Literacy development is a communal project, and the teaching of literacy skills is embedded
across the Ontario curriculum. However, it is the English curriculum that is dedicated to
developing the knowledge and skills on which literacy is based – that is, knowledge and
skills in the areas of listening and speaking, reading, writing, and viewing and representing.
Language development is central to students’ intellectual, social, cultural, and emotional
growth and must be seen as a key component of the curriculum. When students learn to
use language, they do more than master the basic skills. They learn to value the power
of language and to use it responsibly. They learn to express feelings and opinions and to
support their opinions with sound arguments and evidence from research. They become
aware of the many purposes for which language is used and the diverse forms it can take
to serve particular purposes and audiences. They learn to use the formal language appropriate for debates and essays, the narrative language of stories and novels, the figurative
language of poetry, the technical language of instructions and manuals. They develop
an awareness of how language is used in different formal and informal situations. They
come to understand that language is an important medium for communicating ideas and information, expressing world views, and realizing and communicating artistic vision.
Students learn that language can be not only used as a tool but also appreciated and enjoyed.