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

Students
Students have many responsibilities with regard to their learning. Students who are able to make the effort required to succeed in school and who are able to apply themselves will soon discover that there is a direct relationship between this effort and their achieve- ment, and will therefore be more motivated to work. There will be some students, how- ever, who will find it more difficult to take responsibility for their learning because of special challenges they face. The attention, patience, and encouragement of teachers can be extremely important to these students’ success. However, taking responsibility for their own progress and learning is an important part of education for all students, regardless of their circumstances.
Mastery of concepts and skills in the ESL and ELD curriculum requires a sincere commit- ment to work, study, and the development of appropriate skills. Furthermore, students should be encouraged to actively pursue opportunities outside the classroom to extend their proficiency in English and enrich their understanding of the language. Their mas- tery of English will grow as they engage in real-world activities that involve listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English. Students develop their English literacy skills when they seek out recreational reading materials and multimedia works that relate to their personal interests and to the various subject areas, and when they engage in con- versation with parents, peers, and teachers about what they are reading, writing, and thinking in their daily lives. As well, it is important to encourage students to maintain their first-language skills, as their bilingual and bicultural orientation has the potential to be a lifelong asset both to themselves and to Canadian society.
Parents
Parents1 have an important role to play in supporting student learning. Studies show that students perform better in school if their parents are involved in their education. By becoming familiar with the curriculum, parents can determine what is being taught in the courses their children are taking and what their children are expected to learn. This awareness will enhance the ability of parents to discuss their children’s work with them, to communicate with teachers, and to ask relevant questions about their children’s progress. Knowledge of the expectations in the various courses also helps parents to interpret teachers’ comments on student progress and to work with teachers to improve student learning.
Other effective ways in which parents can support their children’s learning include attending parent-teacher interviews, participating in parent workshops, becoming involved in school council activities (including becoming a school council member), supporting their children in completing their assignments at home, and encouraging their children to maintain active use of the home language.
The ESL and ELD curriculum promotes awareness of the wider community. In addition to supporting regular school activities, parents can encourage their children to take an active interest in current affairs and provide them with opportunities to question and reflect on what is happening in the world.
1. In this document, parent(s) is used to mean parent(s) and guardian(s).
INTRODUCTION
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