Page 40 - 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
A Differentiated Approach to Teaching and Learning
A differentiated approach to teaching and learning, as part of a framework for effective classroom practice, involves adapting instruction and assessment in response to differing student interests, learning preferences, and readiness in order to promote growth in learning.
An understanding of students’ strengths and needs, as well as of their backgrounds, life experiences, and possible emotional vulnerabilities, can help teachers identify and address the diverse strengths and needs of their students. Teachers continually build their aware- ness of students’ learning strengths and needs by observing and assessing their readiness to learn, their interests, and their learning styles and preferences. As teachers develop and deepen their understanding of individual students, they can respond more effectively to the students’ needs by differentiating instructional approaches – adjusting the method or pace of instruction, using different types of resources, allowing a wider choice of topics, even adjusting the learning environment, if appropriate, to suit the way their students learn and how they are best able to demonstrate their learning. Differentiation is planned as part of the overall learning design but also includes adaptations made during the teaching and learning process in response to assessment for learning. Unless students have an Individual Education Plan with modified expectations, what they learn continues to be guided by the curriculum expectations and remains the same for all students.
Lesson Design
Effective lesson design involves several important elements. Teachers engage students
in a lesson by activating their prior learning and experiences, clarifying the purpose for learning, and making connections to contexts that will help them see the relevance and usefulness of what they are learning. Teachers select instructional strategies to effectively introduce concepts, and consider how they will scaffold instruction in ways that will best meet the needs of their students. At the same time, they consider when and how to check students’ understanding and to assess their progress towards achieving their learning goals. Teachers provide multiple opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills and to consolidate and reflect on their learning. A three-part lesson design (e.g., “Minds On, Action, and Consolidation”) is often used to structure these elements.
Instructional Approaches in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies
Instruction in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit studies should help students acquire the knowledge, skills, and attributes they need in order to achieve the curriculum expectations and be able to think critically throughout their lives about issues related to art, literature,
and other forms of cultural expression; history, politics, law, and governance; cultural diversity and cultural identity; the environment; and Indigenous realities around the world. In First Nations, Métis, and Inuit studies, instruction is effective if it motivates students and instils positive habits of mind, such as curiosity and open-mindedness; a willingness to think, question, challenge, and be challenged; and an awareness of the value of listening or reading closely and communicating clearly. To be effective, instruction must be based on the belief that all students can be successful and that learning in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit studies is important and valuable for all students.
When planning a program in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit studies, teachers must take into account a number of important considerations, including those discussed below.
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