Literacy > Programs > Student Success
Foundational skills are those skills that all people need to master in order to increase their success in school, work and life. They are the skills of reading, writing and communicating that we call Literacy, as well as the basic ability to use, understand and apply the use of numbers that we call Mathematical Literacy or Numeracy.
Literacy Programs
OSSLC: The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course was introduced in the 2003-2004 school year as an alternative means of fulfilling the literacy requirement for graduation. The course counts as a compulsory English credit, but does not meet the English requirement for college or university study. For the past four years, teachers from every high school have attended up to sixteen days of in-service on the OSSLC; this year, four half days of in-service are available. The in-service activities include moderated marking and the sharing of literacy resources, strategies and assignments.
Grade 9 Practice Literacy Test: In 2006-2007, KPR revised the Aiming for Success: The Grade 9 Practice Literacy Test Binder; since then, it has been implemented as a Grade 9 Practice Literacy Test in all secondary schools. Cross-curricular literacy teams at each school particpate in moderated marking of the Grade 9 Practice Literacy Test. Then, teachers use the test results to respond to students' strengths and needs to support them in success on the OSSLT.
Writes of Passage: Writes of Passage is in its second year as a board-wide writing celebration. It values the diverse writing skills of secondary students from all programs and pathways in KPR, such as students in LLS, Open, College, University and ESL programs. For more information, contact the English Department Head at your local secondary school.
Reading Tutor Programs: Trent University's B. Ed. Program, in partnership with Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB, provides reading tutors to area high schools every Tuesday and Thursday morning from September to December. Also, secondary schools have a variety of peer tutor and peer reading programs to improve students' cross-curricular literacy skills.
Think Literacy: All elementary and secondary schools have received a full set of the Subject Specific Think Literacy document. For the past four years, KPR teachers of Gr. 7-10 have had to a wide variety of cross-curricular literacy workshops.
Grade 7-8 Literacy Binder: Since February 2005, all elementary schools have two copies of Literacy for All: An OSSLT Resource Binder for Grades 7 and 8 which was supported by a full day of in-service. The binder is currently being revised during the 2007-2008 school year to reflect the revised OSSLT.
