Literacy Test Preparation Grade 10 English Booklet 1, Section II: Writing Page 7 Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Booklet 2, Section VIII: Writing Page 21 Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23

Booklet 1, Section II: Writing Page 7

Booklet 1, Section II: Writing Page 7 Multiple choice answer key for questions 1-4:

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 This question is awarded a mark of 0, 10, 20 or 30 for Topic Development. If the answer space is blank, your writing is illegible or the response is off topic, the answer will receive a mark of 0.

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Here’s how marks of 10, 20 and 30 are awarded. 10The response Identifies or describes an action but does not provide an explanation for how the action contributes to the student’s health. OR Identifies or describes an action but provides an irrelevant explanation for how the action contributes to the student’s health. OR Lists a variety of actions with no explanation. 20The response describes or gives an example of an improvement to a school building or grounds and provides a vague explanation of why it would be an improvement. The response often requires the reader to make the connection between the suggested improvement and why it is an improvement. 30The response identifies an action and uses specific and relevant details to clearly explain how it contributes to the student’s health.

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Here’s what an answer given a score of 10 looks like:

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 This answer identifies an action…

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 This answer identifies an action but does provide an explanation for how this action contributes to the health of the student.

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Here’s what an answer given a score of 30 looks like:

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 This answer identifies an action…

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 …and it also gives specific and relevant details.

This question is also awarded a mark of 10 or 20 for Writing Conventions. Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Here’s how the marks of 10 and 20 for Writing Conventions were awarded. 10 Limited control of conventions rules of syntax, grammar, usage, spelling and/or punctuation are applied without accuracy and/or consistency 20 Competent control of conventions rules of syntax, grammar, usage, spelling and punctuation are applied with accuracy and consistency

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Here’s what an answer given a score of 10 for Writing Conventions looks like:

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Notice how these errors distract from the message the student is trying to make:

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Notice how these errors distract from the message the student is trying to make: “its” should be “it’s” Sentence fragment

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Notice how these errors distract from the message the student is trying to make: “I will always use paper bags.”

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Notice how these errors distract from the message the student is trying to make: “spitting” should be “splitting” Incorrect use of “biodegrades”

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Here’s what an answer given a score of 20 for Writing Conventions looks like:

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Even though there is an error in noun-pronoun agreement…

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 Even though there is an error in noun-pronoun agreement… This sentence should read: “Every child must be engaged in at least one to two hours of physical activity daily. By doing so, children increase their blood circulation by keeping their hearts pumping and building their overall health and strength.”

Booklet 1, Section V: Writing Page 15 …this small error in usage does not distract from the message the student is trying to convey.

Booklet 2: Section VIII: Writing Page 21

Booklet 2: Section VIII: Writing Page 21 Multiple choice answer key for questions 1-4:

Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23

Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23

Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23 This question is awarded a mark of 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60 for Topic Development. If the answer space is blank, your writing is illegible or the response is off topic, the answer will receive a mark of 0.

Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23 Here’s how the marks out of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 are awarded. 10 The response is related to a headline and/or photo but is not a news report. OR The response is a news report related to the headline and/or photo. It identifies an event, but provides no supporting details, or provides details that are unrelated to the event. There is no evidence of organization. 20 The response is related to headline and/or photo but only partly in the form of a news report. OR The response is a news report related to the headline and/or photo, but the focus on an event is unclear or inconsistent. There are insufficient supporting details: too few or repetitious. There is limited evidence of organization. 30 The response is a news report related to the headline and photo with a clear focus on an event. There are insufficient and/or vague supporting details or the connection of the details to the event is not always clear. There is evidence of organization, but lapses distract from the overall communication. 40 The response is a news report related to the headline and photo with a clear and consistent focus on an event. There are sufficient supporting details, however, only some are specific. The organization is mechanical and any lapses do not distract from the overall communication. 50 The response is a news report related to the headline and photo with a clear and consistent focus on an event. There are sufficient specific supporting details to develop the news report. The organization is logical. 60 The response is a news report related to the headline and photo with a clear and consistent focus on an event. There are sufficient specific supporting details, which are thoughtfully chosen to develop the news report. The organization is coherent demonstrating a thoughtful progression of ideas.

Here’s what an answer given a score of 10 looks like: Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23

Even though this response is a news report related to the headline and photo… Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23

…notice how short this response is in relation to the available space. Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23

This response provides no details or evidence of organization. Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23

Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23 Here’s what an answer given a score of 60 looks like:

Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23 There is a focus on the snowstorm (event).

Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23 The student makes good use of supporting details.

Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23 Quotations are effectively placed.

Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23 There is an effective concluding statement.

Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23 This question is also awarded a mark of 0, 10, 20, 30 or 40 for Writing Conventions.

Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23 Here’s how the marks of 10, 20, 30 and 40 for Writing Convention were awarded. 10There is insufficient evidence to assess the use of conventions. OR Errors in conventions interfere with communication. 20Errors in conventions distract from communication. 30Errors in conventions do not distract from communication. 40Control of conventions is evident in written work.

Booklet 2, Section IX: Writing Pages 22,23 Here’s what an answer given a score of 10 for Writing Conventions looks like:

Booklet 1: Section I: Writing Pages 2, 3, 4 Notice that this answer is so short that there is not enough evidence to evaluate writing conventions:

Booklet 1: Section I: Writing Pages 2, 3, 4 Here’s what an answer given a score of 40 for Writing Conventions looks like:

Booklet 1: Section I: Writing Pages 2, 3, 4 Even though there are some errors:

Booklet 1: Section I: Writing Pages 2, 3, 4 Even though there are some errors…

Booklet 1: Section I: Writing Pages 2, 3, 4 …these errors do not undermine the other places in the response where the student has shown an excellent control of writing conventions.

There is a new format for this year’s OSSLT Booklets. Your actual test will look differently than your practice booklet. For the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), there will now be a separate Question Booklet and Answer Booklet for each assessment session. Students will now record ALL of their responses—both multiple choice and open response—in the Answer Booklet.

Good luck on the OSSLT!