OSSLT Tips & Practice

The OSSLT’s informational, narrative and graphic reading selections focus on three reading skills:

• Understand explicitly (directly) stated ideas and information.

• Understand implicitly (indirectly) stated ideas and information.

• Make connections between information and ideas in a reading selection

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General Tips

• Provide evidence from the selection>> GO back to the reading and look for examples. 

• Based on the selection and your own ideas – INCLUDE examples from the reading selection AND your own ideas.

• Summarize the reading by identifying the MAIN IDEA and details.

Reading Tips

• Read the questions before you read the reading selections. 

• Underline key points while you read. 

• Always refer back to the reading when formulating your answers – do not simply rely on memory.

Through a combination of short- and long-writing tasks, the OSSLT focuses on three writing skills:

• • • • developing a main idea with specific supporting details;

      • organizing information and ideas in a coherent manner and

      • applying conventions (syntax, spelling, grammar, punctuation, usage) in a manner that does not distract from clear communication.

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NEWS REPORT (not part of the 2022 test)

• Focus your thoughts by examining the headline and picture provided on the OSSLT.  

  • • Your response MUST be related to the picture and headline, and contain sufficient and specific information and facts related to the event.

• Begin by identifying who, what, when and where; then explain why and how it happened.

• Use third person – you are the journalist writing a newspaper article.

• You must NOT give your opinion as a journalist – focus on the facts.

SERIES OF PARAGRAPHS EXPRESSING AN OPINION

• Use the “Rule of Thumb” for size...skipping a line helps - but the INDENT is better.

• TAKE A STAND: Ask yourself: Why do I agree or disagree?

• State your opinion in the introductory paragraph - Take​ a​ CLEAR STAND (for or​ against) - even if you don’t agree with what you are writing! It helps you be more persuasive and unified.

• Write at least THREE paragraphs>> 

• INTRODUCTION: Give your opinion at the beginning of your response.

• 3 BODY Paragraphs: Provide at least three details/examples to support your opinion. Put one detail/example in each paragraph.

• CONCLUSION: Restate your opinion and briefly summarize your points.

• Remember the AUDIENCE: an adult who is interested in your opinion.

• HELP the READER - INDENT each new paragraph.     

Remember: To score well you will need to write 5 paragraphs: (Introduction + 3Body Paragraphs + Conclusion)

SHORT WRITING TASKS:

Examples: What is your favourite sport? Who do you admire? Identify one action you take in your daily life to be healthy.

• Demonstrate YOUR writing skills using YOUR knowledge

• and personal experience.

• Begin with a topic sentence that answers the question.

>>Re-phrase the question to help you start your answer. Start responding by re-wording the topic. 

• • • For example, if the topic is:

    • “What is your favourite holiday?” Start with “My favourite holiday is...”

• Give three reasons to support your selection and use transition words to connect the reasons. One reason is… Another reason is… The last reason is…be sure to STAY ON TOPIC!

• Use a closing sentence to end your paragraph.