The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31, 2020.

 

Use the links  and handouts on this page to help you prepare.  Got questions?  You know who to ask… (hint:  she’s your teacher).

The basics:  There are 3 types of reading and 4 types of writing on the test.

 

Types of Reading

  1.  graphic text (for example, maps & diagrams)
  2. narrative text (for example, dialogue and real life narrative)
  3. fact-based text (for example, encyclopedia articles)

Types of Writing

  1. Long answer: newspaper article
  2. Long answer: series of paragraphs expressing an opinion
  3. short answer: paragraphs asking for specific details
  4. short answer: summary asking for main point and details
  1.  Want to see what types of questions the test will ask?  Follow this link to the OSSLT page for 2019.  You will see the portions of last year’s test which the Ministry has released for study.
  2. Follow this link to the OSSLT page for 2018 and  OSSLT page for 2017.  It will give you slightly different things from last year, as every year they hold back some parts.
  3.  There is a significant grammar portion on the OSSLT.  Here are some samples of OSSLT sentences.  We may do some of these in class.
  4.  Let’s practice some summarising, using these articles on 16th Century medicine
  5. Newspaper writing is the first form of OSSLT writing which we will review first using Romeo and Juliet.  Check out this Google slide show.
  6. Not sure you wrote the R&J article right?  Here’s my sample.
  7.  OSSLT newspaper articles from previous years can be found here.
  8.  Let’s practice some paragraph writing. Here are several samples of questions that have been asked before.
  9.  We’re now completing essays.  That information should make you ready for any “Series of Paragraphs Expressing an Opinion” that the test may send your way.  Here are a few past samples.
  10. There will also be some multiple choice questions about grammar and sentence/paragraph structure.  Click here for these:   Grammar #1           Grammar #2           Grammar #3           Grammar #4              Grammar #5

10.  What type of questions will be asked of you?  Here’s a sampling of types that you can expect:  Types of Questions

11.  Here’s a sample of a reading “The Heroes of the Noronic Disaster” which we’ll probably look at in class.

12.  Here are several Google Forms which we’ll use in class to practice for the test

a)  The Heroes of the Noronic Disaster

b)  Grammar