Cross-Curricular Competencies - Elementary€¦ · Cross-Curricular Competencies 2.1 Intellectual Competencies 15 The intellectual competencies call on even the youngest students

Cross-Curricular Competencies

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Chapter

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IntroductionA successful education should enable students to use thelearnings they have acquired to understand the worldaround them and guide their actions. That is why theQuébec Education Program is based on competencies.However, the subject-specific competencies alone com-prise only some of the skills required to attain this objec-tive. Certain skills involve more than one subject-specificcompetency and can only be taken into account if a con-text is associated with them. This is how the cross-curric-ular competencies have been defined. They are calledcross-curricular because of their generic nature—because they transcend the various subject areas—andalso because all school staff members, regardless of theirsubjects, are responsible for helping students developthem.

Like a subject-specific competency, a cross-curricularcompetency is a set of behaviours based on the effectivemobilization and use of a range of resources. However,cross-curricular competencies transcend the limits of sub-ject-specific knowledges while they reinforce their appli-cation and transfer to concrete life situations preciselybecause of their cross-curricular nature.

They are developed gradually both at school and else-where, and their development continues after elementaryschool, and indeed, throughout a person’s life. They aremutually complementary, and all complex situations nec-essarily involve more than one cross-curricular compe-tency at a time.

Chapter 2 Cross-Curricular Competencies

13Cross-Curricular Competencies

Figure 2Cross-Curricular Competencies

The Québec Education Program contains nine cross-cur-ricular competencies grouped in four categories:

– Intellectual competencies: to use information, tosolve problems, to exercise critical judgment, to usecreativity

– Methodological competencies: to adopt effec-tive work methods, to use ICT

– Personal and social competencies: to constructhis/her identity, to cooperate with others

– Communication-related competency: to com-municate appropriately

Information concerning each cross-curricular competencyis presented under the following headings: Focus of theCompetency, which indicates its function; Key Features ofthe Competency, which states its components;Evaluation Criteria, which provides ways to judge a stu-dent’s development of the competency; andDevelopmental Profile, which gives an idea of how thecompetency is developed over time, although experiencewill give educators a clearer idea.

15152.1 Intellectual CompetenciesCross-Curricular Competencies

The intellectual competencies call on even the youngeststudents to go beyond superficial memorization of con-tent and mindless conformity, and to aim for a higherlevel of skills. They define an active relationship toknowledge, and enable students to relate to reality—tograsp, interpret and understand it.

Intellectual competencies draw on attitudes such asopen-mindedness, intellectual curiosity, willingness tomake an effort and intellectual rigour. They are fueledby the love of learning, the desire to succeed, the needfor autonomy, and creativity.

Beyond superficial

memorization of

content and mindless

conformity…

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Intellectual Competencies 16Cross-Curricular Competencies

Only two decades ago, the obsolescence of knowledgehad virtually no impact on schools. Although the basiclearnings are still relatively spared, the impact of thisphenomenon on the conceptual basis of the subject mat-ter increases with the level of schooling. Schools have toensure that students develop the cognitive flexibilityrequired today, and for this reason, it is just as importantfor them to teach students how to acquire knowledge asto convey it to them. It is in this perspective that the com-petencies should be understood.

While many students have access to a variety of informa-tion sources at home, some do not. School allows somestudents to discover new sources of information, whileothers can further explore the possibilities they offer. Inany case, it is the school’s responsibility to teach studentsto diversify their information sources and to use themeasily and effectively.

Each of the subject areas can provide a context for thedevelopment and exercise of this competency, a contextin which students learn to consult more than one person,to look in various books and to use different media,including electronic media.

COMPETENCY 1 • TO USE INFORMATION

Focus of the Competency

It is just as important

for schools to teach

students how to acquire

knowledge as to convey

it to them.


PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

The children can recognize the various informationsources placed at their disposal. They obtain informationessentially by listening and observing, and take an inter-est in picture books. In an appropriate context, they areable to share their discoveries with their classmates.

FROM ELEMENTARY CYCLE ONE TO ELEMENTARYCYCLE THREE

At the beginning of elementary school, students are ableto recognize information that is of interest to them in theinformation sources placed at their disposal. They contin-ue to rely mainly on listening and observation, but theyare beginning to seek information in written sources.They like to share their discoveries and may explainwhere they found information.

Later, they broaden their range of information sources,both at school and in their immediate surroundings. Theyare capable of recognizing elements of information thatcan help answer their questions. They can explain thesteps in their procedure.

Towards the end of elementary school, they can compareinformation from various sources and select the itemsthat correspond to their needs. They are able to distin-guish important data from data of secondary importance.

Developmental Profile

Evaluation Criteria– Consultation of various sources ➊ ➋ ➌

– Appropriate selection of information ➊ ➋ ➌

– Logical organization of information ➊ ➋ ➌

– Effective use of information ➊ ➋ ➌

– Use in new contexts ➊ ➋ ➌

Legend:* ➊ Cycle One ➋ Cycle Two ➌ Cycle Three

* This legend also applies to the evaluation criteria for the othercompetencies.

Key Features of the Competency

To gather information. Toselect appropriate informa-tion sources. To compareinformation from differentsources. To make connectionsbetween what they alreadyknow and new information. Todistinguish between essentialand secondary information.

To recognize various informa-tion sources. To explore vari-ous sources and understand theuse of each. To question infor-mation sources.

To put information to use. To imagine possible uses. To formulatequestions. To answer his/her questions using the informationgathered. To consider new uses. To respect copyright. To use theinformation in new contexts.

TO USE

INFORMATION


Problem solving is an aspect of all human activity. In dailylife, there are many situations that require our attention.We have to choose from among a range of possibilitiesthat are not all equally viable. The ability to handle thesesituations rationally may prove valuable when an impor-tant problem arises. This is the ability used in this compe-tency

The cross-curricular nature of this competency is alsoconfirmed by the existence of subject-specific competen-cies modeled on the problem-solving process, such asthose in mathematics and science, and by the many prob-lems conceived by teachers for didactic purposes in allsubjects. In the first case, developing the competency andlearning the subject matter overlap. In the second, thesituational problem serves as a pedagogical tool for thesubject learnings.

In a complex situation, students must learn to recognizethe elements that define the problem. They must learn touse the internal and external resources at their disposalto think up various solutions and implement the one thatseems most appropriate, given the context and theirobjectives. They will also discover that there may be morethan one way to solve a problem and that some solutionsare more effective than others.

Very often, they will have to redo certain steps becausethey have misjudged an aspect of the problem or becausethe solution they chose did not work. In practice, thismeans that sometimes it is not easy for students to knowwhere they are in a problem-solving process, with all therepeated testing and readjustment. When it is rationaland controlled, this flexible modus operandi constitutesthe problem-solving process. The role of the school is tohelp students to fully understand and systematically usethis process.

COMPETENCY 2 • TO SOLVE PROBLEMS


The situational problem

serves as a pedagogical

tool for the subject

learnings.


PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

The children are able to take action to solve simple, con-crete problems. They are capable of diversifying theirstrategies to make repeated efforts to solve a problem. Ifthe problem interests them, they are capable of showingconsiderable persistence.


At the beginning of elementary school, the students arecapable of identifying the key elements of a simple situa-tional problem. They have difficulty imagining more than

one solution at a time, but they manage to test severalin succession in the course of an exercise. They often con-fuse the formulation and the testing of solutions. It is hardfor them to analyze the reasons for their successes andfailures.

Subsequently, they develop the ability to interpret a situa-tion more accurately. They can distinguish elements thatmerit their consideration from those they should ignore.They are capable of proposing several solutions, but havedifficulty making a convincing case for them. When theychoose a solution, it is usually for reasons that are moreemotional than rational. Their testing methods are not yetvery systematic. Their ability to analyze their procedure

improves steadily, and they gradually become more skilledat relating the situation under consideration to similar sit-uations.

Towards the end of elementary school, they are capable ofexplaining why certain elements of a situation pose aproblem and making a list of possible solutions. They alsoknow how to evaluate possible solutions, taking intoaccount the resources at their disposal, and they are ableto justify their choices.Their implementation strategies aremore effective and varied. They evaluate their proceduresmore rigorously and identify the causes of their successesand difficulties more accurately. They more easily makeconnections between the situation under considerationand similar situations.


Evaluation Criteria– Appropriateness of elements identified ➊ ➋ ➌

– Formulation of plausible and imaginative solutions ➊ ➋ ➌

– Use of varied and effective strategies ➊ ➋ ➌

– Dynamism of the procedure ➊ ➋ ➌

– Identification of successful strategies and difficulties ➊ ➋ ➌

– Application of strategies developed in other situations ➊ ➋ ➌


To analyze the componentsof a situational problem. Toidentify the context and themain elements of the situa-tional problem and to makeconnections among them. Torecognize similarities to situ-ational problems solved pre-viously.

To formulate possible solutions. To list and classify pos-sible solutions. To consider the appropriateness of eachsolution. To consider its requirements and consequences.To imagine the situational problem solved.

To test a solution. Tochoose a possible solu-tion, apply it and evalu-ate its effectiveness. Tochoose and test anotherpossible solution if nec-essary.

To adopt a flexible approach. To redo the precedingsteps in the same or a different order as many times asnecessary in order to solve the problem.

To evaluate the proce-dure used. To review thesteps taken. To identifysuccessful strategies andanalyze the difficultiesencountered.

TO SOLVE

PROBLEMS


People use their judgment to orient their actions or toinfluence those of others or simply for the pleasure ofpassing judgment. There is no area of human activity inwhich people do not make judgments. Politics, religion,morality, science, art, recreation or sports, intellectual life,work, business, consumption, the legal system, themedia, hobbies—judgment is required in all of them.

Schools have an important role to play in developing stu-dents’ critical faculties, by teaching them to weigh all thefacts, to take into consideration their own emotions, touse logical arguments, to take the context into account,to allow for ambiguity and to weed out preconceptions.

The use of judgment is only meaningful if it is constant,and the school, because of the subjects and the themes itaddresses, is in an ideal position to foster the develop-ment of this competency.

COMPETENCY 3 • TO EXERCISE CRITICAL JUDGMENT


… to weigh all the facts,

to take into consideration

their own emotions, to use

logical arguments, to take

context into account, to

allow for ambiguity and to

weed out preconceptions.


PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

Children are capable of expressing their preferences anddistinguishing between what is allowed and what is for-bidden. They realize that their actions have consequencesfor others. They are aware of certain events and phenom-ena in their immediate surroundings. They can express anopinion as to whether these events or phenomena areordinary or unusual and whether they are acceptable,and can communicate what they think and feel aboutthem, but they tend to model their viewpoints on thoseof others or even simply to repeat what they hear.


At the beginning of elementary school, students distin-guish intuitively between good and bad, and can recog-nize the difference between what they think and whatothers think. However, their positions owe more to theiremotional need to identify with a person or group thanto reflection.

Later on, they can compare their perspectives with thoseof others and express an opinion. They are more attentiveto facts and better able to make connections between

them and to evaluate their consequences for themselvesand others. They gradually learn to distinguish argumentsbased on emotion from those based on reason.

Towards the end of elementary school, they are capableof grasping the logical, ethical or esthetic implications ofa situation or issue. They can roughly formulate the val-ues, principles, rights and duties on which they willground their judgments. They can express their opinionsquite articulately and can identify similarities and differ-ences in opinions.They can question their own judgmentsand are willing to discuss them with others.


Evaluation Criteria– Proper formulation of the question and

its implications ➊ ➋ ➌

– Verification of the accuracy of the data ➊ ➋ ➌

– Appropriateness of the criteria used ➊ ➋ ➌

– Consistency between the judgment and the criteria on which it is based ➊ ➋ ➌

– Well-reasoned justification of the judgment ➊ ➋ ➌

– Openness to questioning of the judgment ➊ ➋ ➌


To form an opinion. To define the question under consideration. To weigh the logical,ethical or esthetic issues involved. To go back to the facts, verify their accuracy and con-textualize them. To look at various options and consider existing or possible points ofview. To base his/her opinion on logical, ethical or esthetic criteria. To adopt a position.

To express his/her judg-ment. To articulate andcommunicate his/her view-point. To justify his/herposition with reasons andarguments.

To qualify his/her judgment. To compare his/her opinionwith those of others. To reconsider his/her position. To evalu-ate the respective influence of reason and emotion on his/herapproach. To recognize his/her biases. To repeat the wholeexercise if necessary.

TO EXERCISE

CRITICAL JUDGMENT


Creativity is by no means limited to the arts, with whichit tends to be associated. It is applicable in all areas ofhuman endeavour, and reflects the interaction of intu-ition and logic. It involves managing emotions that maysometimes be contradictory. It requires the use of a broadrange of internal and external resources and entails find-ing imaginative ways to deal with constraints that at firstglance seem insurmountable.

Everyone is spontaneously capable of creativity, just aseveryone is capable of problem solving. Indeed, the twocompetencies are often associated since a creativeresponse can lead to an inventive solution to a situationalproblem.

At school, all the students’ activities should foster cre-ativity. Consequently, the school should provide open-ended learning activities, problems with more than onesolution and simulations that stimulate the imagination.This will encourage all students to reorganize the ele-ments of problems and to propose original approachesand new ways of doing things, while familiarizing themwith the appropriate concepts, strategies and techniques.

COMPETENCY 4 • TO USE CREATIVITY


Creativity reflects the

interaction of intuition

and logic and involves

managing emotions that

may sometimes be

contradictory.


PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

The children give their imagination free rein. They saywhatever they think, with no effort at censorship.They areinfluenced by the way in which activities are presentedto them. They are interested in exploring strategies andtechniques that are new to them. They express theirpreferences and are eager to present their creations.


At the beginning of elementary school, students arebeginning to grasp the implications of an activity, but

they generally get involved before they understand thepotential consequences of doing so. They are able todescribe certain steps they have taken and to imagine dif-ferent ways of proceeding, although they are influencedby their classmates. They take pride in their creations.

Later, they become capable of identifying with the objec-tive of an activity and seeking ways to attain it. They areless subject to the influence of others, and they like tovary the sources they draw on. They devise unusualmodes of action. They begin to show autonomy in theircreative activities. They perceive similarities and differ-ences between their own creative work and that of oth-

ers. They can express the extent of their satisfactionregarding their work.

Towards the end of elementary school, the students canhandle more complex and demanding tasks. They arecapable of more systematic preparation and organizationof the steps in their creative projects. They can imagine anumber of approaches to each situation they explore andlike to experiment with new combinations of ideas,strategies and techniques. They are open to drawing onvarious sources and can recognize the original elementsin their work.


Evaluation Criteria– Consideration of all elements of

the situation ➊ ➋ ➌

– Diversity of suggested ways of proceeding ➊ ➋ ➌

– Originality of connections among the elements ➊ ➋ ➌

– Dynamism of the process ➊ ➋ ➌

– Identification of possible improvements in the innovation process ➊ ➋ ➌


To become familiar with all the elements ofa situation. To define the objective, recognizethe issues involved and envisage the outcome. To imagine ways of pro-

ceeding. To imagine variousways to attain the objective.To express his/her ideas innew ways.

To begin the procedure. To become actively involved in theprocess. To accept risks and unknowns. To persevere inexploring. To recognize possible or partial solutions. To bereceptive to new ideas and ways of doing things.

TO USE

CREATIVITY

To adopt a flexible mode ofoperation. To go through thewhole process, in the same ora different order, as manytimes as necessary in order toattain his/her objective. To tryout new ideas. To choose newstrategies and techniques.

2.2 Methodological Competencies 2525Cross-Curricular Competencies

The methodological competencies concern the use ofeffective work methods and information and communi-cations technologies (ICT). They involve the developmentof attitudes such as a sense of responsibility, pride inwork well done, discipline and rigour. They generally findexpression in the ability to organize activities and perse-vere in them and in a form of creativity in action. Thesecompetencies enable students to enjoy the pleasure ofwork well done.

A form of creativity in

action…

26Cross-Curricular Competencies Methodological Competencies

The many kinds of situations in which one has to carryout an activity or project all depend on a type of practi-cal knowledge that underlies virtually all human endeav-ours. This ability to get things done takes many forms andis required in various proportions depending on thenature of the task, but it is extremely useful to have.

Schools can help students to acquire this competency byencouraging them to be self-reliant, to select appropriatemeans for attaining objectives, to analyze the way theyuse the available resources and to evaluate the effective-ness of their work methods. All subjects lend themselvesto this exercise, and methods applied in a given situationshould be readily transferable to other areas.

COMPETENCY 5 • TO ADOPT EFFECTIVE WORK METHODS


… to be self-reliant, to

select appropriate means

for attaining objectives

and to evaluate the

effectiveness of their

work methods.


PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

The children can plan simple, short-term activities andreproduce a certain number of steps in carrying out anactivity.


At the beginning of elementary school, students canidentify certain steps in an activity. They are able tochoose the appropriate materials and tools and to takeinto account the physical space available and theplanned mode of operation. They can communicate ver-bally their successes and difficulties.

As they get older, they show more autonomy in definingall aspects of their procedure. They are able to find origi-nal ways to attain their goals. They are interested in vari-ous approaches or procedures and modify their planningas necessary. They observe that accomplishment is asource of satisfaction.

Towards the end of elementary school, they are able toassimilate various procedures and methods and applythem appropriately in various situations. They are willingto invest time and energy to attain an objective.


Evaluation Criteria– Understanding of the task to be

performed ➊ ➋ ➌

– Completion of the task ➊ ➋ ➌

– Analysis of the steps in the procedure ➊ ➋ ➌

– Perseverance in performing the task ➊ ➋ ➌

– Formulation of conclusions ➊ ➋ ➌


To analyze the task to be performed. Toespouse the objective. To understand theinstructions and visualize the elements of thetask. To understand the context of the task.

To begin the process. Toreflect, before and duringthe action, on the best wayto attain the objective. Toadapt his/her work methodto the task and the context.To anticipate the require-ments of the method chosenand the resources that willbe needed. To use his/herimagination.

To perform the task. To make use of the appropriate resources: peo-ple, materials, etc. To manage his/her materials and time and to adjusthis/her actions as required. To complete the task. To discover the plea-sure and satisfaction of work completed and well done.

TO ADOPT

EFFECTIVE WORK

METHODS

To analyze his/her proce-dure. To examine the proce-dure used throughout thetask. To understand what waseffective and what workedless well. To draw conclusions.


Information and communications technologies are partof the everyday life of a rapidly growing proportion of thepopulation. Once associated mainly with research andbusiness, their use has spread while their content hasbeen diversified, so that now they offer something foreveryone. It seems likely that within a decade or two, vir-tually every job will require at least a minimum of profi-ciency in this medium, which is both a language and atool.

Already, some children begin school with a level of com-puter literacy that makes an introductory course unnec-essary. However, schools still have a role to play in famil-iarizing those who don’t have access to ICT at home.Theymust also help students to diversify their use of ICT andto develop critical judgment with regard to them.

If used appropriately in teaching subject matter, informa-tion and communications technologies can accelerate thedevelopment of many cross-curricular and subject-spe-cific competencies in the Québec Education Program. Byproviding access to a multitude of information sourcesand individuals, they give students the benefit of exper-tise from throughout the world and enable them to sharetheir ideas and achievements with others.

COMPETENCY 6 • TO USE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES (ICT)


Information and

communications technologies

can accelerate the

development of many cross-

curricular and subject-

specific competencies.


PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

The children learn to use the keyboard and mouse. Theybecome familiar with the basic procedures and vocabu-lary and use games and educational applications. Theyperform tasks and do creative work using a drawingprogram. They spontaneously explore, and can follow avisual guide to procedures.


At the beginning of elementary school, students can usestorage media. They know how to use the graphic inter-face and word-processing, drawing and vector graphicprograms. They explore various CD-ROMs and do simplesearches on the Web. They can follow a visual guide toprocedures when they experience problems. They canexplain what they are doing, identify the computer func-tions they use and recognize their successes and difficul-ties.

Later they understand the use of a keyboard and knowhow to use basic E-mail functions and Web browsers anddo some spreadsheet operations. They can learn to usesome peripherals and to store and organize their infor-mation.

Towards the end of elementary school, students can mas-ter the common functions of the applications they use.They know how to search for, find, select, store and orga-nize information using various storage media. They areable to transfer data from one application to another, findtheir way on the Internet and use their address book, andare familiar with the etiquette and ethics of Internet use.


Evaluation Criteria– Mastery of the vocabulary of

information and communications technologies ➊ ➋ ➌

– Effective use of computer tools ➊ ➋ ➌

– Use of troubleshooting strategies ➊ ➋ ➌

– Recognition of successes and difficulties ➊ ➋ ➌


To master the information and communications technologies. To be familiarwith the purposes, concepts, vocabulary, procedures and techniques of ICT. Torecognize familiar concepts in a new context. To explore new functions of soft-ware programs and operating systems.

To use information andcommunications tech-nologies to carry out atask. To explore the po-tential of ICT for a giventask. To choose softwareprograms and functionsappropriate for the task.To use appropriate work-ing and troubleshootingstrategies.

To evaluate his/her use of information and commu-nications technologies. To recognize his/her successesand difficulties. To identify the limitations of the tech-nology employed in a given situation. To identify waysto improve his/her use of ICT.

TO USE

INFORMATION

AND COMMUNICATIONS

TECHNOLOGIES

31312.3 Personal and Social CompetenciesCross-Curricular Competencies

The personal and social competencies are associatedwith the development and affirmation of students’ per-sonal and social identity. They concern both the cognitiveand socioaffective dimensions of learning and areexpressed in cooperation and in standing up for one’svalues while showing respect for others. They alsoinvolve attitudes related to open-mindedness, adaptabil-ity, commitment and mutual aid.

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Affirming their identity

while showing respect

for others

Personal and Social Competencies 32Cross-Curricular Competencies

Constructing an identity is a process that begins veryearly. Small children gradually become aware of the posi-tion they hold within their family and integrate the valuesof their milieu. Depending on the environment in whichthey grow up, children develop, to varying degrees, theability to rely on their own resources, using theirstrengths and overcoming their weaknesses, and to man-ifest their autonomy in a responsible manner. They alsolearn—to a variable extent, depending on the context—to affirm their choices and opinions, recognize their ownvalues, accept differences and be open to diversity.

Schools have a role to play in helping students, throughvarious experiences, to define themselves as individuals,to recognize their cultural identity and to be receptive toother cultures. It is by having the opportunity to utilizetheir personal resources, make choices, justify them andassess the consequences that children will become awareof their identity and the values that influence them. Allthe subject areas contribute to the development of stu-dents’ personal, social and cultural identity by exposingthem to various areas of learning, broadening their hori-zons, stimulating their faculties and encouraging them totake positions on major social issues.

COMPETENCY 7 • TO CONTRUCT HIS/HER IDENTITY


All the subject areas

contribute to the

development of a

student’s personal,

social and cultural

identity.


PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

The children’s horizons are still quite limited, and theirreactions are highly egocentric. Nevertheless, they learnto identify their tastes, interests, and physical, cognitive,emotional and social needs, which they observe aresometimes similar to and sometimes different from thoseof others. They express their feelings and carry out theirintentions by imitating models or by taking more person-al action. They can describe what they have experiencedand recognize some of their strengths and weaknesses.


At the beginning of elementary school, students learn tomake connections between their perceptions, feelings,

reflections and reactions. They describe themselves, iden-tifying their characteristics and those of others. Givenreasonable challenges, they take risks, relying onstrengths they recognize in themselves. They carry outtheir intentions through actions that are appropriate andconsistent with their values and those of their commu-nity. They begin to take an interest in the world beyondthemselves.

Subsequently, they take actions and make decisions thatexpress their thoughts and feelings. They understand thattheir actions and attitudes provoke reactions on the partof others. They also realize that the attitudes and behav-iour of others can influence them. They make choicesbased on their strong points and values. They reflect onwhatever limits their capacity to act. They are capable of

recognizing tasks they like and those they like less. Theyrespond to instructions and can participate in establish-ing them. They are more open to the world beyond them-selves.

Towards the end of elementary school, students under-stand the connections between their reactions, values,perceptions, feelings and thoughts. They can identify themotivations that influence their thinking, behaviour andspeech. They adopt certain models and reject others, andjustify their choices in terms of their values. They begin torealize that they are responsible for their actions andtheir consequences. Their interests become more diversi-fied and they display curiosity about an increasing num-ber of things.


Evaluation Criteria– Curiosity and openness regarding

his/her surroundings ➊ ➋ ➌

– Deepening of his/her basic values ➊ ➋ ➌

– Consideration of the values of others ➊ ➋ ➌

– Effort to understand and appreciate human creations and achievements ➊ ➋ ➌

– Identification of means for his/her personal development ➊ ➋ ➌


To be open to his/her surroundings. To react to facts, situations or events. To identify his/herperceptions, feelings, and thoughts concerning these phenomena. To realize that other people’sopinion influence his/her reactions. To expand his/her cultural horizons by means of discussions,reading and exposure to a variety of media works. To be receptive to the moral and spiritualframe of reference of his/her community.

To become aware of his/herplace among others. To rec-ognize his/her values andgoals. To have confidence inhimself/herself. To definehis/her opinions and choices.To recognize that he/she ispart of a community. To beopen to cultural and ethnicdiversity.

To make good use of his/her personal resources. To usehis/her strengths and overcome his/her limitations. To assessthe quality and appropriateness of his/her choices of actions.To display increasing autonomy and independence.

TO CONSTRUCT

HIS/HER IDENTITY


Even without the efforts of school staff, the school wouldstill be a powerful agent of socialization simply becauselarge numbers of students of various ages rub elbowsthere every day. But schools and teachers have a man-date to enhance this spontaneous socialization withmore deliberate, systematic measures. The aim of thesemeasures is for students to develop a social competencythat meshes with values such as self-affirmation that isrespectful of others, consideration of other people’s feel-ings, constructive openness to pluralism, and nonvio-lence. School is an ideal setting for learning to livetogether on the basis of a set of values, and an appropri-ate place for students to become familiar with teamwork.The construction of knowledge and the development ofcompetencies grow out of the confrontation of variouspoints of view and ways of doing things, and certainobjectives would be far more difficult to attain withoutthe collaboration of all concerned.

There are many opportunities to develop this compe-tency, both in the classroom and at school in general. Theteaching of certain subjects—particularly drama, danceand physical education—would be virtually impossiblewithout teamwork. But in fact, all the programs of studylend themselves to the creation of learning situations inwhich students are required to work together. Such situ-ations give them an opportunity to learn to plan andcarry out an activity with others, to participate in groupdiscussion and to work with others to achieve a commongoal, adapting to the situation, recognizing the contribu-tions of others, developing a sense of organization andsharing.

COMPETENCY 8 • TO COOPERATE WITH OTHERS


Certain objectives would be

far more difficult to attain

without the collaboration of

all concerned.

Personal and Social Competencies

PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

The children become familiar with life in the classroomand begin learning to share and cooperate. They sharetoys, games, learnings and discoveries. They recognizethat other people have feelings, emotions and intereststhat are different from their own. Realizing that theirbehaviours may influence their interpersonal relations,they behave in ways that foster respectful relations. They

participate actively in group projects, which allows themto observe the contribution of each person and partici-pate appropriately in discussions. They also take part inthe development of rules of conduct for the class.



Evaluation Criteria– Recognition of the needs of others ➊ ➋ ➌

– Appropriate attitudes and behaviours ➊ ➋ ➌

– Commitment to the work of the team ➊ ➋ ➌

– Contribution to improving the way the team works together ➊ ➋ ➌


To interact with an open mind in various contexts. Toaccept others as they are. To be responsive to others andrecognize their interests and needs. To exchange points ofview with others, to listen and be open to differences. Toadapt his/her behaviour.

To contribute to teamefforts. To participateactively in classroom andschool activities with acooperative attitude. Toplan and carry out a taskwith others. To carry outthe task according to theprocedure agreed on bythe team.

To use teamwork effectively. To recognize which tasks can be done more effectively bymeans of teamwork. To assess his/her participation and that of peers in the team’s work. Toidentify factors that facilitated or hindered cooperation. To identify desirable improvementsfor his/her participation in the next shared task.

TO COOPERATE

WITH OTHERS



At the beginning of elementary school, students arecapable of working within simple cooperative structures.They respect the proposed planning. They communicatetheir ideas, questions and new learnings. They are recep-tive to the ideas of others and adapt to the changes theseideas entail. They become aware of their reactions in sit-uations of conflict and identify behaviours that fostergood relations with others. They help classmates. Theyidentify achievements that are the result of teamwork.

Later, still within simple cooperative structures, they pro-pose simple plans and make changes if necessary. Theypropose rules of conduct and carry out cooperative tasks.They express their ideas and question those of others.They observe which behaviours contribute to harmoniousinterpersonal relations and which do not. They are awarethat they convey nonverbal messages, and understandtheir impact on others. Their behaviour fosters mutualtrust and respect. They help others and appreciate helpthey receive. They recognize the advantages of teamworkand welcome feedback that contributes to the work ofthe team.

Towards the end of elementary school, students can carryout projects within somewhat more complex work struc-tures. They propose activities and modes of operationappropriate for teamwork. They perform increasinglydiverse tasks and realize that they and their teammatesdepend on each other and play complementary roles.They recognize that other people have thoughts, ideas,interests and needs that are different from their own.They listen to what each person says, and can reformu-late what thay have heard. They can express their emo-tions and points of view clearly. They help others andknow when to ask for help. They make suggesions con-cerning the team’s modes of operation and can justifythem by citing factors that help or hinder. They acceptchanges proposed by others and readjust their strategiesaccordingly. They identify tasks that can more easily becarried out by means of teamwork.

Personal and Social Competencies

2.4 Communication-Related Competency373737Cross-Curricular Competencies

The communication-related competency allows studentsto share information with others, directly or through var-ious media, and to convey messages in clear, appropriatelanguage. This competency has a major impact on acad-emic, social and occupational success.

To communicate in

clear, appropriate

language

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ain

Désil

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38Cross-Curricular Competencies Communication-Related Competency

Children begin learning to communicate in infancy. Theiraptitude for communication plays a decisive role in theirconstant efforts to have their needs met. In helping stu-dents improve their mastery of their various means ofcommunication, the school builds on this foundation.

Since each subject is associated primarily with one meansof expression, school is an ideal place for students toexperiment with the different forms of communication:oral, written, visual, musical, media-related, physical andsymbolic. School gives students an opportunity to explorethe resources of each of these forms of communication,to discover its conventions and codes, to develop a feel-ing for authenticity and active listening and to becomefamiliar with such characteristics of communication asclarity, originality and elegance.

Among these modes of communication, the language ofinstruction represents the principal tool and means ofaccess to culture. Students’ acquisition of proficiency inthis language, which involves learning the codes, devel-oping a large vocabulary and being able to organize theirthoughts coherently, must not be the exclusive responsi-bility of the language of instruction programs: this objec-tive can only be attained by every student if all educatorsmake it their concern and devote considerable effort to it.

COMPETENCY 9 • TO COMMUNICATE APPROPRIATELY


The language of

instruction represents

the principal tool and

means of access to

culture.

39Cross-Curricular Competencies Communication-Related Competency

PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

The children express themselves spontaneously and orga-nize the content of their communications through action.They explore various modes of communication. They arebeginning to show an interest in what other people sayand do.


At the beginning of elementary school, students learn toprepare and convey their messages, taking into account

some of the requirements of the situation and some rulesspecific to the mode of communication they are using. Indiscussions, they observe the reactions of others andgradually become interested in their messages.

Later, the students plan their communication activities ingreater detail. They are able to clarify the purpose of theircommunication and to structure their messages, takinginto account many elements of the codes and rules of themode of communication they are using. They are moreand more attentive to the reactions of the recipients oftheir communications and have greater understanding of

the effects of their messages. They discern the point ofview of the other person, identify success factors andsuggest ways to improve their own communication.

Towards the end of elementary school, students are ableto take into account the different aspects of a communi-cation situation. They express themselves with a certainease. Increasingly concerned by the factors that favoursuccessful communication, they make an effort to respectthe rules and codes of the mode of communication used.Their ability to analyze has improved, and they evaluatetheir own communication efforts more rigorously.


Evaluation Criteria– Clarity, appropriateness and precision

of the purpose of the communication ➊ ➋ ➌

– Coherence of the message ➊ ➋ ➌

– Use of appropriate symbols or vocabulary ➊ ➋ ➌

– Observance of codes and conventions ➊ ➋ ➌

– Critical, dynamic reception of communications from others ➊ ➋ ➌

– Self-analysis and evaluation ➊ ➋ ➌


To establish the purpose of the communication. Toconsider the purpose of the communication and identifythe recipients. To explore ideas related to the situation.

To select the mode ofcommunication. To selectone or more appropriatemodes of communication,bearing in mind the pur-pose, the context and theintended recipients.

To carry out the communication. To observe the appropriate con-ventions for the mode of communication used. To adapt the com-munication on the basis of the reactions of the recipients. To rec-ognize the strategies used throughout the process.

TO COMMUNICATE

APPROPRIATELY

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Cross-Curricular Competencies - Elementary€¦ · Cross-Curricular Competencies 2.1 Intellectual Competencies 15 The intellectual competencies call on even the youngest students