics, symbols, logos, props (e.g., costumes, furnishings), aspects of design and layout, credits, details of sponsorship. visualization strategy. The creation of a mental picture or the use of a visual aid such as a graphic organizer to help one understand unfamiliar words and expressions, and the ideas, information, and messages in texts. word-solving strategies. Strategies that help students read a word. Examples include: identifying letter patterns and sound-symbol relationships; combining knowledge of letter-sound relationships with clues from an illustration to predict the word; using knowledge of the structure or meaning of words, of the root word, or of similar French words, to read unfamiliar words; using the word's context; consulting dictionaries and other reference sources. writing process. The process involved in producing a polished piece of writing. The writing process comprises several stages, each of which focuses on specific tasks: planning for writing; drafting the text; revising, editing, and proofreading the text; and publishing. Le ministère de l'Éducation tient à remercier toutes les personnes, les groupes et les organismes qui ont participé à l'élaboration et à la révision de ce document. Imprimé sur du papier recyclé 06-043 ISBN 1-4249-1487-6 (Print) ISBN 1-4249-1489-2 (TXT) ISBN 1-4249-1488-4 (PDF) © Imprimeur de la Reine pour l'Ontario, 2006