Guidelines from Guidance

The English stream is the “driver” - it is the main prerequisite course steering students towards varying post-secondary options:

• Destreamed English provides more program options for college and university

• Locally developed English provides limited college program options

There are many college and university programs that do not require Math or Science as a prerequisite

• It is recommended that Math and Science streams match as they are similar in complexity

• Choose MTH1WR/SNC1WR or MAT1LR/SNC1LR

Considerations When Recommending Streams for Grade Nine 

When helping students and parents decide on the most appropriate stream, the following points  should be considered:

1. What is the most consistent level of achievement the student receives in a given subject area?

2. Have the curriculum expectations been modified and therefore Locally Developed would be the appropriate level?

3. Will the learning skills and work habits of the student hinder or help improve the student’s achievement?

4. What kind of classroom environment does the student work best in?

5. Will the chosen stream provide the student with the confidence to be successful the following year?

6. What are the student’s educational goals?

7. What other commitments does the student have?

Differences Between Locally Developed & Destreamed

ENGLISH

Locally Developed - ENG1LR

• Students apply new learning to tasks that have been directly modeled

• Focus is on functional literacy skills and strategies

• This stream is recommended for students with specific learning needs

• Post-secondary options: apprenticeship, college options primarily at Fleming College

• Students will focus on reading strategies that help to promote fluency, comprehension, and decoding of words in a text

Destreamed - ENL1WR

• Develops student knowledge and skills through the study of theory and abstract problems  

• Students are able to work independently without staff support at school

• Students can expect one to two hours of homework per day

• Post-secondary options: apprenticeship, college, bridging options to university, and university programs

• Essay writing and novel studies are key pieces to this course

MATH

Locally Developed  - MAT1LR

• Practical math skills for real life: money math, counting money, calculating tax, making purchases, using measuring tools, metric conversions, choosing the better buy, making enlargements/reductions in recipes

• Recommended for students who received math modifications in Grade 8

• Material is covered over a sequence of days with time to practice the skill

• Students are assessed with a variety of activities 

• Reference sheets may be used in a test setting

• Students can choose workplace, apprenticeship, or college programs that do not require math as a prerequisite

Destreamed - MTH1WR

• Math skills including: number sense and operations, algebra (combining numbers and letters), measurement, geometry, data, probability, financial literacy,  mathematical processes, mathematical modelling, and coding

• Fast paced, new material covered each day

• 1-2 hours of homework may be required

• Students are assessed at the end of a  unit with a test or assignment

• EQAO takes place during the final weeks

• Final culminating portfolio

• Students can choose the applied/college stream or the academic/university stream in grades 10-12

SCIENCE

Locally Developed - SNC1LR

• Content will cover topics including: biology, chemistry, physics, and earth and space science

• Hands-on learning

• Learning is driven by student and teacher investigation

• Assessments can include: labs, assignments, quizzes, and tests (open book; fully teacher assisted)

• Material is covered over a sequence of days with time to practice the skill

Destreamed - SNC1WR

• Content will cover topics including: biology, chemistry, physics, and earth and space science

• Students will develop and refine their STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills

• Assessments can include: labs, lab reports, research projects, assignments, quizzes, and tests  

• Fast-paced delivery of content