Arthur Voaden Secondary School

--Wednesday, March 27, 2019--

Presentation Schedule

1. Greetings2. Answers to Common Questions3. What Does the OSSLT Look Like?4. After the Test5. Farewell

Why Are You Making Me Do This?

• The Ministry of Education wants you to write this test to determine whether or not you have acquired the reading and writing skills that you are expected to have learned by the end of Grade 9.

When Am I Writing This?

You will be writing the OSSLT on Wednesday, March 27, 2019

How Long Is It Going to Take?

• For most students, the test will take 75 minutes per booklet. Students who require additional time will be allowed to continue writing up to a maximum of double time.

How is the OSSLT Structured?• The test consists of two

75 minute sessions with additional time, if needed.

• You will complete one booklet during the first session and a second booklet during the second session.

• At the end of each session, the booklet will be sealed and collected.

• You will have a break between sessions.

Schedule for the day

Booklet 1: 8:30 - 9:45Break: 9:45 - 10:00 Booklet 2: 10:00 - 11:15Lunch: 11:15 - 12:10Period C: 12:10 - 1:20Break: 1:20 - 1:30Period D: 1:30 - 2:40

Who Has to Write the OSSLT?

• All students in public and private schools who are working toward an Ontario Secondary School Diploma are required to write the OSSLT.

Why am I Writing This in Gr. 10?

• Writing now gives you time to get help if you need to improve your reading and writing skills.

Is the OSSLT Hard?

• The OSSLT was developed by teachers to resemble the work that students do in class every day.

• It has been designed to be a fair test of the skills you have already acquired.

Can I Get an Accommodation?• Accommodations have

already been set up for students with an IEP. A letter was sent home advising you of the nature of your accommodations. If you are not sure what your accommodations are, ask Mrs. Dore.

What Supplies Should I Bring to the OSSLT?

• Pencils (more than one!)

• A BIG eraser

• A pencil sharpener

• Pens

• A highlighter

• A ruler•DO NOT BRING CELL PHONES!!!!!

How Will I Know Where I am Writing?

• A list of all OSSLT writers and the room they will be writing in is posted outside of the main office. Please check the list ASAP.

What Happens if I Leave Questions Blank?

• You will get a zero for these questions.

What Happens if I Miss the OSSLT?

• If you miss the test, you will have to write it next year.

• You must make an attempt at the test to take the OSSLC.

What Does the OSSLT Look Like?

Reading SelectionsInformational Texts➢ will take the form of a paragraph and a news report➢ the purpose of informational texts is to inform, educate, and instruct

Narrative Texts➢ will take the form of a dialogue and a real-life narrative➢ the purpose of narrative texts is to enlighten, entertain, and stimulate thoughtGraphic Texts➢ will take the form of a graphic ➢ found in a variety of sources, such as maps, graphs, charts, schedules, drawings, and instructions

Reading QuestionsFormat➢ Multiple Choice➢ Open Response (six lines each)

Type➢ Direct Questions➢ Inferential Questions (applying personal knowledge or evidence)➢ Connection Questions (offering personal opinion or connecting with personal experience)

Writing Tasks & QuestionsTwo Long-Writing Tasks➢ news report based on a picture and a headline (one page)➢ series of paragraphs expressing an opinion on a given topic (two pages)Short-Writing Tasks➢ six lines each based on responses to set prompts

Multiple Choice Questions➢ students will answer multiple-choice questions dealing with three

writing skills✓ developing a main idea with sufficient supporting details✓ organizing information and ideas in a coherent manner✓ using proper language conventions (e.g. spelling, grammar,

punctuation)

After the Test

Will the OSSLT Count toward My Course Marks?

• No. The OSSLT is not tied to a particular subject and does not count toward any particular course grade.

• Successful completion of the OSSLT is, however, one of the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

Will Universities, Colleges or Employers Have Access to My

OSSLT Results?

• No. Universities, colleges and employers do not have access to your OSSLT results.

• Universities and colleges will have access to the Ontario Student Transcript, which indicates whether you have successfully completed the OSSLT.

Will My Transcript Indicate the Number of Times I Have Attempted

the OSSLT?

• No. The transcript will indicate only whether or not the graduation requirement has been met.

When Will I Get My Results?

• You will receive your OSSLT score in June 2019.

Where Can I Find More Information?

• You can find more information at the Education Quality and Accountability Office site (www.eqao.com)

• A copy of this PPT will also be added to the Arthur Voaden website

Questions & Answers

• If you have questions about the OSSLT, now is the time to ask them.

• Thank you for paying attention! You may now return to regular classroom activities.