PIRLS 2006 Encyclopedia

PIRLS 2006 EncyclopediaSummary of the CurriculumIn kindergarten, children are introduced to the subject areas of elementary school,including learning to read and write. They discover the various forms and functions oflanguage and learn to adapt them to different communication situations. 48 In elementaryand secondary school, they read and appreciate different types of texts dealing withsubjects covered in the language of instruction and other programs. They gradually learnto explore the range of meanings of these texts. At the end of secondary cycle 2, they areable to gather information from everyday material, justify critical assessments, discoverliterature, and construct cultural references. 49To support teachers in implementing the Québec Education Program, the Ministryset up the Action Plan for Reading in School in January 2005. The plan consists of fourmeasures to encourage young people to read and to improve access to various literaryand documentary resources. The main objective of the action plan is to make studentslifelong readers.Reading Instruction in the Primary GradesInstructional TimeThe basic school regulation prescribes 9 hours per week for French and English languageof instruction programs in elementary cycle 1 and 7 hours per week in cycles 2 and 3. Insecondary school, the Basic school regulation prescribes 200 hours per year in the first3 years and 150 hours per year in the fourth and fifth years.Instructional MaterialsTeachers must use instructional materials approved by the Ministry. However, they maychoose learning situations, pedagogical approaches, and problems to give students, textsstudents use, and how students use the texts. They do not have to limit themselves to onepedagogical approach or instructional resource.Effective PracticesIn preschool education, teaching practices should encourage emergent reading andwriting. Real, meaningful learning situations from everyday life are used. In order todevelop reading competence, students in elementary and secondary school use theInternet at the library to access all kinds of texts. They are exposed to increasinglycomplex texts that permit a variety of interpretations to enable them to meet greaterand greater challenges. Working on the texts encourages discussion between studentsand teacher. Teachers of all subjects help students to develop their reading skills.CanadaReading DisabilitiesDiagnostic TestingAssessment of students with learning difficulties is done mainly through observation.Information is gathered both from school personnel and parents. Diagnostic instrumentsmay be used to validate hypotheses concerning the type of difficulty. The school calls onexternal services when a student’s situation requires it.84