Thomas A. Stewart Literacy Test (OSSLT) Prep Guide 2013 Overview

1. Thomas A. StewartLiteracy Test (OSSLT)Prep Guide2013Overview

2. To help you navigate the guide, the TAS Logo is a link to the Table of Contents Introduction This guide is intended to be a resource for students, teachers and parents. Basically this guide is designed to give you an idea of what to expect in the Literacy Test (OSSLT) Throughout the guide there are suggestions, tips and hints. You can jump from section to section or go through the guide in order (recommended). We recommend visiting this guide more than once. A Tas Com-Tech Product: Jesse and Tess

3. Table of Contents • This guide contains tips, and information on how to prepare for the Grade 10 Literacy Test. You can jump to the sections below or work your way through the guide • 1) What is the OSSLT? • 2) Overview • 3) Sample Questions • 4) Students’ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

4. What is the OSSLT? Table of Contents • The OSSLT is the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test . • ALL Grade 10 students in Ontario must write the OSSLT • You must pass the test, or the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) to graduate High School. • This guide will give you an overview of the OSSLT and some tips and hints that can help pass it. FAQs

5. OSSLT Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Table of Contents

6. OSSLT FAQ Who has to take the OSSLT? If you entered Grade 9 in September 2000 or later and are working toward an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, you must write the OSSLT to graduate. This applies to all students in publicly funded schools and inspected private schools. How long will it take me to write the test? The allotted time for each of the two sessions is one hour and 15 minutes. It is very important that you manage your time properly to complete the entire test. Is the test difficult? The OSSLT is designed to reflect the requirements of The Ontario Curriculum. The test assesses literacy (reading and writing) skills students are expected to have acquired by the end of Grade 9. Table of Contents FAQs

7. OSSLT FAQ Table of Contents Who marks the OSSLT? The test is scored by qualified individuals who have received special training for this purpose. Does my name appear anywhere? Written responses are identified only by a number. Furthermore, the booklets from different schools and different school boards are all mixed up when they are distributed for scoring. You are asked to write your name on the Student Answer Sheet to assist EQAO in case some materials are misplaced. How will I receive my results? You will receive an Individual Student Report in June indicating whether or not you have passed the OSSLT. FAQs

8. OSSLT FAQ Table of Contents What happens if I do not pass the OSSLT? You can take the test again the following year. You can also talk to your parents or guardians and your school principal and/or teacher about taking the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) instead of retaking the test. What is the OSSLC? The OSSLC is another way of meeting the literacy graduation requirement. Principals have the discretion to allow a student to enroll in the OSSLC before he or she has had a second opportunity to take the OSSLT, if the principal determines that it is in the best educational interests of the student (Ministry of Education Policy/Program Memorandum 127). What happens if I leave questions blank? You’ll get a score of zero for these questions. What if I need accommodations? If you have an IEP you are entitled to the same accommodations you normally get. Be sure to speak to Mrs. Duffey and/or Mr. White BEFORE thetest to set this up. FAQs

9. Overview Test Materials The test contains Two test booklets and one student answer sheet. Written “responses” (answers) go in the test booklets. The student answer sheet is for the multiple choice questions. The test takes 2.5 hours, with a short (5 min) break halfway through. You are given 1 hour and 15 min for each booklet. There is also a short questionnaire at the end. They add 10 minutes to the second session to allow for this. An Individual Student Report indicating whether you passed or not will be sent to you in June. Duration Results Table of Contents

10. Overview Each booklet will have one (1) long writing question – a page or two pages, a couple of short writing/reading questions – 6 lines each and 15-20 multiple choice questions. The OSSLT has its own special terminology. It’s important to know what their terms mean. Selection: A “selection” is the thing they have you read…it might be part of a book, a story from a magazine, something from a website, but basically it’s the thing you need to base your answers on. Prompt:The “prompt” is basically the question. For a Series of Paragraphs Expressing an Opinion, the “prompt” will be the topic they want you to write about. Response:Your “response” is your answer; what you write about the “selection” in answer to the “prompt.” What is in the test? Decoding the OSSLT: Table of Contents

11. Overview What’s in the test? The OSSLT is divided into two main types of questions: Reading and Writing Reading Questions There are two different kinds of Reading Questions in the OSSLT: Open response and Multiple Choice. These can come from different types of “selections*.” Reading questions require short written - 6 line - answers - and/or multiple-choice answers. The short written answers are what the OSSLT calls “Open Response”…which basically means the answer is up to you based on what you’ve just read. *A “selection” is what they have you read so you can answer questions from it. Selections might come from Newspapers, Magazines, Novels. Websites etc. They might be stories (narratives), articles about an event, place or person or they might have only a few words and a lot of pictures/images (graphics). Whenever you have a short answer question USE ALL 6 LINES. NEVER leave a question blank…you will get zero. Table of Contents

12. Overview The OSSLT is divided into two main types of questions: Reading and Writing Writing questions fall into one of three different “tasks.” Each booklet will have one Long Writing task – either a news report or a “series of paragraphs” which is basically an essay. There will also be two short – 6 lines – writing tasks and a number of multiple choice questions…usually between 20-30. Writing Questions Whenever you have a short answer question USE ALL 6 LINES. NEVER leave a question blank…you will get zero. Table of Contents

13. Types of Questions There are two major kinds of questions in the OSSLT: Reading Questions and Writing Questions The following are examples of actual OSSLT questions from past tests. We’re just going to give you a idea of what they look like in this guide. There is a specific guide for each kind of question that goes in to much more detail. Links to all the other guides are at the back of this presentation. Reading Questions Open Response – Short Answer Multiple Choice Real-Life Narrative Graphic “Selection” Writing Questions Long Writing Task – News Report Long Writing Task – Series of Paragraphs Short Writing Task Multiple Choice Table of Contents

14. This is an example of an Information Paragraph “Selection” It is one of the different kinds of selections that Reading questions can be based on. Reading Selection Example: Read the selection below and answer the questions that follow it. These numbers show you the lines in the paragraph The Little Bear is a vital, year-round train in Northern Ontario. It connects the town of Cochrane in the boreal forests with Moosonee, 310 kilometers north in the James Bay Lowlands. It is a “mixed train”—one that carries both passengers and freight. During the morning, in Cochrane, the crew loads the box cars with things people 5 10 15 20 in Southern Ontario take for granted (fresh fruits, vegetables and meats, dry goods, frozen foods, mail). Then, flat cars are connected behind the loaded box cars. These flat cars carry everything from heavy construction equipment to entire prebuilt fabricated houses. Once people have boarded the passenger cars, the Little Bear heads north. It is one of the last “flag stop” trains in Canada. This means the train will stop anywhere along the route to let people on and off. It is common for the Little Bear to stop for canoe tripping parties at the major rivers— the Missinaibi, Mattagami or Kwataboahegan. Adventurers from all over the world match their trips on these rivers with the Little Bear’s schedule. In summer, the train pulls a special flat car with racks for transporting canoes. The famous Polar Bear Express carries tourists over the same route during the summer months, but the Little Bear is the all-season working train for this northern route. Examples Table of Contents Multiple Choice Short Answer

15. Reading Selection Example: Multiple-Choice (Record the best or most correct answer on the Student Answer Sheet.) What is the best meaning for “crew” in this selection? A tourists B workers C passengers D adventurers Why would words be placed in parentheses in the fourth sentence? F to explain what is carried on flat cars G to show in what order things are loaded on the train H to demonstrate that the Little Bear is a “mixed train” J to clarify what “people in Southern Ontario take for granted” What does “the train will stop anywhere along the route to let people on and off” suggest to the reader? A There are other trains. B The Little Bear is not in a hurry. C The Little Bear has no schedule. D The area has very few settled communities. Why does the Little Bear pull a special flat car during the summer? F to let people on and off G to carry canoes for adventurers H to carry heavy construction equipment J to carry fresh fruits, vegetables and meats The main way the Little Bear differs from the Polar Bear Express is A its schedule. B its destination. C the route it follows. D the passengers it carries. What idea connects the first and last sentences? F tourism G flag stops H vital service J summer months 1 4 2 5 Examples 6 3 Give this a try. See how you do. Just click to see the correct answers. Table of Contents

16. Reading Selection Example: THIS is a short answer Open Response Question. They will give you six lines. Use them all! Written Answers Summarize this selection. Include a main idea and one detail that supports it. Rough Notes Use the space below for rough notes. Nothing you write in this space will be scored. 7 Examples Whenever you have a short answer question USE ALL 6 LINES. NEVER leave a question blank…you will get zero. Table of Contents

17. This is an example of a Real-Life Narrative “Selection.” “Selection is the word the OSSLT uses to refer to whatever it is you have to read to answer the questions. These “Selections” will be followed by Multiple Choice and Open Response short answer questions. Read the selection below and answer the questions that follow it. Heroes of the Noronic Disaster Twenty-seven-year-old Don Williamson completed his shift at the Goodyear Tire Plant and drove a friend downtown. Although it was past one o’clock in the morning, Don, who had worked on lake boats, decided to take a few minutes to view the ships tied up along Toronto’s waterfront. It was September 17, 1949. In those days the Port of Toronto was a very different place, with all sorts of passenger and freight boats lining the docks from one end of the bay to the other. The elegant passenger ship S.S. Noronic had arrived in Toronto on Friday evening for an overnight stop before heading down the lake to Prescott. As Williamson turned onto Queen’s Quay, he suddenly heard a ship’s whistle blasting the dreaded fire signal — 10 short blasts followed by one, two or three additional blasts depending on where the fire was raging. Approaching the lake at the foot of Yonge Street, he could distinctly see flames dancing from the back of a large passenger vessel docked at Canada Steamship Lines Pier 9. The Noronic was on fire! Pulling his car to the side of the road, Williamson scrambled over the iron fence, removed his heavy jacket and jumped onto a large floating painter’s raft tied up beside the Noronic. Calling encouragement to those huddled on the deck of the ship that was now a blazing inferno, Williamson was soon busy pulling onto his raft those who had the nerve to jump into the black water. Cont… Examples Table of Contents There’s more to this story. We’re just showing you what these questions look like.

18. Read the selection below and answer the questions that follow it. The National Archives is a treasure house of the memory of Canada. We care for and share millions of documents of all kinds —films, maps, diaries, treaties, journals, art, government records, photographs, sound recordings and more. Many are of unique value and exceptional beauty. Some are centuries old. All reveal how we have lived in this place called Canada and enable Canadians to better understand the story of their country and of their fellow citizens. Francais Contact Us Help Search Canada Site Welcome News and Publications Services to Preservation Site Map Events Exhibitions Government This is an example of a Graphic “Selection.” It’s from a government web-site. As you can see not all the reading questions will be based on straight text. Examples Table of Contents Top Ten: In a recent survey, Canadians were asked to choose the top ten defining moments in Canadian history. The Archives holds documents relating to each one. Can you match the survey result? Puzzles: Unscramble puzzles using historical images. Pop Quiz: Test your knowledge. Map Trap: Match the event and location.

19. Types of Questions Remember there are two major kinds of questions in the OSSLT: Reading Questions and Writing Questions We just covered the Reading questions, now we’ll take a look at the Writing Questions. There are detailed guides to each of these questions. The links are at the end of this presentation. . Reading Questions Open Response – Short Answer Multiple Choice Real-Life Narrative Graphic “Selection” Writing Questions Long Writing Task – News Report Long Writing Task – Series of Paragraphs Short Writing Task Multiple Choice Table of Contents

20. Types of Questions Remember there are two major kinds of questions in the OSSLT: Reading Questions and Writing Questions We just covered the Reading questions, now we’ll take a look at the Writing Questions. There are detailed guides to each of these questions. The links are at the end of this presentation. . Reading Questions Open Response – Short Answer Multiple Choice Real-Life Narrative Graphic “Selection” Writing Questions Long Writing Task – News Report Long Writing Task – Series of Paragraphs Short Writing Task Multiple Choice Table of Contents

21. Writing Questions Types of Questions There are three types of writing questions on the OSSLT: Long-writing tasks Short-writing tasks and Multiple-choice questions. Long Writing tasks There are two Long-writing tasks: The news report and “a series of paragraphs expressing an opinion.” (which is really an essay.) The following are examples of actual OSSLT questions from past tests. We’re just going to give you a idea of what they look like in this guide. There is a specific guide for each kind of question that goes in to much more detail. Links to all the other guides are at the back of this presentation.

22. In a News Report you are given the headline and a photo and you have to use them to create a story that could appear in the newspaper. The trick is to make a connection between the photo and the headline that makes sense. They give you one page , about 24 lines, to write the story This is an example of a News Report “task” or question. A news report usually answers the questions who, what, where, when, why and how. Examples

23. Example of a News Report: A News Report should include: Who What When Where Why How Examples

24. You get two lined pages (about 50 lines) to answer these questions. Series of Paragraphs Expressing an opinion This is an example of a Series of Paragraphs "task” or question. Writing a Series of Paragraphs Task: Write a minimum of three paragraphs expressing an opinion on the topic below. Develop your main idea with supporting details (proof, facts, examples, etc.). Purpose and Audience: an adult who is interested in your opinion Length: The lined space provided for your written work indicates the approximate length of the writing expected. Topic: Is it important for teenagers to pay attention to world news? Rough Notes Use the space below for rough notes. Nothing you write in this space will be scored. Task: Write a minimum of three paragraphs expressing an opinion on the topic below. Develop your main idea with supporting details (proof, facts, examples, etc.). Purpose and Audience: an adult who is interested in your opinion Length: The lined space provided for your written work indicates the approximate length of the writing expected. Topic: Is it important for teenagers to pay attention to world news? It’s really important to follow the instructions on these. They are looking for minimum of three paragraphs, which include an introduction, proof and a conclusion. A “Series of Paragraphs” is basically an essay. We highly recommend you write five paragraphs and treat it like an essay. Examples

25. It looks like an Open Response Reading Question but it isn’t. The big difference is it’s marked out of 50 as opposed to 30. What is the same is: they give you 6 lines. Use them all! This is a Short Writing “task” or question. It’s a stand-alone question, meaning it doesn’t follow a reading “selection.” Short Writing Short Writing Task (Answer in full and correctly written sentences.) What was your favourite game as a child? Explain why you liked it. Rough Notes Use the space below for rough notes. Nothing you write in this space will be scored. 1 Whenever you have a short answer question USE ALL 6 LINES. NEVER leave a question blank…you will get zero. Examples

26. 3: Using conventions (spelling, grammar, punctuation) in a manner that does not distract from clear communication. These questions are about what they call the “three writing skills.” 1: Developing a main idea with sufficient supporting details 2: organizing information and ideas in a coherent manner Multiple Choice This is an example of a Multiple Choice Writing question. Choose the sentence that does not belong in the paragraph. (1) Wayne Gretzky’s early career foretells what an amazing hockey player he was to become. (2) At ten, while playing in a league with boys four years older, he scored 378 goals in 85 games. (3) That was 238 more goals than the boy who came second. (4) At 18, Gretzky scored 46 goals as an Edmonton Oiler and won the National Hockey League Rookie of the Year award. (5) The Wayne Gretzky Foundation Golf Classic raises over $120,000 a year for youth in sports. A Sentence 2 B Sentence 3 C Sentence 4 D Sentence 5 Unlike the Multiple Choice Reading questions there is no “selection” attached to the question. Examples

27. Here are a couple more. Give them a shot. Multiple Choice Which is the best way to combine all the information in the following sentences? Anna’s assignment is due tomorrow. She has to work tonight. She is feeling rushed. F Anna’s assignment is due tomorrow because she is rushing to work tonight. G Anna is feeling rushed because she has to work tonight and her assignment is due tomorrow. H Since Anna’s assignment is due tomorrow and she has to work tonight and she is feeling rushed. J Although Anna has to work tonight and her assignment is due tomorrow because she is feeling rushed. Examples

28. Multiple Choice Choose the sentence that uses capitalization correctly. A My friend from manitoba, whose name is ari, earns money by delivering the Winnipeg herald. B My friend from Manitoba, whose name is Ari, earns money by delivering the Winnipeg herald. C My friend from manitoba, whose name is Ari, earns money by delivering the Winnipeg Herald. D My friend from Manitoba, whose name is Ari, earns money by delivering the Winnipeg Herald. Examples

29. Multiple Choice Choose the correct option to fill in the blank. Like her mother, the artist Manuela Sanchez _________________________ F painted portraits to support her family. G her paintings of portraits supported her family. H and also painted portraits to support her family. J whose famous portraits were painted to support her family. Examples

30. Thomas A Stewart OSSLT Guide TAS OSSLT Guides: How the test is marked and why this matters Reading Questions: Open Response Reading Questions: Multiple Choice Writing Questions: Series of Paragraphs Writing Questions: Open Response Short Writing Writing Questions: News Report How to prepare for the OSSLT Overview of the OSSLT