General Outcome 1
Students will use spoken and written English to gather, interpret and communicate information.
Specific Outcomes
Students locate, gather and interpret information. They:
Level 1
- connect oral language with print; read short, simple sentences, stories and collaboratively-written reports
- identify the topics of short, simple texts
- ask and respond to simple questions about spoken or written texts; e.g., who, what, where, when, why, how
- label diagrams, using information from short, simple, oral and print texts; complete formats (e.g., cloze passages, matching questions, lists) based on information in visuals; e.g., pictures, maps
Level 2
- comprehend the gist of short, well-organized texts on familiar topics
- use print and visual cues (e.g., headlines, pictures, colour and size of print) to identify key information in a variety of simple texts; e.g., stories, newspapers, the Internet
- scan simple texts for specific details and to answer research questions
- locate specific information in forms, charts and simple texts to answer questions and pursue topics of interest
Level 3
- comprehend and interpret the general meaning of texts on familiar topics, and make appropriate inferences
- preview and review to get main ideas and supporting details from simple texts, in areas of special interest or knowledge; e.g., newspaper stories, magazine articles, fiction
- locate information in the school library, using print and electronic sources; use tables of contents, glossaries and indexes
- relate visuals to written text; list key information and details
Level 4
- comprehend and interpret the meaning of written texts on topics of study
- skim and scan authentic, unfamiliar texts on topics related to prior knowledge or personal interests; locate main and supporting details, and draw inferences
- develop research questions about topics of study; identify and use information sources; e.g., encyclopedias, databases, magazines, videos
- interpret factual information from graphs, charts and tables
Level 5
- comprehend and interpret the meaning of a variety of written texts on topics of study; explain how new information relates to previous learning
- skim and scan several sources (e.g., science magazines, encyclopedias, databases) to locate information; determine the appropriateness to the topic, purpose and audience
- collect, organize and interpret data related to research questions, using oral, print, other media and electronic texts
- develop oral and written reports, based on interpretations of information from complex charts, graphs and tables
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: nouns: count, uncount, singular, plural, proper; relative pronouns (that, which, who); determiners (a, an, the); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect; coordinating conjunctions; time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, often); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).
Students categorize and classify information. They:
Level 1
Level 2
- classify information from oral and written texts into given categories, using graphic organizers; e.g., charts, maps, webs
Level 3
-
illustrate the relationships among main ideas and supporting details in oral, print, other media and electronic texts, using graphic organizers; e.g., mind maps, charts, tree diagram
Level 4
Level 5
-
synthesize previously organized information into oral and written summaries; use language structures to make appropriate transitions; e.g., altogether, in general, in short
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: collective nouns (bacteria, data, team); species nouns (kind, division, category); stative verbs (be, have, want); classifying adjectives (Canadian, economic, main); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).
Students organize information sequentially and chronologically. They:
Level 1
- list steps for finding, doing or assembling something related to classroom activities
- retell, signalling sequence, a short narrative of two or three events, based on personal experiences or media presentations.
Level 2
- narrate or record processes studied in class; include steps, agents and nature of changes
- describe situations, events and personal experiences in short oral or written presentations
Level 3
- describe steps in processes and stages in cycles related to a variety of topics of study
- narrate situations, events and personal experiences from the past, present and future; link ideas to explain relationships
Level 4
- develop oral and written texts to describe processes, procedures and sequences of events, using appropriate signal words; e.g., first, then, after
- narrate events, activities, stories, experiences and general information from different points of view
Level 5
- describe processes, cycles, sequences of events and changes over time with increasing accuracy
- narrate oral and written accounts of personal experiences and current or historical events
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: nouns to designate time (days, weeks, months); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect; verb forms expressing state or habit in the past (used to); ordinal numbers (first, second, third); adverbs of manner, time, frequency, duration (soon, often, always); expressions of place, direction, orientation, motion, position, location.
Students define key vocabulary. They:
Level 1
- develop, collaboratively, definitions for key vocabulary related to topics of study
- ask for explanations of unfamiliar words and phrases; use picture dictionaries; develop personal dictionaries
- apply vocabulary introduced in class to limited, new situations; recognize and use common abbreviations
Level 2
- develop definitions, following a model, for key vocabulary related to topics of study; identify antonyms
- use known words and pictures to identify unknown words; use a bilingual dictionary
- use commonplace words and phrases that have been studied in class
Level 3
- define a range of vocabulary specific to subject areas; identify and use antonyms and synonyms
- use prior experiences to predict the meaning of new words in context; use a bilingual dictionary and an English learner’s dictionary
- extend the use of specific vocabulary related to topics of study
Level 4
- use appropriate language patterns for definitions; identify and define words that are crucial to comprehending text
- knowledge of language and context cues to determine the meaning of new words; use bilingual, English learners and English-only dictionaries; begin to use a thesaurus
- apply knowledge of vocabulary associated with topics of study in new contexts
Level 5
- recognize embedded definitions of key vocabulary in texts from a variety of content areas; identify and use antonyms and synonyms appropriate to an audience, context and purpose
- use a variety of sources and strategies to determine the meaning of unknown words; choose the dictionary meaning that fits the context
- use vocabulary appropriately, depending on the purpose, audience and topic
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: nouns to designate verbal actions (account, promise, comment); species nouns (kind, division, category); stative verbs (be, have, want); classifying adjectives (Canadian, economic, main); demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).
Students describe physical attributes, functions, composition and behaviours. They:
Level 1
- comprehend a simple, clearly spoken description that is supported by visuals
- comprehend short passages of explicit, clearly written text that contain learned vocabulary
- describe, orally and in writing, the physical attributes of everyday objects; e.g., size, shape, colour
- describe static relationships among a few objects and people
Level 2
- comprehend slowly and clearly spoken, well-organized descriptions of familiar objects
- comprehend a one-page, well-organized descriptive text with known vocabulary
- describe, orally and in writing, the physical attributes and simple functions of objects related to topics of interest
- describe change in location, direction and distance of objects
Level 3
- comprehend most conversations; short, simplified oral descriptions; and mediated audio-visual presentations on a variety of topics related to study
- comprehend the general meaning in two or three pages of expository text on a familiar topic
- describe, orally and in writing, the physical attributes, functions and composition of objects related to topics of study; e.g., wood, plastic, fabric
- describe the location of objects in pictures, maps, diagrams and models
Level 4
- comprehend, with limited mediation, most oral descriptions; e.g., face-toface, lecture, audio-visual
- comprehend the general meaning and specific details in three to five pages of expository text on unfamiliar topics
- describe, orally and in writing, the physical attributes and behaviours of people, and the physical attributes, functions and composition of objects
- describe the speed, direction, location and frequency of moving objects
Level 5
- comprehend most classroom discourse, by using a variety of clarification strategies
- comprehend the general meaning and specific details in five to ten pages of expository text in a content area
- describe, orally and in writing, the physical attributes and behaviours of various people, and the physical attributes, functions and composition of a variety of objects and structures
- describe how the interrelationships among objects, forces and concepts change over time
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: nouns: count, uncount, concrete; nouns of measure (depth, length, weight); nouns of direction (north, south, left, right); subject–verb agreement; stative verbs (be, have, want); verb tenses: simple present, present progressive, past progressive; attributive adjectives (hot coffee, red wagon, purple plum); predicative adjectives (He became ill. I am cold. He is tall.); qualitative adjectives (sad story, pretty picture, wealthy lady); participial adjectives (increasing, existing, outgoing); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who); possessive forms; quantifiers (all of, loss of, little of); partitives (bottle of, handful of, lump of).
Students compare and contrast. They:
Level 1
- use short, simple, spoken and written sentences stating the similarities and differences between two people, two objects or two places
Level 2
-
develop sentences and short paragraphs, following a model, to describe similarities and differences between two people, two objects or two places
Level 3
-
write two or three paragraphs to compare and contrast two people, two objects or two places, using appropriate signal words; e.g., either–or, but, similarly
Level 4
Level 5
-
choose precise vocabulary to compare and contrast structures and issues; e.g., governments in two different countries, architecture in two different buildings, pollution in two different cities
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: comparative adjectives (bigger, smaller, more intelligent); superlative adjectives (biggest, smallest, most intelligent); qualitative adjectives (sad, pretty, wealthy); comparative adverbs (more effectively, more importantly); superlative adverbs (most effectively, most importantly, most often); adverbs of comparison (similarly, differently, in the same way).
Students explain how and why something happens or works. They:
Level 1
- ask and respond, orally and in writing, to yes–no questions related to personal experiences
- develop sentences to explain simple cause and effect relationships, using basic linking words
Level 2
- ask and respond, orally and in writing, to yes–no and wh— questions
- develop short, well-organized oral and written texts to explain why something happens
Level 3
- use conventional format to ask and answer wh— questions, orally and in writing
- develop well-organized oral and written texts to explain problems and propose solutions
Level 4
- ask and respond to questions, orally and in writing, on topics of study related to cause, reason and manner
- develop well-organized oral and written texts to suggest probable causes and means to achieve specific ends
Level 5
- ask and respond to questions, orally and in writing, on topics of study related to research questions;
- compose oral and written reports to explain complex processes or events; e.g., causes and effects of acid rain, the conditions that contributed to the development and failure of the Meech Lake Accord
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: interrogative pronouns (who, whose, which); passive voice; adverbs; reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so).
Students develop and present reports. They:
Level 1
- participate in class discussions; develop, collaboratively, class reports
- present, to small groups of language learning peers, 1-minute oral reports on subjects discussed in class
Level 2
- develop short, written reports on topics discussed in class
- present, to small groups of language learning peers, 2- to 3-minute oral reports on topics of interest
Level 3
- write four or five paragraphs on topics that have been researched and discussed in class
- present brief oral reports, sometimes supported by visuals, to small groups of classmates
Level 4
- structure cohesive essays or reports, each having references and a bibliography
- present oral reports on topics of study to the class
Level 5
- write well-organized narrative, descriptive and expository essays or reports to communicate information about topics of study
- present oral reports, supported by visuals, on a variety of topics to general audiences; e.g., students from other schools, parents, student councils
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: adverbs of degree (absolutely, very, nearly); time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); prepositional phrases of place (in the air, above the land, by the sea); prepositional phrases of direction (around the building, toward the school, through the window); adverbials of addition (also, besides, at the same time); adverbials of sequence (earlier, next, soon).
Students make hypotheses and predictions. They:
Level 1
- use background knowledge, classroom situations, pictures and word identification skills to predict the meaning of unknown words in context; e.g., sound/symbol associations, word families
- make predictions about what might happen; express hopes, wishes and future plans
Level 2
- use personal experiences, classroom situations and contexts to construct meaning when reading or listening to predictable texts
- understand and express predictions of what might happen in the future, stating degree of probability with signal words; e.g., likely, certainly, probably
Level 3
- use personal experiences and knowledge of content to predict meaning when reading or listening to authentic texts; learn to tolerate gaps in understanding
- express conditional relationships; e.g., “If oil is mixed with water, it floats.” “If I could afford it, I would buy a skateboard.”
Level 4
- use strategies to fill gaps in understanding when reading or listening to authentic texts; e.g., reading ahead, mental rehearsal, predicting meaning from context
- express interdependency of one set of circumstances on another, using appropriate language structures; e.g., if–then, condition–outcome, problem–solution
Level 5
- demonstrate ability to tolerate gaps in understanding when reading or listening to authentic texts; monitor and enhance comprehension, using such strategies as rereading, looking ahead or back, asking questions of peers
- understand and express predictability of events in a variety of circumstances; e.g., forecasting weather, predicting the results of experiments, predicting the results of particular economic conditions
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: verb tenses: simple present, simple past, simple future, present perfect, past continuous; modals (could, might, may); adverbs indicating actuality (actually, certainly, possibly); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while); conditional clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (if, unless, on condition that).
Students synthesize and summarize. They:
Level 1
- record information on charts
- summarize, orally and in writing, a short, simple narrative
Level 2
- summarize key concepts, in oral or media text, using graphic organizers; e.g., charts, webs, maps
- develop, following a model, cohesive oral and written summaries of texts discussed in class
Level 3
- take point-form notes to record important information from oral, print and other media texts
- paraphrase, orally, short expository texts; write one-page summaries of expository texts that include most key points
Level 4
- take two or three pages of point-form notes from written texts on topics of study
- synthesize and summarize information, orally and in writing, from one to three pages of expository text
Level 5
- take point-form notes to record questions, main ideas, supporting details and personal reactions, while listening to short lectures or viewing media presentations
- construct a chart that synthesizes information from two or three pages of written text or from oral or media presentations
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: collective nouns (bacteria, data, team); mass nouns (medicines, pesticides, fabrics); indefinite pronouns (one, someone, nobody); adverbs of time, duration and frequency (soon, often, always); coordinating conjunctions; time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); conditional clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (if, unless, on condition that); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).
General Outcome 2
Students will use spoken and written English to establish and maintain relationships.
Specific Outcomes
Students express and inquire about the interests, activities and needs of others. They:
Level 1
- express and respond to informal oral greetings with peers and known adults in school
- volunteer information and respond orally to questions about self, family and friends
- engage a listener’s attention, using verbal or nonverbal strategies
- understand and use a few common, current idioms with peers
- write in journals describing the interests and abilities of self and others
- use commonplace phrases appropriate for different levels of informality and formality with peers and adults; e.g., Hi. Good morning. Hello.
Level 2
- express and respond to informal oral greetings and introductions, using basic, courteous language
- respond orally to questions about activities of self, family and friends
- comprehend slowly spoken conversations, when opportunities are provided to negotiate meaning
- understand and use common idioms and some colloquial expressions in interactions with peers
- write paragraphs describing self, family and friends
- recognize differences between informal and formal language used with peers and adults
Level 3
- introduce self to peers and known adults in informal situations
- interact with others to exchange and clarify information about self, family, interests and experiences
- understand and respond, in familiar contexts, to unfamiliar communication situations; e.g., speaking to the principal, dealing with an emergency, telephoning the school to report an absence
- use common colloquial expressions appropriately in interactions with peers
- write two or three paragraphs in journals and class newsletters to describe self, family and friends
- use an appropriate vocabulary commonly associated with high school student interests and activities.
Level 4
- introduce self to peers and adults, known and unknown, in informal and formal situations
- engage in discussions with native English speakers about ideas, emotions, interests and experiences
- communicate orally in some unpredictable contexts; e.g., finding one’s way in a new environment, asking for information
- understand and use sufficient vocabulary, idioms and colloquial expressions to listen to and talk about topics of general interest with peers
- describe interests, abilities and personality traits
- use an appropriate level of formality and politeness for known and unknown peers and adults.
Level 5
- interact with peers and adults in a variety of situations, using appropriate levels of formality
- use a range of strategies during interactions with native English speakers to ensure that communication continues; e.g., requesting clarifications, repetition, rephrasing
- engage in conversations with native English speakers in unfamiliar contexts; e.g., asking directions from bus drivers, telephoning libraries for information
- understand and use a range of colloquial expressions when conversing with native English speakers on a variety of topics
- provide personal information with respect to specific contexts; e.g., job applications, explanations of future plans, evaluations of abilities and accomplishments
- use a range of informal and formal language styles appropriate to audience and context.
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: nouns that name roles and titles; nouns to show relationships (brother, family, friend); proper nouns; complements (Her favourite hobby is sewing. His only friend is Bob.); subject pronouns (I, you, he); possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his); relative pronouns (that, which, who); intransitive verbs; modals (could, might, may); adjectives; determiners (a, an, the); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).
Students narrate activities and events. They:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
- develop elaborate oral and written accounts from different points of view; e.g., short stories, articles, reports; include a narrator’s reactions, responses and opinions
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: gerunds (singing, walking, computing); verb tenses: simple present, present perfect, past perfect, present continuous, past continuous; transitive verbs; phrasal verbs (come back, fall through, sit down); phase verbs (stopped speaking, wanted to say, forgot to come); prepositions of place (beside, after); adverbs of order (firstly, thirdly, finally); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); “there” as subject (There was a knock at the door.).
Students express opinions. They:
Level 1
- use nonverbal and verbal behaviours or to indicate personal opinions or preferences
- use commonplace phrases and expressions to express pleasure and displeasure, agreement and disagreement; e.g., Great. Right. Wow. No way.
Level 2
- express opinions and preferences in short sentences
- express pleasure and displeasure, likes and dislikes, in familiar, structured situations; e.g., conversations with peers, class discussions, journal writing
Level 3
- participate in informal discussions with known peers and adults on a variety of topics; e.g., movies, homework, clothes
- interact with peers to express emotional attitudes; e.g., interest, indifference, joy
Level 4
- express opinions about current events in the school and community; express agreement and disagreement, providing reasoned support
- express emotional attitudes in informal and formal situations with peers and adults; e.g., interest, indifference, anger, joy
Level 5
- express opinions on a variety of topics to peers and adults; express agreement and disagreement, providing support; e.g., drawing on personal experience, providing reasons, listing facts
- interact with peers and adults to express emotional attitudes in a variety of contexts; e.g., school elections, debates, parent–teacher–student conferences
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: modals (would, should, would rather); interjections (Oh! Hurrah! Hey!); exclamations (I loved that story! Einstein was right!); adverbs of degree (totally, especially, quite); adverbs of attitude (luckily, interestingly, obviously); adverbs of emphasis (even, surely, above all); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since).
Students explain actions, motivations and values. They:
Level 1
- give reasons for actions of self and others, in response to direct questions
- report someone’s actual words, orally and in writing
Level 2
- explain actions, within limited, familiar contexts
- write someone’s actual words, using appropriate punctuation
Level 3
- explain intentions and motivations of self and others to peers and familiar adults
- report, accurately, the speech of others, using direct quotations and reported speech structures
Level 4
- interact with adults, including authority figures, to explain intentions and motivations
- write reports of events, using direct and indirect speech structures
Level 5
- explain actions in terms of beliefs and values
- use a variety of structures to report what people say and think; e.g., what someone wrote in a letter, what was said at a meeting, what was said at a school assembly
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); causative use of “have” and “get” (have a cavity filled, get a haircut); adverbs of manner (perfectly, urgently, softly); prepositions (about, except, according to); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that, so); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); noun clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, if, what).
General Outcome 3
Students will use spoken and written English to make decisions, solve problems, and plan and carry out projects.
Specific Outcomes
Students interact to accomplish a task. They:
Level 1
- participate in class discussions on topics related to personal experiences
- work in pairs to accomplish clearly defined, simple tasks; e.g., discussing possible responses to questions, labelling maps, listing steps in an activity
- interview language learning peers on familiar topics, using rehearsed questions
- respond to familiar questions related to personal experience
Level 2
- assume assigned roles in small groups of peers, and complete well-defined tasks
- carry out assigned roles for group tasks; e.g., leader, recorder
- ask rehearsed questions in structured, nonstressful situations
- respond in oral phrases or brief, written sentences to clearly stated interview questions about familiar situations
Level 3
- participate in small groups or committees to complete tasks related to topics of study
- demonstrate effective interaction skills; e.g., providing information, asking questions, offering explanations, encouraging others
- interview other language learners, using rehearsed questions, about interests and topics of study
- interact orally with peers, with some repetition, using language that is comprehensible to most native English speakers
Level 4
- participate in panel discussions, seminars and symposia
- negotiate the ways in which groups can complete tasks and the contributions each member can make
- interview native English-speaking peers on familiar topics, mixing some spontaneous questions with rehearsed questions
- use effective oral interaction techniques (e.g., listening, responding, interrupting, taking turns); monitor understanding by clarifying, explaining, elaborating
Level 5
- participate in seminars and informal debates
- participate in a variety of group interactions
- interview native English-speaking peers on a range of topics, using unrehearsed questions in unstructured situations
- participate in oral interactions with familiar and unfamiliar adults on a broad range of topics; put forward topics
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); simple future verb tense; modals (could, might, may); auxiliary verbs (be, have); interrogative mood (Are you going to the show?); imperative mood (Hurry!); yes–no questions; wh— questions; tag questions (Isn’t it? Won’t you? Haven’t you?); do-fronted questions (Do you know how to dance? Didn’t you know he was late?); reported questions (He asked me if I knew how to dance.); negative questions; statement-form questions; openers (Excuse me. I have a question. I’m calling about…); responders (Okay. Exactly. Of course.); closers (Excuse me. It’s been nice. I have to be going.).
Students negotiate meaning. They:
Level 1
-
indicate, orally, incomprehension, using commonplace phrases; e.g., Pardon? What did you say? What?
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
-
repair communication problems, using a variety of techniques; e.g., questioning, restating, summarizing
Level 5
- extend understanding of new ideas and information, by initiating discussion
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: questions, such as: Could you tell me? Could I ask …?; interrupters, such as: Pardon me. Excuse me. Do you have a minute?
Students follow and give instructions. They:
Level 1
- follow short instructions, requests and directions related to classroom activities
- give short, oral instructions for routine tasks
Level 2
- understand commonplace, oral and written instructions in routine classroom contexts
- give limited, rehearsed, oral instructions for classroom activities
Level 3
- interpret and follow instructions for an increasing variety of tasks; e.g., operating electronic equipment, making graphs, following a recipe
- give step by step oral and written instructions, clearly and precisely, in face-to-face situations
Level 4
- interpret and follow oral and written instructions having three or more steps
- direct people to a specific location with written directions, and with oral directions by telephone or voice mail
Level 5
- interpret and follow complex oral and written instructions for carrying out tasks; e.g., solving problems in mathematics, assembling apparatus for experiments in science
- give oral and written directions to a variety of audiences; e.g., listing steps for operating software programs, explaining rules of games, explaining how to set up electric circuits
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: verb tenses: simple present, present perfect, present continuous; modals (could, might, may); interrogative mood (Are you going to the show?); imperative mood (Hurry!); adverbs of position (away, here, globally); adverbs of direction (near, skyward, clockwise); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); adverbs of order (firstly, thirdly, finally); prepositions of position (on, off, under); prepositions of direction (away from, toward).
Students evaluate information and ideas. They:
Level 1
- ask and respond to questions, orally and in writing; e.g., if statements are true or false, correct or incorrect, possible or impossible
- express agreement and disagreement
- choose from a set of alternatives; give brief reasons for choices
Level 2
- ask simple questions, orally and in writing, to determine truth, correctness and possibility
- make brief statements about whether or not ideas are true or false, correct or incorrect
- explain reasons for choices, by listing the pros and cons and by providing factual information
Level 3
- analyze information; develop and express opinions on familiar topics
- gather, summarize and present information to support opinions
- defend choices, by stating priorities; compare and contrast alternatives
Level 4
- discuss the pros and cons of issues; use facts to support positions
- write arguments supporting or opposing positions, in order to persuade others
- state and order priorities
Level 5
- discuss issues; express, suggest, reject and evaluate opinions as the discussion proceeds
- identify and explain the opinions, underlying assumptions and values of authors or narrators of oral, written and media texts
- persuade others, by providing alternatives, explaining criteria and priorities, and by giving reasons for choices and actions.
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: modals (could, might, may); negatives (not, nowhere, never); contractions (he’s, don’t, she’ll); negative affixes (anti-, mis-, -less); negative statements, using neither, not, none; ordinal numbers (first, second, third); adverbs of contrast (alternatively, conversely, however); coordinating conjunctions.
Students express and inquire about degrees of certainty, possibility and capability. They:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
- express and inquire about degrees of possibility, capability and certainty regarding events, tasks and activities
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: modals (could, might, may); affirmatives (yes, okay, sure); negatives (not, nowhere, never); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).
Students interact with others from a variety of cultural, linguistic and racial backgrounds. They:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
-
modify vocabulary, intonation, tone and structure of language appropriately, depending on the audience, purpose and context
Level 5
- express opinions in a variety of contexts, using inclusive, respectful language
General Outcome 4
Students will use spoken and written English to explore, respond to and extend ideas and experiences.
Specific Outcomes
Students develop understanding of a variety of text forms. They:
Level 1
- read short, simplified texts, including those composed in class
- participate in conversations related to school and interpersonal interactions
- listen to a variety of oral and media texts, and to print texts read aloud
- write sentences to accompany pictures
Level 2
- read, for enjoyment, short passages from magazines, newspapers and simplified stories with pictures
- participate in role plays and in readers’ theatre; watch video versions of stories read and discussed in class
- identify various forms of oral, print and media texts; e.g., stories, poems, advertisements, cartoons
- begin to compose in a variety of forms, following patterns and models discussed in class; e.g., narratives, letters, journals, audio recordings of short plays
Level 3
- read, for enjoyment, short articles and stories on topics of personal interest; recommend favourite texts to peers
- write and perform dialogues related to informal personal interactions
- know some distinguishing features; e.g., plot, verse, chapters, sidebars, special effects, of a variety of oral, print and media forms; e.g., stories, situation comedies, documentaries, plays
- recreate myths, stories and television programs, orally, visually and in writing
Level 4
- read, for enjoyment, an increasing variety of texts; e.g., newspaper editorials, letters, diaries, poems, chapters in textbooks, electronic magazines, simple novels
- perform short, dramatic presentations, and write own dramatizations
- recognize key characteristics of various forms and genres of oral, print and media texts; e.g., biographies, myths, timelines, laboratory reports, editorials, novels
- compose in an increasing variety of forms that have been studied in class; e.g., issue papers, reviews, reports, biographical sketches, journals
Level 5
- explain preferences for particular kinds of oral, print and other media texts
- participate in rehearsed performances of one act plays
- compare the effectiveness of various forms and genres; e.g., textbook and video presentations of science concepts, book and movie versions of a story
- choose appropriate forms for oral, print or other media texts, depending on the content, purpose and audience
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: nouns to name texts (essay, situation comedy, documentary); nouns to name parts of texts (paragraph, sentence, verse); verbs indicating speech (said, state, tell); verbs indicating manner of speech (boast, yell, whimper); verbs indicating thought and learning (discover, remember, realize); adverbs of manner (urgently, softly, fearfully); prepositional phrases (in a deep voice, through the open window, on the mountain top).
Students express and explain personal responses. They:
Level 1
- talk about, act out, illustrate favourite or interesting activities
- illustrate stories, poems, historical events and science concepts
Level 2
- compare similarities and differences between own experiences and those of others; and of characters in oral, print and media texts
- express opinions about characters in literature or people of importance to topics of study
Level 3
- compare situations encountered in daily life with those experienced by people in other times, places and cultures, as portrayed in oral, print and media texts
- tell and write personal anecdotes related to events in texts on topics of study
Level 4
- compare own understanding of oral, print and media texts with the understanding of teacher and peers
- create written, visual or media presentations, depicting events or concepts in texts on topics of study
Level 5
- compare the people, events, settings, ideas and themes in various oral, print or media texts
- write reviews and make recommendations about a variety of texts; e.g., stories, documentaries, plays, Internet sites, videos, books
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect, simple future, present continuous, past continuous; comparative adjectives (bigger, smaller, more intelligent); superlative adjectives (biggest, smallest, most intelligent); comparative adverbs (more effectively, more importantly); superlative adverbs (most effectively, most importantly); relationship adverbs (similarly, differently, alternatively).
Students discuss the elements of text structure. They:
Level 1
- recite and retell, orally and in writing, the events in simple stories
- identify the beginning, middle and end of stories
- use commonplace vocabulary; e.g., good, bad, happy, to describe people in simple fiction and nonfiction
- identify the differences in accounts of the same event told by different people
Level 2
- organize, in chronological order, the events in narratives
- identify the beginning, middle and end; or the introduction, body and conclusion of oral, print and other media texts
- discuss the personality traits of characters; identify the ways in which characters interact with one another in stories
- recognize first and third person narration
Level 3
- organize the events in narratives to develop a sense of rising action; discuss the ways characters or people change
- identify passages of fictional narrative in nonfiction texts; e.g., the story of a blood cell, a day in the life of a settler in Fort Macleod
- describe key people encountered in print and media texts, using specific, concrete language and relevant facts
- infer information about the narrator in oral, print and other media texts
Level 4
- identify rising action and climax in print and other media texts; identify types of conflict
- identify nonchronological organizational structures; e.g., flashbacks, foreshadowing, sidebars, charts
- infer the motives of people encountered in print and other media texts, and discuss how they might behave under different circumstances
- recognize omniscient point of view; detect bias in oral, print and other media texts
Level 5
- discuss rising action and conflict in relation to characters and setting
- distinguish plot from subplot and explicit from implicit organizational structures in oral, print and other media texts
- compare the main behaviour traits and values of people in two print or other media texts
- infer the values of authors, narrators, directors, advertisers, and infer intent and analyze effects of oral, print and other media texts
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: nouns: count, uncount, concrete; subject–verb agreement; stative verbs (be, have, want); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present progressive, past progressive, simple future; direct speech (He said, “I am going.”); indirect speech (He said that he was going.); predicative adjectives (He became ill. I am cold. He is tall.); qualitative adjectives (sad, pretty, wealthy); participial adjectives (increasing, existing, outgoing); clauses introduced by “that” following a reporting verb (He said that he could drive.); clauses introduced by “that” followed by an infinitive (She suggested that to go fishing was a good idea.); adverbs of manner (urgently, softly, fearfully).
Students identify and use figurative language. They:
Level 1
- recognize rhyme and rhythm in language
- recognize that logos, slogans, signs and pictures symbolize broader meanings
- identify moods in oral, print and media texts; e.g., happy, sad, suspenseful
Level 2
- identify and use similes to describe people, places, objects and events
- recognize symbols that Canadians associate with particular concepts; e.g., good, evil, joy, sorrow, political movements, social causes
- understand that words used in class or encountered in oral, print and other media texts can have several meanings, both connotative and denotative
Level 3
- identify and use similes, metaphors, personification and alliteration; explain figurative language in a variety of texts; e.g., the government fell; the army quashed the rebellion
- identify and interpret contextually specific symbols related to characters’ experiences; e.g., stormy weather reflecting a character’s emotional turmoil
- identify images in oral, print and other media texts that appeal to the senses
Level 4
- identify the ways in which people, objects, places and events symbolize abstract
- concepts, ideas and emotions, and how they enhance meaning
- compare the use of symbols in various cultural contexts and topics of study
- understand culturally-related connotations of vocabulary; describe the mood and theme of oral, written and media texts
Level 5
- understand allusions to different cultural and historical contexts in a variety of texts; e.g., the landscape in art, the Depression in social studies, endangered species in science
- discuss ways that symbols create and enhance meaning
- develop an understanding of connotation, mood and theme in oral, print and media texts
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: nouns to label concepts (good, evil, democracy); adjectives to describe mood (suspenseful, humorous, wistful); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that, so); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); prepositional phrases introduced by: as, like.
Students choose forms appropriate to topic, purpose and audience. They:
Level 1
- enhance or change texts for different audiences; e.g., illustrating stories for young people
Level 2
- write in specific roles for specified audiences; e.g., pretending to be a member of Jacques Cartier’s expedition and writing letters home.
Level 3
- choose appropriate forms, depending on the audience and purpose; e.g., writing letters to friends in another country comparing the schools of each country, writing brochures describing schools in Canada to new students
Level 4
- organize information in oral, print and media texts for specific audiences and purposes; e.g., making media presentations of science experiments for students in another class, or showing food preparation processes for a school open house
Level 5
- reorganize and revise a variety of texts for new purposes and audiences; e.g., simplifying the language of historical incidents into children’s stories, writing editorials based on scientific articles
Suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the Specific Outcomes in this group: nouns: count, uncount, singular, plural, proper; determiners (a, an, the); verb tenses: simple past, simple present, simple future, present perfect, past perfect, present continuous, past continuous; subject–verb agreement; transitive verbs; prepositions of place (beside, in, by); prepositions of time (at, about, by); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).
