OSSLT OverviewOSSLT Overview

Cardinal Carter CHSCardinal Carter CHS

February 23rd, 2012February 23rd, 2012

Jennifer Casa-Todd, Program Resource Teacher

Cathie Furfaro, Literacy Consultant 7-12

PRAYERPRAYER“Your words are what sustain me. They bring

me great joy and are my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.”

(Jeremiah 15:16, NLT)

Let us Praise God for access to His Word through literacy.

Let us Pray for literate members of our Cardinal Carter community and the greater community so that we may feast on the Scriptures.

Let us pray for the teachers, administrators, and parents who help support our students as they seek to understand words and God’s Word.

We ask this through Christ our Lord,

AMENCardinal Carter, pray for us.

AgendaAgenda Principal’s WelcomePrincipal’s Welcome What is the OSSLT?What is the OSSLT? Results for 2011Results for 2011 EQAO websiteEQAO website School-Wide Preparation School-Wide Preparation Literacy at HomeLiteracy at Home

What is the OSSLT?What is the OSSLT? The OSSLT is a provincial test of The OSSLT is a provincial test of

the reading and writing skills the reading and writing skills students have acquired by the students have acquired by the end of grade 9. end of grade 9.

It is based on the literacy skills It is based on the literacy skills learned in learned in The Ontario Curriculum The Ontario Curriculum across all subject areas.across all subject areas.

Graduation RequirementGraduation Requirement

All students who are working All students who are working toward an Ontario Secondary toward an Ontario Secondary School Diploma are required to School Diploma are required to write the OSSLT in Grade 10.write the OSSLT in Grade 10.

Successful completion of the Successful completion of the OSSLT or OSSLC is a OSSLT or OSSLC is a graduation requirement.graduation requirement.

Looking at the test….Looking at the test….Booklet 1Booklet 1

75 minutes 75 minutes

15 minute break15 minute break

Booklet 2Booklet 275 minutes75 minutes

Students write in their homerooms unless they Students write in their homerooms unless they are allowed accommodations or special are allowed accommodations or special

provisions.provisions.

Reading SkillsReading SkillsThe test has The test has multiple-choice and openmultiple-choice and openresponseresponse questions that focus on the questions that focus on the

readingreadingskills required in school and in daily life:skills required in school and in daily life: understanding explicitly (directly) understanding explicitly (directly)

stated ideas and information;stated ideas and information; understanding implicitly (indirectly) understanding implicitly (indirectly)

stated ideas and information andstated ideas and information and making connections between making connections between

information and ideas in a reading information and ideas in a reading selection and personal knowledge and selection and personal knowledge and experience.experience.

Reading TasksReading Tasks

Informational TextInformational Text Graphic TextGraphic Text Real-life NarrativeReal-life Narrative DialogueDialogue News ReportNews Report

The selections vary in length from a fewThe selections vary in length from a fewparagraphs to a few pages.paragraphs to a few pages.

Reading a Graphic TextReading a Graphic Text2011

Writing SkillsWriting SkillsThe test has The test has short-and-long-writing tasks, short-and-long-writing tasks,

andandmultiple-choice multiple-choice questions that focus on questions that focus on

thethewriting skills required in school and daily writing skills required in school and daily

life:life: developing developing the main ideathe main idea with sufficient with sufficient

supporting details;supporting details; organizingorganizing information and ideas in a information and ideas in a

coherent manner;coherent manner; using conventions (spelling, grammar, using conventions (spelling, grammar,

and punctuation) in a manner that does and punctuation) in a manner that does not distract from not distract from clear communicationclear communication..

Writing TasksWriting TasksLong Writing TasksLong Writing Tasks News ReportNews Report A Series of Paragraphs expressing A Series of Paragraphs expressing

an Opinionan OpinionShort Writing TasksShort Writing Tasks Open response questionsOpen response questions Short Writing Task (summary)Short Writing Task (summary) Multiple Choice Writing TaskMultiple Choice Writing Task

Writing a Short ResponseWriting a Short Response

2009

2010

2011

What would be the ideal job for you? Give reasons to support

your answer.

Explain why it is important to learn about other cultures. Use specific

details to support your answer.

What is the best advice you have ever given to someone? Use specific

details to explain your answer

Writing a Supported Opinion PieceWriting a Supported Opinion PieceTask: Write a minimum of three paragraphs expressing an opinion on the topic below. Develop your main idea with supporting details (proof, facts, examples, etc.).Audience: an adult who is interested in your opinionLength: The lined space provided for your written work indicates the

approximate length of the writing expected.

2009

Topic: Is participation in extracurricular

activities an important part of secondary school life?

2010

Topic: Are today’s famous people good role models for young people?

2011

Topic: Are cell phones necessary in teenagers’ lives?

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2011 Results for Cardinal 2011 Results for Cardinal CarterCarter

160 of the 169 fully participating students 160 of the 169 fully participating students were successful on the 2010 OSSLTwere successful on the 2010 OSSLT

84%88%

95%

Cardinal CarterCardinal CarterLiteracy Plan for 2011-2012Literacy Plan for 2011-2012

Literacy Committee reviewed OSSLT Literacy Committee reviewed OSSLT scores scores

A plan was developed to improve scoresA plan was developed to improve scores ““Literacy Strategies” were presented at Literacy Strategies” were presented at

Academic Council meetings such as:Academic Council meetings such as: Writing a News ReportWriting a News Report Reading strategiesReading strategies Metacognitive strategies Metacognitive strategies

LITERACY PLANLITERACY PLAN

““Literacy Tuesdays”Literacy Tuesdays” February 28February 28 March 6March 6 March 20March 20 March 27- OSSLT Presentation for March 27- OSSLT Presentation for

StudentsStudents

OSSLT Information posted on OSSLT Information posted on school websiteschool website

SPECIAL EDUCATION SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORTSUPPORT

Grade 10 Applied English (ENG2P1)Grade 10 Applied English (ENG2P1) School & Board staff collaboratedSchool & Board staff collaborated Team teaching- to address specific types Team teaching- to address specific types

of questions on the OSSLT ex. Newspaper of questions on the OSSLT ex. Newspaper ReportReport

Teacher trained in Assistive TechnologyTeacher trained in Assistive Technology

ENG2P1 tests & exams- similar format ENG2P1 tests & exams- similar format of OSSLTof OSSLT

SPECIAL EDUCATIONSPECIAL EDUCATIONAccommodationsAccommodations

CR teacher examines the strengths CR teacher examines the strengths & needs of each student to & needs of each student to determine accommodations:determine accommodations: Small group settingSmall group setting Preferential seatingPreferential seating Extra timeExtra time Periodic supervised breaksPeriodic supervised breaks

SPECIAL EDUCATIONSPECIAL EDUCATIONAccommodationsAccommodations

Assistive TechnologyAssistive Technology Vocalinks trainingVocalinks training Board staff trainingBoard staff training Practice testsPractice tests

ScribingScribing Verbatim reading of the writing prompts and Verbatim reading of the writing prompts and

taskstasks Verbatim scribing of responsesVerbatim scribing of responses Match scribe with student according to familiarityMatch scribe with student according to familiarity

Is this Literacy?Is this Literacy?

or this?or this? Recent research has Recent research has revealed that students, revealed that students, in the span of a typical in the span of a typical semester, will generate semester, will generate approximately approximately 4242 pages pages worth of work for all worth of work for all classes, whereas they classes, whereas they will produce in excess of will produce in excess of 500 pages500 pages in email and in email and text messages.text messages.

What is Literacy?What is Literacy? The ability to use The ability to use

language and images in language and images in rich and varied forms to rich and varied forms to read, write, listen, read, write, listen, speak, view, represent, speak, view, represent, and think critically about and think critically about ideas.ideas.

It allows us to share It allows us to share information, to interact information, to interact and to make meaningand to make meaning

It connects individuals to It connects individuals to communitiescommunities

It is essential for It is essential for personal growth and personal growth and active participation in a active participation in a democratic societydemocratic society

You have the tools at home…You have the tools at home…

NewspapersNewspapers MagazinesMagazines FlyersFlyers BrochuresBrochures CataloguesCatalogues ManualsManuals

GamesGames RecipesRecipes MapsMaps LettersLetters ComputersComputers

How can you support How can you support literacy at home?literacy at home?

Keep it real!!!Keep it real!!!

model a love of readingmodel a love of reading

provide a print rich environment in provide a print rich environment in the house (popular magazines, trade the house (popular magazines, trade paperbacks, newspapers, comics paperbacks, newspapers, comics motivational posters…)motivational posters…)

Just read!Just read! ……reading one comic book, news article, reading one comic book, news article,

or magazine article a week would or magazine article a week would

mean reading mean reading 100 000100 000 words a words a yearyear

……in 38 of 41 studies, students who in 38 of 41 studies, students who read regularly did as well or better in read regularly did as well or better in reading comprehension tests than reading comprehension tests than students given traditional skill-based students given traditional skill-based reading instruction. reading instruction.

development of development of world knowledge world knowledge.”.”

((Moore, Beran, Birdyshaw and Rycik 1999)Moore, Beran, Birdyshaw and Rycik 1999)

academic academic successsuccess

Achievement on Achievement on standardized testsstandardized tests

Positive Positive attitudes about attitudes about readingreading

How can you support How can you support literacy at home?literacy at home?

Keep it real!!!Keep it real!!!

Connect reading material, both fiction Connect reading material, both fiction and non-fiction, to what’s going on in the and non-fiction, to what’s going on in the world and to world and to family storiesfamily stories

Discuss current events—share opinions, Discuss current events—share opinions, make predictions, evaluate actionsmake predictions, evaluate actions

Watch films and tv shows together—make Watch films and tv shows together—make predictions, evaluate character actions, predictions, evaluate character actions, make judgementsmake judgements

How can you support How can you support literacy at home?literacy at home?

Keep it real!!!Keep it real!!!

Plan events together—read flyers, Plan events together—read flyers, pamphlets, and maps. Plan a party—pamphlets, and maps. Plan a party—brainstorm, compare websitesbrainstorm, compare websites

Plan dinner menus--select different recipes Plan dinner menus--select different recipes to read, compare different recipes and to read, compare different recipes and decide on the best onedecide on the best one

Play gamesPlay games—Boggle, Scrabble, Balderdash, —Boggle, Scrabble, Balderdash, Game of LifeGame of Life, etc… help with vocabulary, , etc… help with vocabulary, inferencing, and interpretinginferencing, and interpreting

PISA REPORTPISA REPORTStudents are never too old to benefitfrom their parents’ interest in them.

PISA= Programme for International Student Assessment

ResourcesResourceswww.eqao.comwww.eqao.comwww.abc-canada.orgwww.abc-canada.orghttp://www.literacymatters.org/parents/http://www.literacymatters.org/parents/ index.htmindex.htmhttp://www.canada.com/national/features/http://www.canada.com/national/features/ raiseareader/index.htmlraiseareader/index.htmlhttp://www/mb.literacy.ca/family/flresour/http://www/mb.literacy.ca/family/flresour/ contents.htmcontents.htmhttp://www.unesco.orghttp://www.unesco.orghttp://www.google.ca/imgres?q=carhttp://www.google.ca/imgres?q=cardinal+carter&hldinal+carter&hl

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