Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce is extending the province's "back to basics" curriculum initiative into kindergarten, aiming to reinforce literacy and math skills among the youngest learners.
The government intends to spend the next year consulting on new mandatory learning for kindergarten, including the foundations of coding, with plans to release the updated curriculum in the spring of 2025 for implementation in September of the same year.
Minister Lecce emphasizes that the new curriculum will ensure students possess strong reading, writing, and math skills as they enter Grade 1. The changes are aligned with the government's commitment to a "back to basics" approach, previously implemented in elementary curricula for math, science, and language.
The proposed modifications to the kindergarten curriculum aim to better align it with the updated Grade 1 requirements. The full-day nature of the kindergarten program, the staffing model involving teachers and early childhood educators, and the play-based learning approach will remain unchanged.
Government officials assert that the revisions respond to recommendations from the Ontario Human Rights Commission's Right to Read report, focusing on making curriculum expectations more explicit. New learning components will include understanding sound-letter relationships, developing phonics knowledge, and introducing specific vocabulary. Additionally, the curriculum will cover the concept of fractions and the foundations of coding.
Minister Lecce stated, "It's critical that our youngest students develop core foundational skills earlier on in their lives," emphasizing the government's commitment to academic achievement, common sense, and excellence in literacy and STEM disciplines.
The current kindergarten curriculum has been in place since 2016.
In a related development, the Ontario government is introducing mandatory learning through clear and direct instruction in reading, writing, and math for kindergarten students. This initiative, combined with hands-on and play-based learning, is designed to ensure students entering Grade 1 have foundational skills in literacy and math. The changes, set to begin in September 2025, mark the next step in Ontario's plan to modernize the curriculum and equip every student for success in the classroom.
The province's investment in early reading screening, training for educators, and targeted instruction for students needing additional support is part of a broader effort to boost literacy skills among young learners. The government's commitment includes a $65 million investment over the coming years to support reading intervention and an additional $12.5 million for a ministry-approved, evidence-based early reading screening tool.
Ontario's "back to basics" education strategy aims to set a strong foundation for academic achievement, emphasizing literacy and STEM disciplines for the province's students.