Page 4 - Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12 Native Languages

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The Program in Native Languages
Overview
All courses in the Native language program cover oral communication, reading, and writing; vocabulary, language conventions, and grammar; and use of information technology. Students also become familiar with the writing and sound systems of the language under study, and develop an appreciation of Native language and culture. All courses in the Native language program provide an opportunity for students to enhance their sense of cultural identity and self-worth. The Native languages that are recognized in the Native language program are the following: Cayuga, Cree, Delaware, Mohawk, Ojibwe, Oji-Cree, and Oneida. Students may study one or more of these languages in the program. Any course developed in a Native language must adhere to a course outlined in this document, giving students the opportunity to achieve all the expectations described for that course.
The courses in Native languages are not restricted to specific grades, so that students may begin the study of one or more of the languages in any grade of secondary school. For this reason, progression is indicated by levels rather than grades. Five levels of courses in Native languages are offered in the Native language program in Grades 9 through 12. The courses offered are Native Languages, Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (NL1, NL2, NL3, NL4, and NL5). NL1 is offered to students who have little or no background in a Native language. Students who begin the Native language program with NL1 would normally complete the courses up to NL4. NL2 is offered to students who have studied a Native language for at least four years in elementary school, or who have successfully completed NL1 or a test indicating proficiency at the NL1 level. Students who begin the program with NL2 would normally complete their studies with NL5. NL3 is offered to students who have successfully completed NL2 or a profi- ciency test. NL4 is offered to students who have successfully completed NL3 or a proficiency test. NL5 is offered to students who have successfully completed NL4 or a proficiency test.
This document contains the curriculum expectations for NL4 and NL5. In NL4 and NL5, emphasis is placed on developing students’ ability to communicate in increasingly complex ways and on integrating Native philosophy, spirituality, and values with the study of language.
As outlined in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12: Program Planning and Assessment, 2000, the new curriculum for secondary school is organized into several types of courses. (See the document mentioned for a description of the different types of secondary school courses.) However, not all types of courses are available in every discipline. In the Native language program, there is only one type of course – the “open” course.