Putting It All Together
Integration With Science and Social Science
Integration is key to the structured literacy approach that underpins the language curriculum. Building strong foundational skills (strand B) is essential for students to comprehend (strand C) and write (strand D) effectively. Mastery of writing and comprehension paves the way for the higher-order skills outlined in strand A, like critical thinking, enabling students to analyze, evaluate, and create with greater depth and insight.
Integrating strand C and D expectations into learning throughout the day gives students purposeful opportunities to build comprehension and writing skills. By incorporating listening, reading and writing activities into science and social studies lessons, students not only enhance their comprehension and writing skills but also deepen their understanding of these subjects.
Planning: Questions to Consider
- How can I integrate literacy activities with the content being taught across the school day?
- What key vocabulary from other subjects should be introduced and reinforced through reading and writing activities?
- How can I use literature to support understanding of concepts in other content areas?
- What types of writing assignments can connect with ongoing projects or learning in other subjects?
- What opportunities can I provide for students to apply reading strategies to texts from other subjects?
- How can I assess students’ understanding of content from other subjects through their literacy skills?
Daily Literacy Routines: Questions to Consider
- Do you have clear learning goals and success criteria for your daily learning (based on student data!)?
- Are the materials that students will be using easily accessible / at student eye level? Do students know how to properly access these materials?
- Do you have a system for organizing student data that is collected? (benchmark & progress monitoring data, formative assessments, etc.)
- Do you have consistent visuals to help support student routines? (e.g. timers, visual schedule, sound wall, etc.)
- Do you have consistent routines that are familiar to the student to help streamline learning and minimize time spent on transitions?
- How will you share student data, progress, and response to instruction with other stakeholders? (e.g. caregivers, larger school team, etc.)
Instructional Block Routines: Questions to Consider
- Does your daily schedule include 30 minutes of foundational literacy instruction (strand B)?
- How can you integrate content area curriculum into your literacy block?
How can you integrate literacy into your content areas? - Webinar: The Power of How: Using Instructional Routines to Maximize Student Learning (Dr. Pam Kastner)
Scheduling Examples
Here are a few schedules with suggested organization and content. You know your students best. The data you collect, especially your Universal Screening data will help you determine the greatest need for your students – as individuals, in small groups, and as a larger whole-group.
It is important to note that schedules are flexible and will likely shift and change as the year progresses. Using progress monitoring and ongoing formative assessment you help you determine when students are ready for a change in focus, content, or routine.
Getting Ready for Report Cards
The webinars linked below explore assessment, evaluation, and reporting in the context of the revised Language curriculum and the new one-mark report card structure for Ontario students.
