Big Ideas
Big Ideas
The exploration of text
any type of oral, written, visual, or digital expression or communication:
and story- Visual texts include gestural and spatial components (as in dance) as well as images (some examples are posters, photographs, paintings, carvings, poles, textiles, regalia, and masks).
- Digital texts include electronic forms of oral, written, and visual expression.
- Multimodal texts include any combination of oral, written, visual, and/or digital elements and can be delivered via different media or technologies (some examples are dramatic presentations, web pages, music videos, online presentations, graphic novels, and close-captioned films).
a narrative text that shares ideas about human nature, motivation, behaviour, and experience. Stories can record history, reflect a personal journey, or explore identity. Stories can be oral, written, or visual, and used to instruct, inspire, and/or entertain listeners and readers.
deepens understanding of one’s identity, others, and the world.
Texts are socially, culturally, geographically, and historically constructed.
Self-representation through authentic First Peoples
a written, oral, visual, digital, or multimodal text that:
text is a means to foster justice.
- presents authentic First Peoples voices (i.e., historical or contemporary texts created by First Peoples, or through the substantial contributions of First Peoples)
- depicts themes and issues important to First Peoples cultures (e.g., loss of identity and affirmation of identity, tradition, healing, role of family, importance of Elders, connection to the land, the nature and place of spirituality as an aspect of wisdom, the relationships between individual and community, the importance of oral tradition, the experience of colonization and decolonization)
- incorporates First Peoples storytelling techniques and features as applicable (e.g., circular structure, repetition, weaving in of spirituality, humour)
- includes respectful portrayals or representation of First Peoples and their traditions and beliefs
Digital citizens have rights and responsibilities in an increasingly globalized society.
- people who use information technology (IT) to engage in society, politics, and government participation
- people who use the Internet regularly and effectively to interact with private and public organizations
Content
Learning Standards
Content
Text forms
Within a type of communication, the writer, speaker, or designer chooses a form based on the purpose of the piece. Common written forms include narratives; journals; procedural, expository, and explanatory documents; news articles; e-mails; blogs; advertisements; poetry; novels; and letters.
and genres literary or thematic categories (e.g., science fiction, biography, satire, memoir, poem, visual essay, personal narrative, speech, oral history)
Common themes in First Peoples texts
- connection to the land
- the nature and place of spirituality as an aspect of wisdom
- the relationships between individual and community
- the importance of oral tradition
- the experience of colonization and decolonization
- loss of identity and affirmation of identity
- tradition
- healing
- role of family
- importance of Elders
Reconciliation
the movement to heal the relationship between First Peoples and Canada that was damaged by colonial policies such as the Indian residential school system
in Canada
First Peoples oral traditions
Oral traditions are the The means by which cultural transmission occurs over generations, other than through written records. Among First Peoples, oral traditions may consist of told stories, songs and/or other types of distilled wisdom or information, often complemented by dance or various forms of visual representation such as carvings or masks. In addition to expressing spiritual and emotional truth (e.g., via symbol and metaphor), these traditions provide a record of literal truth (e.g., regarding events and/or situations). They were integrated into every facet of life and were the basis of First Peoples education systems. They continue to endure in contemporary contexts.
- purposes of oral texts
Protocols
- Protocols are rules governing behaviour or interactions.
- Protocols can be general and apply to many First Peoples cultures, or specific to individual First Nations.
- protocols related to ownership and use of First Peoples oral textsStories often have protocols for when and where they can be shared, who owns them, and who can share them.
Text features
attributes or elements of the text that may include typography (bold, italics, underlining, font choice), guide words, key words, titles, diagrams, captions, labels, maps, charts, illustrations, tables, photographs, and sidebars/text boxes
and structures how text is organized
- narrative structures, including those found in First Peoples’ textsfor example, circular, iterative, cyclical
- form, functionthe intended purpose of a text, and genre of new media and other texts
- interactivitythe process of two or more people working together and influencing each other, including the ability of a user to interact with the digital media, or with a computer to respond to user input
Strategies and processes
- reading strategiesThere are many strategies that readers use when making sense of text. Students consider what strategies they need to use to “unpack” text. They employ strategies with increasing independence depending on the purpose, text, and context. Strategies include but may not be limited to predicting, inferring, questioning, paraphrasing, using context clues, using text features, visualizing, making connections, summarizing, identifying big ideas, synthesizing, and reflecting.
- metacognitive strategies
- thinking about our own thinking
- reflecting on our processes and determining strengths and challenges
- Students employ metacognitive strategies to gain increasing independence in learning.
- writing processesThere are various writing processes depending on context. These may include determining audience and purpose, generating or gathering ideas, free-writing, making notes, drafting, revising, and/or editing. Writers often have very personalized processes when writing. Writing is an iterative process.
- oral language strategiesspeaking with expression, connecting with listeners, asking questions to clarify, listening for specifics, summarizing, paraphrasing
- multimedia presentation processes
Language features, structures, and conventions
- elements of stylestylistic choices that make a specific writer distinguishable from others, including diction, vocabulary, sentence structure, and tone
- usageavoiding common usage errors (e.g., double negatives, mixed metaphors, malapropisms, and word misuse)and conventionscommon practices of standard punctuation in capitalization, quoting, and spelling of Canadian and First Peoples words
- citations and acknowledgementsformal acknowledgements of another person’s work, idea, or intellectual property
- literary elements and devicesTexts use various literary devices, including figurative language, according to purpose and audience.
- media elements and devicesIn addition to using all the established elements and devices associated with other written, spoken, and representational forms of expression, new media works have unique stylistic features (e.g., site architecture, web page layout and design, interactivity, streamed and rendered content) that contribute to appeal, ease of use, and ability to present sophisticated material.
Curricular Competency
Learning Standards
Curricular Competency
Comprehend and connect (reading, listening, viewing)
Recognize and appreciate the role of story, narrative, and oral tradition in expressing First Peoples perspectives, values, beliefs, and points of view
Recognize and appreciate the diversity within and across First Peoples societies as represented in new media and other texts
Apply appropriate strategies
Strategies used will depend on purpose and context. These may include making predictions, asking questions, paraphrasing, forming images, making inferences, determining importance, identifying themes, and drawing conclusions.
in a variety of contexts to comprehend written, oral, visual, and multimodal texts
Access information for diverse purposes and from a variety of sources
includes print, digital, visual, artistic, and diverse cultural sources from multiple perspectives
and evaluate its relevance Consider the extent to which material has credibility, currency, and significance for the purpose, and whether it resonates with personal experience.
, accuracy, and reliability Students should be prompted to consider point of view, bias, propaganda, and voices omitted or misrepresented.
Explore the rights and responsibilities of being a digital citizen
Think critically, creatively, and reflectively to explore ideas within, between, and beyond texts
Recognize and appreciate how different forms, structures, and features of texts reflect diverse purposes, audiences, and messages
Explore the impact of personal and cultural contexts, values, and perspectives in texts
Examine how specific new media techniques and devices enhance and shape meaning and impact
- Students are encouraged to consider the unique stylistic features of new media formats (e.g., web page layout and design, filmmaking techniques, sound effects/soundtracks and how they contribute to mood and atmosphere).
- New media techniques reflect the various rapidly changing ways in which information is sifted, gathered, and shared (e.g., blogging, microblogging, using or developing apps, podcasting, screen-casting, videogame design, filmmaking, screenwriting).
Examine the suitability of selected media for purpose and audience
Explore the authenticity of First Peoples new media texts
Create and communicate (writing, speaking, representing)
Respectfully exchange ideas and viewpoints from diverse perspectives to build shared understandings and extend thinking
- using active listening skills and receptive body language (e.g., paraphrasing and building on others’ ideas)
- disagreeing respectfully
- extending thinking (e.g., shifting, changing) to broader contexts (e.g., social media, digital environments)
- collaborating in large and small groups
Respond to text in personal, creative, and critical ways
Demonstrate speaking and listening skills in a variety of formal and informal contexts for a range of purposes
- Strategies associated with speaking skills may include the conscious use of emotion, pauses, inflection, silence, and emphasis according to context.
- Strategies associated with listening skills may include receptive body language, eye contact, paraphrasing building on others’ ideas, asking clarifying questions, and disagreeing respectfully.
may include to understand, to inquire, to explore, to inform, to interpret, to explain, to take a position, to evaluate, to provoke, to problem solve, and to entertain
Recognize intellectual property rights and community protocols and apply as necessary
Use the conventions of First Peoples and other Canadian spelling, syntax, and diction proficiently and as appropriate to the context
Express an opinion and support it with evidence
Use digital media to collaborate and communicate both within the classroom and beyond its walls
Use writing and multimedia design processes to plan, develop, and create texts for a variety of purposes and audiences
- There are various writing and/or design processes depending on context, and these may include determining audience and purpose, generating or gathering ideas, free-writing, making notes, drafting, revising, and/or editing.
- Multimedia design processes may include pre-writing and planning, drafting, or storyboarding; revising, editing, and publishing; choosing and employing apps, software programs, and/or digital tools; and developing or choosing colour schemes, appropriate formats, and/or layouts.
Students expand their understanding of the range of real-world audiences. These can include children, peers, and community members, as well as technical, academic, and business audiences.
Assess and refine texts to improve clarity and impact
- creatively and critically manipulating appropriate elements, including language, for a desired effect
- consciously and purposefully making stylistic choices
Select and use media appropriate to purpose, audience, and context