Course Code:OLC4O
Course Description
This course is designed to help students acquire and demonstrate the cross-curricular literacy skills evaluated by the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). Students who complete the course successfully will meet the provincial literacy requirement for graduation.
Students will read a variety of informational, narrative, and graphic texts and produce various forms of writing, including summaries, information paragraphs, opinion pieces, and news reports. Students will also maintain and manage a portfolio containing a record of their reading experiences and samples of their writing.
Department:English
Course Type: Open
Grade: 12
Credit Value: 1.0
Prerequisite: Students who have been eligible to write the OSSLT at least twice and who have been unsuccessful at least once are eligible to take the course. (Students who have already met the literacy requirement for graduation may be eligible to take the course under special circumstances, at the discretion of the principal.)
Curriculum Policy Document:English – The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC), The Ontario Curriculum, Grade 12, 2003
Course Developer: Canadian Global School
Development Date: 2021
Course Outline
OLC4O Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course - Total Hours (110 Hours)
Unit 1: Literacy and Grammar (20 Hours)
Unit 2: Informational and Graphic Texts (20Hours)
Unit 3: Summaries, Narrative Texts and Grammar (20 Hours)
Unit 4: News Writing, Opinion Essays and Grammar (25 Hours)
Unit 5: Oral Literacy (20 Hours)
Rich Summative Task (5 hours)
Students will complete a summative that includes content that has been worked on through the course, plus an oral metacognitive component.
Resources required by the student:
- Laptop and/or personal computer (preferably with Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as a web browser)
- Access to video recording and handwritten work scanning (mobile phone, tablet, iPad, webcams)
- Stable internet connection
Resources provided by Canadian Global School
- Access to Google Suites or Microsoft Education for word processing software and presentation software. (The school will distribute accounts to students).
- Supplemental Readings
- Access to Canva for Education if needed.
Note: This course is entirely online and does not require or rely on any textbook.
OLC4O Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course, Grade 11/12,Open
Overall Expectations:
By the end of this course, students will:
- demonstrate the ability to read and respond to a variety of texts; demonstrate understanding of the organizational structure and features of a variety of informational, narrative, and graphic texts, including
information paragraphs, opinion pieces, textbooks, newspaper reports and magazine stories, and short fiction;
demonstrate understanding of the content and meaning of informational, narrative, and graphic texts that they have read using a variety of reading strategies;
- use a variety of strategies to understand unfamiliar and specialized words and expressions in informational, narrative, and graphic texts
Overall Expectations:
By the end of this course, students will
- demonstrate the ability to use the writing process by generating and organizing ideas and producing first drafts, revised drafts, and final polished pieces to complete a variety of writing tasks;
- use knowledge of writing forms, and of the connections between form, audience, and purpose, to write summaries, information paragraphs, opinion pieces (i.e., series of
paragraphs expressing an opinion), news reports, and personal reflections, incorporating graphic elements where necessary and appropriate.
By the end of this course, students will
- demonstrate understanding of the importance of communication skills in their everyday lives – at school, at work, and at home;demonstrate understanding of their own roles and responsibilities in the learning process;
- demonstrate understanding of the reading and writing processes and of the role of reading and writing in learning; demonstrate understanding of their own growth in literacy during the course.
Strategies for Assessment and Evaluation of Student Performance
Our assessment and evaluation theory is based on the Growing Success document from the Ministry of Education, and we believe that this is in the best interests of students. We want to construct assessment in a way that allows us to collect and display evidence of learning in a variety of methods, gradually passing over responsibility to students, and giving students multiple and varied opportunities to reflect on their learning and receive thorough feedback.
Growing Success reflects the Ministry’s vision for assessment and evaluation processes, including their purpose and structure. Canadian Global School teachers must follow seven essential principles to ensure the finest assessment and evaluation methods and procedures. Assessments and evaluations of Canadian Global School :
- are equitable, transparent, and fair to all students
- assist all students, including those with special education needs, those who are learning the language of instruction (English or French), and those who are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit;
- are carefully planned to relate to curriculum expectations and learning goals, as well as, to the greatest extent possible, to all student’s interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences;
- are communicated to students and parents at the start of the course, as well as at other points throughout the school year or course;
- are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over time to provide students with multiple opportunities to demonstrate the full scope of their learning;
- support improved learning and achievement, provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely.
- develop students’ self-assessment skills so that they can evaluate their learning, set specific goals, and plan the next steps for their learning.
For a full explanation, please refer to Growing Success.
There are three forms of assessment that will be used throughout this course:
Learning will directly influence student learning by reinforcing the connections between assessment and instruction and providing ongoing feedback to the student. Assessment for learning occurs as part of the daily teaching process. It helps teachers form a clear picture of the needs of the students because students are encouraged to be more active in their learning and associated assessment. Teachers gather this information to shape their teaching environment.
Assessment for learning is:
- Ongoing
- Is tied to learning outcomes
- Provides information that structures the teachers’ planning and instruction
- Allows teachers to provide immediate and descriptive feedback that will guide student learning
The purpose of assessment for learning is to create self-regulated and lifelong learners.
Assessment as learning is the use of a task or an activity to allow students the opportunity to use assessment to further their learning. Self and peer assessments enable students to reflect on their learning and identify areas of strength and need. These tasks offer students the chance to set their own goals and advocate for their learning.
The purpose of assessment as learning is to enable students to monitor their own progress towards achieving their learning goals.
Assessment of learning will occur at or near the end of a period of learning; this summary is used to make judgements about the quality of student learning using established criteria, to assign a value to represent that quality and to communicate information about achievement to students and parents.
Evidence of student achievement for evaluation is collected over time from three different sources – observations, conversations, and student products. Using multiple sources of evidence will increase the reliability and validity of the evaluation of student learning.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
This course has been designed to scaffold literacy skills. Students will be reintroduced to literacy and the building blocks of language: grammar. Reviewing basic concepts will empower the students to become successful in the succeeding units. They are given many opportunities to practice their reading and writing skills through interactive lessons.
- Students will also reflect on their performance after each class through their learning journals. The course teacher will support individual learners’ needs by providing constructive, prompt and clear feedback.
- In the end, the goal is for students to become independent, critical and skilled learners. Therefore, they are encouraged to go through the course at their own pace, with their teacher facilitating the journey
ENROLL A CHILD
The Final Grade
| Percentage of Final Mark | Categories of Mark Breakdown |
| 70% | Assessments of Learning Tasks Throughout the Term |
| 30% | Rich Summative Task |
A student’s final grade is reflective of their most recent and most consistent level of achievement.
The balance of the weighting of the categories of the achievement chart throughout the course is:
| ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOL LITERACY COURSE | Knowledge | Inquiry/Thinking | Communication | Application |
| 100% | 25% | 25% | 25% | 25% |
The Report Card
Student achievement will be communicated formally to students via an official report card. Report cards are issued at the midterm point in the course, as well as upon completion of the course. Each report card will focus on two distinct, but related aspects of student achievement.
First, the achievement of curriculum expectations is reported as a percentage grade. Additionally, the course median is reported as a percentage. The teacher will also provide written comments concerning the student’s strengths, areas for improvement, and next steps. Second, the learning skills are reported as a Needs Improvement, Satisfactory, Good and Excellent. The report card also indicates whether an OSSD credit has been earned.
Upon completion of a course, Canadian Global School will send a copy of the report card back to the student’s home school (if in Ontario) where the course will be added to the ongoing list of courses on the student’s Ontario Student Transcript. The report card will also be sent to the student’s home address.
Program Planning Considerations for Online Courses
Cheating and Plagiarism
Canadian Global School commits to having policies for assessments that minimize the risk of cheating. We also commit to begin each course with refresher learning on academic integrity.
In the event of incidences of academic dishonesty, the student, Academic Director (and, in the case of students under 18, their parents) will be notified of the occurrence, of the consequence, and of the potential consequences of subsequent incidents.
Improper Citation
Grades 11 and 12
- First Instance: A warning and an opportunity to redo the piece.
- Subsequent Instance: An opportunity to redo the piece to a maximum grade of 75%.
Unaccredited Paraphrasing
Grade 11 and 12
- First Instance: An opportunity to redo the piece to a maximum grade of 75%.
- Subsequent Instance: An opportunity to redo the piece to a maximum grade of 50%.
Unaccredited Verbatim
Grades 11 and 12
- First Instance: An opportunity to redo the piece to a maximum grade of 50%.
- Subsequent Instance: A grade of zero. No opportunity to resubmit.
Full Plagiarism
Grade 11 and 12
- First Instance: A grade of zero. No opportunity to resubmit.
- Subsequent Instance: A grade zero. No opportunity to resubmit.
Instructional Approaches
Teachers will use a variety of instructional strategies to help students become independent, strategic and successful learners. The key to student success is effective, accessible instruction. When planning this course of instruction, the teacher will identify the main concept and skills of the course, consider the context in which students will apply their learning and determine the students’ learning goals. The instructional program for this course will be well planned and will support students in reaching their optimal level of challenge for learning, while directly teaching the skills that are required for success.
Understanding student strengths and needs will enable the teacher to plan effective instruction and meaningful assessments. Therefore, throughout this course, the teacher will continually observe and assess the students’ readiness to learn, their interests, preferred learning styles and individual learning needs.
Teachers will use differentiated instructional approaches such as:
- adjusting the method or pace of instruction
- using a variety of resources
- allowing a wide choice of topics
- adjusting the learning environment
- scaffolding instruction
During this course, the teacher will provide multiple opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills and consolidate and reflect upon their learning.
Planning the Program for Students with Special Educational Needs
The teacher in this course is the key educator of students with special education needs. The teacher has a responsibility to help all students learn and will work collaboratively with the guidance counsellor, where appropriate, to achieve this goal. In planning this course, the teacher will pay particular attention to the following guidelines:
- All students have the ability to succeed
- Each student has his or her own unique patterns of learning
- Successful instructional practices are founded on evidence-based research, tempered by experience
- Universal design and differentiated instruction are effective and interconnected means of meeting the learning or productivity needs of any group of students
- Online teachers are the key educators for a student’s literacy and numeracy development
- Online teachers need the support of the larger school community to create a learning environment that supports students with special education needs
- Fairness is not sameness
The teacher will use the following strategies:
| Students with Special Educational Needs | |
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Planning the Program for Students with English as a Second Language
In planning this course for students with linguistic backgrounds other than English, the teacher will create a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment that nurtures their self-confidence while receiving course instruction. Most English language learners who have developed oral proficiency in everyday English will nevertheless require instructional scaffolding to meet curriculum expectations. Therefore, the teacher will adapt the instructional program to facilitate the success of these students in their classes. Appropriate adaptations and strategies for this course will include:
| Students with English as Second Language | |
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Supporting First Nations, Métis and Inuit Students
Canadian Global School will promote active and engaged citizenship, which includes greater awareness of the distinct place and role of Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, and Inuit) peoples in our shared heritage and the future in Ontario.
Canadian Global School will:
- increase the focus in school strategic planning to promote the voluntary, confidential self-identification of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students as a means to enhance the success and well-being of Aboriginal students and to help close the achievement gap
- continue to identify and share practices and resources to help improve First Nation, Métis, and Inuit student achievement and close the achievement gap
- increase the training in our schools to respond to the learning and cultural needs of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students
- provide quality programs, services, and resources at our schools to support First Nation, Métis, and Inuit student
- provide quality programs, services, and resources at our schools who support First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students to help create learning opportunities that support improved academic achievement and identify building
- provide curriculum links that facilitates learning about contemporary and traditional First National, Métis, and Inuit cultures, histories, and perspectives among all students
- develop awareness among teachers of the learning styles of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students and employ instructional methods designed to enhance the learning of all First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students
- implement targeted learning strategies for effective oral communication and mastery of reading and writing
- implement strategies for developing critical and creative thinking
- provide access to a variety of accurate and reliable Aboriginal resources such as periodicals, books, software, and resources in other media, including materials in the main Aboriginal languages in schools with First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students
- provide a supportive and safe environment for all First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students
The Role of Information and Communication Technology
ICT tools will be integrated into this course for whole-class instruction and for the design of curriculum units that contain varied approaches to learning to meet the diverse needs and interests of the students in this class. At the beginning of this class, all students will be made aware of issues related to Internet privacy, safety, and responsible use and the potential for abuse of this technology, mainly when it is used to promote hatred. ICT used in this course will include:
| Information and Communication Technology | |
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Literacy, Mathematical Literacy, and Inquiry Skills
At Canadian Global School it is the responsibility of all of our teachers to explicitly teach literacy and inquiry skills. The following skills will be developed in each course delivered at Canadian Global
School :
Equity & Inclusive Education in the Learning Environment
At Canadian Global School we embrace multiculturalism, human rights and diversity as fundamental values. Bullying, hate propaganda and cyber bullying, racism, religious intolerance, homophobia and gender-based violence are still evident in
Healthy Relationships in the learning Environment
At Canadian Global School , every student is entitled to learn in a safe, respectful and caring environment, free from violence and harassment. The teacher will create a safe and supportive environment in the class by cultivating
Financial Literacy Connections
There is a growing recognition that the education system has a vital role to play in preparing young people to take their place as informed, engaged, and knowledgeable citizens in the global economy.
Environmental Education Connections
Although there are no specific environmental connections in this course, teachers will develop an environmental understanding fostered through
Ethics in the Learning Environment
At Canadian Global School teachers provide varied opportunities for students to learn about ethical issues and to explore the role of ethics in decision making.
Cooperative education programs allow students to earn secondary school credits while completing a work placement in the community. These programs complement students’ academic programs and are valuable for all students, whatever their post-secondary destination.
Cooperative education courses may be earned using this course as one of the related courses.
Central to the philosophy at Canadian Global School is the focus on experiential learning. Planned learning experiences in the community, including job shadowing, field trips, and hands-on experiences, will provide our students with opportunities to see the relevance of their classroom learning in a work setting, make connections between school and work, and explore a career of interest as they plan their pathways through secondary school and make postsecondary plans.
As part of every course, students must be made aware that health and safety in their learning environment are the responsibility of all participants – at home, at school, and in the workplace. Teachers will model safe practices at all times when communicating with students online.
Although Canadian Global School does not have an official school library, students are encouraged to use e-books, local libraries, GALE resource archives and Curriculum Video Digital resources to develop important research and inquiry skills.
Promotion of Careers
The knowledge and skills students acquire in this course will be useful in helping students recognize the value of their education and applications to the world outside of school and identify possible careers, essential skills and work habits required to succeed. In addition, students will learn how to connect their learning in asking questions and finding answers to employable skills.
During this course the teacher will:
- ensure that all students develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed education and career/life choices;
- Provide learning environment and online school-wide opportunities for this learning; and;
- Engage parents and the broader community in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the program, to support students in their learning
- Use the four-step inquiry process linked to the four areas of learning
- Knowing yourself – Who am I ?
- Exploring opportunities – What are my opportunities?
- Making decisions and setting goals – Who do I want to become?
- Achieving goals and making transitions – What is my plan for achieving my goals?
The teacher will support students in this course in education and career/life planning by providing them with learning opportunities, filtered through the lens of the four inquiry questions, that allow them to apply subject-specific knowledge and skills to work-related situations; explore subject-related education and career/life options, and become competent, self-directed planners.