High School ESL in Ontario

High School Courses in English As a Second Language in Ontario

Ministry of Ontario - Common Course Codes:

English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development Overview

Students in any grade may be placed in appropriate ESL or ELD courses. Since many ESL/ELD classes include students aged between fourteen and eighteen, the topics and activities must be selected to appeal to a wide range of ages and maturity levels. There are five ESL courses and four ELD courses. The courses are designated according to levels of proficiency in English and literacy development, not by grade.

Working within the framework of the Education Act and its regulations, district school boards adapt provincial education policy to local situations. They must also provide and maintain within their jurisdiction adequate teaching and support staff and appropriate facilities. Trustees, as elected members of the board, represent the local community, providing a link between electors and the education system.

Private schools also provide elementary and secondary education. They are independently operated and do not receive funding from the government.

In Ontario, all permanent residents between the ages of 6 and 16 must attend school. Elementary schools provide Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten programs (for children aged 4 and 5) and programs for grades 1 through 8. Secondary schools currently offer programs from Grade 9 through to Grade 12, as well as Ontario Academic Courses (OACs). To receive an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, students need to complete at least thirty credits in secondary school (one credit is normally one course). Students planning to attend university can include the required six Ontario Academic Courses in these thirty credits. The new standards for education were introduced during 1999 in high schools across Ontario.

The credit system consists of:
Compulsory Credits (total of 18)
4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)
1 credit in French as a second language
3 credits in mathematics (at least 1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)
2 credits in science
1 credit in Canadian history
1 credit in Canadian geography
1 credit in the arts (music, art, drama, or dance)
1 credit in health and physical education
1/2 credit in civics and 1/2 credit in career studies
1 additional credit in English, or a third language, or a social science, or Canadian and world studies

1 additional credit in health and physical education, or business studies, or the arts (music, art, drama, or dance)

1 additional credit in science (Grade 11 or 12) or technological education (Grades 9-12)

In addition to the 18 compulsory credits, students have to earn 12 optional credits in courses of their choice, selected from the full list of courses available in the school. Optional credits allow students to build an educational program that suits their individual interests and meets university, college, apprenticeship, or work requirements.

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test
Students will take the Secondary School Literacy Test in Grade 10. Students must pass the test in order to graduate, and their result is recorded on their student transcript. Students who do not complete the test successfully will receive remedial help to prepare them for retesting. The literacy test requirement is additional to the 30 credits needed for a high school diploma. The literacy test evaluates students' reading and writing skills based on curriculum expectations in language and communications up to and including Grade 9. ESL students will take the test only when they have reached this level in their language studies. Accommodations will be made for students in special education programs.

ESL in Canada education consulting services

Student Registration Form for Canada Schools, ESL schools and tutors

Provincial Ministries of Education across Canada

Please note that public education is operated by the Provinces in Canada not the federal government. There are a number of fraud and scam internet sites that offer ESL, Tesl, Tefl, Tesol and online programs that the criminals claim are Canada national Ministry of Education certified. There is no such department and anyone claiming this certification or recognition or approval is a fraud trying to misrepresent their qualifications.

The list below provides the addresses for the official Provincial Ministries of Education.

Newfoundland and Labrador
Department of Education
Confederation Building, West Block
St. John's, NF
A1B 4J6
Tel: (709) 729-5097 Fax: (709) 729-5896
http://www.gov.nf.ca/edu/

Nova Scotia
Department of Education
Box 578
Halifax NS
B3J 2S9 Tel: (902) 424-5605 or 424-5168
Fax: (902) 424-0511
http://www.ednet.ns.ca/

Prince Edward Island
Department of Education
Box 2000 (Sullivan Building, 2nd and 3rd Floors,
16 Fitzroy St.)
Charlottetown, PEI
C1A 7N8
Tel: (902) 368-4600
Fax: (902) 368-4663 or 368-4622
http://www.gov.pe.ca/education/

New Brunswick
Department of Education
P.O. Box 6000
Frederiction NB
E3B 5H1
Tel: (506) 453-3678 Fax: (506) 453-3325
http://www.gov.nb.ca/education

Québec
Ministère de l'Éducation
Édifice Marie-Guyart
28e étage, 1035, rue de la Chevrotière
Québec QC
G1R 5A5
Tél : (418) 643-7095
Fax : (418) 646-6561
http://www.meq.gouv.qc.ca

Ontario
Ministry of Education, Mowat Block
900 Bay Street
Toronto ON
M7A 1L2
Tel: (416) 325-2929; 1-800-387-5514
Fax: (416) 325-6348
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/

Manitoba
Department of Education, Training and Youth
450 Broadway
Winnipeg MB
R3C 0V8
Tel: (204) 945-2211
Fax: (204) 945-8692
http://www.gov.mb.ca/educate/

Saskatchewan
Department of Education
2220 College Avenue
Regina SK
S4P 3V7
Tel: (306) 787-7360
Fax: (306) 787-0237
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/

Alberta
Alberta Learning
7th Floor, Commerce Place
10155 - 102 Street
Edmonton, AB
T5J 4L5
Phone: 780-427-7219
Fax: 780-422-1263
http://www.learning.gov.ab.ca/

British Columbia
Ministry of Education
P.O. Box 9156,
Station. Provincial Government
Victoria BC
V8W 9H1
Tel: (250) 356-2500
Fax: (250) 356-5945
http://www.gov.bc.ca/bced/

Nunavut
Department of Education
P.O. Box 800
Government of Nunavut Building
1088E Iqaluit, Nunavut
X0A 0H0
Tel: (867) 975-5000
Fax: (867) 975-5095
http://www.gov.nu.ca/education.php

Northwest Territories
Department of Education, Culture and Employment
P.O. Box 1320 (4501- 50 Avenue)
Yellowknife NT
X1A 2L9
Tel: (867) 920-6240
Fax: (867) 873-0456
http://siksik.learnnet.nt.ca

Yukon
Department of Education
P.O. Box 2703
Whitehorse, YK
Y1A 2C6
Tel: (867) 667-5141
Fax: (867) 393-6339
http://www.gov.yk.ca/depts/education/

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