English Literacy Development (ELD)

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Please remember that not all courses are offered at every OCSB high school. Consult your myBlueprint account for the courses offerings at your school.

These courses are designed for English language learners with limited prior schooling who have not had opportunities to develop age-appropriate literacy skills in any language. These students are from areas of the world where educational opportunities have not been consistently available. Their needs differ in the following two important ways from the needs of their peers who are on the ESL credit pathway and that arrive with age-appropriate schooling:

• they have significant gaps in their education
• they need more intensive support for a longer period of time.

ELD courses provide an accelerated program of literacy development for these students.

ELD credit courses (ELDAO to ELDEO) are available to English language learners on the ELD credit pathway. Up to three ELD courses can be applied to the four compulsory English credits required for diploma purposes. There are five ELD courses based on levels of literacy development and proficiency in English. Depending on learners’ previous educational experience, first-language literacy skills and knowledge of English, students may be placed in ELD Level 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. For example, a newly arrived student with no prior formal schooling and no first-language literacy skills would be placed in ELD Level 1. A student with some prior schooling and some knowledge of English might be placed in ELD Level 2 or 3.

Course descriptions

ELDAO – English Literacy Development, Level 1

1 credit, Open, Prerequisite: None

This course is intended for English language learners who have had limited access to schooling and thus have significant gaps in their first-language literacy skills. Students will use basic listening and speaking skills to communicate in English for everyday purposes; develop readiness skills for reading and writing; begin to read highly structured texts for everyday and school-related purposes; and use basic English language structures and sentence patterns in speaking and writing. The course will also help students become familiar with school routines and begin to adapt to their new lives in Canada.

ELDBO – English Literacy Development, Level 2

1 credit, Open, Prerequisite: English Literacy Development, Level 1

This course is intended for English language learners who have had limited access to schooling and thus have gaps in their first-language literacy skills. Students will use their developing listening and speaking skills to communicate in English; develop reading strategies to understand a variety of simple texts; produce simple forms of writing; apply increasing knowledge of English grammatical structures; expand their vocabulary; and develop fundamental study skills. The course will also provide opportunities for students to use school and community resources and build their knowledge of Canada and diversity.

ELDCO – English Literacy Development, Level 3

1 credit, Open, Prerequisite: English Literacy Development, Level 2

This course builds on students’ growing literacy and language skills and extends their ability to communicate in English about familiar and school-related topics. Students will improve their literacy skills through a variety of contextualized and supported reading and writing tasks; distinguish between fact and opinion in short written and oral texts; complete short guided-research projects; make brief oral presentations; and engage in a variety of cooperative learning activities. The course will also enable students to further develop their study skills and personal-management strategies and broaden their understanding of Canadian diversity and citizenship.

ELDDO – English Literacy Development, Level 4

1 credit, Open, Prerequisite: English Literacy Development, Level 3

This course extends students’ literacy skills and ability to apply learning strategies effectively and teaches them how to use community resources to enhance lifelong learning. Students will engage in a variety of guided reading, writing and viewing tasks; use media and community resources to complete guided research projects; and communicate for a variety of academic and everyday purposes with increasing accuracy and fluency. This course further develops the critical thinking skills students will need to participate in Canadian society as informed citizens.

ELDEO – English Literacy Development, Level 5

1 credit, Open, Prerequisite: English Literacy Development, Level 4

This course provides students with skills and strategies that will allow them to continue their education successfully and pursue pathways to employment that may involve apprenticeship and/or cooperative education programs. Students will develop greater independence in reading and writing, as well as in interpreting media texts; use a range of media and community resources; and communicate both orally and in writing on a variety of topics. This course also expands the critical thinking skills students will need in order to contribute to Canadian society as informed citizens.