English Program at Merit School: Following the Ontario Curriculum (Kindergarten to Grade 12)

At Merit School, our comprehensive English Language program, spanning Kindergarten through to Grade 12, is fully aligned with the Ontario Curriculum. We are dedicated to nurturing strong literacy skills, fostering critical thinking, and cultivating effective communication, preparing students to become articulate, insightful, and responsible citizens.

Our program emphasizes the development of oral communication, reading, writing, and media literacy, ensuring a progressive and interconnected learning experience at every stage:

Kindergarten to Grade 3: Building Foundational Literacy

In these crucial early years, our program focuses on introducing students to the fundamental building blocks of language and literacy through engaging and interactive methods.

Kindergarten / Grade 1: Students develop foundational oral communication skills, including listening and speaking for various purposes. They are introduced to phonological awareness, early decoding, sight words, and begin to understand and respond to simple texts, alongside expressing ideas through drawing and emergent writing.

Grade 2: Focus expands on decoding strategies and reading fluency. Students practice comprehending a wider range of short texts, express ideas in more detailed writing, and develop an early awareness of media forms and messages.

Grade 3: Learners deepen their reading comprehension by analyzing texts for meaning and purpose. They develop more structured writing skills, including paragraph development, and enhance their oral communication for presentations and discussions, while beginning to critically view media.

Grade 4 to Grade 8: Developing Core Literacy Competencies

During these middle grades, students expand their literacy repertoire, hone their critical analysis skills, and become more versatile communicators in various contexts.

Grade 4: Students improve their reading comprehension by identifying main ideas and supporting details in various genres. They develop stronger writing skills for different purposes, including informative and imaginative texts, and begin to analyze media messages more deeply.

Grade 5: The curriculum focuses on analyzing texts for author's purpose and point of view. Students refine their writing through explicit instruction on organization and style, and engage in more complex oral presentations and discussions, while developing media literacy skills to evaluate information.

Grade 6: Students deepen their critical reading by inferring meaning and evaluating textual evidence. They apply a wider range of writing strategies to create coherent and compelling texts, and enhance their ability to engage in persuasive oral communication and media analysis.

Grade 7: Learners explore increasingly complex and diverse texts, analyzing literary elements and persuasive techniques. They develop sophisticated writing skills for research and argumentative essays, and participate in formal debates and media productions.

Grade 8: The curriculum emphasizes critical comprehension of challenging texts, including literary and informational works from various cultures. Students refine their writing for clarity, precision, and voice, and become adept at presenting complex ideas orally and analyzing media for bias and impact.

Grade 9 to Grade 12: Advanced Literacy & Critical Engagement

In the secondary years, our program provides specialized courses that build on prior knowledge, fostering advanced literary analysis, sophisticated writing, and effective communication essential for post-secondary studies and professional life.

Grade 9: Students transition to analyzing more complex literary and informational texts, identifying themes, character development, and stylistic choices. They develop academic writing skills, including essay composition, and refine their oral communication for formal presentations.

Grade 10: The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking through the study of diverse literary genres and media forms. Students refine their argumentative and analytical writing, and develop advanced oral communication skills for effective public speaking and group discussions.

Grade 11: Students are introduced to more advanced literary theory and critical analysis of texts from various periods and cultures. They engage in sophisticated analytical and research-based writing, and participate in advanced discussions, refining their ability to express nuanced ideas.

Grade 12: Building on prior learning, students engage in in-depth critical analysis of complex literary works and contemporary issues. They produce highly sophisticated written arguments and literary analyses, and demonstrate exceptional oral communication skills, preparing them for rigorous university-level English studies or professional careers.

At Merit School, our experienced English educators employ engaging teaching methodologies, including rich discussions, varied reading materials, creative writing workshops, and media analysis projects. We strive to inspire a deep appreciation for language and literature, empowering students to become confident, articulate, and thoughtful communicators.