Page 112 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9–12 | Classical Studies and International Languages

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9–12 | Classical Studies and International Languages
listen to a wide range of oral texts representing formal and informal social registers and various genres and forms appropriate to their interests (e.g., podcasts, videos, song lyrics, radio shows, electron- ic sources, poetry, short stories, advertisements, video games, radio shows). They also need exposure to oral texts of increasing difficulty in the target language, such as longer radio broadcasts or docu- mentaries on more complex topics.
It is important that teachers contextualize listening interactions and activities for students. This can be done through brainstorming to identify what students already know about the topic of a new text they are about to hear or view. Some examples of richly integrated tasks are: discussing strategies for organizing ideas for a writing assignment; presenting and defending ideas or debating current issues; and offering constructive and descriptive feedback about work produced by their peers.
Speaking
Oral language is a fundamental means of communicating with others and the cornerstone of learning in all areas. Students build a broad range of speaking skills, both for conversational purposes and for academic purposes, such as presenting ideas and information to their classmates. At first, students engage in brief conversations on everyday topics; as they progress, they engage in speaking tasks such as sharing ideas about a variety of texts in a literature circle; and eventually, they are able to present classroom seminars or participate in debates.
International language learners need rich and frequent opportunities to speak and interact in the classroom in a purposeful way – for example, through collaborative learning in pairs and small groups that allows them to engage in speaking and listening for real-life purposes. Through multiple opportunities to speak in various groupings, students begin to communicate effectively and to gain confidence as they explore ideas and concepts, identify and solve problems, organize information, and express and clarify their thoughts, feelings, and opinions. An opportunity for self-reflection about their speaking skills and strategies enables students to strengthen their ability to express themselves and interact with other speakers of the target language.
It is important that teachers not only offer instruction and feedback, but also provide excellent models of the competence that a first-language speaker would demonstrate in speaking for both academic and social purposes. Teachers at all course levels should also provide modelling of various special sound features of the international language, and include instruction on norms and conventions associated with speaking the language in different cultures.
Reading
This strand provides extensive opportunities for students to build on their experience in listening to and speaking the target language to help them determine the meaning of written texts in the target language. Students read a wide variety of adapted and authentic literary, informational, and graphic texts from diverse cultures and for a variety of purposes. They activate their background knowledge, acquire vocabulary, think aloud about what they are reading, discuss texts with peers, and participate in group reading and learning activities. An effective reader not only grasps the ideas communicated in a text but is able to apply them in new contexts. To do this, the student must be able to think clearly, creatively, and critically about the ideas and information encountered in texts. The student can then understand, analyse, and absorb them and recognize their relevance in other contexts. The international languages curriculum develops the knowledge, strategies, and skills that will enable students to become effective readers in the target language.
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