We are thrilled to introduce ONlit’s newest project: the Learning Through Literacy resource series. These resources will give educators the tools to teach each grade level’s Ontario language expectations while also making meaningful connections to Canadian content in science, social studies, health, and the arts. For the very first time, the series will extend into Grade 9, marking an exciting expansion to support students and educators at this level. Every resource is grounded in Canadian content, giving students learning experiences that reflect their world and are relevant to their identity, experiences, and communities – something that is often hard to find in ready-to-use instructional materials that tend to focus on American content.
Why we’re doing this
This series grew out of what we’ve seen working in classrooms and what educators have been asking for. Last year’s Grade 3 content-connected thinkSRSD-inspired POWeR cycles were a resounding success: students strengthened their reading and writing skills while building knowledge in Canadian science and social studies topics. Educators saw the benefits and asked for more.
Our info line often gets the same question from junior and intermediate educators: “There are lots of K–3 resources, but where are the materials for my grade?” At the same time, many teachers are thinking about logistics and ask, “How do I fit it all into a very busy day?” Learning Through Literacy was designed to meet both needs, offering Canadian content that aligns directly with Ontario expectations so every lesson is purposeful, relevant, ready to use, and, most importantly, supports strong student outcomes.
Why integrated instruction
When reading instruction is connected to other skills and content areas, students thrive. For example, a meta-analysis by Graham & Hebert (2010) found that students in grades 2 to 12 had stronger comprehension and learned more content when they wrote about the texts they read.
Summarizing research on integrated instruction, Dr. Tim Shanahan (2022) highlights that incorporating subject-specific texts into reading instruction can boost both students’ understanding of the topic and their reading skills. What’s more, integrating literacy across the curriculum can benefit students of many grade levels and backgrounds, supporting a wide range of learning needs.
On a practical level, integrated instruction helps educators navigate the logistics of curriculum expectations and content effectively and efficiently. By combining literacy with content, one lesson can accomplish multiple goals at once. Students build knowledge in science, social studies, health, or the arts while also strengthening their reading, writing, and thinking skills. This approach makes learning more engaging and efficient, supports stronger literacy outcomes, and helps students develop a deeper, more connected understanding of the world around them.
What to expect
We can’t wait to bring these resources to you – and very soon!
Each unit is designed to give educators clear, practical tools that combine Ontario language expectations with Canadian-focused content. Depending on the grade level, this will look different: it might include thinkSRSD-inspired POWeR cycles where students analyze a mentor text on a relevant curriculum content topic, learn a mnemonic-based writing strategy, and apply it to produce clear, cohesive writing. Or you may find grade-based syntax instruction, such as reviewing curriculum-focused content with a sentence-combining routine, or fluency intervention materials similar to our popular Grade 7 and Grade 8 Fluency in Perspectives resources.
Our team is hard at work building these resources, and they will be available very soon. Rather than waiting until the end of the year, we’ll be releasing individual units for Grades 4, 5, 6, and 9 throughout the year, with expanded fluency resources for Grades 7 and 8 coming in 2026.
Stay tuned to our website, newsletter, and social media channels so you’re the first to know when these Canadian content-rich, Ontario-aligned resources are released!
