Page 114 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9–12 | Classical Studies and International Languages

International Languages
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9–12 | Classical Studies and International Languages
while selecting and organizing their ideas. They must also keep in mind the purpose for which they are writing and the audience they are addressing. To communicate clearly and effectively, they need to learn to use standard written forms and the language conventions of the target language.
Students who are beginning to write in the target language need to read a wide variety of texts that expose them to uses of vocabulary, grammatical elements, and idioms that they will need when writing their own texts. As students read a variety of written texts, they not only increase their vocabulary but also learn to vary their sentence structure, their organizational approach, and the voice they use in their writing. Students should produce a variety of forms or types of writing, such as descriptions, letters, journal entries, advertisements, brochures, summaries, reviews, dialogues, poems, short stories, questionnaires, newspaper articles, essays, and reports. Students should be given opportunities to produce interactive writing, different types of creative writing, as well as writing that addresses topics of interest to them and reflects their capacity for independent critical thought. Writing activities that are seen by students as meaningful and that challenge them to think critically and creatively will help them achieve a fuller and more lasting command of the essential skills of writing. Students’ writing activities, in turn, support and reinforce both their oral language skills and their reading skills.
In addition, all students, whether they are writing in their first language or any other language, need to be taught ways to avoid plagiarism when writing for reporting and research purposes.
For more information about effective instruction in the four strands, consult the ministry resource document entitled Adolescent Literacy Guide: A Professional Learning Resource for Literacy, Grades 7–12, 2013.
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