Language Report Card Comments, Grades 7-8 (Ontario)
Language is one overall grade covering four strands: Literacy Connections and Applications, Foundations of Language, Comprehension and Composition. In class that means reading, listening to and viewing texts, talking about them, writing in different forms, and analysing media.
Below are 13 sample sentences for Grades 7-8: two strengths and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Level 4 (A, 80-100%) / Level 3 (B, 70-79%) / Level 2 (C, 60-69%) / Level 1 (D, 50-59%)), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 411 language sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.
Jump to: Level 4 (A, 80-100%) · Level 3 (B, 70-79%) · Level 2 (C, 60-69%) · Level 1 (D, 50-59%) · Writing tips
Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Level 4 (A, 80-100%) A
Strengths
- [Name] varies sentence structure with purpose in [his/her/their] writing, using clauses, semicolons and transitions accurately to make complex ideas easy to follow.
- [Name] uses grammar, capital letters and punctuation with a high degree of accuracy and varies [his/her/their] sentences so [his/her/their] writing flows smoothly.
Next steps:
- Planning a digital campaign on a school issue, [Name] can use a checklist to confirm the intended audience, protect privacy and keep each message respectful.
Level 3 (B, 70-79%) B
Strengths
- Sentence structure in [Name]'s writing shows considerable control, with varied sentences and correct punctuation, including commas and semicolons.
- [Name] asks relevant questions to check [his/her/their] understanding of stories, instructions and presentations, and can retell the key points accurately.
Next steps:
- Questioning the author while reading, [Name] might ask what the writer wants readers to believe and what evidence supports it.
Level 2 (C, 60-69%) C
Strengths
- Combining images, text and sound, [Name] creates multimodal texts with some effectiveness and is learning to plan how each part supports the message.
- Retelling a story or a class activity aloud, [Name] recalls several key events and, with prompting, is learning to keep them in order.
Next steps:
- Combining short sentences with a list of joining words will help [Name] write more varied sentences in [his/her/their] essays.
Level 1 (D, 50-59%) D
Strengths
- [Name] writes mostly simple sentences and, with an editing checklist, is beginning to combine ideas using linking words such as "because" and "although".
- In spelling, [Name] uses a personal word list to spell familiar words and, with teacher modelling, is beginning to apply known patterns to new words.
Next steps:
- Highlighting one academic word per page in a short text, then using a context-clue card with a teacher, will help [Name] explain its meaning.
Support at home
- Your child can read aloud to you, a sibling or even a pet, changing [his/her/their] voice to match different characters.
How to write language comments for Grades 7-8
- Expect analysis rather than retelling. Name what the student explains about theme, author's craft, bias or missing voices in a text, and the evidence they use to support that reading.
- For argumentative writing, describe the thesis, how evidence is integrated and cited, and what changed between drafts. A next step such as explaining how each quotation supports the claim is concrete and transferable.
- Cover oral communication too: formal presentations, debates and discussions. Note whether the student responds to counter-arguments, uses academic vocabulary and adjusts tone for the audience, not only whether they speak often.
Watch out: Avoid letting reading level or the number of books read stand for the whole Language grade. With four strands in one mark, add a strength from a second strand, such as oral communication or media literacy.
Level 4 (A, 80-100%) language is thorough, independent and applied in new situations; Level 3 (B, 70-79%) is considerable, clear and usually accurate; Level 2 (C, 60-69%) shows some effectiveness, often with a model or support; Level 1 (D, 50-59%) names what the student does with direct support and what is emerging. The grade is already printed, so describe the learning rather than restating the mark.
What Language covers
Report card strands and skills for language:
- Literacy Connections and Applications: transfers literacy skills across subjects, researches, and uses digital media safely and thoughtfully
- Foundations of Language: listening, speaking and non-verbal communication; word-level reading and spelling (phonics in Grades 1-3, word parts and vocabulary in Grades 4-8); reading fluency; grammar, punctuation and capitalization
- Comprehension: reads, listens to and views a range of texts, uses comprehension strategies, makes inferences, and responds to and analyses texts, including media texts
- Composition: plans, drafts, revises, edits and publishes texts in different forms and genres, including media and digital texts; printing, cursive writing and keyboarding
More Ontario subjects comments
- Language, Grades 1-3
- Language, Grades 4-6
- Mathematics, Grades 7-8
- Science and Technology, Grades 7-8
- History, Grades 7-8
- Geography, Grades 7-8
- Opening and closing sentences
- All Ontario subjects skills and grade bands
- Build a comment with the comment picker
How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.