What is Literacy?

1. What is Literacy? • It is the ability to read and write

2. What is the OSSLT?

3. Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test • The OSSLT measures student skills concerning reading and writing in all areas of the curriculum up to and including grade nine.

4. You MUST attend! You MUST write this test! You must pass in order to graduate!

5. Writing There are three kinds of writing tasks: • News report • Series of paragraphs expressing and opinion • Short writing tasks: • Six-line response to a question or statement, which may or may not be related to a reading selection • Six-line summary of a reading selection • There are also multiple choice questions testing writing skills

6. Written Answers NEWS REPORT • 1 page long • Headline and picture provided • Must indent paragraphs clearly • Include quotation(s) • You make up the details – • USE THE 5 W’s and H – START WITH “WHEN”

7. Writing A News Report

8. On the literacy test you will be asked to write a newspaper article based on a headline and a picture provided to you. You will have to use the facts and information you gather from these two items to answer all of the 5 W’s. • What are the 5 W’s?

9. The 5 W’s • Who? • What? • Where? • When? • Why? and sometimes • How?

10. Use the Headline • Carefully examine the headline provided to you. Read the headline carefully, and examine the picture closely. Then brainstorm what you think the story will be about in the space provided (the rough notes section of the page). Example: POLICE SHUT DOWN SWEAT SHOP

11. Use the Picture • Examine the picture provided to you. Example:

12. Use the Picture Cont’d • Divide the picture into quadrants and label everything you see in each quadrant.

13. Examine the Picture • By dividing the picture into quadrants, you force your eye to focus on every detail. In the picture, you will focus on the people in the photo, the setting of the photo, and the event taking place.

14. Use the Picture Cont’d • Use the labels to answer the five questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? • Who is the story about? • What situation took place? • Where is the sweat shop? • When did the police shut it down? • Why did the police shut the sweat shop down?

15. Provide Information • Provide a first and last name for every person in your picture and name the location of the event. Be sure to pick names that you know how to spell and that are generic. Example: Lily Han had been working at the clothing factory in China since she was ten years old.

16. Organization • Organize your ideas into short paragraphs – the opening paragraph is usually just one sentence long. Example: Yesterday, in China, local police were able to close a sweat shop that was employing underage workers.

17. Use Transitions • What are transition words? • Transitions contribute to style, organization, and clarity. When you use transitions effectively, your writing flows smoothly and naturally. • Here are some suggestions: Afterward, finally, for example, then, also, furthermore, as well, additionally, in closing…

18. The Use of Pronouns • Do not use “I, me, we, us, our, you or yours,” except in a quotations from participants or bystanders. • Remember, you do not include your opinion in a news report. This can be a very simple mistake, for example: The sentence “Lily Han looked nervous” is an opinion not a fact because of the word ‘looked’.

19. Use the Past Tense • Write the news report in the past tense. • Using ‘Yesterday’ for the start of your news report will help you keep everything in the past tense. For Example: Yesterday, police stormed a sweatshop in China.

20. Quotations • Be sure to include quotations from witnesses or bystanders in your third or fourth paragraph. • Punctuate carefully. For Example: Officer Patrick Li stated, “There will be much relief now to the young workers who have slaved in this sweat shop for too long.”

21. Final Thoughts • Remember, this is your chance to really shine! You have the opportunity to write about an event or something newsworthy using only a picture, a headline and your imagination!

22. Here are some examples to guide you… • These examples appear from weakest to strongest. • The final two examples are what you need to produce in order to be successful. • Look over them carefully, noting the differences in content and format.

28. THE SHORT WRITING TASK: Open Response • These tasks give you the opportunity to use your knowledge and personal experiencewhile demonstrating your writing skills. • Read and reread the question carefully. These questions are NOT attached to a reading selection. • Think of links between the topic and your knowledge and personal experiences. • Answer the question using specific details and relevant information. • Reread your response and correct any errors you notice.

29. P.E.E.E. POINT . . . . Topic sentence, using part of the question in your answer. EXPLAIN . . . .Or Expand on your point, using relevant and specific information. EXAMPLE . . .ALWAYSprovide an example. (Do not go over the six (6) lines)

30. If you could go on a holiday anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? POINT: If I could go anywhere in the world for a holiday, I would go to an island in the Caribbean. EXPLAIN: I would go there because the islands are hot and have nice beaches. EXAMPLE: For example, Barbados hassandy white beaches and warm temperatures all year round. This island would be a wonderful place for a holiday.

31. If you could go on a holiday anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? If I could go anywhere in the world for a holiday, I would go to an island in the Caribbean.I would go there because the islands are hot and have nice beaches. For example, Barbados hassandy white beaches and warm temperatures all year round. This island would be a wonderful place for a holiday.

32. Written Answers • Series of paragraphs expressing an OPINION • length – approx. 2 pages • pick a side – stick with it • choose the easiest side to answer and support

33. Series of Paragraphs Expressing an Opinion • This writing piece must be between 3 and 5 paragraphs in length. • It must have an introductory and a concluding paragraph. • You may use personal pronouns – it is your opinion  • Body paragraphs must have a POINT, an EXPLANATION, and EXAMPLES/REASONS.

34. Series of Paragraphs: How do I begin? • Read the prompt carefully. • Example: Should high schools allow cell phones in the classroom? • In the ROUGH NOTES space provided, draw a T-Chart. • In this chart decide the pros and cons, or yes and no answers to this question. • PICK A SIDE! • You may NOT argue for both sides – PICK ONE AND STICK TO IT! • exemplars

35. Series of Paragraphs (Continued) Begin with… • Cell phone use in the classroom is a very interesting topic. In my opinion, we should allow cell phones for a number of reasons. Firstly, ________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ In addition, ____________________________________________ Finally, ________________________________________________ For all these reasons, cell phones are beneficial to the students and the teachers and should be allowed.

36. Series of Paragraphs (Continued) • Now, each of your three arguments will become your body paragraphs: • Firstly . . . P.E.E. • In addition . . . P.E.E. • Finally . . . P.E.E. • A concluding paragraph will complete this writing task. • The conclusion must restate your opinion and your three arguments. Be sure to use different words, so as not to be repetitive.

37. Series of Paragraphs: Review • Read prompt • Create a T-Chart of pros and cons • Pick a side and stick to it! • Introductory paragraph, stating opinion and arguments • Body paragraphs (P.E.E.) • Concluding paragraph, restating opinion and main points • Proofread for clarity, spelling, punctuation, and grammar

38. Written Answers • Short Answers(5 or more) • 6 lines long (approximately 40-75 words) • Do not go over the six lines • Read prompt carefully and answer in full sentences • Add an example whenever possible (P.E.E.) • These questions are all related to the reading selections

39. Written Answers: Short Answers ALWAYS, whenever possible, repeat part of the question in your opening sentence. Turn the question into a statement. Question: What evidence can you find in this selection that shows that Vickie and her husband tried to minimize their risks? Becomes: There is evidence in the selection which shows that Vickie and her husband tried to minimize their risks.

40. Question: Use information in this selection and your own ideas to explain why Vickie and her husband would be considered entrepreneurs. Becomes: Vickie and her husband could be considered entrepreneurs for several reasons. YOU SHOULD NOT START TO GIVE YOUR REASONS, EXAMPLES, OR PROOFS IN YOUR OPENING SENTENCE.

41. Here are some examples to guide you… • These examples appear from weakest to strongest • The final example is what you need to produce in order to be successful • Look over them carefully, noting the differences in content and format

42. Code 10

43. Code 20

44. Code 30

45. Here are some more examples to guide you… • These examples also appear from weakest to strongest • The final example is what you need to produce in order to be successful • Look over them carefully, noting the differences in content and format

46. 10

47. 20

48. 30

49. WRITTEN ANSWERS:SUMMARY • Main Idea of an information paragraph • Six lines long (approximately 40-75 words) • Do not go over the six lines • state the main idea and two supporting points/details from the selection • You may begin with . . . This paragraph is about…

50. When you are asked to SUMMARIZE your reading, then you must decide what the entirereading selection is about. Ask Yourself: What is this selection about? This is your TOPIC. What is the author saying about this topic? This is your MAIN IDEA. For example, if you read a story about Wayne Gretzky, you would have to decide what the overall point was about the story and turn this into your opening statement. The TOPIC would be Wayne Gretsky, but the MAIN IDEA would be what the author was saying about Wayne Gretsky. Example: The main idea of this story is that Wayne Gretzky has not always had an easy life. THEN you would complete your paragraph with reasons/details from the reading selection to support your opening sentence.