Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test
Thursday, March 31, 2016
The OSSLT is a provincial test of literacy (reading and writing)
skills based on the literacy skills expected in The Ontario
Curriculum across all subject areas up to the end of Grade 9.
The OSSLT is a graduation requirement for the OSSD.
All grade 10 students in Ontario will write the OSSLT on the
same day.
In order to be successful, students must earn 300 out of a
possible 400 points, or 75%.
Administration
Date
• Thursday, March 31, 2016
Test Materials
• four test booklets; 2 question and 2
answer.
Duration
Results
• 2.5 hours of testing time in total
• an Individual Student Report indicating
whether the student was successful or
unsuccessful to be mailed home in May
or June.
Writing Tasks
Reading Selections
A News Report
Informational
A Series of Paragraphs
Narrative
A Short Writing Task
Graphical
Multiple Choice questions
based on the readings
Multiple Choice
Writing Questions
about: writing
conventions, sentence
and paragraph
structure, and the
organization of ideas
Short writing
responses based on the
readings
• Explain with textual
support
• Explain with textual
support and student
ideas
• Summarize
Reading Skills
The test has Multiple Choice and Open Response questions
that focus on the reading skills required
in school and daily life. These include:
-understanding explicitly (directly) stated ideas and information
-understanding implicitly (indirectly) stated ideas and information
-making connections between information and ideas in a reading selection
and personal knowledge and experience
Reading Selections
Informational
(Paragraph &
News Report)
225-250 words
Narrative
(Dialogue 225250 words &
Real-Life
Narrative about
600 words)
Graphic
Types of
Questions
(fewer than 100 (Multiple Choice
words)
& Open
Response---6
lines each)
Writing Skills
The test has short and long writing tasks, and
multiple-choice questions that focus on three writing
skills required in school and daily life:
-developing
a main idea with sufficient supporting details
-organizing information and ideas in a coherent manner
-using conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) in
a manner that does not distract from clear communication
Types of Writing Tasks & Questions
Long Writing Tasks Two Short Writing
Tasks
(News Report &
Series of
(6 lines each)
Paragraphs
Expressing an
Opinion)
Multiple Choice
Questions
(Developing a
main idea,
organizing ideas,
language
conventions)
1. “Modifications” are changes to the content of the test and to
performance criteria. Modifications are not permitted,
because they affect the validity and reliability of the test.
2. “Accommodations” are supports and services that enable
students with special education needs to demonstrate their
competencies in the skills being measured by the test.
Accommodations change only the way in which the test is
administered or the way in which a student responds to its
components. Accommodations do not alter the content of the
test or affect its validity or reliability. Students on an IEP may
have accommodations.
1. “Exemptions” are decisions made for students whose
Individual Education Plan (IEP) states they are not working
toward an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
2. “Deferrals” are decisions to postpone the writing of the test
until the following year for students who are working toward
an OSSD, due to one of the reasons outlined on the EQAO
website:
Do I have to write the OSSLT?
If you entered Grade 9 in September 2000 or later and are working toward
an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), you must write the OSSLT.
This applies to all students in publicly funded schools and inspected private
schools.
Why do I need to write the OSSLT?
You need to be sure that you have the reading and writing skills you
should have acquired by the end of Grade 9, as outlined in The Ontario
Curriculum. These skills are the basis for learning in all subject areas
throughout both elementary and secondary school. Successful completion
of the OSSLT meets one of the 32 requirements for the OSSD.
Frequently Asked Questions….continued
Will the OSSLT count toward my course marks?
No. Successful completion of the OSSLT is one of the 32 requirements for
the OSSD. The test will not count toward any of your course marks.
Will universities and colleges see my OSSLT results?
Your secondary school transcript will indicate that you have completed the
OSSLT as one of the 32 requirements for the OSSD.
What happens if I do not pass the OSSLT?
You can take the test again the following year. You can also talk to your
parents or guardians and your school principal and/or teachers about
taking the OSSLT course instead of retaking the test.
Frequently Asked Questions….continued
I am new to Ontario, and English is not my first language. Can I get a
special provision or deferral?
You may be able to get a special provision or deferral. For more
information, talk to your parents or guardians and your school principal
and/or teacher, or visit EQAO’s Web site, www.eqao.com.
What happens if I leave questions blank?
Students are encouraged not to leave any questions blank as they will get a
score of zero for those questions.
Literacy Initiatives at Iona C.S.S.
Semester One:
Students practice literacy-type activities in all four periods between late October and
early December. Activities are assessed by in-class teachers.
Results are collected by the Literacy Committee and the data is used (along with Gr. 9
simulation test results and teacher recommendations) in determining which students
require additional support.
Letters and registration forms for the After-School Literacy classes are mailed out to the
parents of ALL grade ten students in January with special invitations to at-risk students.
Semester Two:
After-School Literacy Classes begin and run twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays
(Tuesday, February 9 – Thursday, March 24; from 2:30-3:45pm).
All grade nine and ten students participate in a Blitz Day a few weeks prior to the OSSLT
to get additional practice in all their classes.
All grade ten students attend an information session held in the library in the weeks prior
to the OSSLT to review the schedule and expectations on the day of the test.
On March 31, 2016 all grade 10 students (plus re-writes from 2015 or senior-level first
time writers) will write the OSSLT while the grade 9 students write the simulation test.
Grade 9 Simulation Test (March 31, 2016)
 Gr.9 students write a simulation test when the Gr.10’s are writing the
OSSLT.
In April/May the grade nine simulation tests are individually marked and
assessed.
 The data is tabulated and student responses are analyzed in preparation
for the real OSSLT.
 Three groups are established from the results:
i.
On target to pass
ii.
In need of ARD support
iii. In need of additional practice/support
 The following year, at the end of Semester 1, all students are invited to
attend the After School Literacy Classes, but groups i, and ii from above
are especially encouraged to attend. Letters are mailed home in
January.