The importance of language development is central to students’ intellectual, social, and emotional growth, and must be seen as a key element of the curriculum. When students learn to use language in the elementary grades, they do more than master the basic skills. They learn to value the power of language and to use it responsibly. They learn to express feelings and opinions and, as they mature, to support their opinions with sound arguments and research. They become aware of the many purposes for which language is used and the diverse forms it can take to appropriately serve particular purposes and audiences. They develop an awareness of how language is used in different formal and informal situations. In sum, they come to appreciate language both as an important medium for communicating ideas and information and as a source of enjoyment. The expectations for Grades 4 to 6 focus on students’ ability to use their knowledge and skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and representing to understand, critically analyse, and communicate a broad range of information and ideas from and about their multicultural, multimedia environment.

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The expectations in the language curriculum are organized into four distinct but related strands:

• A. Literacy Connections and Applications

• B. Foundations of Language

• C. Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts

• D. Composition: Expressing Ideas and Creating Texts

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Strand A. Literacy Connections and Applications

Strand A focuses on transferable skills, digital media literacy, and cross-curricular and integrated learning. Students develop an understanding of diverse identities, experiences, perspectives, histories, and contributions, including those of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals, communities, groups, and nations. They develop this knowledge and these skills while reading, listening to, and viewing culturally diverse texts, including digital and media texts, and while writing, speaking, and representing to demonstrate their learning. In all grades, the learning related to this strand takes place in the context of strands B, C, and D, and it should be assessed and evaluated within these contexts.

 

Strand B. Foundations of Language

In this strand, students acquire knowledge and skills relating to the foundations of language. The focus is on oral and non-verbal communication, word reading and spelling, morphology, vocabulary, fluency, and language conventions. Students develop competence in these building blocks of communication.

 

Strand C. Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts

In this strand, students integrate components of word-, sentence-, and text-level comprehension as they develop comprehension strategies, apply critical thinking skills to deepen their understanding of texts, and respond to increasingly complex texts.

 

Strand D. Composition: Expressing Ideas and Creating Texts

In this strand, students apply their knowledge of oral language and learn to express ideas and create texts in various media, forms, and genres. Throughout the iterative text writing and creation process, students develop the skills to plan, research, draft, revise, edit, proofread, publish, and share their texts.