A. Basic Principles of Sound Curriculum Planning Planning for Teaching and Learning

Check the Introduction of each Ontario Curriculum document, particularly for the section, "Planning Student Programs". The documents describe teaching strategies and the learning environment in general terms. However, within these brief descriptions, we find the characteristics of good curricula: balance; choice; variety; integration: age and developmental appropriateness; inclusion of children's interests and experiences.

In planning the curriculum, the teacher asks the following questions:

What is the concept/skill/strategy to be learned? How will I know the student understands it? How will I determine that the student can communicate understanding of the concept? How will I determine that the student can apply this concept/skill/strategy in another context? What activities will assist the student to learn the concept/skill/strategy? What information will the student and I need to help us determine what's next?

B. Ontario Curriculum Subject Matter Language: the Foundation of Curriculum

Your text addresses important considerations in planning for language and literacy development.
  Oral language is the foundation of literacy development.
  The student learns to read, write and to talk in a variety of contexts.
  The students also reads, writes, talks and views to learn.
Angela Ward discusses Reader Response Theory and its application in the classroom:
  The Reading/Writing Workshop and Literature Circles.

The following organization helps to place these teaching strategies in the continuum of literacy development in the primary years.

The Emergent Literacy Program (Kindergarten and Grade 1) Reading: Read Aloud and Response; Shared Reading; Browsing and Independent Reading Writing: Language Experience; Shared and Interactive Writing; Independent Writing The Early Literacy Program (Grades 1 and 2) Reading: Read Aloud and Response; Shared Reading; Guided Reading; Independent Reading Writing: Modelled Writing - Language Experience; Shared Writing; Writer's Workshop and Spelling Awareness; Independent Writing The Developing Primary Literacy Program (Grades 2 and 3) Reading: Read Aloud and Response; Shared Reading; Guided Reading; Literature Circle; Independent Reading Writing: Modelled Writing (forms, conventions, language usage); Shared Writing; Writer's Workshop; Spelling, (strategies for spelling and word-knowledge) ; Independent Writing Teaching Children to Read and Write. (Scarborough, ON: Toronto District School Board. 1997.)

C. Author Studies and Literacy Learning

For young children, talk about books provides a transition from the rhythm of natural speech to the more formal registers of literacy discourse. Informal discussion around a familiar bedtime story eventually leads to sophisticated response to a variety of literature. (p.89)

The roles of talk in response to literature are:

to enable students to learn to control literary language; to develop literary responses by exploring genre and the structural elements of literature; to construct aesthetic and efferent literary responses in collaborative talk. Shared literary response helps students appreciate a variety of perspectives. (page 92) Angela Ward. Classroom Conversations. Scarborough, ON: ITP Nelson, 1997), Chapter 4.

In preparing an author study, refer to The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: The Arts 1998, "Visual Arts" strand. It is true there is a natural connection in that some authors of picture books are also their own illustrators. It is also true that we encourage young readers to look for clues in the illustrations as they predict and read. Moreover, "knowledge of elements", "creative work" and "critical thinking" are all components of both the visual arts curriculum and an author study. In an author study, students:
identify the elements in the books which make them work for the author and the reader;
try writing using the author's model;
think and talk about the author's and their own work.

Sharon Rich gives additional insights in understanding the purpose and form of an author's study. The special focus of an author study is to give students practice in working with a particular author's style. Writing process, at the appropriate developmental level, will be a part of the unit. The author study lends itself well to a reading comprehension emphasis.The author study can also lend itself to teaching decoding and sight vocabulary. Author studies, cumulatively, should include both narrative and expository text.

The books are approached as follows:

Discovery/Enjoyment Exploration/Direct teaching Independent Activities, e.g., innovation on author's pattern Extension Activities, e.g., relating the book to other books, other authors Alternatives, e.g., art responses Empowerment of Students, e.g., how this book relates to other parts of our curriculum

Rich, S. (1998). Reading for Meaning in the Elementary School. (Toronto, ON: ITP Nelson), 55-57 and 1998 lecture notes

Keep in mind also the general patterns of predictable books:
cumulative sequence, familiar cultural sequence, repetitive, chronological, problem-centred, rhyme and rhythm and cause/effect.
(Some books can be classified in more than one category.)

D. Language as Curriculum

Language is the pivot on which that inquiry is based. Language is the means by which learners make meaning out of their experience in any curriculum area.

In an over-simplified system, the curriculum is sometimes divided into process subjects, (reading, writing, mathematics, technology, the arts and physical education) and
content subjects, (literature, science, social studies and health). In actual practice, each subject has both content knowledge and the process of developing skills and strategies. However, the content of literature, science, social studies and health becomes a meaningful purpose for reading, writing, using mathematics and technology and for creating an artistic response.

Materials and Resources

Real-life Experiences and Active Manipulation of Things

Visitors to the classroom, field trips, projects, learning centres, (reading/library, listening, writing, creative response, sociodramatic play, mathematics, science and technology manipulations and investigations, special interest investigations).

The materials and routines of learning centres are determined by the age and interests of the children, the expectations of the curriculum and the space and resources within the classroom. The purposes remain constant: to provide children opportunities to construct new learning based on their experiences.

Audiovisual Material

Picture sets, flannel, magnetic and bulletin boards, transparencies
Videotapes, audio tapes, television programs, computer programs and internet access

Criteria for Quality Computer Programs

Quality computer programs can assist with the scaffolding we understand is necessary for our students, i.e., assisting them to do what they will eventually be able to do independently. Sometimes our students simply need more practice with direct and quick feedback. Sometimes they need extra motivation, and many computer programs are skilful in motivating students in a playful context. Discus Books are an example of how computer programs can provide a scaffold for the young reader.

However, not all computer programs are able to scaffold for students when they need help in understanding the concept involved. Teachers need to consider the quality of the program itself and how it will be used. Not all programs are interesting, connected to the classroom program and child-centred, (i.e. allowing students to take control of their own learning). Moreover, no matter what the software, it is more effective when there is interaction between the teacher and the student and between students.

Sharon Rich suggests the following questions be posed in evaluating computer software:

What are the key features of the software program? How does our classroom and school environment contribute to the use of computers to facilitate learning? How does the software program complement or extend learning in the language classroom? Sharon Rich. Reading for Meaning in the Elementary School. (Toronto, ON: ITP Nelson, 1998),135.

E. Communicating Learning
Information:	based on observations, reflections and celebrations of specific products and process
Classroom Context:	teacher to class, group, individual
	student to class, group, individual
Beyond-Classroom Context:	teacher and student to parent
	teacher and class to school community
	teacher and class to general community
	teacher and class to education community
Form within Classroom:	conversations
	conferences
	end of day reflections of what has been learned
	setting of goals for next day/week/period
	end of unit/project reflections, acknowledgements, celebrations
Form beyond Classroom:	participation in end of unit/project celebrations
	displays, reports of end of unit/project celebrations
	phone calls to parents
	student-parent-teacher conferences
	photographs, reports to school's web page
	photographs, reports to school board's in-house paper
	phone calls, photographs, letters, reports to newspaper
	photographs, reports to a professional publication

	Further information for your own interest
	What Does a Reading Workshop Look Like in the Primary Grades
	Evaluating Commercial Material

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