Foundational Literacy

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K-4 English Language Arts Foundational Learning Progressions

The K-4 English Language Arts (ELA) Foundational Proficiencies support the development of reading, writing, and oral language skills and are intended to support teachers in building vital language and communication skills. The ELA Foundational Proficiencies include descriptors of proficient in relation to key aspects of the ELA curriculum, including oral communication, phonics, grammar, and vocabulary. The Foundational Proficiencies describe proficient reading, writing, and oral language skills at each grade level, help teachers to understand end-of-year goals, and provide a point of comparison to track students’ development towards end-of-year goals. Using the K-4 ELA Foundational Proficiencies can help teachers identify both areas of strength as well as areas for additional support or possible intervention towards meeting end-of-year proficiency.

The Foundational Learning Progressions were developed by BC teachers and support teachers to identify where students are at in their learning and provide teachers with a clear developmental sequence of foundational skills in the English Language Arts curriculum. While the Foundational Learning Progressions are useful for all teachers, special attention was given to supporting new teachers by providing clear definitions of terminology used in both the Learning Progressions and the Learning Standards of the curriculum.

The K-4 Foundational Learning Progressions represent important foundational learning in English Language Arts. While these skills are crucial, cross-curricular thinking and communication skills can also be developed alongside the foundational skills of reading, writing, and oral language. These skills are outlined in the K-12 Cross Curricular Literacy Learning Progressions and intend to support teachers in all areas of learning to develop cross-curricular literacy and numeracy skills.

K-3 English Language Arts: A Pathway to Proficiency

The K-3 English Language Arts: A Pathway to Proficiency resource includes helpful information for parents and caregivers about the English Language Arts curriculum and examples of what foundational learning may look like from K-3 in reading, writing and oral language. 

K-4 Français langue seconde – immersion Foundational Learning Progressions

K-3 Français langue seconde – immersion: A Pathway to Proficiency

The K-3 Français langue seconde – immersion: A Pathway to Proficiency resource includes helpful information for parents and caregivers about the Français langue seconde – immersion curriculum and examples of what foundational learning may look like from K-3 in reading, writing and oral language.

K-4 Foundational Teaching and Learning Stories

A team of teachers from throughout the province piloted the K-4 Foundational Learning Progressions in their classrooms. These teachers have shared their experience in using the Foundational Learning Progressions in their instructional and assessment practices. The Teaching and Learning stories also contain teacher reflections that include evaluations on the use of the K-4 Foundational Learning Progressions and how they shaped the teachers’ approaches to teaching and assessing the key skills in the English Language Arts and Mathematics curricula. Included in the stories are examples of Developing and Proficient student work. Teachers also noted how they used the Foundational Learning Progressions to help determine the Proficiency level, and how they plan to support Developing students in attaining Proficiency.

We thank the teachers, students, and families who provided their stories and examples of teaching and learning in our province.

Teaching and Learning Stories