English Language Arts - Government Of Newfoundland And Labrador

INTRODUCTION sense purpose for reading in all curriculum areas understand the structures of a variety of texts build on prior knowledge have competency in using higher-order thinking skills to supportfuture learningRoleActivityCode Breaker Decoding the codes and conventions of written, spoken and visualtext. Readers of text (including online text) must be able to breakthe code – the language, syntax, vocabulary the author uses toarticulate the message.Meaning Maker Once a reader has broken the ‘code’ of the text – meaning isbrought to the words. The reader makes meaning by drawing onprior knowledge and knowledge of similar text.Text Analyst/Critic Being a text critic is about taking a critical stance as a reader of atext and asking questions about the origins, intent and messages oftexts.Text User Readers must be able to navigate and apply strategies acrossdifferent texts and genres. Readers must be able to understandgenre, structures, form and features of texts, so they can apply theappropriate strategies necessary for making meaning.Adapted from: Luke and Freebody, 1990The Writing andRepresenting StrandGCO 8. Students will be expectedto use writing and other forms ofrepresentation to explore, clarify, andreflect on their thoughts, feelings,experiences, and learnings; and to usetheir imaginations.GCO 9. Students will be expectedto create texts collaboratively andindependently, using a variety offorms for a range of audiences andpurposes.GCO 10. Students will be expectedto use a range of strategies to developeffective writing and representing andto enhance their clarity, precision,and effectiveness.The Writing and Representing strand encompasses GeneralCurriculum Outcomes 8-10.Creating texts through writing and representing is a social practice.The writing and representing processes consist of many aspectsincluding planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Itis the recursive process of recording language graphically, through avariety of media to explore and communicate ideas, information andexperiences.To ensure student engagement, writing instruction should includedaily independent writing that is supported by explicit instruction,choice, movement, social interaction, established classroom routines,and flexible groupings.The classroom should be a place where positive writing andrepresenting experiences are developed and valued. The role of theteacher in this environment is to write regularly with students and share their experience (bothsuccesses and frustrations);GRADE 5 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 20137

INTRODUCTION use strong mentor texts to model writing techniques; provide explicit writing and representing instruction; provide opportunities for students to apply independently whatthey have learned through instruction; ensure time for conferencing with individuals or groups about thetext they are creating; allow time for sharing and reflection with the whole group.Through writing and representing, students can express themselves,clarify their thinking, communicate ideas and connect with newinformation. By being habitually engaged in text, a text creator willdevelop concepts and ideas, and become aware of forms, structures,styles, and conventions used by others.Contexts for Learningand TeachingComprehension andMetacognitionDefinition of Text8Those who can monitor their learning, assess their strengths andneeds, and set goals for improvement become independent, lifelonglearners. When students learn language arts in an integrated fashion,they use the strands interdependently to comprehend and makemeaning. For example, a structured talk may lead to writing, whileviewing graphs and images may also lead to writing. By thinkingabout how they think and learn, students gain personal control overthe strategies they use when engaged in literary activities. This controldevelops through metacognition – that is, thinking about thinkingwhich empowers learning. Students become increasingly aware ofand more purposeful in using the strategies for self-monitoring, selfcorrecting, reflecting and goal setting to improve learning. Everystudent can develop metacognitive strategies and skills when teachersexplain, model and help them practice talking and writing about theirthinking.In this document, the term text is used to describe any language event,whether oral, written, visual or digital. In this sense, a conversation, apoem, a novel, a poster, a music video, and a multimedia productionare all considered texts. The term is an economical way of suggestingthe similarity among the many skills involved in viewing a film,interpreting a speech, or responding to an online forum. Thisexpanded concept of text takes into account the diverse range of textswith which people interact and from which they construct meaning.GRADE 5 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2013

INTRODUCTIONLiteracy LearningIn all curriculum areas students are challenged to make connections,form hypotheses, make judgements, and analyse and synthesizeinformation. Literacy learning is a process of making and not justreceiving meaning. It also involves negotiating meaning with others,rather than only thinking alone. Literacy is“Literacy involves a continuum oflearning in enabling individuals toachieve their goals, to develop theirknowledge and potential, and to a process of receiving information and making meaning from it;participate fully in their community the ability to identify, understand, interpret, communicate,compute and create texts, images and sounds.and wider society.”The Plurality of Literacy and its Implicationsfor Policies and Programmes (2004) p.13Developing Multiple LiteraciesThe elementary English language arts curriculum emphasizes theteaching of cognitive strategies that students use to make meaning oftexts as they communicate with others. Teachers create experienceswhere students use and adapt these strategies as they interact withinformation. Published work, student exemplars, existing criteriaand student-teacher developed criteria can be used as references whendiscussing assigned tasks.Understandings of what it means to be literate change as societychanges. The rise of the Internet and consumerist culture haveinfluenced and expanded the definition of literacy. No longer arestudents only exposed to printed text. While functional literacyskills such as knowing how to create sentences and spell wordscorrectly are still important, effective participation in society todayrequires a knowledge of how to understand and apply a range ofliteracies including media literacy, critical literacy, visual literacy andinformation literacy.New technologies have changed our understandings about literacy andhow we use language. As adolescent learners become more skilled withlocating, analysing, extracting, storing and using information, theyrequire skills to be able to determine the validity of information andselect the most appropriate technology to complete a learning activity.They need to learn, read, negotiate and craft various forms of text,each with its own codes and conventions. Multi-media materials oftenhave a variety of texts embedded within them, requiring students toconsider multiple text structures and contexts simultaneously.Media LiteracyTo be successful, students require a set of interrelated skills, strategiesand knowledge in multiple literacies that facilitate their ability toparticipate fully in a variety of roles and contexts in their lives, in orderto explore and interpret the world and communicate meaning.GRADE 5 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 20139

INTRODUCTIONMedia literacy refers to an informed and critical understanding ofthe role of mass media in society (television, radio, film, magazines,Internet, etc.) and the impact of the techniques used. It is the abilityto bring critical thinking skills to bear on all media; ask questions about what is there, and noticing what is not there; question what lies behind the media production (motives,money, values and ownership); be aware of how these factors influence content.Most mass media is produced for general consumption and rarelyreflects the culture of smaller groups and issues on a local level. It isnecessary for individuals to see themselves and hear their own voices inorder to validate their culture and place in the world.Engaging students in recognizing the types of media they areinteracting with (e.g., television, videos, electronic games, films andvarious print media forms) is an important part of media awareness.They can examine the reliability, accuracy and motives of mediasources. They can analyse and question what information has been included; explore how information has been constructed; investigate information that may have been left out.Media awareness also involves exploring deeper issues and questionssuch as, “Who produces the media we experience – and for whatpurpose?”, or “Who profits? Who loses? And who decides?”Media literacy involves being aware of the messages in all types ofmedia. It involves students asking questions such asCritical Literacy10 Do I need this information? What is the message? Why is itbeing sent? Who is sending the message? How is the message being sent? Who is the intended audience? Who or what is left out? Who benefits from this message? Can I respond to this message? Does my opinion matter?Texts are constructed by authors who have different purposes forwriting. Critical literacy involves the ability to question, challenge,and evaluate the meaning and purposes of texts in order to learnhow they are used to construct particular historical, social, cultural,political and economic realities. It involves the ability to read deeperinto the content and to recognize and evaluate the stereotyping,cultural bias, author’s intent, hidden agendas, and silent voices thatinfluence texts.GRADE 5 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2013

INTRODUCTIONCritical literacy requires students to take a critical stance regardingthe way they use language and representations in their own livesand in society at large in an effort to promote and effect positivechange by addressing issues of social justice and equity. It is a way ofthinking that involves questioning assumptions and examining powerrelations embedded in language and communication. Students needto recognize their personal power and learn how to use language andother text features to communicate a perspective or influence others.Critical literacy learning experiences should offer studentsopportunities to“Critically and reflectively readingthe word, ultimately empowersreaders to critique and transformtheir worlds toward greater equityand social justice.” (Giese, 2009) question, analyse and challenge the authority of the text; read resistantly; rewrite texts in ways that are socially just; identify the point of view in a text and consider what views aremissing; write texts representing the views of marginalized groups; examine the processes and contexts of text production and textinterpretation;Students can interrogate a text by asking some of the followingquestions: Who constructed this text? (age/gender/race/nationality) For whom is the text constructed? To whom is it addressed? Where did the text appear? For what purpose can it be used? What version of reality does this present? Who is marginalized in this text? What does the text tell us that we already know or don’t know? What is the topic? What are the key messages? How is the topic presented? (What themes and discourses arebeing used?) What are other ways in which this topic could bepresented? What view of the world does the composer assume that thereader/viewer holds? What has been included and what has been omitted? Whose voices and positions are being/not being expressed? What is the author/text trying to do to the reader/listener/viewer? How does he/she do it? What other ways are there to convey this message? Should themessage be contested or resisted?GRADE 5 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 201311

INTRODUCTIONVisual LiteracyVisual literacy involves the ability to decode, interpret, create,question, challenge and evaluate texts that communicate with visualimages as well as, or rather than, words. If viewing is meant to bea meaningful experience, it should consist of more than merelyeliciting a quick reaction from students. Teachers guide studentsthrough the viewing experience as they engage in dialogue aboutelements of design and colour, for example, and discuss how theartist/ illustrator uses these effectively to convey a message. Thisincludes questioning the intended meaning in a visual text (forexample, an advertisement or film shot), interpreting the purposeand intended meaning, investigating the creator’s technique, andexploring how the reader/viewer responds to the visual.Students must learn to respond personally and critically tovisual texts imagery and be able to select, assimilate, synthesize,and evaluate information obtained through technology and themedia. Students can be asked, for example, to create their owninterpretation of a poem through a visual arts activity (drawinga picture, making a collage, or creating their own multimediaproductions).Since response is a personal expression, it will vary from studentto student. A climate of trust and respect for the opinions of allstudents must be established to ensure that everyone feels free toexpress his/her own personal point of view. The unique perspectivesof many different student voices will enhance the understanding ofall and will help students to appreciate the importance of non-verbalcommunication.Students can also discuss the feelings that a visual image evokesin them, or associations that come to mind when viewing a visualimage.Key questions for students to ask in the critical thinking processduring visual literacy instruction include12 What am I looking at? What does this image mean to me? What is the relationship between the image and the displayedtext message? How is this message effective? How can I visually depict this message? How can I make thismessage effective? What are some visual/verbal relationships I can use?GRADE 5 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2013

INTRODUCTIONInformation LiteracyInformation literacy is a process in which the learner needs to find,understand, evaluate, and use information in various forms to createfor personal, social or global purposes. It also involves the abilityto judge whether the information is meaningful and how best tocommunicate the knowledge.To become effective users of information, students need to knowhow to define a question and how to locate, access and evaluateinformation from a variety of sources. Teachers are encouragedto use a wide range of print, non-print, and human resources intheir learning and teaching in order to provide students with theknowledge and skills they need to be information literate.Once students have located a resource they must be able to evaluateinformation from it. This involves detecting bias, differentiatingbetween fact and opinion, weighing conflicting opinions, andevaluating the worth of sources. Information literacy also focuseson the ability to synthesize the information so that it can becommunicated.Using technology, media and other visual texts allows students todevelop information literacy and critical thinking skills – morespecifically, accessing, interpreting, evaluating, organizing, selecting,creating and communicating information in and through a variety oftechnologies and contexts.Gradual Release ofResponsibilityTeachers must determine when students can work independentlyand when they require assistance. In an effective language artsprogram, teachers choose their instructional activities to model andscaffold composition, comprehension and metacognition that is justbeyond the student’s independence level. In the gradual release ofresponsibility approach, st

English Language Arts Curriculum (1998) and in this curriculum guide, English Language Arts Curriculum: Grade 5 (2013), has been planned and developed collaboratively by a provincial working group tasked with elementary curriculum renewal for English Language Arts. The English language arts curriculum has been developed with the intent of: