Page 116 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 to 12 | First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9–12 | First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies
whose life experiences may not have provided them with the information they need to understand the text. During reading, students may use “cueing systems” – that is, clues from context or from their understanding of language structures and/or letter-sound relationships – to help them solve unfamiliar words, and comprehension strategies to help them make meaning of the text. Comprehension strategies include predicting, visualizing, questioning, drawing inferences, identifying main ideas, summarizing, and monitoring and revising comprehension. After reading, students may analyse, synthesize, make connections, evaluate, and use other critical and creative thinking skills to achieve
a deeper understanding of the material they have read. It is essential that teachers provide adequate time for students to apply various strategies before, during, and after reading not only in order to develop reading skills but also to ensure that there is an opportunity to support students who may find some texts emotionally difficult due to their own experiences and connections to the material.
Teachers must use their professional judgement in deciding which comprehension strat- egies to model and teach, based on the identified learning needs of the students in their classrooms and on the nature of the particular texts students are reading.
Fluent, independent readers read frequently for a variety of different purposes – to locate information, to satisfy curiosity, for enjoyment, to build vocabulary, for research, and for various more specifically defined purposes. The purpose for reading will be determined by the teacher in some cases and by the student in others. The reading program should include a wide variety of literary, informational, and graphic texts that engage students’ interest and imagination – for example, novels; poetry; short stories; textbooks and books on topics in science, history, mathematics, geography, and other subjects; biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, and journals; plays and radio, film, or television scripts; encyclopaedia entries; graphs, charts, and diagrams in textbooks or magazines; instructions and manuals; graphic novels, comic books, and cartoons; newspaper and magazine articles and editorials; databases and websites; and essays and reports. Teachers should routinely provide materials that reflect the diversity of Indigenous peoples. Frequent exposure to good writing will inspire students to work towards high standards in their own writing and will help them develop an appreciation for the power and beauty of the written word.
This strand helps students learn to read with understanding, to read critically, to become familiar with various text forms and their characteristic elements, and to recognize the function and effects of various text features and stylistic devices. It helps students under- stand that reading is a process of constructing meaning and equips them with the strategies that good readers use to understand and appreciate what they read.
D. Writing
A central goal of the Writing strand is to promote students’ growth as confident writers and researchers who can communicate competently using a range of forms and styles to suit specific purposes and audiences and correctly applying the conventions of language – grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation. These conventions are best learned in the context of meaningful and creative writing activities that allow students to develop the ability to think and write clearly and effectively on subject matter related to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures.
Writing, from initial musings to final publication, is a complex process that involves a range of complementary thinking and composing skills, as well as other language processes,
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