Course Outline English Language Arts Primary–2 Overview The updated English Language Arts curriculum for grades Primary to 2 aligns with the Nova Scotia Inclusive Education Policy. This curriculum emphasizes culturally and linguistically responsive practices to address the needs of all Nova Scotia students, ensuring equitable access to high-quality literacy learning. The outcomes in the English Language Arts Primary to 2 curricula focus on developing students’ reading, writing and oral communication skills. These skills will be applied in a variety of contexts, including interdisciplinary learning in subjects such as Social Studies, Science, Health and Visual Arts, as well as in areas of individual student interest, fostering both a love of literacy and opportunities for further practice and growth. The curriculum provides clarity for instruction and learning, focusing on foundational building blocks of literacy. The progression of student learning is carefully organized to support student literacy growth from grades Primary to 2 and beyond. The curriculum is organized through the following three strands: Strand A: Foundations of Language This strand focuses on delivering explicit instruction in the building blocks of literacy, including oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and syntax. By providing clear and systematic instruction, all students develop crucial reading and writing skills from the earliest stages of their education, enabling successful engagement in independent reading and writing. Strand B: Comprehension Instruction in this strand explicitly teaches students how to apply their foundational skills to access and understand texts, developing more complex skills such as analyzing, synthesizing, and interpreting various texts. This approach helps students build a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives, knowledge, and literary genres, enhancing their critical thinking and engagement with content. Strand C: Composition This strand emphasizes the importance of expressing ideas clearly and effectively. Explicit instruction in the writing process, including planning, revising, editing, and transcription fundamentals, is critical. Students practice and apply their writing skills in digital formats, mastering foundational skills to articulate their thoughts with clarity and accuracy. Outcomes A2: Learners will apply understanding of foundational language knowledge and skills when reading and writing. A3: Learners will apply knowledge of sentence structure, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation when reading and writing. B1: Learners will apply knowledge of text structures, features, and styles to comprehend texts in a variety of genres that represent diverse perspectives and experiences. B2: Learners will use reading, listening, and viewing strategies to comprehend a variety of texts that represent diverse perspectives and experiences. B3: Learners will apply critical thinking skills to deepen comprehension of texts and analyze how various perspectives and topics are communicated and addressed in a variety of texts. C1: Learners will apply pre-writing skills and strategies to create various texts for a range of authentic audiences and purposes. C2: Learners will apply knowledge and understanding of text forms and genres to write a variety of texts. C3: Learners will use suitable and effective media, techniques, and tools to publish and present final texts in a range of genres. Updated July 15, 2024