The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, known as the OSSLT, has become one of the most essential tests for Ontarians in high school, mainly because students need to pass it to graduate.
While many students will have no problem preparing for the test and walking away with a fantastic score, plenty of students will struggle with test anxiety, experience difficulties during the exam, and worry about getting a low score.
Even if preparing for the OSSLT is no small task, here you will learn more about the OSSLT and all the tips and tricks to be ready for the big day!
Why do I need to take the OSSLT?
The OSSLT is required to graduate from secondary school in Ontario. The test will measure whether or not students are meeting the minimum standard for literacy across all subjects up to the end of grade 9.
In a sense, the OSSLT is an assessment of the skills you acquired in elementary school and is a check to see if the education system has been doing its job of teaching students those literacy skills and if students have done their part to acquire them. The OSSLT is for all students in Ontario, so it checks for consistency across the entire system.
What are the Top 3 OSSLT Tips?
If you are nervous about taking the OSSLT, you are not alone. There are several strategies for preparing for the OSSLT and passing the test with flying colors. Here are our top tips for taking the test.
1. Look at the Test Beforehand
Previewing the test and its format beforehand will prepare you for the OSSLT. This computer-based test has 33 questions: 31 are multiple-choice, and two are open-response and evaluate reading and writing literacy.
Understanding what to expect on the OSSLT is the most crucial step you can do to prepare for it. Below are excellent tips for answering the reading and writing sections in more detail and sample exercises to help guide you through your preparation.
Plus, we recommend you take extra time to look closely at tests from past years so you can fully understand how questions are asked and what components are included.
2. Answering the OSSLT Reading Section
In the OSSLT test, you will find open answers and multiple-choice questions. These questions are designed to demonstrate that you understand information explicitly (directly what is said or written in a text). For example:
Understand Explicit Information
- In the sentence, "Gabbie is 23 years old and lives in Toronto", the explicit information is that Gabbie is 23 years old and lives in Toronto because it is clearly stated.
Understand Implicit Information
You will also be asked to demonstrate that you understand implicit information (understand information that is not directly stated in the text but is suggested or implied). For example,
- In the sentence, "Gabbie slammed the door hard and didn't speak again during dinner," implicit information might indicate that Gabbie was upset or angry. Although it is not said directly, we can infer it from Gabbie's closing the door with force without saying any words.
How to answer the open-response reading questions?
- First, read each question carefully to know what needs to be solved.
- Then, begin reading the text.
- Before answering, please note that your answer must fit within the six lines provided.
- Answer in complete and correctly written sentences.
- Respond using relevant details and information from the text.
- If you have time, reread your answers and correct any errors you notice.
How to answer multiple-choice reading questions?
- First, read each question carefully to avoid wasting time.
- Then, read the text carefully.
- Identify the key information in the text that will help you find the correct answer.
- Go to each question and read all the options before choosing one.
- Discard incorrect answers and answers that do not match the information in the text.
- Select the correct answer and record it on the Student Answer Sheet.
- Review your choice and make sure it aligns entirely with what each question asks.
Extra tips for the reading section!
Find the best English courses on Superprof to improve your reading comprehension.
3. Answering the OSSLT Writing Section
The writing section of the OSSLT tests your ability to develop a central idea with enough detail and correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Within this section, you will be asked to write a news report about a specific event, express an opinion on a topic, and solve short writing assignments. Below, you will find tips for answering each of these sections:
Writing the News Report
In this section, you must write a news report based on the headline and the image provided. For example, if the exam asks you to write a news report about "Report on Wildfires in British Columbia, 2023," it could be structured like this:
You could start by briefly describing the event, its relevance, and an issue introduction.
For example: "In the summer of 2023, the province of British Columbia in western Canada experienced a series of wildfires that affected the territory. These fires caused the evacuation of thousands of people, damaged homes and forest lands, and severely affected air quality in several provinces. This report analyzes the context, effects, and actions taken during and after these fires."
To write the body of your news item, we recommend you answer the following questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? Why? and How? and to structure it as follows:
Geographical and temporal context: "The fires began to spread in late May 2023, intensifying in July and August due to extreme drought and unusually high temperatures. British Columbia, characterized by vast forested areas, was the epicenter of the fires, although the smoke generated even spread to other parts of Canada."
Impact on the population and infrastructure:
"More than 30,000 people were evacuated in the most affected areas, such as the Okanagan district, and several infrastructures, including homes, roads, and power grids, were damaged or destroyed. In addition, air quality worsened significantly, reaching dangerous levels in both British Columbia and Alberta, Ontario and Quebec."
Emergency measures taken:
"Due to this problem, the Canadian government, in coordination with provincial authorities, deployed more than 6,000 firefighters and emergency personnel. The government implemented mandatory evacuation orders in the most affected areas and established reception centers for all the displaced families. In addition, the province declared a state of emergency to facilitate the mobilization of additional resources."
To close your news report, we recommend that you include the subsequent actions and extra recommendations.
For example: "The 2023 wildfires in British Columbia have been one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent Canadian history. Climate change, extreme heat, and drought conditions have increased the frequency and magnitude of these events. Therefore, the government and the citizens must take preventative measures to mitigate the effects of future wildfires."
Are you looking for extra support to write the OSSLT? Find the best English courses in Toronto with Superprof.
Writing Opinion Paragraphs
For this test section, you should write at least three paragraphs expressing an opinion on a specific topic. To answer it correctly, we recommend you:
Writing Short Assignments
In another section of the OSSLT, you must use your knowledge and personal experience to demonstrate your writing skills. Our recommendations are similar to the previous section, for example:
Are you living in Montreal? Check out some English courses anywhere in Montreal here on Superprof.
What is assessed by the OSSLT?
The OSSLT evaluates student's reading and writing literacy. In the reading section of the OSSLT, students must complete diverse reading exercises and select the correct response questions. The reading section mainly focuses on evaluating:
- Assesses the student's ability to infer or deduce hidden meanings, read between the lines, or grasp context beyond what is explicitly stated.
- It assesses the student's ability to understand information and ideas directly without making additional inferences or interpretations.
- It assesses the student's ability to connect information and ideas in a reading selection, personal knowledge, and experience.
In the writing section, students demonstrate their ability to communicate ideas and information clearly and coherently through an essay, and it focuses on three writing skills:
- Develop a clear and coherent main idea with sufficient detail.
- Coherently organize information and ideas.
- Use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Find the most effective resources to pass the OSSLT and any upcoming literacy test.
How do you do well on literacy tests?
Getting a tutor to support your OSSLT practice is one of the best ways to be successful on the test. But where can you find the best private tutors? Find great tutors on Superprof to ensure you are as prepared as possible for the OSSLT!
Finding a tutor on Superprof can be one of the best investments you can make for your education, especially regarding the OSSLT. Superprof OSSLT tutors specialize in test preparation and will provide excellent tools, resources, and valuable feedback on your answers.
Superprof OSSLT tutors specialize in test preparation and will provide excellent tools, resources, and valuable feedback on your answers.
The Superprof platform is easy to navigate and well-organized. You can simply type OSSLT in the search bar and find all the tutors available at your location. You can easily compare tutor profiles and rates to find your perfect match to excel in the OSSLT. Plus, many Superprof tutors offer the first lesson for free, so you'll have the time to get to know your tutor, teaching strategies, and if they fit you best. Find your OSSLT tutor on Superprof today!
Learn about the OSSLT test, so you'll be ready when it's your turn to take it.
Summarize with AI:
Did you like this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
