A. Comprehending spoken and visual text

Comprehending spoken and visual text encompasses aspects of listening and viewing, and involves the student in interpreting and constructing meaning from spoken and visual text to understand how images presented with oral text interplay to convey ideas, values and attitudes. Engaging with text requires the student to think creatively and critically about what is viewed, and to be aware of opinions, attitudes and cultural references presented in the visual text. The student might, for example, reflect on feelings and actions, imagine himself or herself in another’s situation, gain new perspectives and develop empathy, based on what he or she has understood in the text.

In order to reach the aims of language acquisition, as appropriate to the phase, students should be able to:

• listen for specific purposes and respond to show understanding
• interpret visual text that is presented with spoken text
• engage with the text by supporting opinion and personal response with evidence and examples from the text.

B. Comprehending written and visual text

Comprehending written and visual text encompasses aspects of reading and viewing, and involves the student in constructing meaning and interpreting written and visual text to understand how images presented with written text interplay to convey ideas, values and attitudes. Engaging with text requires the student to think creatively and critically about what is read and viewed, and to be aware of opinions, attitudes and cultural references presented in the written and/or visual text. The student might, for example, reflect on feelings and actions, imagine himself or herself in another’s situation, gain new perspectives and develop empathy, based on what he or she has understood in the text.

In order to reach the aims of language acquisition, as appropriate to the phase, students should be able to:

• read for specific purposes and respond to show understanding
• interpret visual text that is presented with written text
• engage with the text by supporting opinion and personal response with evidence and examples from the text.

C. Communicating in response to spoken and/or written and/or visual text

In the language acquisition classroom, students will have opportunities to develop their communication skills by interacting on a range of topics of personal, local and global interest and significance, and responding to spoken, written and visual text in the target language.

In order to reach the aims of language acquisition, as appropriate to the phase, students should be able to:

• interact and communicate in various situations
• express thoughts, feelings, ideas, opinions and information in spoken and written form
• speak and write for specific purposes.

D. Using language in spoken and/or written form

This objective relates to the correct and appropriate use of the spoken and written target language. It involves recognizing and using language suitable to the audience and purpose, for example, the language used at home, the language of the classroom, formal and informal exchanges, social and academic language. When speaking and writing in the target language, students apply their understanding of linguistic and literary concepts to develop a variety of structures, strategies (spelling, grammar, plot, character, punctuation, voice) and techniques with increasing skill and effectiveness.

In order to reach the aims of language acquisition, as appropriate to the phase, students should be able to:

• organize thoughts, feelings, ideas, opinions and information in spoken and written form
• develop accuracy when speaking and writing in the target language.