English Language and Literature
Listening and Speaking
Learning Outcomes
Learners:
Phase 0
— Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media
by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not
understood.
— Describe familiar people, places, things and events and, with prompting and support, provide
additional detail.
— Follow agreed upon rules for discussions.
— Form regular plural nouns orally by adding /s/ or /es/.
— Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners.
— Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings and ideas clearly.
Phase 1
— Hear and accept differences between languages.
— Listen attentively and considerately and respond to others in group situations.
— Listen for pleasure to stories, poems, rhymes and dramatizations
— Express thoughts, feelings, ideas and opinions and discuss them.
— Hear and use rhyming words.
— Use simple and compound sentences with appropriate word order.
— Hear the parts of a word.
— Build on others' talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple
exchanges.
— Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify
something that is not understood.
— Orally use verbs to convey a sense of past, present and future.
Phase 2
--Respect the power of language and its effects on others.
— Give reason, instruction and description.
— Explain and discuss own stories with peers and adults.
— Listen for a specific purpose, ex. to find information, details, predictions, retelling and sequence.
— Identify main ideas in oral text and media.
— Give a simple talk or speech.
— Build on others' talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others.
— Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking
audibly and in coherent sentences.
— Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other visual displays to stories or
recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts and feelings.
Phase 3
— be sensitive to other people's use of language.
— summarize a complex oral text.
— use complex story telling skills.
— give and respond to increasingly complex directions, instructions and messages, and respond to those
of others.
— understand that ideas and opinions can be generated, developed and presented through discussion in
pairs and groups.
— organize thoughts and feelings before speaking.
— come to discussions prepared; having read or studied required material and explicitly draw on that
preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
— explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion and how their thinking has
changed.
— appropriately use vocabulary to suit different purposes.
— argue persuasively and defend a point of view.
— appreciate that one similar sounding word can have various meanings.
— explain the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse
media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Phase 4
— summarize a written text and points a speaker makes and explain how each claim is supported.
— make comments, elaborate on the remarks of others and draw conclusions based on new information.
— report on a topic or present an opinion using a logical sequence of events.
— adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks.
— support the main idea with appropriate facts and sufficient details.
— follow agreed upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
— pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow-up on information and make comments that
contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.
— paraphrase portions of text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats,
including visually, quantitatively and orally.
— differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (ex. presenting ideas) and situations where
informal discourse is appropriate (ex. small group discussion); use formal English when appropriate to task
and situation.
— report on a topic or text, tell a story or recount an experience in an organized manner, using
appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an
understandable pace.
— add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the
development of main ideas or themes.
Phase 5
— argue persuasively and present a point of view that is not necessarily their own.
— infer meanings, draw conclusions and make judgements about oral texts.
— use correct technical vocabulary and complex sentence structures with a high level of accuracy and
precision.
— give complex instructions and messages and respond appropriately to those of others.
— design open-ended questions to elicit information.
— show an active interest in and respect for other languages.
— review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge gained
from discussions.
Phase 6
— delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons
and evidence from claims that are not.
— follow the rules for collegial discussions, set specific goals and deadlines and define individual roles as
needed.
— present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts and
details to accentuate main ideas or themes;use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume and clear
pronunciation.
Viewing and Presenting
Learners:
Phase 0
— Participate in shared research and writing projects.
— With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather
Phase 1
— Understand that communication involves both visual and verbal features.
— Understand that signs, symbols and icons carry meaning.
— Begin to think critically and make choices.
— Make inferences about a character by observing body language, gestures, and the way others respond
to them.
— Begin to understand the role of familiar media in their daily life.
Phase 2
— Demonstrate awareness of the presence of media in the daily life of most people.
— Define role of advertising as part of media presentation.
— Compare and contrast information.
— Demonstrate an understanding of the basic elements of a poster.
— talk about their own feelings in response to visual messages; show empathy for the way others might
feel
— relate to different contexts presented in visual texts according to their own experiences, for example,
"that looks like my uncle's farm."
— locate familiar visual texts in magazines, advertising catalogues, and connect them with associated
products
— show their understanding that visual messages influence our behavior
— connect visual information with their own experiences to construct their own meaning, for example,
when taking a trip
— use body language in mime and role play to communicate ideas and feelings visually
— realize that shapes, symbols and colours have meaning and include them in presentations
— use a variety of implements to practise and develop handwriting and presentation skills
— observe and discuss illustrations in picture books and simple reference books, commenting on the
information being conveyed
— view different versions of the same story and discuss the effectiveness of the different ways of telling
the same story, for example, the picture book version and the film/movie version of a story
— become aware of the use and organization of visual effects to create a particular impact, for example,
dominant images show what is important in a story
— attend to visual information showing understanding through discussion, role play, and illustrations
Phase 3
— realize that text and illustrations in reference materials work together to convey information, and can
explain how this enhances understanding
— with guidance, use the internet to access relevant information; process and present information in ways
that are personally meaningful
— use appropriate terminology to discuss visual texts, for example, logos, font, foreground, background,
impact
— realize that effects have been selected and arranged to achieve a certain impact, for example, the way in
which colour, lighting, music and movement work together in a performance
— observe and discuss visual presentations; make suggestions about why they have been created and
what the creator has been aiming to achieve.
— view visual information and show understanding by asking relevant questions and discussing possible
meaning
— discuss their own feelings in response to visual messages; listen to other responses, realizing that
people react differently
— realize that visual information reflects and contributes to the understanding of context
— recognize and name familiar visual texts, for example, advertising, logos, labels, signs, ICT iconography
— observe and discuss familiar and unfamiliar visual messages; make judgments about effectiveness
— discuss personal experiences that connect with visual images
— use actions and body language to reinforce and add meaning to oral presentations
— select and use suitable shapes, colours, symbols and layout for presentations; practise and develop
writing/calligraphy styles
Phase 4
— view, respond to and describe visual information, communicating understanding in oral, written and
visual form
— experience a range of different visual language formats; appreciate and describe why particular formats
are selected to achieve particular effects
— observe and discuss the choice and composition of visual presentations and explain how they
contribute to meaning and impact, for example, facial expressions, speech bubbles, word images to
convey sound effects
— realize that visual presentations have been created to reach out to a particular audience and influence
the audience in some way; discuss the effects used and how they might influence the audience.
— describe personal reactions to visual messages; reflect on why others may perceive the images
differently
— understand and explain how visual effects can be used to reflect a particular context
— recognize and name familiar visual texts and explain why they are or are not effective, for example,
advertising, logos, labels, signs, billboards
— interpret visual cues in order to analyse and make inferences about the intention of the message
— explain how relevant personal experiences can add to the meaning of a selected film/movie; write and
illustrate a personal response
— identify aspects of body language in a dramatic presentation and explain how they are used to convey
the mood and personal traits of characters
— design posters and charts, using shapes, colours, symbols, layout and fonts, to achieve particular effects;
explain how the desired effect is achieved
— discuss a newspaper report and tell how the words and pictures work together to convey a particular
message
— prepare, individually or in collaboration, visual presentations using a range of media, including
computer and web-based applications
— discuss and explain visual images and effects using appropriate terminology, for example, image,
symbol, graphics, balance, techniques, composition
Phase 5
— reflect on ways in which understanding the intention of a visual message can influence personal
responses.
— view and critically analyse a range of visual texts, communicating understanding through oral, written
and visual media
— identify factors that influence personal reactions to visual texts; design visual texts with the intention of
influencing the way people think and feel
— analyse and interpret the ways in which visual effects are used to establish context
— identify elements and techniques that make advertisements, logos and symbols effective and draw on
this knowledge to create their own visual effects
— realize that cultural influences affect the way we respond to visual effects and explain how this affects
our interpretation, for example, the use of particular colours or symbols
— realize that individuals interpret visual information according to their personal experiences and different
perspectives
— show how body language, for example, facial expression, gesture and movement, posture and
orientation, eye contact and touch, can be used to achieve effects and influence meaning
— apply knowledge of presentation techniques in original and innovative ways; explain their own ideas for
achieving desired effects
— examine and analyse text and illustrations in reference material, including online text, explaining how
visual and written information work together to reinforce each other and make meaning more explicit
— navigate the internet in response to verbal and visual prompts with confidence and familiarity; use ICT
to prepare their own presentations
Phase 6
---use appropriate terminology to identify a range of visual effects/formats and critically analyse their
effectiveness, for example, mood, media, juxtaposition, proportion
— analyse the selection and composition of visual presentations; select examples to explain how they
achieve a particular impact, for example, dominant images, use of colour, texture, symbolism
— identify the intended audience and purpose of a visual presentation; identify overt and subliminal
messages
Reading
Learners:
Phase 0
— Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.
— Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
— Identify the author and illustrator of a text.
— Know the alphabet.
— Read some Dolch high frequency words.
— Understand sound/symbol relationships and recognize and name all letters and sounds.
— With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
— With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
Phase 1
— Use alphabetical order.
— Identify frequently occurring root words and their inflectional forms.
— Read and retell familiar books silently and out loud with confidence.
— Use a variety of reading strategies to make meaning of text.
— Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
— Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
— Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
— Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting or events.
— Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
— Sequence events in a story.
— Distinguish fact from fiction.
— Identify the different parts of a book.
— Read for a variety of purposes and respond to what is read.
— Identify the author and illustrator and define the role of each in telling the story.¨
Phase 2
— Use dictionaries, reference books and IT to find information.
— Read a text aloud with fluency, expression and regard to punctuation.
— Think while reading to gain understanding of a text.
— Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central
message, lesson or moral.
— Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
— Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story by different authors or from different
cultures.
— Make inferences about a text and be able to justify them.
— Read, understand and respond to ideas, feelings and attitudes in a text.
— Identify and begin using the index and contents pages of a book.
— Use reading for pleasure, instruction and information, and relate reading to experience.
— Demonstrate familiarity with various genres of literature.
— Express preference in reading materials.
— Begin to recognize the author's purpose such as information, persuasion, entertainment and instruction.
Phase 3
— locate and select resources appropriate to their reading level and for a specific purpose.
— reflect over reading and be able to keep a journal.
— understand that texts can be interpreted differently by different people.
— identify and describe complex elements of a story such as settings, plot, characters, themes and moral.
— read quickly to scan for information.
— recognize and appreciate different genres of literature.
— respond to a text by identifying the main idea, recognizing cause and effect, distinguishing between
fact and opinion, questioning and drawing conclusions.
— explain text features appropriate to their reading level and specific purpose.
— use a root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root.
Phase 4
— critically evaluate their own choices in books and classify and appreciate different forms of literature.
— evaluate the conflict, climax and resolution in a story.
— understand that words can evoke mental images.
— locate information in an encyclopedia, almanac and on a map.
— choose literature from a genre and explain their choice.
— refer to details and examples in an informational text when explaining what the text says explicitly and
when drawing inferences from the text.
— explain events, procedures, ideas or concepts in a historical, scientific or technical text, including what
happened and why, based on specific information in the informational text.
— determine a theme of a story, drama or poem from details in the literary text; summarize the text.
— determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a literary text, including those that
allude to significant characters found in mythology (ex. herculean).
— explain the major differences between poems, drama and prose and refer to the structural elements of
poems (ex. verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (ex. casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage
directions) when discussing a literary text.
— compare and contrast the point of view from which different literary texts are narrated, including the
difference between first- and third-person narrations.
— compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the
differences in focus and the information provided in informational text.
— compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (ex. opposition of good and evil) and
patterns of events (ex. the quest) in stories, myths, traditional literature and literary text from different
cultures.
— interpret information presented visually, orally or quantitatively (ex. charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines,
animations or interactive elements on webpages) and explain how the information contributes to an
understanding of the informational text in which it appears.
— explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in an informational text.
Phase 5
— identify the basic types of conflicts in a story.
— infer the author's purpose within a variety of complex texts.
— identify and discuss forms and structures of a variety of genres.
— show awareness that poems have layers of meaning and that they need to be read and reread,
questioned and reflected on to yield their meaning.
— be aware that poems are open to a range of interpretations.
— draw conclusions about what important objects or events symbolize.
— quote accurately from a literary text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.
— determine two or more main ideas of an informational text and explain how they are supported by key
details; summarize the text.
— determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a literary text, including figurative
language such as metaphors and similes.
— explain how a series of chapters, scenes or stanzas fits together in a literary text to provide the overall
structure of a particular story, drama or poem.
— describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described in a literary
text.
— compare and contrast the overall structure (ex. chronology, comparison, cause-effect, problemsolution) of events, ideas, concepts or information in two or more informational texts.
— analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in
the point of view they represent in an informational text.
— analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone or beauty of a literary text
(ex. graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).
— draw on information from multiple print or digital informational sources, demonstrating the ability to
locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.
— integrate information from several informational texts on the same topic in order to write or speak
about the subject knowledgeably.
— take on a variety of group roles in a literature circle in order to read and comprehend literary and
informational text.
Phase 6
— analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter or section fits into the overall structure of an
informational text and contributes to the development of the ideas.
— analyze in detail how a key individual, event or idea is introduced, illustrated and elaborated in an
informational text (ex. through examples or anecdotes).
— cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the literary text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
— compare and contrast one author's presentation of events with that of another (ex. a memoir written
by and a biography on the same person) in informational text.
— compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama or poem to listening to or viewing an
audio, video or live version of a literary text, including contrasting what they "see" and "hear" when
reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch.
— describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the
characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
— determine a theme or central idea of a literary text and how it is conveyed through particular details;
provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgements.
— trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in an informational text, distinguishing claims
that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
Writing
Learners:
Phase 0
— Accurately spell some high-frequency words.
— Capitalize the first word in a sentence.
— Present writing with correct directionality and spacing.
— Print all letters, upper and lower case.
— Recognize and name end punctuation.
— Spell simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter relationships.
— Understand and use question words.
— Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in
which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
— Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a
reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion about the topic or
book.
— Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely
linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what
happened.
— Use frequently occurring nouns and verbs.
Phase 1
— Use capitalization and end punctuation accurately.
— Accurately spell most Dolch high frequency words.
— Begin to use some common spelling patterns.
— Write about personally significant subjects.
— Respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
— With guidance and support, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in
collaboration with peers.
— Use common, proper and possessive nouns.
— Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic sentences.
— Use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns.
— Use frequently occurring adjectives, conjunctions, and prepositions.
— Use verbs to convey a sense of past, present, and future.
Phase 2
— Write independently with confidence.
— Formulate and respond to different types of writing.
— Write opinion pieces in which they introduce a topic, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the
opinion, use linking words to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement.
— Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop
points, and provide a concluding statement.
— Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, including
details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a
sense of closure.
— Begin using The Writing Process.
— With support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and
editing.
— With support, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration
with peers.
— Use similes, metaphors, and alliteration.
— Use commas and speech marks to support meaning.
— Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.
— Use age appropriate phonics skills to spell unknown words.
— Accurately spell the most common spelling patterns.
— Form and use frequently occurring irregular plural nouns (ex. feet, children, teeth).
— Use reflexive pronouns.
— Form and use the past tense of frequently occurring irregular verbs (ex. sat, hit and told).
— Use adjectives and adverbs, and choose between them depending on what is to be modified.
Phase 3
— explain the functions of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general and their functions
in particular sentences.
— form and use regular and irregular plural nouns and verbs.
— use abstract nouns.
— ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.
— form and use comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs, and choose between them
depending on what is to be modified.
— use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.
— choose words and phrases for effect.
— create and publish writing using word processing software (ex. Microsoft Word).
— select vocabulary according to the audience and purpose.
— write paragraphs with a topic sentence, supporting details and closing sentence.
— write in a legible cursive style (ex. Zaner Bloser).
— actively contribute to the editing of the work of their peers.
— create a story map.
— use indented paragraphs.
— use quotation marks.
— form words with prefixes and suffixes.
— identify and use synonyms, antonyms and homonyms.
— use the writing process with some guidance.
Phase 4
— display a sense of audience by writing in a variety of styles and purposes.
— consistently use the main parts of speech correctly (ex. capitalization, correct punctuation, verb tenses,
etc.).
— write and use contractions correctly.
— use a variety of sentence lengths and structures in a composition.
— identify and write declarative, interrogative, exclamatory and imperative sentences.
— use a dictionary and thesaurus independently.
— use conjunctions to create complex sentences.
— actively summarize, paraphrase and take notes from a text.
— write opinion pieces that; introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion and create an organizational
structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writers purpose, provide reasons that are
supported by facts and details, link opinion and reasons using words and phrases, and provide a
concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
— write informative/explanatory texts that; introduce a topic clearly and group related information in
paragraphs and sections; include formatting (ex. headings), illustrations and multimedia when useful to
aiding comprehension, develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations or other
information and examples related to the topic, link ideas within categories of information using words and
phrases, use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic and
provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.
— write narratives that; orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or
characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally, use dialogue and description to develop
experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations, use a variety of transitional
words and phrases to manage the sequence of events, use concrete words and phrases and sensory
details to convey experiences and events precisely and provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated
experiences or events.
— with some guidance, use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing as well as
to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a
minimum of one page in a single sitting.
— conduct research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
— recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital
resources; take notes and categorize information and provide a list of sources.
— draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research.
— use the writing process independently with confidence to communicate effectively .
Phase 5
— plan, organize and complete writing projects of increasing length and complexity (ex. multi-paragraph
essay).
— demonstrate individuality in writing style.
— use writing to structure thinking and to communicate.
— write complex sentences with accurate grammatical structure, using a variety of transitional words,
phrases and clauses.
— utilize prepositions appropriately.
— begin to identify some word origins (ex. root words/base words).
— write simple essays utilizing a variety of writing categories/styles (ex. descriptive, expository, persuasive,
opinion, narrative).
— develop their writing by using descriptions, feelings and senses.
— write routinely over extended time frames (ex. research, reflection and revision) and shorter time frames
(ex. a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes and audiences.
— begin using MLA format to cite others work.
Phase 6
— conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the
inquiry when appropriate.
— gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each
source and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and
providing basic MLA bibliographic information for sources.
— write argumentative pieces that; introduce claims and organize the reasons and evidence clearly,
support the claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence (using credible sources and demonstrating an
understanding of the topic), use words, phrases and clauses to clarify the relationships among claims and
reasons, establish and maintain a formal style and provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from the argument presented.