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English as a Second Language – Senior High (1997)

© Alberta Education, Canada 
 Table of Contents   Program of Studies

There is 1 Teacher Resource related to the entire Program of Studies
Program Rationale & Philosophy

Many students who come to Canada from other countries speak languages other than English and, upon entering Alberta schools, have varying levels of English language proficiency. These students are an important and integral part of our schools and communities. English as a Second Language (ESL) students are those students whose level of English language proficiency precludes them from full participation in the learning experiences provided in Alberta schools without additional support in English language development.

In order to benefit fully from schooling in Alberta, ESL students should have:

  • enriched and supportive instructional programs that appropriately develop English language proficiency
  • access to the full range of curriculum and services available to all students in Alberta schools.

The goal of this program is to provide ESL students with planned, systematic instruction and support that will enable them to speak the English language fluently, further their education, and become productive and contributing members of Albertan and Canadian society.

The following assumptions provide the basis for the development of this program of studies.

  • Students come to the English language learning classroom with a wealth of previous knowledge and experience to share and upon which to build.
  • A supportive school environment that reinforces and encourages student pride in home, community, language and culture, will lead to greater student success.
  • Students require differing periods of time to adapt to school and life in Canada.
  • Students learn English at different rates, depending on such factors as their previous school experiences and their ability to listen, speak, read and write in their first language.
  • Meaning is central to language learning. Students learn language most effectively when programs are relevant to their experiences, interests and prior knowledge.
  • English language learning is an active process in which students participate, by:
    • - striving to link new learning to what they already know
    • - developing and experimenting with hypotheses about the new language and culture
    • - interacting with native English speakers and reading authentic English language texts.
Program Organization

The program is organized into five levels. Level 1 is intended for students who are acquiring literacy for the first time or who have had significant gaps in previous schooling. Level 2 is intended for students who have little or no experience with English prior to entering Alberta schools. Level 3 is intended for students who have some competency in English and need a program focused specifically on language development for academic learning. Level 4 is intended for students who are able to succeed in most high school courses with consistent support in English language development for academic learning. Level 5 students receive assistance with subject-specific language development in a variety of ways, such as in learning centres, from peer coaching and with teacher assistance.

General Outcomes

Throughout the five levels, students are expected to grow in their ability to demonstrate the following general outcomes.

Students will use spoken and written English to:

  • gather, interpret and communicate information
  • establish and maintain relationships
  • make decisions, solve problems, and plan and carry out projects
  • explore, respond to and extend ideas and experiences.

The general outcomes represent different, but interrelated, dimensions for learning in the ESL program. Although the general outcomes are stated separately, they are not mutually exclusive; but rather are meant to be developed in conjunction with one another.

Specific Outcomes

Specific outcomes are listed in five columns, one column for each level. They state what students are expected to know and be able to do by the end of each level.

Following each group of specific outcomes is a list of suggested grammatical concepts and structures related to the specific outcomes in the group. By learning and applying these grammatical concepts and structures, students will be better able to demonstrate the outcomes of the program. The grammatical concepts apply to all five levels as student grammatical knowledge and competence develops gradually through subsequent levels of the program.

Learner Outcomes: Overview

An overview of the student outcomes for senior high school English as a Second Language is provided below. The general outcomes are followed by organizational statements under which the specific outcomes are grouped.

General Outcome 1

Students will use spoken and written English to gather, interpret and communicate information. They:

  • locate, gather and interpret information
  • categorize and classify information
  • organize information sequentially and chronologically
  • define key vocabulary
  • describe physical attributes, functions, composition and behaviours
  • compare and contrast
  • explain how and why something happens or works
  • develop and present reports
  • make hypotheses and predictions
  • synthesize and summarize.

General Outcome 2

Students will use spoken and written English to establish and maintain relationships. They:

  • express and inquire about the interests, activities and needs of others
  • narrate activities and events
  • respond to questionnaires and applications
  • express opinions
  • explain actions, motivations and values.

General Outcome 3

Students will use spoken and written English to make decisions, solve problems, and plan and carry out projects. They:

  • interact to accomplish a task
  • negotiate meaning
  • follow and give instructions
  • evaluate information and ideas
  • express and inquire about degrees of certainty, possibility and capability
  • interact with others from a variety of cultural, linguistic and racial backgrounds.

General Outcome 4

Students will use spoken and written English to explore, respond to and extend ideas and experiences. They:

  • develop understanding of a variety of text forms
  • express and explain personal responses
  • discuss the elements of text structure
  • identify and use figurative language
  • choose forms appropriate to topic, purpose and audience.
ESL - Level 1
General Outcome 1 (Level 1)
Students will use spoken and written English to gather, interpret and communicate information.

Specific Outcomes:

Students locate, gather and interpret information. They:

  • connect oral language with print; read short, simple sentences, stories and collaboratively-written reports
  • identify the topics of short, simple texts
  • ask and respond to simple questions about spoken or written texts; e.g., who, what, where, when, why, how
  • label diagrams, using information from short, simple, oral and print texts; complete formats (e.g., cloze passages, matching questions, lists) based on information in visuals; e.g., pictures, maps.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, singular, plural, proper; relative pronouns (that, which, who); determiners (a, an, the); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect; coordinating conjunctions; time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, often); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students categorize and classify information. They:

  • classify and order items, based on information in simple texts, supported by visuals; write sentences to describe the characteristics of categories of items.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., collective nouns (bacteria, data, team); species nouns (kind, division, category); stative verbs (be, have, want); classifying adjectives (Canadian, economic, main); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students organize information sequentially and chronologically. They:

  • list steps for finding, doing or assembling something related to classroom activities
  • retell, signalling sequence, a short narrative of two or three events, based on personal experiences or media presentations.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to designate time (days, weeks, months); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect; verb forms expressing state or habit in the past (used to); ordinal numbers (first, second, third); adverbs of manner, time, frequency, duration (soon, often, always); expressions of place, direction, orientation, motion, position, location.

Specific Outcomes:

Students define key vocabulary. They:

  • develop, collaboratively, definitions for key vocabulary related to topics of study
  • ask for explanations of unfamiliar words and phrases; use picture dictionaries; develop personal dictionaries
  • apply vocabulary introduced in class to limited, new situations; recognize and use common abbreviations.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to designate verbal actions (account, promise, comment); species nouns (kind, division, category); stative verbs (be, have, want); classifying adjectives (Canadian, economic, main); demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students describe physical attributes, functions, composition and behaviours. They:

  • comprehend a simple, clearly spoken description that is supported by visuals
  • comprehend short passages of explicit, clearly written text that contain learned vocabulary
  • describe, orally and in writing, the physical attributes of everyday objects; e.g., size, shape, colour
  • describe static relationships among a few objects and people.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, concrete; nouns of measure (depth, length, weight); nouns of direction (north, south, left, right); subject–verb agreement; stative verbs (be, have, want); verb tenses: simple present, present progressive, past progressive; attributive adjectives (hot coffee, red wagon, purple plum); predicative adjectives (He became ill. I am cold. He is tall.); qualitative adjectives (sad story, pretty picture, wealthy lady); participial adjectives (increasing, existing, outgoing); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who); possessive forms; quantifiers (all of, loss of, little of); partitives (bottle of, handful of, lump of).

Specific Outcomes:

Students compare and contrast. They:

  • use short, simple, spoken and written sentences stating the similarities and differences between two people, two objects or two places.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., comparative adjectives (bigger, smaller, more intelligent); superlative adjectives (biggest, smallest, most intelligent); qualitative adjectives (sad, pretty, wealthy); comparative adverbs (more effectively, more importantly); superlative adverbs (most effectively, most importantly, most often); adverbs of comparison (similarly, differently, in the same way).

Specific Outcomes:

Students explain how and why something happens or works. They:

  • ask and respond, orally and in writing, to yes–no questions related to personal experiences
  • develop sentences to explain simple cause and effect relationships, using basic linking words.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., interrogative pronouns (who, whose, which); passive voice; adverbs; reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so).

Specific Outcomes:

Students develop and present reports. They:

  • participate in class discussions; develop, collaboratively, class reports
  • present, to small groups of language learning peers, 1-minute oral reports on subjects discussed in class.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., adverbs of degree (absolutely, very, nearly); time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); prepositional phrases of place (in the air, above the land, by the sea); prepositional phrases of direction (around the building, toward the school, through the window); adverbials of addition (also, besides, at the same time); adverbials of sequence (earlier, next, soon).

Specific Outcomes:

Students make hypotheses and predictions. They:

  • use background knowledge, classroom situations, pictures and word identification skills to predict the meaning of unknown words in context; e.g., sound/symbol associations, word families
  • make predictions about what might happen; express hopes, wishes and future plans.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verb tenses: simple present, simple past, simple future, present perfect, past continuous; modals (could, might, may); adverbs indicating actuality (actually, certainly, possibly); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while); conditional clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (if, unless, on condition that).

Specific Outcomes:

Students synthesize and summarize. They:

  • record information on charts
  • summarize, orally and in writing, a short, simple narrative.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., collective nouns (bacteria, data, team); mass nouns (medicines, pesticides, fabrics); indefinite pronouns (one, someone, nobody); adverbs of time, duration and frequency (soon, often, always); coordinating conjunctions; time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); conditional clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (if, unless, on condition that); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

General Outcome 2 (Level 1)
Students will use spoken and written English to establish and maintain relationships.

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and inquire about the interests, activities and needs of others. They:

  • express and respond to informal oral greetings with peers and known adults in school
  • volunteer information and respond orally to questions about self, family and friends
  • engage a listener’s attention, using verbal or nonverbal strategies
  • understand and use a few common, current idioms with peers
  • write in journals describing the interests and abilities of self and others
  • use commonplace phrases appropriate for different levels of informality and formality with peers and adults; e.g., Hi. Good morning. Hello.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns that name roles and titles; nouns to show relationships (brother, family, friend); proper nouns; complements (Her favourite hobby is sewing. His only friend is Bob.); subject pronouns (I, you, he); possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his); relative pronouns (that, which, who); intransitive verbs; modals (could, might, may); adjectives; determiners (a, an, the); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students narrate activities and events. They:

  • develop, collaboratively, oral and written accounts of personal experiences from current and recent past events.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., gerunds (singing, walking, computing); verb tenses: simple present, present perfect, past perfect, present continuous, past continuous; transitive verbs; phrasal verbs (come back, fall through, sit down); phase verbs (stopped speaking, wanted to say, forgot to come); prepositions of place (beside, after); adverbs of order (firstly, thirdly, finally); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); "there" as subject (There was a knock at the door.).

Specific Outcomes:

Students respond to questionnaires and applications. They:

  • write basic personal information; e.g., name, address, telephone number.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., declarative mood; interrogative mood; yes–no questions; wh— questions; tag questions (Isn’t it? Won’t you? Haven’t you?); adverbs of frequency (from time to time, regularly, rarely).

Specific Outcomes:

Students express opinions. They:

  • use nonverbal and verbal behaviours to indicate personal opinions or preferences
  • use commonplace phrases and expressions to express pleasure and displeasure, agreement and disagreement; e.g., Great. Right. Wow. No way.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (would, should, would rather); interjections (Oh! Hurrah! Hey!); exclamations (I loved that story! Einstein was right!); adverbs of degree (totally, especially, quite); adverbs of attitude (luckily, interestingly, obviously); adverbs of emphasis (even, surely, above all); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since).

Specific Outcomes:

Students explain actions, motivations and values. They:

  • give reasons for actions of self and others, in response to direct questions
  • report someone’s actual words, orally and in writing.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); causative use of "have" and "get" (have a cavity filled, get a haircut); adverbs of manner (perfectly, urgently, softly); prepositions (about, except, according to); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that, so); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); noun clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, if, what).

General Outcome 3 (Level 1)
Students will use spoken and written English to make decisions, solve problems, and plan and carry out projects.

Specific Outcomes:

Students interact to accomplish a task. They:

  • participate in class discussions on topics related to personal experiences
  • work in pairs to accomplish clearly defined, simple tasks; e.g., discussing possible responses to questions, labelling maps, listing steps in an activity
  • interview language learning peers on familiar topics, using rehearsed questions
  • respond to familiar questions related to personal experience.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); simple future verb tense; modals (could, might, may); auxiliary verbs (be, have); interrogative mood (Are you going to the show?); imperative mood (Hurry!); yes–no questions; wh— questions; tag questions (Isn’t it? Won’t you? Haven’t you?); do-fronted questions (Do you know how to dance? Didn’t you know he was late?); reported questions (He asked me if I knew how to dance.); negative questions; statement-form questions; openers (Excuse me. I have a question. I’m calling about . . .); responders (Okay. Exactly. Of course.); closers (Excuse me. It’s been nice. I have to be going.).

Specific Outcomes:

Students negotiate meaning. They:

  • indicate, orally, incomprehension, using commonplace phrases; e.g., Pardon? What did you say? What?

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., questions, such as: Could you tell me? Could I ask …?; interrupters, such as: Pardon me. Excuse me. Do you have a minute?

Specific Outcomes:

Students follow and give instructions. They:

  • follow short instructions, requests and directions related to classroom activities
  • give short, oral instructions for routine tasks.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verb tenses: simple present, present perfect, present continuous; modals (could, might, may); interrogative mood (Are you going to the show?); imperative mood (Hurry!); adverbs of position (away, here, globally); adverbs of direction (near, skyward, clockwise); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); adverbs of order (firstly, thirdly, finally); prepositions of position (on, off, under); prepositions of direction (away from, toward).

Specific Outcomes:

Students evaluate information and ideas. They:

  • ask and respond to questions, orally and in writing; e.g., if statements are true or false, correct or incorrect, possible or impossible
  • express agreement and disagreement
  • choose from a set of alternatives; give brief reasons for choices.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (could, might, may); negatives (not, nowhere, never); contractions (he’s, don’t, she’ll); negative affixes (anti-, mis-, -less); negative statements, using neither, not, none; ordinal numbers (first, second, third); adverbs of contrast (alternatively, conversely, however); coordinating conjunctions.

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and inquire about degrees of certainty, possibility and capability. They:

  • express agreement and disagreement in response to direct questions; state the capabilities of self and others related to daily activities; accept and decline offers and invitations.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (could, might, may); affirmatives (yes, okay, sure); negatives (not, nowhere, never); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

Specific Outcomes:

Students interact with others from a variety of cultural, linguistic and racial backgrounds. They:

  • develop an awareness of terms and phrases inappropriate for use in school.

General Outcome 4 (Level 1)
Students will use spoken and written English to explore, respond to and extend ideas and experiences.

Specific Outcomes:

Students develop understanding of a variety of text forms. They:

  • read short, simplified texts, including those composed in class
  • participate in conversations related to school and interpersonal interactions
  • listen to a variety of oral and media texts, and to print texts read aloud
  • write sentences to accompany pictures.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to name texts (essay, situation comedy, documentary); nouns to name parts of texts (paragraph, sentence, verse); verbs indicating speech (said, state, tell); verbs indicating manner of speech (boast, yell, whimper); verbs indicating thought and learning (discover, remember, realize); adverbs of manner (urgently, softly, fearfully); prepositional phrases (in a deep voice, through the open window, on the mountain top).

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and explain personal responses. They:

  • talk about, act out, illustrate favourite or interesting activities
  • illustrate stories, poems, historical events and science concepts.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect, simple future, present continuous, past continuous; comparative adjectives (bigger, smaller, more intelligent); superlative adjectives (biggest, smallest, most intelligent); comparative adverbs (more effectively, more importantly); superlative adverbs (most effectively, most importantly); relationship adverbs (similarly, differently, alternatively).

Specific Outcomes:

Students discuss the elements of text structure. They:

  • recite and retell, orally and in writing, the events in simple stories
  • identify the beginning, middle and end of stories
  • use commonplace vocabulary; e.g., good, bad, happy, to describe people in simple fiction and nonfiction
  • identify the differences in accounts of the same event told by different people.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, concrete; subject–verb agreement; stative verbs (be, have, want); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present progressive, past progressive, simple future; direct speech (He said, "I am going."); indirect speech (He said that he was going.); predicative adjectives (He became ill. I am cold. He is tall.); qualitative adjectives (sad, pretty, wealthy); participial adjectives (increasing, existing, outgoing); clauses introduced by "that" following a reporting verb (He said that he could drive.); clauses introduced by "that" followed by an infinitive (She suggested that to go fishing was a good idea.); adverbs of manner (urgently, softly, fearfully).

Specific Outcomes:

Students identify and use figurative language. They:

  • recognize rhyme and rhythm in language
  • recognize that logos, slogans, signs and pictures symbolize broader meanings
  • identify moods in oral, print and media texts; e.g., happy, sad, suspenseful.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to label concepts (good, evil, democracy); adjectives to describe mood (suspenseful, humorous, wistful); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that, so); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); prepositional phrases introduced by: as, like.

Specific Outcomes:

Students choose forms appropriate to topic, purpose and audience. They:

  • enhance or change texts for different audiences; e.g., illustrating stories for young people.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, singular, plural, proper; determiners (a, an, the); verb tenses: simple past, simple present, simple future, present perfect, past perfect, present continuous, past continuous; subject–verb agreement; transitive verbs; prepositions of place (beside, in, by); prepositions of time (at, about, by); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

ESL - Level 2
General Outcome 1 (Level 2)
Students will use spoken and written English to gather, interpret and communicate information.

Specific Outcomes:

Students locate, gather and interpret information. They:

  • comprehend the gist of short, well-organized texts on familiar topics
  • use print and visual cues (e.g., headlines, pictures, colour and size of print) to identify key information in a variety of simple texts; e.g., stories, newspapers, the Internet
  • scan simple texts for specific details and to answer research questions
  • locate specific information in forms, charts and simple texts to answer questions and pursue topics of interest.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, singular, plural, proper; relative pronouns (that, which, who); determiners (a, an, the); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect; coordinating conjunctions; time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, often); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students categorize and classify information. They:

  • classify information from oral and written texts into given categories, using graphic organizers; e.g., charts, maps, webs.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., collective nouns (bacteria, data, team); species nouns (kind, division, category); stative verbs (be, have, want); classifying adjectives (Canadian, economic, main); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students organize information sequentially and chronologically. They:

  • narrate or record processes studied in class; include steps, agents and nature of changes
  • describe situations, events and personal experiences in short oral or written presentations.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to designate time (days, weeks, months); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect; verb forms expressing state or habit in the past (used to); ordinal numbers (first, second, third); adverbs of manner, time, frequency, duration (soon, often, always); expressions of place, direction, orientation, motion, position, location.

Specific Outcomes:

Students define key vocabulary. They:

  • develop definitions, following a model, for key vocabulary related to topics of study; identify antonyms
  • use known words and pictures to identify unknown words; use a bilingual dictionary
  • use commonplace words and phrases that have been studied in class.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to designate verbal actions (account, promise, comment); species nouns (kind, division, category); stative verbs (be, have, want); classifying adjectives (Canadian, economic, main); demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students describe physical attributes, functions, composition and behaviours. They:

  • comprehend slowly and clearly spoken, well-organized descriptions of familiar objects
  • comprehend a one-page, well-organized descriptive text with known vocabulary
  • describe, orally and in writing, the physical attributes and simple functions of objects related to topics of interest
  • describe change in location, direction and distance of objects.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, concrete; nouns of measure (depth, length, weight); nouns of direction (north, south, left, right); subject–verb agreement; stative verbs (be, have, want); verb tenses: simple present, present progressive, past progressive; attributive adjectives (hot coffee, red wagon, purple plum); predicative adjectives (He became ill. I am cold. He is tall.); qualitative adjectives (sad story, pretty picture, wealthy lady); participial adjectives (increasing, existing, outgoing); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who); possessive forms; quantifiers (all of, loss of, little of); partitives (bottle of, handful of, lump of).

Specific Outcomes:

Students compare and contrast. They:

  • develop sentences and short paragraphs, following a model, to describe similarities and differences between two people, two objects or two places.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., comparative adjectives (bigger, smaller, more intelligent); superlative adjectives (biggest, smallest, most intelligent); qualitative adjectives (sad, pretty, wealthy); comparative adverbs (more effectively, more importantly); superlative adverbs (most effectively, most importantly, most often); adverbs of comparison (similarly, differently, in the same way).

Specific Outcomes:

Students explain how and why something happens or works. They:

  • ask and respond, orally and in writing, to yes–no and wh— questions
  • develop short, well-organized oral and written texts to explain why something happens.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., interrogative pronouns (who, whose, which); passive voice; adverbs; reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so).

Specific Outcomes:

Students develop and present reports. They:

  • develop short, written reports on topics discussed in class
  • present, to small groups of language learning peers, 2- to 3-minute oral reports on topics of interest.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., adverbs of degree (absolutely, very, nearly); time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); prepositional phrases of place (in the air, above the land, by the sea); prepositional phrases of direction (around the building, toward the school, through the window); adverbials of addition (also, besides, at the same time); adverbials of sequence (earlier, next, soon).

Specific Outcomes:

Students make hypotheses and predictions. They:

  • use personal experiences, classroom situations and contexts to construct meaning when reading or listening to predictable texts
  • understand and express predictions of what might happen in the future, stating degree of probability with signal words; e.g., likely, certainly, probably.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verb tenses: simple present, simple past, simple future, present perfect, past continuous; modals (could, might, may); adverbs indicating actuality (actually, certainly, possibly); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while); conditional clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (if, unless, on condition that).

Specific Outcomes:

Students synthesize and summarize. They:

  • summarize key concepts, in oral or media text, using graphic organizers; e.g., charts, webs, maps
  • develop, following a model, cohesive oral and written summaries of texts discussed in class.
Using grammatical concepts; e.g., collective nouns (bacteria, data, team); mass nouns (medicines, pesticides, fabrics); indefinite pronouns (one, someone, nobody); adverbs of time, duration and frequency (soon, often, always); coordinating conjunctions; time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); conditional clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (if, unless, on condition that); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

General Outcome 2 (Level 2)
Students will use spoken and written English to establish and maintain relationships.

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and inquire about the interests, activities and needs of others. They:

  • express and respond to informal oral greetings and introductions, using basic, courteous language
  • respond orally to questions about activities of self, family and friends
  • comprehend slowly spoken conversations, when opportunities are provided to negotiate meaning
  • understand and use common idioms and some colloquial expressions in interactions with peers
  • write paragraphs describing self, family and friends
  • recognize differences between informal and formal language used with peers and adults.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns that name roles and titles; nouns to show relationships (brother, family, friend); proper nouns; complements (Her favourite hobby is sewing. His only friend is Bob.); subject pronouns (I, you, he); possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his); relative pronouns (that, which, who); intransitive verbs; modals (could, might, may); adjectives; determiners (a, an, the); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students narrate activities and events. They:

  • develop brief, oral and written accounts of personal experiences.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., gerunds (singing, walking, computing); verb tenses: simple present, present perfect, past perfect, present continuous, past continuous; transitive verbs; phrasal verbs (come back, fall through, sit down); phase verbs (stopped speaking, wanted to say, forgot to come); prepositions of place (beside, after); adverbs of order (firstly, thirdly, finally); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); "there" as subject (There was a knock at the door.).

Specific Outcomes:

Students respond to questionnaires and applications. They:

  • complete, with assistance, routine school-related forms; e.g., course registration, bus pass application.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., declarative mood; interrogative mood; yes–no questions; wh— questions; tag questions (Isn’t it? Won’t you? Haven’t you?); adverbs of frequency (from time to time, regularly, rarely).

Specific Outcomes:

Students express opinions. They:

  • express opinions and preferences in short sentences
  • express pleasure and displeasure, likes and dislikes, in familiar, structured situations; e.g., conversations with peers, class discussions, journal writing.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (would, should, would rather); interjections (Oh! Hurrah! Hey!); exclamations (I loved that story! Einstein was right!); adverbs of degree (totally, especially, quite); adverbs of attitude (luckily, interestingly, obviously); adverbs of emphasis (even, surely, above all); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since).

Specific Outcomes:

Students explain actions, motivations and values. They:

  • explain actions, within limited, familiar contexts
  • write someone’s actual words, using appropriate punctuation.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); causative use of "have" and "get" (have a cavity filled, get a haircut); adverbs of manner (perfectly, urgently, softly); prepositions (about, except, according to); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that, so); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); noun clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, if, what).

General Outcome 3 (Level 2)
Students will use spoken and written English to make decisions, solve problems, and plan and carry out projects.

Specific Outcomes:

Students interact to accomplish a task. They:

  • assume assigned roles in small groups of peers, and complete well-defined tasks
  • carry out assigned roles for group tasks; e.g., leader, recorder
  • ask rehearsed questions in structured, nonstressful situations
  • respond in oral phrases or brief, written sentences to clearly stated interview questions about familiar situations.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); simple future verb tense; modals (could, might, may); auxiliary verbs (be, have); interrogative mood (Are you going to the show?); imperative mood (Hurry!); yes–no questions; wh— questions; tag questions (Isn’t it? Won’t you? Haven’t you?); do-fronted questions (Do you know how to dance? Didn’t you know he was late?); reported questions (He asked me if I knew how to dance.); negative questions; statement-form questions; openers (Excuse me. I have a question. I’m calling about . . .); responders (Okay. Exactly. Of course.); closers (Excuse me. It’s been nice. I have to be going.).

Specific Outcomes:

Students negotiate meaning. They:

  • ask for explanation of unfamiliar words and expressions.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., questions, such as: Could you tell me? Could I ask …?; interrupters, such as: Pardon me. Excuse me. Do you have a minute?

Specific Outcomes:

Students follow and give instructions. They:

  • understand commonplace, oral and written instructions in routine classroom contexts
  • give limited, rehearsed, oral instructions for classroom activities.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verb tenses: simple present, present perfect, present continuous; modals (could, might, may); interrogative mood (Are you going to the show?); imperative mood (Hurry!); adverbs of position (away, here, globally); adverbs of direction (near, skyward, clockwise); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); adverbs of order (firstly, thirdly, finally); prepositions of position (on, off, under); prepositions of direction (away from, toward).

Specific Outcomes:

Students evaluate information and ideas. They:

  • ask simple questions, orally and in writing, to determine truth, correctness and possibility
  • make brief statements about whether or not ideas are true or false, correct or incorrect
  • explain reasons for choices, by listing the pros and cons and by providing factual information.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (could, might, may); negatives (not, nowhere, never); contractions (he’s, don’t, she’ll); negative affixes (anti-, mis-, -less); negative statements, using neither, not, none; ordinal numbers (first, second, third); adverbs of contrast (alternatively, conversely, however); coordinating conjunctions.

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and inquire about degrees of certainty, possibility and capability. They:

  • express agreement and disagreement; ask permission; state personal capabilities with respect to school and community activities.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (could, might, may); affirmatives (yes, okay, sure); negatives (not, nowhere, never); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

Specific Outcomes:

Students interact with others from a variety of cultural, linguistic and racial backgrounds. They:

  • use polite words and phrases.

General Outcome 4 (Level 2)
Students will use spoken and written English to explore, respond to and extend ideas and experiences.

Specific Outcomes:

Students develop understanding of a variety of text forms. They:

  • read, for enjoyment, short passages from magazines, newspapers and simplified stories with pictures
  • participate in role plays and in readers’ theatre; watch video versions of stories read and discussed in class
  • identify various forms of oral, print and media texts; e.g., stories, poems, advertisements, cartoons
  • begin to compose in a variety of forms, following patterns and models discussed in class; e.g., narratives, letters, journals, audio recordings of short plays.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to name texts (essay, situation comedy, documentary); nouns to name parts of texts (paragraph, sentence, verse); verbs indicating speech (said, state, tell); verbs indicating manner of speech (boast, yell, whimper); verbs indicating thought and learning (discover, remember, realize); adverbs of manner (urgently, softly, fearfully); prepositional phrases (in a deep voice, through the open window, on the mountain top).

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and explain personal responses. They:

  • compare similarities and differences between own experiences and those of others; and of characters in oral, print and media texts
  • express opinions about characters in literature or people of importance to topics of study.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect, simple future, present continuous, past continuous; comparative adjectives (bigger, smaller, more intelligent); superlative adjectives (biggest, smallest, most intelligent); comparative adverbs (more effectively, more importantly); superlative adverbs (most effectively, most importantly); relationship adverbs (similarly, differently, alternatively).

Specific Outcomes:

Students discuss the elements of text structure. They:

  • organize, in chronological order, the events in narratives
  • identify the beginning, middle and end; or the introduction, body and conclusion of oral, print and other media texts
  • discuss the personality traits of characters; identify the ways in which characters interact with one another in stories
  • recognize first and third person narration.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, concrete; subject–verb agreement; stative verbs (be, have, want); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present progressive, past progressive, simple future; direct speech (He said, "I am going."); indirect speech (He said that he was going.); predicative adjectives (He became ill. I am cold. He is tall.); qualitative adjectives (sad, pretty, wealthy); participial adjectives (increasing, existing, outgoing); clauses introduced by "that" following a reporting verb (He said that he could drive.); clauses introduced by "that" followed by an infinitive (She suggested that to go fishing was a good idea.); adverbs of manner (urgently, softly, fearfully).

Specific Outcomes:

Students identify and use figurative language. They:

  • identify and use similes to describe people, places, objects and events
  • recognize symbols that Canadians associate with particular concepts; e.g., good, evil, joy, sorrow, political movements, social causes
  • understand that words used in class or encountered in oral, print and other media texts can have several meanings, both connotative and denotative.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to label concepts (good, evil, democracy); adjectives to describe mood (suspenseful, humorous, wistful); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that, so); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); prepositional phrases introduced by: as, like.

Specific Outcomes:

Students choose forms appropriate to topic, purpose and audience. They:

  • write in specific roles for specified audiences; e.g., pretending to be a member of Jacques Cartier’s expedition and writing letters home.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, singular, plural, proper; determiners (a, an, the); verb tenses: simple past, simple present, simple future, present perfect, past perfect, present continuous, past continuous; subject–verb agreement; transitive verbs; prepositions of place (beside, in, by); prepositions of time (at, about, by); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

ESL - Level 3
General Outcome 1 (Level 3)
Students will use spoken and written English to gather, interpret and communicate information.

Specific Outcomes:

Students locate, gather and interpret information. They:

  • comprehend and interpret the general meaning of texts on familiar topics, and make appropriate inferences
  • preview and review to get main ideas and supporting details from simple texts, in areas of special interest or knowledge; e.g., newspaper stories, magazine articles, fiction
  • locate information in the school library, using print and electronic sources; use tables of contents, glossaries and indexes
  • relate visuals to written text; list key information and details.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, singular, plural, proper; relative pronouns (that, which, who); determiners (a, an, the); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect; coordinating conjunctions; time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, often); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students categorize and classify information. They:

  • illustrate the relationships among main ideas and supporting details in oral, print, other media and electronic texts, using graphic organizers; e.g., mind maps, charts, tree diagrams.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., collective nouns (bacteria, data, team); species nouns (kind, division, category); stative verbs (be, have, want); classifying adjectives (Canadian, economic, main); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students organize information sequentially and chronologically. They:

  • describe steps in processes and stages in cycles related to a variety of topics of study
  • narrate situations, events and personal experiences from the past, present and future; link ideas to explain relationships.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to designate time (days, weeks, months); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect; verb forms expressing state or habit in the past (used to); ordinal numbers (first, second, third); adverbs of manner, time, frequency, duration (soon, often, always); expressions of place, direction, orientation, motion, position, location.

Specific Outcomes:

Students define key vocabulary. They:

  • define a range of vocabulary specific to subject areas; identify and use antonyms and synonyms
  • use prior experiences to predict the meaning of new words in context; use a bilingual dictionary and an English learner’s dictionary
  • extend the use of specific vocabulary related to topics of study.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to designate verbal actions (account, promise, comment); species nouns (kind, division, category); stative verbs (be, have, want); classifying adjectives (Canadian, economic, main); demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students describe physical attributes, functions, composition and behaviours. They:

  • comprehend most conversations; short, simplified oral descriptions; and mediated audio-visual presentations on a variety of topics related to study
  • comprehend the general meaning in two or three pages of expository text on a familiar topic
  • describe, orally and in writing, the physical attributes, functions and composition of objects related to topics of study; e.g., wood, plastic, fabric
  • describe the location of objects in pictures, maps, diagrams and models.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, concrete; nouns of measure (depth, length, weight); nouns of direction (north, south, left, right); subject–verb agreement; stative verbs (be, have, want); verb tenses: simple present, present progressive, past progressive; attributive adjectives (hot coffee, red wagon, purple plum); predicative adjectives (He became ill. I am cold. He is tall.); qualitative adjectives (sad story, pretty picture, wealthy lady); participial adjectives (increasing, existing, outgoing); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who); possessive forms; quantifiers (all of, loss of, little of); partitives (bottle of, handful of, lump of).

Specific Outcomes:

Students compare and contrast. They:

  • write two or three paragraphs to compare and contrast two people, two objects or two places, using appropriate signal words; e.g., either–or, but, similarly.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., comparative adjectives (bigger, smaller, more intelligent); superlative adjectives (biggest, smallest, most intelligent); qualitative adjectives (sad, pretty, wealthy); comparative adverbs (more effectively, more importantly); superlative adverbs (most effectively, most importantly, most often); adverbs of comparison (similarly, differently, in the same way).

Specific Outcomes:

Students explain how and why something happens or works. They:

  • use conventional format to ask and answer wh— questions, orally and in writing
  • develop well-organized oral and written texts to explain problems and propose solutions.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., interrogative pronouns (who, whose, which); passive voice; adverbs; reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so).

Specific Outcomes:

Students develop and present reports. They:

  • write four or five paragraphs on topics that have been researched and discussed in class
  • present brief oral reports, sometimes supported by visuals, to small groups of classmates.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., adverbs of degree (absolutely, very, nearly); time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); prepositional phrases of place (in the air, above the land, by the sea); prepositional phrases of direction (around the building, toward the school, through the window); adverbials of addition (also, besides, at the same time); adverbials of sequence (earlier, next, soon).

Specific Outcomes:

Students make hypotheses and predictions. They:

  • use personal experiences and knowledge of content to predict meaning when reading or listening to authentic texts; learn to tolerate gaps in understanding
  • express conditional relationships; e.g., "If oil is mixed with water, it floats." "If I could afford it, I would buy a skateboard."

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verb tenses: simple present, simple past, simple future, present perfect, past continuous; modals (could, might, may); adverbs indicating actuality (actually, certainly, possibly); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while); conditional clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (if, unless, on condition that).

Specific Outcomes:

Students synthesize and summarize. They:

  • take point-form notes to record important information from oral, print and other media texts
  • paraphrase, orally, short expository texts; write one-page summaries of expository texts that include most key points.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., collective nouns (bacteria, data, team); mass nouns (medicines, pesticides, fabrics); indefinite pronouns (one, someone, nobody); adverbs of time, duration and frequency (soon, often, always); coordinating conjunctions; time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); conditional clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (if, unless, on condition that); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

General Outcome 2 (Level 3)
Students will use spoken and written English to establish and maintain relationships.

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and inquire about the interests, activities and needs of others. They:

  • introduce self to peers and known adults in informal situations
  • interact with others to exchange and clarify information about self, family, interests and experiences
  • understand and respond, in familiar contexts, to unfamiliar communication situations; e.g., speaking to the principal, dealing with an emergency, telephoning the school to report an absence
  • use common colloquial expressions appropriately in interactions with peers
  • write two or three paragraphs in journals and class newsletters to describe self, family and friends
  • use an appropriate vocabulary commonly associated with high school student interests and activities.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns that name roles and titles; nouns to show relationships (brother, family, friend); proper nouns; complements (Her favourite hobby is sewing. His only friend is Bob.); subject pronouns (I, you, he); possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his); relative pronouns (that, which, who); intransitive verbs; modals (could, might, may); adjectives; determiners (a, an, the); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students narrate activities and events. They:

  • develop oral and written accounts; e.g., biographies, autobiographies, family histories.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., gerunds (singing, walking, computing); verb tenses: simple present, present perfect, past perfect, present continuous, past continuous; transitive verbs; phrasal verbs (come back, fall through, sit down); phase verbs (stopped speaking, wanted to say, forgot to come); prepositions of place (beside, after); adverbs of order (firstly, thirdly, finally); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); "there" as subject (There was a knock at the door.).

Specific Outcomes:

Students respond to questionnaires and applications. They:

  • provide accurate information on forms; e.g., hobbies, interests, goals, when provided opportunities for clarification; conduct classroom surveys.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., declarative mood; interrogative mood; yes–no questions; wh— questions; tag questions (Isn’t it? Won’t you? Haven’t you?); adverbs of frequency (from time to time, regularly, rarely).

Specific Outcomes:

Students express opinions. They:

  • participate in informal discussions with known peers and adults on a variety of topics; e.g., movies, homework, clothes
  • interact with peers to express emotional attitudes; e.g., interest, indifference, joy.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (would, should, would rather); interjections (Oh! Hurrah! Hey!); exclamations (I loved that story! Einstein was right!); adverbs of degree (totally, especially, quite); adverbs of attitude (luckily, interestingly, obviously); adverbs of emphasis (even, surely, above all); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since).

Specific Outcomes:

Students explain actions, motivations and values. They:

  • explain intentions and motivations of self and others to peers and familiar adults
  • report, accurately, the speech of others, using direct quotations and reported speech structures.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); causative use of "have" and "get" (have a cavity filled, get a haircut); adverbs of manner (perfectly, urgently, softly); prepositions (about, except, according to); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that, so); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); noun clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, if, what).

General Outcome 3 (Level 3)
Students will use spoken and written English to make decisions, solve problems, and plan and carry out projects.

Specific Outcomes:

Students interact to accomplish a task. They:

  • participate in small groups or committees to complete tasks related to topics of study
  • demonstrate effective interaction skills; e.g., providing information, asking questions, offering explanations, encouraging others
  • interview other language learners, using rehearsed questions, about interests and topics of study
  • interact orally with peers, with some repetition, using language that is comprehensible to most native English speakers.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); simple future verb tense; modals (could, might, may); auxiliary verbs (be, have); interrogative mood (Are you going to the show?); imperative mood (Hurry!); yes–no questions; wh— questions; tag questions (Isn’t it? Won’t you? Haven’t you?); do-fronted questions (Do you know how to dance? Didn’t you know he was late?); reported questions (He asked me if I knew how to dance.); negative questions; statement-form questions; openers (Excuse me. I have a question. I’m calling about . . .); responders (Okay. Exactly. Of course.); closers (Excuse me. It’s been nice. I have to be going.).

Specific Outcomes:

Students negotiate meaning. They:

  • clarify and verify understanding of oral and written texts, by asking questions; tolerate ambiguity of meaning.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., questions, such as: Could you tell me? Could I ask …?; interrupters, such as: Pardon me. Excuse me. Do you have a minute?

Specific Outcomes:

Students follow and give instructions. They:

  • interpret and follow instructions for an increasing variety of tasks; e.g., operating electronic equipment, making graphs, following a recipe
  • give step by step oral and written instructions, clearly and precisely, in face-to-face situations.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verb tenses: simple present, present perfect, present continuous; modals (could, might, may); interrogative mood (Are you going to the show?); imperative mood (Hurry!); adverbs of position (away, here, globally); adverbs of direction (near, skyward, clockwise); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); adverbs of order (firstly, thirdly, finally); prepositions of position (on, off, under); prepositions of direction (away from, toward).

Specific Outcomes:

Students evaluate information and ideas. They:

  • analyze information; develop and express opinions on familiar topics
  • gather, summarize and present information to support opinions
  • defend choices, by stating priorities; compare and contrast alternatives.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (could, might, may); negatives (not, nowhere, never); contractions (he’s, don’t, she’ll); negative affixes (anti-, mis-, -less); negative statements, using neither, not, none; ordinal numbers (first, second, third); adverbs of contrast (alternatively, conversely, however); coordinating conjunctions.

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and inquire about degrees of certainty, possibility and capability. They:

  • state degree of certainty about whether or not something is possible or impossible, and state the likelihood of events occurring in the future; ask for and give permission.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (could, might, may); affirmatives (yes, okay, sure); negatives (not, nowhere, never); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

Specific Outcomes:

Students interact with others from a variety of cultural, linguistic and racial backgrounds. They:

  • develop an awareness of language acceptable and unacceptable in a school context.

General Outcome 4 (Level 3)
Students will use spoken and written English to explore, respond to and extend ideas and experiences.

Specific Outcomes:

Students develop understanding of a variety of text forms. They:

  • read, for enjoyment, short articles and stories on topics of personal interest; recommend favourite texts to peers
  • write and perform dialogues related to informal personal interactions
  • know some distinguishing features; e.g., plot, verse, chapters, sidebars, special effects, of a variety of oral, print and media forms; e.g., stories, situation comedies, documentaries, plays
  • recreate myths, stories and television programs, orally, visually and in writing.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to name texts (essay, situation comedy, documentary); nouns to name parts of texts (paragraph, sentence, verse); verbs indicating speech (said, state, tell); verbs indicating manner of speech (boast, yell, whimper); verbs indicating thought and learning (discover, remember, realize); adverbs of manner (urgently, softly, fearfully); prepositional phrases (in a deep voice, through the open window, on the mountain top).

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and explain personal responses. They:

  • compare situations encountered in daily life with those experienced by people in other times, places and cultures, as portrayed in oral, print and media texts
  • tell and write personal anecdotes related to events in texts on topics of study.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect, simple future, present continuous, past continuous; comparative adjectives (bigger, smaller, more intelligent); superlative adjectives (biggest, smallest, most intelligent); comparative adverbs (more effectively, more importantly); superlative adverbs (most effectively, most importantly); relationship adverbs (similarly, differently, alternatively).

Specific Outcomes:

Students discuss the elements of text structure. They:

  • organize the events in narratives to develop a sense of rising action; discuss the ways characters or people change
  • identify passages of fictional narrative in nonfiction texts; e.g., the story of a blood cell, a day in the life of a settler in Fort Macleod
  • describe key people encountered in print and media texts, using specific, concrete language and relevant facts
  • infer information about the narrator in oral, print and other media texts.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, concrete; subject–verb agreement; stative verbs (be, have, want); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present progressive, past progressive, simple future; direct speech (He said, "I am going."); indirect speech (He said that he was going.); predicative adjectives (He became ill. I am cold. He is tall.); qualitative adjectives (sad, pretty, wealthy); participial adjectives (increasing, existing, outgoing); clauses introduced by "that" following a reporting verb (He said that he could drive.); clauses introduced by "that" followed by an infinitive (She suggested that to go fishing was a good idea.); adverbs of manner (urgently, softly, fearfully).

Specific Outcomes:

Students identify and use figurative language. They:

  • identify and use similes, metaphors, personification and alliteration; explain figurative language in a variety of texts; e.g., the government fell; the army quashed the rebellion
  • identify and interpret contextually specific symbols related to characters’ experiences; e.g., stormy weather reflecting a character’s emotional turmoil
  • identify images in oral, print and other media texts that appeal to the senses.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to label concepts (good, evil, democracy); adjectives to describe mood (suspenseful, humorous, wistful); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that, so); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); prepositional phrases introduced by: as, like.

Specific Outcomes:

Students choose forms appropriate to topic, purpose and audience. They:

  • choose appropriate forms, depending on the audience and purpose; e.g., writing letters to friends in another country comparing the schools of each country, writing brochures describing schools in Canada to new students.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, singular, plural, proper; determiners (a, an, the); verb tenses: simple past, simple present, simple future, present perfect, past perfect, present continuous, past continuous; subject–verb agreement; transitive verbs; prepositions of place (beside, in, by); prepositions of time (at, about, by); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

ESL - Level 4
General Outcome 1 (Level 4)
Students will use spoken and written English to gather, interpret and communicate information.

Specific Outcomes:

Students locate, gather and interpret information. They:

  • comprehend and interpret the meaning of written texts on topics of study
  • skim and scan authentic, unfamiliar texts on topics related to prior knowledge or personal interests; locate main and supporting details, and draw inferences
  • develop research questions about topics of study; identify and use information sources; e.g., encyclopedias, databases, magazines, videos
  • interpret factual information from graphs, charts and tables.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, singular, plural, proper; relative pronouns (that, which, who); determiners (a, an, the); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect; coordinating conjunctions; time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, often); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students categorize and classify information. They:

  • classify ideas and information related to topics of study; describe the basis upon which categories were formed; compare categories.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., collective nouns (bacteria, data, team); species nouns (kind, division, category); stative verbs (be, have, want); classifying adjectives (Canadian, economic, main); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students organize information sequentially and chronologically. They:

  • develop oral and written texts to describe processes, procedures and sequences of events, using appropriate signal words; e.g., first, then, after
  • narrate events, activities, stories, experiences and general information from different points of view.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to designate time (days, weeks, months); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect; verb forms expressing state or habit in the past (used to); ordinal numbers (first, second, third); adverbs of manner, time, frequency, duration (soon, often, always); expressions of place, direction, orientation, motion, position, location.

Specific Outcomes:

Students define key vocabulary. They:

  • use appropriate language patterns for definitions; identify and define words that are crucial to comprehending text
  • use knowledge of language and context cues to determine the meaning of new words; use bilingual, English learner’s and English only dictionaries; begin to use a thesaurus
  • apply knowledge of vocabulary associated with topics of study in new contexts.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to designate verbal actions (account, promise, comment); species nouns (kind, division, category); stative verbs (be, have, want); classifying adjectives (Canadian, economic, main); demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students describe physical attributes, functions, composition and behaviours. They:

  • comprehend, with limited mediation, most oral descriptions; e.g., face-to-face, lecture, audio-visual
  • comprehend the general meaning and specific details in three to five pages of expository text on unfamiliar topics
  • describe, orally and in writing, the physical attributes and behaviours of people, and the physical attributes, functions and composition of objects
  • describe the speed, direction, location and frequency of moving objects.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, concrete; nouns of measure (depth, length, weight); nouns of direction (north, south, left, right); subject–verb agreement; stative verbs (be, have, want); verb tenses: simple present, present progressive, past progressive; attributive adjectives (hot coffee, red wagon, purple plum); predicative adjectives (He became ill. I am cold. He is tall.); qualitative adjectives (sad story, pretty picture, wealthy lady); participial adjectives (increasing, existing, outgoing); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who); possessive forms; quantifiers (all of, loss of, little of); partitives (bottle of, handful of, lump of).

Specific Outcomes:

Students compare and contrast. They:

  • choose precise vocabulary to compare and contrast personal experiences and intensity of emotions.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., comparative adjectives (bigger, smaller, more intelligent); superlative adjectives (biggest, smallest, most intelligent); qualitative adjectives (sad, pretty, wealthy); comparative adverbs (more effectively, more importantly); superlative adverbs (most effectively, most importantly, most often); adverbs of comparison (similarly, differently, in the same way).

Specific Outcomes:

Students explain how and why something happens or works. They:

  • ask and respond to questions, orally and in writing, on topics of study related to cause, reason and manner
  • develop well-organized oral and written texts to suggest probable causes and means to achieve specific ends.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., interrogative pronouns (who, whose, which); passive voice; adverbs; reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so).

Specific Outcomes:

Students develop and present reports. They:

  • structure cohesive essays or reports, each having references and a bibliography
  • present oral reports on topics of study to the class.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., adverbs of degree (absolutely, very, nearly); time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); prepositional phrases of place (in the air, above the land, by the sea); prepositional phrases of direction (around the building, toward the school, through the window); adverbials of addition (also, besides, at the same time); adverbials of sequence (earlier, next, soon).

Specific Outcomes:

Students make hypotheses and predictions. They:

  • use strategies to fill gaps in understanding when reading or listening to authentic texts; e.g., reading ahead, mental rehearsal, predicting meaning from context
  • express interdependency of one set of circumstances on another, using appropriate language structures; e.g., if–then, condition–outcome, problem–solution.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verb tenses: simple present, simple past, simple future, present perfect, past continuous; modals (could, might, may); adverbs indicating actuality (actually, certainly, possibly); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while); conditional clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (if, unless, on condition that).

Specific Outcomes:

Students synthesize and summarize. They:

  • take two or three pages of point-form notes from written texts on topics of study
  • synthesize and summarize information, orally and in writing, from one to three pages of expository text.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., collective nouns (bacteria, data, team); mass nouns (medicines, pesticides, fabrics); indefinite pronouns (one, someone, nobody); adverbs of time, duration and frequency (soon, often, always); coordinating conjunctions; time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); conditional clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (if, unless, on condition that); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

General Outcome 2 (Level 4)
Students will use spoken and written English to establish and maintain relationships.

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and inquire about the interests, activities and needs of others. They:

  • introduce self to peers and adults, known and unknown, in informal and formal situations
  • engage in discussions with native English speakers about ideas, emotions, interests and experiences
  • communicate orally in some unpredictable contexts; e.g., finding one’s way in a new environment, asking for information
  • understand and use sufficient vocabulary, idioms and colloquial expressions to listen to and talk about topics of general interest with peers
  • describe interests, abilities and personality traits
  • use an appropriate level of formality and politeness for known and unknown peers and adults.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns that name roles and titles; nouns to show relationships (brother, family, friend); proper nouns; complements (Her favourite hobby is sewing. His only friend is Bob.); subject pronouns (I, you, he); possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his); relative pronouns (that, which, who); intransitive verbs; modals (could, might, may); adjectives; determiners (a, an, the); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students narrate activities and events. They:

  • develop oral and written accounts of personally experienced cultural, political and social events; include reactions of participants.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., gerunds (singing, walking, computing); verb tenses: simple present, present perfect, past perfect, present continuous, past continuous; transitive verbs; phrasal verbs (come back, fall through, sit down); phase verbs (stopped speaking, wanted to say, forgot to come); prepositions of place (beside, after); adverbs of order (firstly, thirdly, finally); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); "there" as subject (There was a knock at the door.).

Specific Outcomes:

Students respond to questionnaires and applications. They:

  • provide accurate, precise information on forms; e.g., questionnaires, authentic job applications; conduct surveys.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., declarative mood; interrogative mood; yes–no questions; wh— questions; tag questions (Isn’t it? Won’t you? Haven’t you?); adverbs of frequency (from time to time, regularly, rarely).

Specific Outcomes:

Students express opinions. They:

  • express opinions about current events in the school and community; express agreement and disagreement, providing reasoned support
  • express emotional attitudes in informal and formal situations with peers and adults; e.g., interest, indifference, anger, joy.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (would, should, would rather); interjections (Oh! Hurrah! Hey!); exclamations (I loved that story! Einstein was right!); adverbs of degree (totally, especially, quite); adverbs of attitude (luckily, interestingly, obviously); adverbs of emphasis (even, surely, above all); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since).

Specific Outcomes:

Students explain actions, motivations and values. They:

  • interact with adults, including authority figures, to explain intentions and motivations
  • write reports of events, using direct and indirect speech structures.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); causative use of "have" and "get" (have a cavity filled, get a haircut); adverbs of manner (perfectly, urgently, softly); prepositions (about, except, according to); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that, so); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); noun clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, if, what).

General Outcome 3 (Level 4)
Students will use spoken and written English to make decisions, solve problems, and plan and carry out projects.

Specific Outcomes:

Students interact to accomplish a task. They:

  • participate in panel discussions, seminars and symposia
  • negotiate the ways in which groups can complete tasks and the contributions each member can make
  • interview native English-speaking peers on familiar topics, mixing some spontaneous questions with rehearsed questions
  • use effective oral interaction techniques (e.g., listening, responding, interrupting, taking turns); monitor understanding by clarifying, explaining, elaborating.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); simple future verb tense; modals (could, might, may); auxiliary verbs (be, have); interrogative mood (Are you going to the show?); imperative mood (Hurry!); yes–no questions; wh— questions; tag questions (Isn’t it? Won’t you? Haven’t you?); do-fronted questions (Do you know how to dance? Didn’t you know he was late?); reported questions (He asked me if I knew how to dance.); negative questions; statement-form questions; openers (Excuse me. I have a question. I’m calling about . . .); responders (Okay. Exactly. Of course.); closers (Excuse me. It’s been nice. I have to be going.).

Specific Outcomes:

Students negotiate meaning. They:

  • repair communication problems, using a variety of techniques; e.g., questioning, restating, summarizing.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., questions, such as: Could you tell me? Could I ask …?; interrupters, such as: Pardon me. Excuse me. Do you have a minute?

Specific Outcomes:

Students follow and give instructions. They:

  • interpret and follow oral and written instructions having three or more steps
  • direct people to a specific location with written directions, and with oral directions by telephone or voice mail.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verb tenses: simple present, present perfect, present continuous; modals (could, might, may); interrogative mood (Are you going to the show?); imperative mood (Hurry!); adverbs of position (away, here, globally); adverbs of direction (near, skyward, clockwise); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); adverbs of order (firstly, thirdly, finally); prepositions of position (on, off, under); prepositions of direction (away from, toward).

Specific Outcomes:

Students evaluate information and ideas. They:

  • discuss the pros and cons of issues; use facts to support positions
  • write arguments supporting or opposing positions, in order to persuade others
  • state and order priorities.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (could, might, may); negatives (not, nowhere, never); contractions (he’s, don’t, she’ll); negative affixes (anti-, mis-, -less); negative statements, using neither, not, none; ordinal numbers (first, second, third); adverbs of contrast (alternatively, conversely, however); coordinating conjunctions.

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and inquire about degrees of certainty, possibility and capability. They:

  • express own capabilities and inquire about the capabilities of others, orally and in writing; express and inquire about degrees of certainty regarding events in the future.


Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (could, might, may); affirmatives (yes, okay, sure); negatives (not, nowhere, never); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

Specific Outcomes:

Students interact with others from a variety of cultural, linguistic and racial backgrounds. They:

  • modify vocabulary, intonation, tone and structure of language appropriately, depending on the audience, purpose and context.

General Outcome 4 (Level 4)
Students will use spoken and written English to explore, respond to and extend ideas and experiences.

Specific Outcomes:

Students develop understanding of a variety of text forms. They:

  • read, for enjoyment, an increasing variety of texts; e.g., newspaper editorials, letters, diaries, poems, chapters in textbooks, electronic magazines, simple novels
  • perform short, dramatic presentations, and write own dramatizations
  • recognize key characteristics of various forms and genres of oral, print and media texts; e.g., biographies, myths, timelines, laboratory reports, editorials, novels
  • compose in an increasing variety of forms that have been studied in class; e.g., issue papers, reviews, reports, biographical sketches, journals.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to name texts (essay, situation comedy, documentary); nouns to name parts of texts (paragraph, sentence, verse); verbs indicating speech (said, state, tell); verbs indicating manner of speech (boast, yell, whimper); verbs indicating thought and learning (discover, remember, realize); adverbs of manner (urgently, softly, fearfully); prepositional phrases (in a deep voice, through the open window, on the mountain top).

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and explain personal responses. They:

  • compare own understanding of oral, print and media texts with the understanding of teacher and peers
  • create written, visual or media presentations, depicting events or concepts in texts on topics of study.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect, simple future, present continuous, past continuous; comparative adjectives (bigger, smaller, more intelligent); superlative adjectives (biggest, smallest, most intelligent); comparative adverbs (more effectively, more importantly); superlative adverbs (most effectively, most importantly); relationship adverbs (similarly, differently, alternatively).

Specific Outcomes:

Students discuss the elements of text structure. They:

  • identify rising action and climax in print and other media texts; identify types of conflict
  • identify nonchronological organizational structures; e.g., flashbacks, foreshadowing, sidebars, charts
  • infer the motives of people encountered in print and other media texts, and discuss how they might behave under different circumstances
  • recognize omniscient point of view; detect bias in oral, print and other media texts.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, concrete; subject–verb agreement; stative verbs (be, have, want); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present progressive, past progressive, simple future; direct speech (He said, "I am going."); indirect speech (He said that he was going.); predicative adjectives (He became ill. I am cold. He is tall.); qualitative adjectives (sad, pretty, wealthy); participial adjectives (increasing, existing, outgoing); clauses introduced by "that" following a reporting verb (He said that he could drive.); clauses introduced by "that" followed by an infinitive (She suggested that to go fishing was a good idea.); adverbs of manner (urgently, softly, fearfully).

Specific Outcomes:

Students identify and use figurative language. They:

  • identify the ways in which people, objects, places and events symbolize abstract concepts, ideas and emotions, and how they enhance meaning
  • compare the use of symbols in various cultural contexts and topics of study
  • understand culturally-related connotations of vocabulary; describe the mood and theme of oral, written and media texts.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to label concepts (good, evil, democracy); adjectives to describe mood (suspenseful, humorous, wistful); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that, so); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); prepositional phrases introduced by: as, like.

Specific Outcomes:

Students choose forms appropriate to topic, purpose and audience. They:

  • organize information in oral, print and media texts for specific audiences and purposes; e.g., making media presentations of science experiments for students in another class, or showing food preparation processes for a school open house.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, singular, plural, proper; determiners (a, an, the); verb tenses: simple past, simple present, simple future, present perfect, past perfect, present continuous, past continuous; subject–verb agreement; transitive verbs; prepositions of place (beside, in, by); prepositions of time (at, about, by); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

ESL - Level 5
General Outcome 1 (Level 5)
Students will use spoken and written English to gather, interpret and communicate information.

Specific Outcomes:

Students locate, gather and interpret information. They:

  • comprehend and interpret the meaning of a variety of written texts on topics of study; explain how new information relates to previous learning
  • skim and scan several sources (e.g., science magazines, encyclopedias, databases) to locate information; determine the appropriateness to the topic, purpose and audience
  • collect, organize and interpret data related to research questions, using oral, print, other media and electronic texts
  • develop oral and written reports, based on interpretations of information from complex charts, graphs and tables.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, singular, plural, proper; relative pronouns (that, which, who); determiners (a, an, the); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect; coordinating conjunctions; time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, often); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students categorize and classify information. They:

  • synthesize previously organized information into oral and written summaries; use language structures to make appropriate transitions; e.g., altogether, in general, in short.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., collective nouns (bacteria, data, team); species nouns (kind, division, category); stative verbs (be, have, want); classifying adjectives (Canadian, economic, main); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students organize information sequentially and chronologically. They:

  • describe processes, cycles, sequences of events and changes over time with increasing accuracy
  • narrate oral and written accounts of personal experiences and current or historical events.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to designate time (days, weeks, months); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect; verb forms expressing state or habit in the past (used to); ordinal numbers (first, second, third); adverbs of manner, time, frequency, duration (soon, often, always); expressions of place, direction, orientation, motion, position, location.

Specific Outcomes:

Students define key vocabulary. They:

  • recognize embedded definitions of key vocabulary in texts from a variety of content areas; identify and use antonyms and synonyms appropriate to an audience, context and purpose
  • use a variety of sources and strategies to determine the meaning of unknown words; choose the dictionary meaning that fits the context
  • use vocabulary appropriately, depending on the purpose, audience and topic.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to designate verbal actions (account, promise, comment); species nouns (kind, division, category); stative verbs (be, have, want); classifying adjectives (Canadian, economic, main); demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students describe physical attributes, functions, composition and behaviours. They:

  • comprehend most classroom discourse, by using a variety of clarification strategies
  • comprehend the general meaning and specific details in five to ten pages of expository text in a content area
  • describe, orally and in writing, the physical attributes and behaviours of various people, and the physical attributes, functions and composition of a variety of objects and structures
  • describe how the interrelationships among objects, forces and concepts change over time.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, concrete; nouns of measure (depth, length, weight); nouns of direction (north, south, left, right); subject–verb agreement; stative verbs (be, have, want); verb tenses: simple present, present progressive, past progressive; attributive adjectives (hot coffee, red wagon, purple plum); predicative adjectives (He became ill. I am cold. He is tall.); qualitative adjectives (sad story, pretty picture, wealthy lady); participial adjectives (increasing, existing, outgoing); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who); possessive forms; quantifiers (all of, loss of, little of); partitives (bottle of, handful of, lump of).

Specific Outcomes:

Students compare and contrast. They:

  • choose precise vocabulary to compare and contrast structures and issues; e.g., governments in two different countries, architecture in two different buildings, pollution in two different cities.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., comparative adjectives (bigger, smaller, more intelligent); superlative adjectives (biggest, smallest, most intelligent); qualitative adjectives (sad, pretty, wealthy); comparative adverbs (more effectively, more importantly); superlative adverbs (most effectively, most importantly, most often); adverbs of comparison (similarly, differently, in the same way).

Specific Outcomes:

Students explain how and why something happens or works. They:

  • ask and respond to questions, orally and in writing, on topics of study related to research questions
  • compose oral and written reports to explain complex processes or events; e.g., causes and effects of acid rain, the conditions that contributed to the development and failure of the Meech Lake Accord.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., interrogative pronouns (who, whose, which); passive voice; adverbs; reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so).

Specific Outcomes:

Students develop and present reports. They:

  • write well-organized narrative, descriptive and expository essays or reports to communicate information about topics of study
  • present oral reports, supported by visuals, on a variety of topics to general audiences; e.g., students from other schools, parents, student councils.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., adverbs of degree (absolutely, very, nearly); time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); prepositional phrases of place (in the air, above the land, by the sea); prepositional phrases of direction (around the building, toward the school, through the window); adverbials of addition (also, besides, at the same time); adverbials of sequence (earlier, next, soon).

Specific Outcomes:

Students make hypotheses and predictions. They:

  • demonstrate ability to tolerate gaps in understanding when reading or listening to authentic texts; monitor and enhance comprehension, using such strategies as rereading, looking ahead or back, asking questions of peers
  • understand and express predictability of events in a variety of circumstances; e.g., forecasting weather, predicting the results of experiments, predicting the results of particular economic conditions.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verb tenses: simple present, simple past, simple future, present perfect, past continuous; modals (could, might, may); adverbs indicating actuality (actually, certainly, possibly); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while); conditional clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (if, unless, on condition that).

Specific Outcomes:

Students synthesize and summarize. They:

  • take point-form notes to record questions, main ideas, supporting details and personal reactions, while listening to short lectures or viewing media presentations
  • construct a chart that synthesizes information from two or three pages of written text or from oral or media presentations.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., collective nouns (bacteria, data, team); mass nouns (medicines, pesticides, fabrics); indefinite pronouns (one, someone, nobody); adverbs of time, duration and frequency (soon, often, always); coordinating conjunctions; time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); conditional clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (if, unless, on condition that); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

General Outcome 2 (Level 5)
Students will use spoken and written English to establish and maintain relationships.

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and inquire about the interests, activities and needs of others. They:

  • interact with peers and adults in a variety of situations, using appropriate levels of formality
  • use a range of strategies during interactions with native English speakers to ensure that communication continues; e.g., requesting clarifications, repetition, rephrasing
  • engage in conversations with native English speakers in unfamiliar contexts; e.g., asking directions from bus drivers, telephoning libraries for information
  • understand and use a range of colloquial expressions when conversing with native English speakers on a variety of topics
  • provide personal information with respect to specific contexts; e.g., job applications, explanations of future plans, evaluations of abilities and accomplishments
  • use a range of informal and formal language styles appropriate to audience and context.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns that name roles and titles; nouns to show relationships (brother, family, friend); proper nouns; complements (Her favourite hobby is sewing. His only friend is Bob.); subject pronouns (I, you, he); possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his); relative pronouns (that, which, who); intransitive verbs; modals (could, might, may); adjectives; determiners (a, an, the); relative clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, which, who).

Specific Outcomes:

Students narrate activities and events. They:

  • develop elaborate oral and written accounts from different points of view; e.g., short stories, articles, reports; include a narrator’s reactions, responses and opinions.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., gerunds (singing, walking, computing); verb tenses: simple present, present perfect, past perfect, present continuous, past continuous; transitive verbs; phrasal verbs (come back, fall through, sit down); phase verbs (stopped speaking, wanted to say, forgot to come); prepositions of place (beside, after); adverbs of order (firstly, thirdly, finally); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); "there" as subject (There was a knock at the door.).

Specific Outcomes:

Students respond to questionnaires and applications. They:

  • complete a variety of forms of increasing complexity; e.g., learning style questionnaires, job applications, scholarship applications.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., declarative mood; interrogative mood; yes–no questions; wh— questions; tag questions (Isn’t it? Won’t you? Haven’t you?); adverbs of frequency (from time to time, regularly, rarely).

Specific Outcomes:

Students express opinions. They:

  • express opinions on a variety of topics to peers and adults; express agreement and disagreement, providing support; e.g., drawing on personal experience, providing reasons, listing facts
  • interact with peers and adults to express emotional attitudes in a variety of contexts; e.g., school elections, debates, parent–teacher–student conferences.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (would, should, would rather); interjections (Oh! Hurrah! Hey!); exclamations (I loved that story! Einstein was right!); adverbs of degree (totally, especially, quite); adverbs of attitude (luckily, interestingly, obviously); adverbs of emphasis (even, surely, above all); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since).

Specific Outcomes:

Students explain actions, motivations and values. They:

  • explain actions in terms of beliefs and values
  • use a variety of structures to report what people say and think; e.g., what someone wrote in a letter, what was said at a meeting, what was said at a school assembly.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); causative use of "have" and "get" (have a cavity filled, get a haircut); adverbs of manner (perfectly, urgently, softly); prepositions (about, except, according to); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that, so); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); noun clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (that, if, what).

General Outcome 3 (Level 5)
Students will use spoken and written English to make decisions, solve problems, and plan and carry out projects.

Specific Outcomes:

Students interact to accomplish a task. They:

  • participate in seminars and informal debates
  • participate in a variety of group interactions
  • interview native English-speaking peers on a range of topics, using unrehearsed questions in unstructured situations
  • participate in oral interactions with familiar and unfamiliar adults on a broad range of topics; put forward topics.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); simple future verb tense; modals (could, might, may); auxiliary verbs (be, have); interrogative mood (Are you going to the show?); imperative mood (Hurry!); yes–no questions; wh— questions; tag questions (Isn’t it? Won’t you? Haven’t you?); do-fronted questions (Do you know how to dance? Didn’t you know he was late?); reported questions (He asked me if I knew how to dance.); negative questions; statement-form questions; openers (Excuse me. I have a question. I’m calling about . . .); responders (Okay. Exactly. Of course.); closers (Excuse me. It’s been nice. I have to be going.).

Specific Outcomes:

Students negotiate meaning. They:

  • extend understanding of new ideas and information, by initiating discussion.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., questions, such as: Could you tell me? Could I ask …?; interrupters, such as: Pardon me. Excuse me. Do you have a minute?

Specific Outcomes:

Students follow and give instructions. They:

  • interpret and follow complex oral and written instructions for carrying out tasks; e.g., solving problems in mathematics, assembling apparatus for experiments in science
  • give oral and written directions to a variety of audiences; e.g., listing steps for operating software programs, explaining rules of games, explaining how to set up electric circuits.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verb tenses: simple present, present perfect, present continuous; modals (could, might, may); interrogative mood (Are you going to the show?); imperative mood (Hurry!); adverbs of position (away, here, globally); adverbs of direction (near, skyward, clockwise); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); adverbs of order (firstly, thirdly, finally); prepositions of position (on, off, under); prepositions of direction (away from, toward).

Specific Outcomes:

Students evaluate information and ideas. They:

  • discuss issues; express, suggest, reject and evaluate opinions as the discussion proceeds
  • identify and explain the opinions, underlying assumptions and values of authors or narrators of oral, written and media texts
  • persuade others, by providing alternatives, explaining criteria and priorities, and by giving reasons for choices and actions.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (could, might, may); negatives (not, nowhere, never); contractions (he’s, don’t, she’ll); negative affixes (anti-, mis-, -less); negative statements, using neither, not, none; ordinal numbers (first, second, third); adverbs of contrast (alternatively, conversely, however); coordinating conjunctions.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (could, might, may); affirmatives (yes, okay, sure); negatives (not, nowhere, never); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and inquire about degrees of certainty, possibility and capability. They:

  • express and inquire about degrees of possibility, capability and certainty regarding events, tasks and activities.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., modals (could, might, may); affirmatives (yes, okay, sure); negatives (not, nowhere, never); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).

Specific Outcomes:

Students interact with others from a variety of cultural, linguistic and racial backgrounds. They:

  • express opinions in a variety of contexts, using inclusive, respectful language.

General Outcome 4 (Level 5)
Students will use spoken and written English to explore, respond to and extend ideas and experiences.

Specific Outcomes:

Students develop understanding of a variety of text forms. They:

  • explain preferences for particular kinds of oral, print and other media texts
  • participate in rehearsed performances of one act plays
  • compare the effectiveness of various forms and genres; e.g., textbook and video presentations of science concepts, book and movie versions of a story
  • choose appropriate forms for oral, print or other media texts, depending on the content, purpose and audience.
Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to name texts (essay, situation comedy, documentary); nouns to name parts of texts (paragraph, sentence, verse); verbs indicating speech (said, state, tell); verbs indicating manner of speech (boast, yell, whimper); verbs indicating thought and learning (discover, remember, realize); adverbs of manner (urgently, softly, fearfully); prepositional phrases (in a deep voice, through the open window, on the mountain top).

Specific Outcomes:

Students express and explain personal responses. They:

  • compare the people, events, settings, ideas and themes in various oral, print or media texts
  • write reviews and make recommendations about a variety of texts; e.g., stories, documentaries, plays, Internet sites, videos, books.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., verbs indicating speech (ask, recommend, refuse); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present perfect, past perfect, simple future, present continuous, past continuous; comparative adjectives (bigger, smaller, more intelligent); superlative adjectives (biggest, smallest, most intelligent); comparative adverbs (more effectively, more importantly); superlative adverbs (most effectively, most importantly); relationship adverbs (similarly, differently, alternatively).

Specific Outcomes:

Students discuss the elements of text structure. They:

  • discuss rising action and conflict in relation to characters and setting
  • distinguish plot from subplot and explicit from implicit organizational structures in oral, print and other media texts
  • compare the main behaviour traits and values of people in two print or other media texts
  • infer the values of authors, narrators, directors, advertisers, and infer intent and analyze effects of oral, print and other media texts.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, concrete; subject–verb agreement; stative verbs (be, have, want); verb tenses: simple present, simple past, present progressive, past progressive, simple future; direct speech (He said, "I am going."); indirect speech (He said that he was going.); predicative adjectives (He became ill. I am cold. He is tall.); qualitative adjectives (sad, pretty, wealthy); participial adjectives (increasing, existing, outgoing); clauses introduced by "that" following a reporting verb (He said that he could drive.); clauses introduced by "that" followed by an infinitive (She suggested that to go fishing was a good idea.); adverbs of manner (urgently, softly, fearfully).

Specific Outcomes:

Students identify and use figurative language. They:

  • understand allusions to different cultural and historical contexts in a variety of texts; e.g., the landscape in art, the Depression in social studies, endangered species in science
  • discuss ways that symbols create and enhance meaning
  • develop an understanding of connotation, mood and theme in oral, print and media texts.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns to label concepts (good, evil, democracy); adjectives to describe mood (suspenseful, humorous, wistful); purpose clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (in order to, so that, so); reason clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, as, since); result clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (so that, so); prepositional phrases introduced by: as, like.

Specific Outcomes:

Students choose forms appropriate to topic, purpose and audience. They:

  • reorganize and revise a variety of texts for new purposes and audiences; e.g., simplifying the language of historical incidents into children’s stories, writing editorials based on scientific articles.

Using grammatical concepts; e.g., nouns: count, uncount, singular, plural, proper; determiners (a, an, the); verb tenses: simple past, simple present, simple future, present perfect, past perfect, present continuous, past continuous; subject–verb agreement; transitive verbs; prepositions of place (beside, in, by); prepositions of time (at, about, by); adverbs of time (suddenly, then, soon after); time clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (when, before, after); concessive clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions (although, though, while).
 





Resources to support: