Grade 6 English Language Arts Exam: How to Prepare

The Grade 6 English Languages Arts compulsory examination evaluates two competencies:

• Competency 1:  To read and listen to literary, popular, and information-based texts
• Competency 2:  To write self-expressive, narrative, and information-based texts

Although Competency 3—to use language to communicate and learn—is not formally evaluated in this examination, students will be asked to share ideas and discuss opinions in small groups.

The Grade 6 exam is a process exam; it incorporates the methods and strategies that we use when we read, view, discuss, respond to, and write about a topic. For a teacher to evaluate the extent of a student’s literacy development, the exam is comprised of three parts:

1. Initiation task (1 hr.): This activity introduces the students to the topic using two infographics and a video. This is followed up by group discussions where students share their impressions, opinions, and questions.
2. Reading and Written Response to Literature task (approx. 3 hrs.): In this part of the examination, the students receive a Literature Booklet, which includes an illustrated literary text of approximately 1 000 words, and a Student Booklet, in which they take notes as well as compose their written response. Students read the text independently while taking notes and then participate in team discussions.  Finally, they compose their written response to literature wherein they demonstrate their comprehension of the text by giving their overall impressions and reactions, by exploring possible themes and making inferences, by making connections to personal experiences, and by discussing the structures and features of the text. 
3. Narrative Exploration task and Narrative Writing task (approx. 2 hrs.):  In this part of the exam, students compose a narrative text based on a topic. First, students carry out activities to get ready for writing their narrative text. These activities may include watching a video, viewing posters or photographs, or having a group discussion, all of which allow them to collect more information about the topic. Students then plan out their narrative text and write it in the space provided in the Student Booklet.

Your child may require some reassurance during the exam session, and one of the best ways to provide this is to help them understand how they will be evaluated.
 
Remind your child to do the following during the Reading and Written Response to Literature task:

• Read the text carefully and identify big ideas and themes
• Discuss their reactions to the characters and events in the story
• Make inferences and support them with references to the text
• Think about the author’s craft—the structures and features employed by the author to tell the story (dialogue, imagery, similes, and metaphors, etc.)
• Consider the illustrations and how they add to the story
• Make connections to their life and to the world around them

Remind your child to do the following during the Narrative Writing task:

• Make sure that their narrative is organized, unfolds logically, and is easy to follow, and that the ideas make sense
• Create actions, events, and characters that fit together from beginning to end
• Write a story that follows the proper narrative structure—start with a problem, followed by rising action, the climax, falling action, and the resolution
• Include interesting details and descriptive language to create a picture for the reader
• Ensure that an expressive voice is used to engage the reader and show purpose
• Pay attention to proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and paragraphing

During the Grade 6 English Language Arts examination, your child will be allowed to use the following materials: 

• Standard English dictionary
• Bilingual dictionary (English and another language)
• Thesaurus

Only print versions of the references listed above are allowed. Students can bring their own reference materials, but they cannot share them with their peers. 
Unauthorized materials include:

• All homemade documents (class notes, grammar books prepared by the school or at home, etc.)
• All digital tools (electronic dictionaries, word processing software, etc.), unless their use has been planned in conjunction with the educational institution responsible for administering the examination
• All digital devices (smartphone, wireless headphones or earbuds, smartwatch, etc.) that can be used to communicate, access the Internet, translate texts, or create, save, or consult information.

The Grade 6 English Language Arts exam requires the application of several skills, such as planning, reading for meaning, writing a narrative, and evaluating a text. It is important to remind your child to:

• Reread all instructions and texts carefully
• Take notes while viewing videos and posters, and while reading the literary text
• Write down all their ideas, impressions, connections, and opinions—it is better to have too much than not enough 
• Take the time to organize their ideas coherently
• Actively participate in the group discussions, as these are opportunities to expand and enrich their understanding
• Review and edit all their work

The Grade 6 English Language Arts examination is a little different from other exams since it does not require traditional studying. However, there are many ways that you can help your child get ready for the exam:

• Encourage them to read on a regular basis
• Take a look at our recommended book lists
• Explore different book genres to find inspiration for their own writing
• Review narrative structure
• Start a book club
• Help your child develop reading strategies
• Help your child compose their own unique stories
• Have some fun with writing