Grade 9 - Communicate Ideas and Information (Improving Communications)

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will:

• appraise their own and others' work to determine the appropriateness of resource choices, language use, and organizational and communication forms
• use language that is appropriate to their purpose and audience within the framework of specific guidelines
• adjust form, style, and use of language to suit audiences and purposes
• monitor their own work for correctness of spelling and punctuation

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Communicate Ideas and Information (Improving Communications) in other grades click on an icon below.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

• Work with students to develop criteria for effective directions. Ask each student to prepare a "how-to" speech (e.g., how to ride a bike, make a paper crane, play chess) and include visual or manipulative materials (e.g., charts, diagrams, posters, maps, chess pieces, bicycle parts). Have students first outline the steps required in their how-to activities and then work with partners to gather suggestions about improving their clarity. After they have revised their outlines, ask students to prepare their speeches with partners to ensure that the instructions are clear and in a logical sequence. As each student presents, ask the audience to use the criteria they developed to make notes for later sharing. Then guide students in a discussion about the clarity, delivery, and ease of following the instructions given in each speech.
• Invite students to describe how they communicate with various audiences and for various purposes. Ask the class questions such as:
  • What are some of the reasons for communicating with others?
  • How do we communicate?
  • What forms does communication take?
  • What kind of language do we use with peers, parents, teachers, clerks, and employers?
  As students respond, have them develop tables or charts of the information to use as reference.

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

• Prompt students to use a variety of ways to assess their own work and to obtain feedback from classmates and others. For example, require that each major assignment or presentation be accompanied by evidence that all students obtained feedback from at least two sources before preparing their final work. Ask them to use checklists, rating scales, class-developed criteria, or symbol systems (e.g., stars beside passages that show insight, quills beside passages that are particularly well written). They might also include comments such as:
  • Two things I'd like you to notice about my work (performance) are: __________.
  • Tell me what you think about the way I __________.
  • You could help me by offering advice or suggestions about __________.
• Develop and use a class checklist for spelling, mechanics, usage, syntax, and format conventions. Students can use the checklist for self- and peer analysis. Ask them to include a copy of the checklist with all assignments.

RECOMMENDED LEARNING RESOURCES

• The Art of Teaching Writing
• The Little, Brown Handbook
• Speaking for Success
• Writing for Results
• You Be The Reporter

• MultiSource

Previous Organizer Next Organizer

  BC Ministry of Education Home Page