Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test
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The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test is a standardized test that is compulsory for students who wish to obtain the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. It was established in 2001, under the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario government under Mike Harris.
The test is administered to Grade 10 students on a specified date and it is used to assess their reading and writing skills.[1] There are two booklets they must complete, one for the reading comprehension and the other for their writing skills.
Taken from the Ontario Ministry of Education
"For the reading component, students are asked to read a variety of selections and answer questions about each selection. The reading questions are designed to measure student achievement in these areas:
* understanding of ideas and information that are stated directly in the reading selection * understanding of ideas and information that are stated indirectly and that require the reader to make inferences * making of connections between personal knowledge and experience and the ideas and information in the reading selections (e.g., interpretation of meaning).
The reading selections reflect the types of reading materials students should encounter every day, including the following :
* informational materials, such as explanations and instructions * graphic materials, such as schedules, graphs, and tables * literary materials, such as stories, descriptions, and dialogues.
The questions on the selections include short-answer questions, multiple-choice questions, and questions that require a brief explanation.
For the writing component, students are asked to produce four pieces of writing. The writing tasks are designed to measure student achievement in these areas:
* development of a main idea * provision of supporting details * organization and linking of ideas and information * use of an appropriate tone for the purpose and the intended reader * use of correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
The kinds of writing include the following:
* a summary * a series of paragraphs expressing an opinion * a news report * an information paragraph."
Time is taken during class to prepare to take the test. Upon completion, the booklets are often shipped to neighbouring schools in the district to be marked. Students may fail the test due to a lack of detail, but also may be penalized if they include too much information. The students who fail must attempt to write the test the following year.
