Alberta Education English Language Arts

Program of Studies
Grade K-6
A Guide

SLOs

Jenna-Lee Rusnak
PS1 Curriculum Overview
October 9, 2015
1

Program Rationale
The aim of English language arts is to enable each student to understand and appreciate language,
and to use it confidently and competently in a variety of situations for communication, personal
satisfaction and learning. (Alberta Education English Language Arts Program of Studies, p. 2)
Changes in society and technology have affected, and will continue to affect, the ways in which people
use language to think, to communicate and to learn. Students must be prepared to meet new literacy
demands in Canada and the international community. (Alberta Education English Language Arts
Program of Studies, p. 1)
Philosophy
Language is the basis of all communication and
the primary instrument of thought Language learning is an active process that begins
at birth and continues throughout life. (Alberta Education English Language Arts Program of Studies,
p. 1)
Responsibility for language learning is shared by students, parents, teachers and the community
Language development is the responsibility of all teachersLanguage enables students to play an active
role in various communities of learners within and beyond the classroom. (Alberta Education English
Language Arts Program of Studies, p. 2)
Key Content
There are six language arts which are interrelated and interdependent; facility in one strengthens and
supports the others. In the outcomes of the program of studies, the six language arts are
integrated.
Six Language Arts (p. 2 & 3, ELA POS)
Listening and Speaking
Reading and Writing
Viewing and Representing
There are five general learning outcomes with a varied number of specific learning outcomes within each.
All general and specific outcomes are listed in this guide with one example of possible performance tasks
to successfully reach the desired assessment and learning outcomes.

GLO #1: Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to
explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences (p. 6)
SLO
1.1 Discover
& Explore
-Express ideas
& develop
understanding
-Experiment
with
language and
forms
-Express
preferences
-Set Goals
1.2 Clarify &
Extend
-Consider
others ideas
-Combine
Ideas
-Extend
Understandin
g

Lesson/Product/Performance tasks that reach and assess SLOs

1
2
3
4
5

Note: See page 8 for helpful resources for lesson planning

Visit the Alberta Education website to view illustrative examples and descriptions for ELA K-9 SLOs
Steps to successfully plan lessons and performance/product tasks for valid assessments and
achievement of SLOs: (David Slomp)
1. Determine target type of each point in the SLO by identifying the verb.
Note: Blooms Taxonomy is a great resource to identify the cognitive type involved in the target
2. Identify knowledge and/or skills needed to achieve success of the outcome (I can statements)
3. Rewrite outcome in student specific appropriate language

GLO #2: Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to
comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, print and other media texts (p. 16)
SLO
2.1 Use
Strategies &
Cues
- Use prior
knowledge
- Use
comprehensio
n
Strategies
- Use textual
cues
- Use phonics
and
structural
analysis
- Use
references
2.2 Respond to
Text
- Experience
various texts
- Construct
meaning
from texts
- Appreciate
the
artistry of texts
2.3
Understand
Forms,
Elements &
Techniques
- Understand
forms and
genres
- Understand
techniques and
elements
- Experiment
with language
2.4 Create
Original Text
- Generate

Lesson/Product/Performance tasks that reach and assess SLOs

K

ideas
- Elaborate on
the
expression of
ideas
- Structure
texts

GLO #3: Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to
manage ideas and information (p. 46)
SLO
3.1 Plan &
Focus
-Focus
attention
-Determine
information
needs
-Plan to
gather
information
3.2 Select
& Process
-Use a
variety of
sources
-Access
information
-Evaluate
sources
3.3
Organize,
Record &
Evaluate
-Organize
information
-Record
information
-Evaluate
information
3.4 Share
& Review
-Share
ideas
and
information
-Review

Lesson/Product/Performance tasks that reach and assess SLOs

K

research
process

GLO #4: Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to
enhance the clarity and artistry of communication (p. 64)
SLO
4.1 Enhance &
Improve
-Appraise own
and others
work
-Revise and
edit
-Enhance
legibility
-Expand
knowledge of
language
-Enhance
artistry
4.2 Attend to
Conventions
-Attend to
grammar
and usage
-Attend to
spelling
-Attend to
capitalization
and
punctuation
4.3 Present &
Share
-Present
information
-Enhance
presentation

Lesson/Product/Performance tasks that reach and assess SLOs

K

-Use effective
oral
and visual
communicatio
n
-Demonstrate
attentive
listening and
viewing

GLO #5: Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to
respect, support and collaborate with others (p. 86)
SLO
5.1 Respect
others &
Strengthen
Community

Lesson/Product/Performance tasks that reach and assess SLOs

1
2
3
4
5

-Appreciate
diversity
-Relate texts to
culture
-Celebrate
accomplishment
s & Events
-Use language to
show respect

5.2 Work
within a Group

-Cooperate with
others
-Work in Groups
-Evaluated group
progress

Conclusion/Rationale

SLO charts are set up to begin with the end in mind

SLO charts and David Slomps lesson planning strategy provide a more easily recordable and
accessible resource for PS1 students in the future
Read aloud was done to exemplify using ELA to teach about ELA program of study
Concepts and resources are specifically borrowed from the PS1 course to ensure validity and
reliability in lesson and assessment planning during practicum
Some key concepts and resources from the PS1 courses are now compiled into one source, rather
than in a few different places in our binders. Now students can more easily apply some key
strategies learned in PS1 in their practicum

Helpful Resources
Web Resources
education.alberta.ca
-

Program of Studies
Learning and Teaching resources
Illustrative Examples for ELA K-9

LearnAlberta.ca
Uleth.ca/education/currlab
Other
Blooms Taxonomy of Cognition & Verb Chart
David Slomps Three-step Target Clarity Strategy
Lesson Plan Template (Available on Moodle)

Lesson
Title/Foc
us

Class #1: Overview of English K-6

program of study

Cours
e

Curriculum and
Instruction ED
3501

COURSE OUTCOMES

Understand the rationale, philosophy and key content from the ELA program of study
Use overview as a tool for PS1 ELA practicum lesson planning

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
1. Locate and identify the K-6 ELA GLOs and SLOs
2. Describe the ELA program of studys rationale and philosophy
3. Develop lesson plans based on a target strategy, Blooms Taxonomy and
activity chart
4. Locate web resources as tools for lesson planning

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

9

Lesson Plan for class

Curriculum Overview
Creative Story
Written SLOs for random draw to lead into overview presentation
ELA Illustrative Examples Guide

PREPARATION AND LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Place a copy of the overview for each of the students on table near
me
Set Peer Evaluation form aside until needed
Hold onto story for Intro/read aloud
Place SLO draw slips aside until needed

PROCEDURE
Introduction

Time

Welcome students and introduce my Major in education

1 min

Body
Engage
Students

Explore
Curriculum
Overview

Explain my
Rationale

Time

Read aloud a story I created about my overview

Invite participation to create the ending of the
story by drawing SLOs from random to consider
possible lessons for that SLO
Introduce a copy of my ELA overview to each
participant (which was introduced in my story)
State the ELA program of study rationale &
philosophy
State the GLOs and SLOs
Describe the overviews content and my rationale
behind it

10

10-15
min

Conclusion: thank participants

Ask for written peer evaluative feedback

4 min

11