TORONTO, ON – Changes to the updated Language curriculum are substantial, especially in the areas of reading and media literacy. In addition, the Language curriculum is no longer organized under the strands of Reading, Writing, Oral Communication, and Media Literacy.

These changes are significant and educators need sufficient time, dedicated resources, and sustained professional learning opportunities to properly implement any new or revised curriculum. To support this, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is calling for a minimum two-year implementation period.

Read more: Rushed Language curriculum implementation will not improve student outcomes

“The province’s expectation that educators will be ready to teach the overhauled Language curriculum beginning this September is absurd,” says ETFO President Karen Brown. “Their rushed rollout proves just how out of touch they are with classroom and educator realities. Curriculum documents aren’t recipes. You don’t simply download them and follow the instructions, using a list of prescribed ingredients. Curriculum is complex.”

Until today, ETFO had not seen the new Language curriculum nor was the Federation consulted on any of the revisions or the implementation plan. Making critical decisions on curriculum without genuine and meaningful collaboration and consultation with all stakeholders will not create better outcomes for students.

ETFO members are not opposed to updates and improvements to the current Language curriculum; however, we need to call out a troubling pattern. This is the third major curricula that the government has rolled out since 2020 at the last minute, expecting educators to implement it in an unreasonably short timeframe and without adequate professional learning and supports.

The Ford government’s implementation plan repeats the same mistakes made during the premature rollout of the updated Mathematics curriculum in 2020. “Qualified teachers are well-equipped to deliver instruction and to assess literacy skills, but they require time to learn the curriculum, and support to guide their lesson planning and instructional practice,” notes Brown. “Comprehensive, job-embedded, ongoing professional learning is needed to help educators understand and implement the curriculum so they can teach it effectively.”

The Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Right to Read Report called for sufficient, stable, enveloped yearly funding, as well as professional development for educators. Instead, the ministry has directed boards to add the curriculum to mandatory Professional Activity (PA) Days, taking place after the school year is already underway. Adding another heavy topic to an already overloaded agenda will not be effective.

Adds Brown, “Literacy skills will not improve unless adequate funding, resources and supports are provided, as well as timely interventions for students, and smaller class sizes. Our members are dedicated professionals who welcome change when that change leads to better learning outcomes for students.”

ETFO represents approximately 83,000 members, including public elementary teachers, occasional teachers, designated early childhood educators, education support personnel, and professional support personnel. Visit BuildingBetterSchools.ca.