Videos: EQAO Assessments

Welcome. This video will provide information on what students can expect when participating in the EQAO Assessments of Reading, Writing and Mathematics, Primary and Junior Divisions. These assessments are be administered to students in Grade 3 and Grade 6 in Ontario schools in the spring.

Students who attend publicly funded schools in person will complete the EQAO assessments during the regular school day. Schools have the flexibility to determine when assessment sessions will be scheduled within the administration dates set by EQAO.

The primary- and junior-division assessments align with the expectations in The Ontario Curriculum and measure the reading, writing and mathematics skills students are expected to have learned by the end of Grade 3 for the primary-division assessment, and by the end of Grade 6 for the junior-division assessment. Results from the EQAO assessments are used to inform improvement at the student, school, school board and provincial levels. The results also help parents and guardians and educators to understand how students are doing in literacy and numeracy.

The information helps policy-makers, researchers and other individuals invested in student learning in Ontario to determine how to support school improvement and student success. Students will use an electronic device to complete the online assessment at school. For those who cannot complete the assessment online, an alternative version is available.

Each assessment has a language component consisting of different sessions, and a mathematics component consisting of different stages. Students complete a session or stage in one continuous sitting.

These sessions or stages can be undertaken back-to-back with breaks in between or on different dates and times.

The language component consists of four sessions: two reading sessions and two writing sessions. Each session is designed to be completed within approximately 35 minutes. The mathematics component contains a total of four stages.

Each stage is designed to be completed in approximately 30 minutes.

During the assessment, students will be presented with visually engaging and age-appropriate content. Breathing exercises are included in the online platform. These are designed to help students stay calm and focused. Each assessment contains a variety of question types, including single-selection, multiple-selection, drag and drop, drop-down menu and checklist items.

In the language component, students are also given open-response questions. At the end of the assessment, students have the opportunity to complete a  questionnaire that asks them about their attitudes and perceptions with respect to reading, writing and mathematics and their learning environment, such as the ability to work in groups, and transferable skills. EQAO will use questionnaire data to provide schools, school boards, teachers and parents and guardians with information on how students’ attitudes and perceptions, including growth mindset and access to technology, are related to students’ mathematics and language achievement.

Students can familiarize themselves with the online platform by participating in an introductory session in class with their teacher before completing the assessment. The introductory session allows students to explore the built-in tools available to them during the assessment. For example, students can try out the highlighter and the eraser. Other tools include a line reading tool, a built-in calculator in the mathematics component, and the ability to make rough notes in the junior-division language component.

The primary- and junior-division mathematics components each have French–English and English–French glossaries. Students completing the mathematics component of the junior-division assessment also have access to the EQAO Formula Sheet. All students can use the built-in accessibility tools, such as the zoom in and zoom out feature, a text-to-speech reader and a high-contrast view, during the assessment.

Additionally, students will have access to both the language and mathematics components in the sample test during the introductory session.

The sample test includes the various types of questions that will be on the actual assessment. Here is a question from the reading section of the language component of the primary-division sample test. Anyone who would like to become familiar with the format of the primary- and junior-division assessments and the types of questions that they contain can find the sample tests on EQAO’s website.

Since EQAO assessments are aligned with The Ontario Curriculum, which is used for classroom instruction, students do not require additional preparation. Framework documents for each assessment are available for review on EQAO’s website. Frameworks provide details on each assessment, such as the curriculum expectations that are assessed and how the questions will be scored, and the frameworks include a sample Individual Student Report.

As EQAO seeks to continuously improve its programs, it engages students to ensure that their voices are being heard. The EQAO Student Engagement Committee (or ESEC) is a unique forum for students to share their ideas and experiences. ESEC is made up of students from all over Ontario and provides recommendations on how EQAO can improve its assessments and programs, and increase student engagement.

ESEC members have shared with EQAO that students are less likely to feel nervous when they have positive discussions about EQAO’s assessments before completing the assessments.

ESEC members have also indicated that students appreciate encouraging conversations about their ability to be successful on the assessments. It is important for students to feel supported and hear that they are ready to take the assessments. Individual student results are made available to schools in the fall of the following school year. Students will receive their Individual Student Report from their school to bring home.

EQAO uses the definitions from the Ontario Ministry of Education’s levels of achievement for how it reports achievement: Level 1 represents achievement that falls much below the provincial standard. Level 2 represents achievement that  approaches the provincial standard. Level 3 represents achievement that meets the provincial standard. Level 4 identifies achievement that surpasses the provincial standard

The provincial standard is not used to determine if a student passes or fails. The provincial standard is simply an established target that helps to determine if the student is prepared for work in subsequent grades. Results on the primary- and junior-division assessments are not included in grades that appear on report cards for students. Please visit www.eqao.com to learn more about the Education Quality and Accountability Office and the EQAO assessments in which Ontario students participate in elementary and secondary schools.

Welcome. This video will provide information on what students can expect when participating in EQAO’s Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics.

EQAO assessments provide parents, guardians and educators with information about student attitudes and achievement in literacy and numeracy in Ontario’s education system. The information provided assists policymakers and researchers in making decisions about and supporting continuous improvement in students’ learning.

The Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics is administered near the end of the Grade 9 mathematics course. Educators have the flexibility to determine when assessment sessions will be scheduled within the administration windows set by EQAO.

EQAO assessments have been modernized to allow for a more engaging and student-focused experience. Students will complete the online assessment at school.

The questions in the assessment align with the expectations in The Ontario Curriculum and measure the knowledge and skills students are expected to have learned by the end of the Grade 9 mathematics course.

The assessment consists of questions that cover students’ knowledge and skills in the following strands: Number, Algebra, Data, Geometry and Measurement, and Financial Literacy.

Although the assessment does not measure the content in the Mathematical Thinking and Making Connections strand, students will be required to apply the mathematical processes while completing the assessment.

The Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics is an online assessment that includes two sessions—Session A and Session B. Each session has two stages and is designed to be completed in approximately 60 minutes. The assessment uses a multi-stage computer adaptive testing model that adapts to individual students’ performance as they progress through each assessment session.

At the end of the two assessment sessions, students will complete a voluntary questionnaire that asks them about their attitudes and perceptions with respect to mathematics and their learning environment. EQAO will use this data to provide schools, boards, teachers and parents and guardians with information on how student attitudes and perceptions are related to students’ mathematics achievement.

Students will have an opportunity to participate in an introductory session of the assessment with their teacher. This will help familiarize them with the online e-assessment platform.

During this introductory session, students will complete a sample test and tool exploration, where they can try out the tools that will be available during the assessment, such as the tool for drawing lines, the highlighter tool and the eraser tool.

All students can also use the assessment’s built-in accessibility tools, including the line reader, the zoom-in and zoom-out features, a text-to-speech reader and a high-contrast mode.

A built-in calculator is also provided. The EQAO formula sheet, which includes mathematical formulas students may require during the assessment, and the EQAO English–French and French‒English glossaries are also available in the e-assessment platform. Students can have hard copies of the glossaries to use during the assessment.

Students are also allowed to use their own calculator (scientific or graphing) and a pencil, and paper for rough work during the assessment.

Before completing the assessment, students also have access to reminders of test-taking strategies, and relaxation and visualization activities to help them stay calm and focused.

There are a variety of question types that students may complete during the assessment, such as single-selection, multiple-selection, drag and drop, and drop-down menu questions.

Anyone who would like to become familiar with the format of the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics, and the types of questions that may be included in the assessment, can refer to the sample test on EQAO’s website.

Since the assessment is aligned with The Ontario Curriculum, which is used for classroom instruction, the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics does not require additional preparation.

A framework document that provides a description of the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics, including what is assessed and the assessment design, is available on EQAO’s website. The framework also includes an assessment blueprint that shows how many questions students complete from the different strands of the Ontario Grade 9 mathematics curriculum.

Individual Student Reports, or (ISRs) are made available to teachers after the completion of the assessment sessions. Students will receive their report from their teacher to bring home.

The ISRs provide information about each student’s achievement on the assessment. Results of this assessment may be included as part of a student’s final course mark as per the Ministry of Education’s Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools (2010) document. This information enables students, parents and guardians and teachers to plan for improvement.

Please visit www.eqao.com to learn more about the Education Quality and Accountability Office.

Welcome. This video will provide information on what students can expect when participating in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT).

The results of all EQAO assessments provide valuable information about Ontario’s education system at the school, school board and provincial levels.

The outcomes also help parents and guardians and educators understand how students are doing in literacy and math.

The information helps policy-makers, researchers and others to support continuous improvement in the school system.

The OSSLT assesses literacy only and will be administered at schools in the fall, and again in the spring. The test is scheduled to take place during the regular school day. Schools have the flexibility to determine when test sessions will be scheduled within the administration periods set by EQAO. 

The test is grounded in the Ontario Curriculum expectations for all subjects that address reading and writing skills up to the end of Grade 9. Students can take the test starting in Grade 10.

Successfully completing the OSSLT, or completing the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (known as the OSSLC), is a graduation requirement as established by the government.

For most students, this means successfully completing the OSSLT. 

The test is offered online. Students are required to use a digital device to complete the test in person at their school. Accommodations are available based on student need.

The OSSLT includes two sessions—Session A and Session B. Session A is designed to be completed in approximately 65 minutes, and Session B in approximately 75 minutes. 

At the end of the two test sessions, students complete a voluntary questionnaire that asks them about their attitudes and perceptions with respect to literacy. 

The test is made up of various reading and writing selected-response and open-response questions. There are four different types of reading selections: real-life narrative, information paragraph, news report and dialogue.

There are a variety of question types, such as single-selection, multiple-selection, drag and drop, drop-down menu and checklist questions. Students are also presented with opportunities to write longer answers to open-response questions. 

Each student’s outcome is determined by their answers to the selected-response questions and by the scores achieved on the open-response questions. 

Prior to writing the OSSLT, students can become familiar with the test by taking the practice test on the EQAO website. Teachers can also organize a practice session in class. This will help familiarize them with the online assessment platform. 

Students can try out the built-in tools that will be available during the online test. For example, students can try the highlighter and the eraser. There is also a line reader, a tool for underlining text and a tool for keeping rough notes.

All students can use the test’s built-in tools, such as the zoom-in and zoom-out features, a text-to-speech reader and a high-contrast view. 

Before writing the test, students also have access to a minds-on activity, reminders of test-taking strategies, and relaxation and visualization activities to help them stay calm and focused.

Anyone who would like to become familiar with the format of the OSSLT, and the types of questions that will be asked, can refer to the practice test on EQAO’s website.

The OSSLT does not require additional preparation, as it is aligned with The Ontario Curriculum, which is used for classroom instruction.  

You can find, on our website, the OSSLT framework document, which explains what is assessed on the OSSLT and how the test questions are scored. 

Individual Student Reports are made available to schools following the scoring. Students will receive a report from their school to bring home. 

The Individual Student Report provides the outcome for each student who completed the test. This information enables students, parents and guardians and teachers to plan for improvement.

Please visit www.eqao.com to learn more about the Education Quality and Accountability Office.