Literacy is the foundation of all learning. Improving and sustaining literacy across MPS is key to achieving equitable educational outcomes in our community. In an MYP School, Literacy/English Language Arts classes are called Language & Literature. Please click the links on the right to learn more about each of our Lang & Literature teachers.
MYP Language & Literature
The aims of MYP language and literature are to encourage and enable students to:
- use language as a vehicle for thought, creativity, reflection, learning, self-expression, analysis and social interaction
- develop the skills involved in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing and presenting in a variety of contexts
- develop critical, creative and personal approaches to studying and analysing literary and non-literary texts
- engage with text from different historical periods and a variety of cultures
- explore and analyse aspects of personal, host and other cultures through literary and non-literary texts
- explore language through a variety of media and modes
- develop a lifelong interest in reading
- apply linguistic and literary concepts and skills in a variety of authentic contexts.
MYP Assessment criteria
Each language and literature objective corresponds to one of four equally weighted assessment criteria. Each criterion has eight possible achievement levels (1–8), divided into four bands with unique descriptors that teachers use to make judgments about students’ work.
- Criterion A: Analysing
Students demonstrate an understanding of the creator’s choices, the relationship between the various components of a text and between texts, and
make inferences about audience responses and creators’ purposes. Students
use the text to support their own responses and reflect on different perspectives and interpretations.
- Criterion B: Organizing
Students understand and organize their ideas and opinions using a range
of appropriate conventions for different forms and purposes of communication. Students recognize the importance of maintaining academic honesty,
respecting intellectual property rights and referencing all sources accurately.
- Criterion C: Producing text
Students produce written and spoken text, focusing on the creative process
itself and on the understanding of the connection between the creator and
his or her audience. Students make choices aimed at producing texts that
affect both the creator and the audience.
- Criterion D: Using language
Students develop, organize and express themselves and communicate
thoughts, ideas and information. They use accurate a
MPS Literacy Vision:
To affirm and cultivate learner's language and literacy development centering identity, joy, and critical thinking.
MPS Literacy Mission:
- To support all learners from birth to adulthood in literacy development as they become more empowered, inspired, and engaged participants in multicultural local and global societies.
- To prioritize language development and literacy (reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and exchanging ideas) through culturally sustaining curriculum and instruction in an inclusive environment as a means to achieve equitable educational outcomes in our communities.
- To increase, specifically, BIPOC learners', multilingual learners', and learners receiving special education services' growth and proficiency in literacy through evidence-based instruction.
