Page 15 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9–12 | Classical Studies and International Languages

Critical literacy, discussed in detail on pages 51–52, is another skill developed through the study of a second or additional language. The expectations in the classical studies and international languages courses require students to critically analyse and evaluate the meaning of texts as they relate to “issues of equity, power, and social justice to inform a critical stance, response and/or action”.8
Metacognition is commonly defined as “thinking about thinking”. The metacognitive process involves the ability to plan, monitor, and assess one’s use of thinking processes and learning strategies. Metacognition not only plays an important role in language acquisition, it can increase student engagement, foster confidence, and empower students to be independent and responsible for their learning. As students develop the ability
to understand how they learn, recognize areas that need improvement, set goals for improvement, monitor their own learning, and become independent learners, they are acquiring the basic habits and skills needed for lifelong learning.
It is important for teachers to model comprehension and thinking strategies and explicitly demonstrate them by thinking aloud. Teachers can explicitly teach metacognitive strategies in the target language by naming the strategies in the target language, discussing their uses, and giving examples. By doing so, they provide students with a common understanding and terminology so they can develop their awareness of how and why they choose certain strategies to accomplish a task and eventually speak in the target language about their choices. It is also important to engage students in talking about their own thinking and metacognitive strategies in order to increase their self-awareness, as well as to provide ample practice so that their use of these strategies becomes automatic. Students should be given many opportunities for regular self-assessment or peer-assessment of their work throughout the learning process, and to reflect on and monitor their learning.
Making Real-Life Connections
Students are more motivated to continue with the study of a second or additional language when they see immediate, real-life applications for the skills they learn. Trends in language learning have changed such that “the focus in language education in the twenty-first century is no longer on grammar, memorization and learning from rote, but rather using language and cultural knowledge as a means to communicate and connect to others around the globe.”9 For example, they can communicate with a broader range of people, access more sources of entertainment and information (e.g., literature, music, film and television, and a wide variety of online resources in the other language), and increase their own prospects for future education, employment, and travel.
When learning another language, students’ learning experience can be expanded by making connections with other subject areas, whether formally or informally. The language skills and cultural knowledge that students gain in the target language build upon the knowledge that students acquire in other subject areas, and vice versa. Students also bring to the classroom a wealth of knowledge and experience from the world around them that supports and enriches their learning.
8. Ontario Ministry of Education, Adolescent Literacy Guide: A Professional Learning Resource for Literacy, Grades 7–12 (2012), 16.
9. S.E. Eaton, Global Trends in Language Learning in the Twenty-first Century (Calgary: Onate Press, 2010), 5.
INTRODUCTION
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