Core Curriculum
Components and Initiatives
Core Curriculum includes four components: seven Required Areas of Study, six Common Essential Learnings, the Adaptive Dimension, and Locally-determined Options. Initiatives related to Core Curriculum include Aboriginal Content and Perspectives, Multiculturalism, Gender Equity, and Resource-based Learning.
Common Essential Learnings
The incorporation of the Common Essential Learnings into the English language arts program assists students with learning the concepts, skills, and attitudes necessary for success both in school and beyond. Teachers can find many opportunities in their English language arts program for developing the C.E.L.s in an authentic manner. The following are some examples of C.E.L.s that apply in English language arts.
- Use language as a tool for learning and communicating.
- Discuss ideas using their own language.
- Summarize their understanding.
- Listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent for various purposes.
- Extend their language repertoires.
- Communicate using various forms for differing audiences and purposes.
- Use language to think, read, write, discuss, and learn about the world, literature, and language itself.
- Participate in activities that focus on everyday life situations involving quantitative information.
- Read, interpret, and communicate facts and figures through reports, charts, and graphs.
- Recognize and create organizational patterns to understand and communicate quantitative information.
- Understand the difference between quantitative and qualitative data and comparisons.
- Touch, handle, manipulate, or experiment with materials so they can discuss their observations from an experiential point of view.
- Generate and evaluate ideas, processes, and products.
- Listen, read, and view analytically and critically.
- Make and explain decisions.
- Pose questions and seek clarification.
- Consider various points of view or alternative perspectives.
- Understand that technology can be used to facilitate language learning and communication.
- Use technology as appropriate to learning needs.
- Examine how technology shapes and is shaped by their lives, society, and the environment.
- Develop an understanding of both the value and limitations of technology within society.
- Learn to interact, co-operate, and collaborate.
- Understand the importance of social responsibility and personal integrity in the use of language.
- Realize that literature enriches and broadens the experiences of life, including one's personal and social understanding and responsibilities.
- Respect cultural perspectives that may differ from their own.
- Develop self, interpersonal, and cross-cultural understandings.
- Grow as independent learners within a classroom environment that promotes self-esteem, curiosity, competence, and trust.
- Learn knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to become lifelong learners.
- Use a variety of resources to assist their learning.
- Learn to plan, monitor, and evaluate their own learning.
- Develop abilities to access knowledge and information.
- Choose from learning options.
For more information, refer to:
Life and Work Competencies
Career development competencies begin at the Elementary Level. As students explore the English language arts, they have opportunities to develop a number of important competencies that will allow students to discover and create the life they want to live and begin to consider the work they want to do. The Blueprint for Life/Work Designs has identified a common framework of competencies that students need to develop to be successful and self-reliant in the rapidly changing knowledge-age of the 21st century. This framework includes the gradual development of several competencies including the following:
- Personal Management competencies including:
- building a positive self-image by considering personal interests, skills, and strengths
- understanding how personal behaviours influence others
- exploring interpersonal and group communication skills
- demonstrating an openness to the diversity of cultures, lifestyles, and abilities.
- Learning and Work Exploration competencies including:
- exploring how skills, strategies, knowledge, and attitudes acquired in school can be useful at home, in the workplace, and in the community
- exploring subject area strengths as well as areas to improve
- exploring relationships between ability, effort, and achievement
- understanding the importance of practice, effort, and learning
- discovering how work contributes to individuals and community.
- Learning and Work Building competencies including:
- Understanding the importance of personal qualities such as dependability, promptness, and getting along with others
- understanding how co-operation among workers can help accomplish a task
- understanding the meaning of taking responsibility for one's actions
- exploring and improving decision-making and problem-solving strategies
- discovering the changing roles of men and women in work and family settings.
For more information, refer to Blueprint for Life/Work Designs: Competencies and Indicators K-Adult, Ottawa, ON: Human Resources Development Canada (http://lifework.ca), 1998.
Adaptive Dimension
The Adaptive Dimension is an essential part of the English language arts program. Similar to the Common Essential Learnings, the Adaptive Dimension permeates all curriculum and instruction. It encourages teachers to adapt their instruction, environment, and curriculum topics and materials to help students achieve curriculum objectives.
The Adaptive Dimension addresses the importance of providing alternatives for students' learning and assessment activities to promote optimum success for each student. Learning environments for students can be made more accessible through adapting settings, methods, or materials. It is important for teachers to consider the following guidelines:
- Identify students' strengths and needs, and continually monitor progress.
- Accept, respect, and broaden the students' knowledge, skills, learning styles, language abilities, and interests.
- Increase program relevance for students by helping them make connections to everyday life and prior learning.
- Affirm cultural backgrounds of students.
- Build background knowledge or experience for students when it is lacking.
- Use a variety of instructional and assessment strategies and procedures to accommodate and broaden individual abilities and learning styles.
- Vary the manner in which students are required to learn and to demonstrate their learning.
- Alter the pace of activities or lessons.
- Vary the types of activities.
- Use a variety of resources from the community and elsewhere.
- Provide program enrichment and/or extension.
- Encourage students to participate in planning and evaluation.
- Provide additional practice for students, when required.
- Provide options for students regarding topics, tasks, resources, weighting of assessment criteria, learning groups, etc.
The Adaptive Dimension includes all practices teachers employ to make learning meaningful and appropriate for each student. Because the Adaptive Dimension permeates all teaching practice, sound professional judgement becomes the critical factor in successful learning.
In the context of a language class, teachers need to be particularly sensitive to variations in language. Students grow up in homes and communities that are culturally and linguistically diverse. As a result, the students' use of the English language may differ from the use of language in the classroom.
Teachers of English language arts need to understand and respect this diversity and be particularly sensitive to dialect and register differences. A dialect is a systematic variation of "standard" English and can be marked by actual word or vocabulary differences (e.g., "Where is the toilet/bathroom/washroom/restroom?"), grammatical differences (e.g., "I don't got none" versus "I don't have any."), and phonological differences (e.g., "He goin' home?" "I don't like dat/that.").
Teachers should also be sensitive to students' understanding of the language registers. An adult uses language in different ways for different audiences and purposes. Students do not always have a sense of the range of language registers or levels (formal/informal, classroom/home) that are appropriate in different situations for different audiences and purposes. Students need to be aware of the language they use and the way they use it. An overriding goal of the English language arts program is to help students communicate more effectively with everyone they encounter.
When working with students for whom English is a Second Language (E.S.L.) or a Second Dialect (E.S.D.), teachers should consider the following guidelines for instruction and assessment:
- Model respect for cultural and linguistic diversity by encouraging students to use their first languages and to share other aspects of their cultures.
- Identify, acknowledge, and respect differences in verbal and nonverbal communication styles by encouraging students to learn and interact in ways that are culturally familiar to them.
- Provide explicit instruction in language strategies of all kinds (e.g., inferencing, predicting, drafting).
- Extend, if necessary, time for E.S.L. and E.S.D. students to achieve the foundational and related specific learning objectives and provide extra support or scaffolds, where possible.
- Ensure that teacher talk is clear and concise.
- Provide a variety of resources in English and in the students' first languages.
- Encourage students to use visual dictionaries to verify meanings or spellings of words.
- Pair students with fluent English speaking "buddies" for collaborative projects.
- Provide English language audiotapes.
- When assessing students' oral language development, focus on conceptual understanding before pronunciation.
- Model positive and motivational feedback to develop self-confident, risk-taking language users and learners.
- Give all students the opportunity to reflect on their progress through self-assessment and evaluation.
- Encourage students to maintain their first language/dialect.
- Even after students appear to be fluent in basic interpersonal communication, provide continuing support to develop further their academic language proficiency.
For more information, refer to:
Aboriginal Content and Perspectives
Saskatchewan Education recognizes that the Indian and Métis peoples of the province are historically unique peoples, occupying a unique and rightful place in society. Saskatchewan Education recognizes that education programs must meet the needs of Indian and Métis students, and that changes to existing programs are also necessary for the benefit of all students (Indian and Métis Education Policy from Kindergarten to Grade Twelve, Saskatchewan Education, 1995, p. 2).
The inclusion of Aboriginal content and perspectives promotes the development of positive attitudes in all students toward Indian, Inuit, and Métis peoples. Increasing an awareness of one's own culture and the cultures of others develops all students' self-concepts and promotes an appreciation of Canada's cultural mosaic. In addition, the inclusion of Aboriginal content and perspectives in each curricular area fosters meaningful and culturally relevant experiences for Aboriginal students.
Teachers working with Aboriginal students must recognize that these students come from various cultural backgrounds and social settings including northern, rural, and urban areas. The students' language abilities range from fluency in an Aboriginal language, to degrees of bilingualism in an Aboriginal language and English, to fluency in English. Teachers must understand and respect this diversity and use a variety of teaching strategies to assist all students with English language development. Knowledge of cross-cultural education, language acquisition theory, and second language teaching strategies will assist teachers in meeting the needs of Aboriginal students.
Suggested Aboriginal resources are included in the sample units of this curriculum, as well as in bibliographies developed by Saskatchewan Education. Teachers have a responsibility to choose resources carefully to provide a balance of historical and contemporary perspectives accurately and to teach all students to recognize and discuss bias and stereotyping. Guidelines in Diverse Voices: Selecting Equitable Resources for Indian and Métis Education (Saskatchewan Education, 1992) can assist teachers and students in selecting resources, and in understanding forms of bias in resources that inaccurately portray Aboriginal peoples. The document can help teachers plan classroom experiences that will effectively increase awareness of such bias and develop students' language and critical thinking abilities.
It is important that the English language arts program and classroom resources:
- reflect the legal, cultural, political, social, economic, and regional diversity of Aboriginal peoples
- concentrate on positive and accurate images of Aboriginal peoples
- reinforce and complement the beliefs and values of Aboriginal peoples
- include resources by Aboriginal authors
- include historical and contemporary issues.
Multiculturalism
A multicultural perspective should permeate the English language arts program and reflect all peoples' experiences. Some guidelines follow.
- A multicultural perspective addresses the various cultural groups in a country.
- The program should reflect an awareness of stereotyping and generalization. It should acknowledge the difference among individuals and people within the same culture. For example, many Acadians speak French but some do not. Many Aboriginal people speak an Aboriginal language (e.g., Saulteaux) but some do not.
- The program should also reflect an awareness that class, gender, region, and religion all influence individuals and that there is a fine line between generalizing and stereotyping.
- The program should help students see historical events from a variety of perspectives. Students should understand the social, economic, and cultural history of people, not just military heroism or campaigns.
- The texts of an English language arts program provide a unique means of exploring vicariously the spectrum of human experience. Culturally relevant literature can be an important tool for developing student literacy. It is particularly important for all students to see their lives and experiences reflected in literature.
- Choosing texts that are representative of various cultural backgrounds requires sensitivity and an awareness of potential cultural and gender bias. (When unsure of a text's accuracy, refer to appropriate selection aids such as the English language arts bibliography, or contact community members for guidance.)
Gender Equity
Expectations based primarily on gender can limit students' abilities to develop to their fullest potential; therefore, it is the responsibility of schools to create an educational environment free of gender bias. While some stereotypical views have disappeared, others remain and endeavours to provide opportunities for all students must continue.
The following suggestions from Gender Equity: A Framework for Practice (Saskatchewan Education, 1992) may help teachers in the creation of an equitable learning environment.
- Select resources that reflect the current and evolving roles of women and men in society.
- Have equally high expectations for both female and male students.
- Spend an equitable amount of time with all students, regardless of gender.
- Allow equal opportunity for input and response from female and male students.
- Incorporate diverse groupings in the classroom.
- Model gender-fair language in all interactions.
- Discuss any gender-biased material with which students come in contact.
- Seek a balance in the number of male and female protagonists in literature.
- Seek a balance of male and female authors throughout the year.
- Acknowledge the accomplishments of women and men.
- Teach respectful listening.
- Establish an atmosphere in which gender issues are a valid and open topic of discussion.
- Where possible, provide non-traditional examples.
Resource-based Learning
A resource-based curriculum encourages students and teachers to use a variety of resources in their learning and teaching. In the English language arts program, it is important for teachers to:
- consider a wide range of graphic, visual, auditory, and human resources in their planning
- create a classroom environment rich in resources
- encourage students to use a variety of resources
- model resource use by acting as a co-learner with students and by using a wide range of materials and resource people
- incorporate resources, and locational and research skills in appropriate lessons
- help students to determine for themselves the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to accomplish a learning task
- incorporate resource-based assignments and projects for students
- collaborate with resource centre staff and other teachers in planning and teaching units
- encourage students to explore a variety of sources, databases, and resource centres for both information and enjoyment
- encourage students to draw upon appropriate resources in their own communities
- choose resources that are representative of various cultural groups, both genders, different historical periods, different countries, and various age groups and abilities.
For more information refer to:
Portrayal of Persons with Disabilities
Portrayal of persons with disabilities in literature and the mass media has been varied and often negative. This has served to give readers inappropriate information and has engendered attitudes ranging from feelings of pity or revulsion to expectations of superhuman powers of intellect or insight. It is critical that the language arts teacher choose resources that portray persons with disabilities realistically and fairly.
Wherever possible, ability rather than disability should be stressed. Resources implying that persons with disabilities must be cared for or pitied should not be used. Language of the materials should convey respect for the individuality of persons with disabilities. For example, "people with disabilities" or "has a disability" should be used rather than "the less fortunate", "afflicted", or "suffers from a disability".
Literature and media frequently portray people with disabilities in a stereotypical way (Heim, 1994). When evaluating material for use in the English language arts classroom, consider the following:
- Accurate and up-to-date language and information should be used to describe the disability. In fiction, the best approach is one where aspects of the disability are revealed, not as the main focus of the book, but through the unfolding of the story.
- Stereotypes frequently found in media portrayals of people with disabilities include: pitiable and pathetic, object of violence, a burden, and incapable of fully participating in everyday life. When using material that includes characters with disabilities, the resource should provide an insight into the feelings and thoughts of the character with disabilities, rather than using the characters with disabilities as literary archetypes to provoke certain feelings and thoughts in the reader.
- Often a character with a disability is used as a vehicle for the growth of another character who is "normal". The normal character gains sensitivity or awareness because of his or her relationship with the character with a disability. The character with a disability does not grow or change. This treatment is troubling because the character with a disability is relegated to a passive role and is not treated as a unique, whole individual, or is portrayed as "noble" or "long suffering".
Role of Technology
Using information and communication technology can assist students in the achievement of many of the objectives in the curriculum. In their research and information management, students can use multimedia resources to find, access, retrieve, and process information and ideas from electronic sources. Students at the Elementary Level may use word processing to plan, draft, format, and revise written work. They also may use presentation software and audiovisual technologies to enhance the effectiveness of their oral and written presentations. Students should understand that they have a responsibility to understand the schools' acceptable use policy and to assess the accuracy and value of information from different sources.
The English language arts objectives will help teachers determine what technology they will use and how they will use it. When using computer software programs, for example, teachers will consider how the software will help students develop a repertoire of strategies for comprehending, composing, and responding to a variety of texts and situations. Effective software provides for different levels of instruction and a variety of ways of learning a language concept, skills, or strategy in an interesting way. Effective software encourages students to learn in genuine and relevant contexts. Ineffective software, by contrast, is often very narrow and superficial (e.g., focusing on skills and drills in isolation and offering the learner few choices and little control). Such software often decontextualizes learning.