Program Rationale
Stage 3: Literacy for Growth
When students are confident in their abilities, they explore their own thinking and understanding of the world through literacy. They use reading and writing as a means of acquiring new information, conducting research, reflecting on issues and communicating about deeper thoughts and feelings.
When students are confident in their abilities, they explore their own thinking and understanding of the world through literacy. They use reading and writing as a means of acquiring new information, conducting research, reflecting on issues and communicating about deeper thoughts and feelings.
Oral Language
Although Oral Language is not a main food group at this stage of literacy development, we have featured it heavily in our program. As we have many students from non-English backgrounds, we believe it is important to emphasis oral language, both receptive and expressive to support their developing language skills.
Although Oral Language is not a main food group at this stage of literacy development, we have featured it heavily in our program. As we have many students from non-English backgrounds, we believe it is important to emphasis oral language, both receptive and expressive to support their developing language skills.
Source: www.litdiet.org
Integration
An important element of literacy development at this stage is integration with other subject areas. As outlined above, students are developing skills that support more complex analysis and expression. Experiences that reflect authentic, real-life application of these skills support the effective and appropriate use of them outside of school. An example of this approach is Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI). Utilizing the principles of CORI is an effective strategy to integrating literacy with conceptual science understanding.
The chart below outlines the strands covered in other subject areas in the Grade 6 Ontario Curriculum:
Integration
An important element of literacy development at this stage is integration with other subject areas. As outlined above, students are developing skills that support more complex analysis and expression. Experiences that reflect authentic, real-life application of these skills support the effective and appropriate use of them outside of school. An example of this approach is Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI). Utilizing the principles of CORI is an effective strategy to integrating literacy with conceptual science understanding.
The chart below outlines the strands covered in other subject areas in the Grade 6 Ontario Curriculum:
Science & Technology
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Social Studies
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Mathematics
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The Arts
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Health & Physical Education
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Critical Literacy
Preparing students to be informed, conscientious, and compassionate members of society should be promoted and explored through their educational career. In the context of literacy, this could not be more pertinent. Words can and have been used to communicate facts and opinions on anything imaginable, so it is essential that students are able to take a critical approach to their experiences with literacy. Striving to weave this throughout learning, topics such as social justice, equity, and environmental education can be vehicles to bring a critical lens into literacy development.
Fostering Independence
As students approach their transition into the intermediate and senior grades, fostering independence is integral to setting them up for success in the future. Instilling an increased sense of trust and responsibility in students at this stage conveys the importance of their role in their own literacy development from this point forward. We believe that flexibility and support for student autonomy is paramount when fostering independence. We do this by:
- Designing a classroom that is accessible and functional for students
- Consulting students when planning the schedule and determining success criteria
- Scheduling independent work time on Friday that students can use flexibly while demanding accountability for their time management