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In Grade 9, learners develop and refine their use of language with increasing clarity and purpose across all areas of English language arts. They participate in academic and literary discussions and structured debates, using purposeful language and logical reasoning to effectively express and support their ideas. Learners deepen their understanding of communication by examining how language choices, such as voice and tone, work together and influence how messages are communicated, interpreted, and received.
Grade 9 learners explore a broad range of literary and informational texts that consider global, cultural, historical, and contemporary issues. They study texts for themes, author’s purposes and messages, and social commentary, and consider how works invite readers to respond and think critically. Learners identify connections between texts and familiar issues, considering how they reflect different ideas and experiences across contexts. Through close reading, learners develop questions across texts and contexts, connect information from multiple sources, and communicate ideas and perspectives through supported responses.
As text creators, learners compose a range of texts across genres and text types, such as responsive, persuasive, and creative works, using familiar forms and modes to communicate ideas with emerging clarity and organization. They demonstrate growing insight into language conventions, vocabulary, and style, making intentional choices to support audience and purpose. Through a supported creation process, learners plan, draft, revise, and edit their work to build stronger communication skills.
By the end of Grade 9, learners apply foundational analytical, expressive, and critical thinking skills with growing awareness across all areas of English language arts. They are prepared to engage with a range of language and literacy demands with emerging independence as they continue their learning in English language arts.
The Guiding Principles for the Design of Learning Experiences and Assessment Practices provide guidance to all Manitoba educators as they design learning experiences and classroom assessments to strengthen, extend, and expand student learning.
Please note, this website continues to evolve, so please visit regularly to keep current with what’s new in the Learning Experiences and Assessment Practices section.
The Guiding Principles for the Evaluation and Communication of Student Learning build shared understandings of what is needed to ensure equity, reliability, validity, and transparency in judgment and communication of student learning.
Please note, this website continues to evolve, so please visit regularly to keep current with what’s new in the Evaluation and Communication of Student Learning section.
General Learning Outcome: Oral Language Communication
ELA.9.A1 Learners engage in oral language communication as a recursive process of listening, speaking, and interacting to construct meaning, exchange ideas and perspectives, and expand their understanding of themselves, others, and the world.
Listen and Comprehend
ELA.9.A1.1 Listen attentively to information, ideas, and experiences expressed; demonstrate understanding by identifying key messages, asking relevant questions to clarify, verify, and summarize ideas to support comprehension.
ELA.9.A1.2 Identify and explain how speakers use language choices, voice, organization, and verbal/non-verbal communication to engage audiences and communicate ideas.
Speak and Interact
ELA.9.A1.3 Use the rules and structures of language (e.g., syntax, verb tense, word choice, grammar) when speaking to deliver clear, coherent ideas according to purpose, context, and audience (informal, formal).
ELA.9.A1.4 Exchange ideas and viewpoints relevant to the topic in conversations and group discussions; acknowledge the contributions of others to build shared understanding and extend thinking.
General Learning Outcome: Language as the Foundation for Reading and Writing
ELA.9.A2 Learners build and apply foundational knowledge and skills, including letter knowledge, sound awareness, word structures, vocabulary knowledge, and language conventions, to engage as active readers, writers, and communicators.
Phonological Awareness
ELA.9.A2.1 Foundational literacy knowledge and skills developed in earlier grades continue to support learners as they engage with increasingly complex texts and specialized vocabulary. In Grades 9 to 12, phonological awareness, alphabetic knowledge, and phonics are not typically addressed as separate outcomes; rather, these foundational understandings are applied and integrated within reading, spelling, vocabulary development, and communication across contexts and disciplines.
Alphabetic Knowledge
ELA.9.A2.2 Foundational literacy knowledge and skills developed in earlier grades continue to support learners as they engage with increasingly complex texts and specialized vocabulary. In Grades 9 to 12, phonological awareness, alphabetic knowledge, and phonics are not typically addressed as separate outcomes; rather, these foundational understandings are applied and integrated within reading, spelling, vocabulary development, and communication across contexts and disciplines.
Phonics: Letter-Sound Relationships
ELA.9.A2.3 Foundational literacy knowledge and skills developed in earlier grades continue to support learners as they engage with increasingly complex texts and specialized vocabulary. In Grades 9 to 12, phonological awareness, alphabetic knowledge, and phonics are not typically addressed as separate outcomes; rather, these foundational understandings are applied and integrated within reading, spelling, vocabulary development, and communication across contexts and disciplines.
Spelling Conventions
ELA.9.A2.4 Foundational spelling knowledge and skills developed in earlier grades continue to support learners as they engage with increasingly complex texts and specialized vocabulary. In Grades 9 to 12, spelling conventions are not typically addressed as separate outcomes; rather, learners apply and refine their understanding of spelling patterns, word structures, word origins, and language conventions through reading, writing, vocabulary development, and communication across contexts and disciplines.
Word Structures and Meaning (Morphology)
ELA.9.A2.5 Analyze how morphological knowledge, including Greek and Latin roots, affixes, and word origins, contributes to vocabulary understanding and accurate spelling; apply this knowledge to support comprehension and communication in speaking and writing.
Vocabulary Knowledge
ELA.9.A2.6 Use a variety of vocabulary and knowledge of word relationships and meanings to understand texts; select vocabulary to communicate ideas clearly and precisely in different contexts.
Language Conventions
ELA.9.A2.7 Examine how language conventions (e.g., syntax, sentence structure, grammar, usage, mechanics) contribute to meaning in texts; use language conventions appropriately to communicate ideas clearly and effectively.
General Learning Outcome: Navigate Texts
ELA.9.B1 Learners draw on their knowledge, experiences, and awareness of text cues and conventions to establish purpose, anticipate meaning, and prepare for engagement with texts.
Activate Prior Knowledge and Inquire
ELA.9.B1.1 Explain how prior knowledge, experiences, and information from various sources support understanding and interpretation of texts.
Establish Purpose and Focus
ELA.9.B1.2 Identify and explain a purpose for engaging with texts (e.g., task, context, interests, learning goals); generate and refine questions to focus attention, support text selection, and deepen understanding.
Use Text Cues and Conventions
ELA.9.B1.3 Identify and use text cues (e.g., structures, features, design elements, language patterns, visuals) and conventions in a range of texts; examine how they contribute to meaning and interpretations.
General Learning Outcome: Construct Meaning
ELA.9.B2 Learners actively construct meaning when reading, viewing, and listening to texts by applying a range of comprehension strategies. They make connections, infer meaning, and monitor understanding to build knowledge and deepen understanding across a variety of contexts and text forms.
Predict and Infer
ELA.9.B2.1 Make, revise, and confirm predictions and inferences using prior knowledge, text content, and text cues; compare predictions and inferences with others to clarify understanding.
Make Connections
ELA.9.B2.2 Make connections among personal experiences, texts, and knowledge of the world to support understanding and develop interpretations.
Monitor Understanding
ELA.9.B2.3 Monitor understanding to identify when clarification is needed; select and apply appropriate strategies (e.g., questioning, summarizing) to clarify meaning, verify ideas, and resolve misunderstandings.
ELA.9.B2.4 Apply a range of fluency skills and strategies, including pacing, rate, and expression (prosody), according to text demands and purpose to support comprehension.
Summarize Meaning
ELA.9.B2.5 Summarize key ideas and information from texts by grouping related ideas and recognizing the difference between important and less important information while maintaining the integrity of the author’s message; use summaries to clarify meaning and support interpretation.
General Learning Outcome: Think Critically about Texts
ELA.9.B3 Learners analyze ideas, information, viewpoints, and perspectives within and across texts to build understanding. Learners use evidence from texts to develop, support, and evaluate interpretations.
Analyze Ideas and Information
ELA.9.B3.1 Identify ideas, themes, facts, opinions, and perspectives within and across texts; use evidence to explain how texts contribute to understanding people, experiences, and issues.
Critique Purpose, Viewpoint, and Perspective
ELA.9.B3.2 Identify and explain how a text creator’s purpose, experiences, context, and use of text elements influence the representation of people, ideas, and events; explain how viewpoints and perspectives are presented.
General Learning Outcome: Consolidate Understanding
ELA.9.B4 Learners reflect on, extend, and integrate new learning to develop deeper understandings. They respond to texts by sharing interpretations, perspectives, and insights that expand, challenge, and/or refine their thinking.
Reflect on New Learning
ELA.9.B4.1 Explain new ideas and understandings gained from texts; reflect on how new learning connects to and builds upon prior knowledge, experiences, and perspectives.
Response to Text: Self and Others
ELA.9.B4.2 Describe and share responses to texts; explain how personal, cultural, and textual connections contribute to appreciation, meaning, and emotional response.
ELA.9.B4.3 Compare personal responses with others; explain how differing assumptions, experiences, and perspectives shape meaning and influence understanding.
General Learning Outcome: Plan and Develop Texts
ELA.9.C1 Learners generate and develop ideas, conduct research, evaluate sources, organize information, and select appropriate forms and modes to compose texts for a range of purposes and audiences.
Generate Ideas and Select Topic
ELA.9.C1.1 Generate ideas from experiences, current events, literature, and crosscurricular learning, and select topics appropriate to purpose, form, and audience.
Research Sources
ELA.9.C1.2 Select and use information from multiple sources (e.g., oral, visual, digital, written); identify key ideas and describe how perspectives are shaped and represented across sources to expand ideas.
Analyze Author’s Craft
ELA.9.C1.3 Analyze mentor texts to identify how authors use text cues (e.g., structures, features, design elements, language patterns, visuals) and conventions to shape meaning; select techniques to support one’s own writing.
Plan and Develop Ideas
ELA.9.C1.4 Use strategies and planning tools appropriate to genre and purpose; collect and record information, and highlight key steps to support text development.
Choose Form
ELA.9.C1.5 Select and use appropriate form to suit purpose and audience to communicate ideas with clarity; when appropriate, experiment with combining written, visual, and digital elements from different forms to strengthen ideas.
Create Text
ELA.9.C1.6 Compose and create texts for different purposes, audiences, and contexts; make appropriate choices in structure, mode, style, design, and mechanics to communicate ideas and support meaning; use research, evidence, and/or craft techniques to develop meaningful texts.
ELA.9.C1.7 Use handwriting, keyboarding, and other composition tools to maintain clarity and readability across a range of texts.
General Learning Outcome: Refine Texts
ELA.9.C2 Learners apply the key qualities of writing to revise, refine, and enhance texts for different purposes, contexts, and audiences.
Organize Content
ELA.9.C2.1 Re-evaluate the organization of content by applying knowledge of how texts are organized across forms, contexts, and modes; review and adjust the sequencing of ideas and of text structures and features to better align with purpose, context, and audience.
Elevate Sentence Fluency
ELA.9.C2.2 Use a variety of sentence lengths and structures to improve clarity, rhythm, and flow; combine and expand sentences to strengthen connections between ideas within and across paragraphs; review grammar to communicate meaning clearly.
Enhance Word Choice
ELA.9.C2.3 Use clear, accurate, discipline-specific words that suit purpose, context, and audience; revise word choice to improve precision, strengthen meaning, and replace vague or repetitive language; use word choice to support voice and contribute to style.
General Learning Outcome: Edit and Publish
ELA.9.C3 Learners proofread, edit, and refine texts by applying editing strategies to improve accuracy and clarity. They publish their work using appropriate tools, modes, and platforms to communicate for different purposes, contexts, and audiences.
Review Mechanics
ELA.9.C3.1 Apply knowledge of spelling and Canadian spelling conventions to edit and proofread texts for spelling accuracy; use print and digital resources to identify and edit spelling errors.
ELA.9.C3.2 Edit texts to apply capitalization conventions accurately and consistently, including proper nouns, titles, dialogue, quotations, citations, and organizational names, to support clarity and readability.
ELA.9.C3.3 Edit and proofread texts to identify and correct punctuation errors using appropriate resources and feedback; apply punctuation conventions accurately to support clarity and meaning for different purposes and audiences.
Publish Final Text
ELA.9.C3.4 Create and publish texts using composition and design choices across a range of forms and genres; make purposeful choices in form, structure, language, and, when appropriate, mode to communicate ideas clearly for an intended purpose and audience.
General Learning Outcome: Share Ideas and Communicate Effectively
ELA.9.D1 Learners organize and communicate ideas for others by making intentional choices about content, communication mode, and style for different purposes and contexts.
Express Ideas and Engage Audience
ELA.9.D1.1 Select and organize ideas and relevant details to share with others (informal, formal); support points with evidence or examples, as appropriate; use transitions to support audience understanding.
ELA.9.D1.2 Select and consider different communication modes (e.g., oral, visual, digital, written) in relation to purpose, context, and audience (informal, formal).
ELA.9.D1.3 Apply communication style (e.g., tone, volume, and expression) in relation to content and audience (informal, formal) to effectively share ideas.
General Learning Outcome: Reflect on Learning and Plan Next Steps
ELA.9.D2 Learners use descriptive feedback and criteria to reflect on their learning, set goals, and monitor progress to inform next steps.
Reflect
ELA.9.D2.1 Apply descriptive feedback from various sources; reflect on feedback and criteria to identify strengths and areas for growth; adjust strategies to support ongoing progress.
Set Goals and Monitor Progress
ELA.9.D2.2 Identify and develop learning goals using criteria and feedback; monitor progress by identifying evidence of learning to track growth and support ongoing progress toward goals.
Curriculum implementation resources will include supplementary documents to support implementation. This section and the support documents will continue to be updated, so you are encouraged to visit the site regularly.
