Updated Fall 2012

An Overview of the Alberta Curriculum for

English/ Language Arts
By Jessica Rynn
Thinking, learning and language are interrelated. From Kindergarten to Grade 12, students use
language to make sense of and bring order to their world.
-The Alberta Program of Studies

Overview of Language Arts from Kindergarten to Grade 12:

There are six standard Language Arts that students need in order to compose, comprehend and
respond to text:
1 & 2: Listen & Speak
3 & 4: Read & Write
5 & 6: View & Represent
These six establish the basis of all General Learner Outcomes for the Language Arts curriculum.
The General Learner Outcomes are virtually the same through all grades with only slight
additions on those from to Grades 10-12:
1)
2)

3)
4)
5)

The students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to...
Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences
Comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, print and other media
texts / Comprehend literature and other texts in oral, print, visual and multimedia
forms, and respond personally, critically and creatively
Manage ideas and information
Enhance the clarity and artistry of communication / Create oral, print, visual and
multimedia texts, and enhance the clarity and artistry of communication
Respect, support and collaborate with others.

Overview of Language Arts at the Elementary level (Kindergarten to Grade 9):

The five General Learner Outcomes of Language Arts are virtually the same but in its
simplest form at the elementary level. Also at the Elementary level there is a focus on language
acquisition and development (rather than on metacognition as it is in the higher levels).
An Overview of the Specific Learner Outcomes of Elementary Language Arts:
1. Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences
1.1 Discover and explore
1.2 Clarify and extend
2. Comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, print and other media texts
2.1 Use strategies and cues
2.2 Respond to texts
2.3 Understand forms, elements and techniques
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Updated Fall 2012

2.4 Create original text

3. Manage ideas and information
3.1 Plan and focus
3.2 Select and process
3.3 Organize, record and evaluate
3.4 Share and review
4. Enhance the clarity and artistry of communication
4.1 Enhance and improve
4.2 Attend to conventions
4.3 Present and share
5. Respect, support and collaborate with others.
5.1 Respect others and strengthen community
5.2 Work within a group
Overview of Specific Grade: Grade Two Language Arts:
In the Grade two level of Language Arts:
There is a great amount of discussion/ listening and speaking
Images and objects are used frequently to assist understanding and enrich
experiences
Plenty of group work
All of the same General Learner Outcomes and basics of Specific Learner Outcomes for
Elementary Language Arts (listed above) apply for grade two. It is the specific outcome
statements that vary for each grade level (including grade two).
Samples:
2. Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to comprehend and respond
personally and critically to oral, print and other media texts. (GLO)
2.1 Use Strategies and Cues
Use References: (SLO)
Put words in alphabetical order by first letter. (Specific Outcome Statement)
1. Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to explore thoughts, ideas,
feelings and experiences. (GLO)
1.1 Discover and Explore
Express Ideas and Develop Understanding: (SLO)
Express or represent ideas and feelings resulting from activities or experiences
with oral, print and other media texts. (Specific Outcome Statement)