Ontario literacy test walkthroughs
The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) checks reading and writing skills taught through the end of Grade 9. Students ordinarily first write it in their second year of secondary school. EQAO provides a free online practice test with the same kinds of questions and tools students can expect to use. Start with EQAO’s official OSSLT page and practice test.
The two small exercises below are examples I made for this page, not questions from EQAO. Use the official practice test for the actual format and sample responses.
1. Reading: answer from the passage
Practice passage: “Last winter, the school library began staying open for an hour after classes. Students who needed a quiet place to finish work used the tables. The librarian said attendance was highest on days before major assignments were due.”
Question: What was one reason students used the library after school?
Walkthrough: Look for the sentence that answers the question directly. The passage says students used the tables because they needed a quiet place to finish work. “They liked the librarian” might sound plausible, but the passage does not say that. Choose an answer supported by the text rather than by a guess.
2. Writing: make the connection clear
Practice question: Should a school offer a quiet place to work after classes? Give a reason.
Possible response: “Yes. A quiet room after school would help students who cannot easily work at home. For example, a student who shares a room with younger siblings could finish a reading assignment before leaving school. That extra hour would give the student a place to concentrate and ask for help if a teacher is available.”
Walkthrough: The response answers the question, gives a concrete situation, and explains why that situation supports the answer. A different position could also work if the writer supports it. For real test practice, read the exact prompt and compare your response with EQAO’s scoring rubrics and sample student responses, which appear after its practice test.
EQAO describes the OSSLT as two online sessions with reading and writing questions, including selected responses and two written open responses. Test details and accommodations can change; check the current EQAO page and ask your school about your test arrangements.