Page 177 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9-12: English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development, 2007

The following definitions and lists of examples are intended to help teachers and parents use this document. It should be noted that the examples provided are suggestions and are not meant to be exhaustive.
Aboriginal person. A person who is a descendant of the original inhabitants of North America. The Canadian Constitution (1982) recognizes three primary groups as Aboriginal peoples: Indians, Inuit, and Métis.
academic language. A style of language incorporating technical and specialized terms and used to communicate for academic purposes.
acculturation process. The process of cultural adjustment that newcomers experience when they arrive in a new country. Four stages have been identified in this process. During the first stage, initial enthusiasm, newcomers may feel excitement and optimism about the new country and the new opportunities it presents, combined with some anxiety about the future. During the second stage, culture shock, newcomers may experience confusion, misunderstandings, depression, and isolation, and as a result may demonstrate withdrawal and avoid contact with the mainstream culture. During the third stage, recovery, new- comers may feel less anxious, show renewed optimism and more constructive attitudes, and try out new behaviours associated with their adopted culture. During the fourth stage, acculturation/ integration, newcomers may feel that
their emotional equilibrium is restored and become able to value both their own culture and that of their adopted country.
achievement levels. Brief descriptions
of four different degrees of student achievement of the provincial curriculum expectations for any given course. Level 3, which is the “provincial standard”, identifies a high level of achievement of the provincial expectations. Parents of students achieving at level 3 in a particu- lar course can be confident that their children will be prepared for work in the next course. Level 1 identifies achieve- ment that falls much below the provincial standard. Level 2 identifies achievement that approaches the standard. Level 4 indicates achievement that surpasses
the standard.
adapted text. A text that has been rewrit- ten so that the reading level is easier and students can more easily make connections to prior knowledge and determine mean- ing. Adaptations to the text may include simplifying and/or defining relevant vocabulary, using short, relatively simple sentences, and maintaining a consistent format (e.g., a topic sentence followed by several sentences providing supporting details all of which are relevant to the content).
GLOSSARY