“Students require an understanding of self as the basis for making healthy choices, having healthy interactions with others and using resources wisely, as well as for lifelong career development. They also require information, planning tools and processes to make decisions and develop action plans for effective life management.” Career and Life Management
In the Alberta Health and Life Skills K-9 Framework, media literacy is highlighted under the heading Program Rational and Philosophy in the section Responsible, Healthy Choices:
Many curricular expectations in B.C. English Language Arts courses relate to media and digital literacy. Media and digital literacy skills and concepts can be found in the Core Competencies of Communication, Thinking and Personal & Social, as well as many of the Big Ideas, Curricular Competencies and specific course content.
In the Northwest Territories Health Education, media literacy outcomes for are included under the broader categories of Mental and Emotional Well Being; Nutrition; Safety; Responsibilty; Family Life; and Alcohol and Other Drugs.
The expectations in the compulsory courses of the English curriculum are organized in four strands, or broad areas of learning: Oral Communication, Reading and Literature Studies, Writing, and Media Studies. The program in all grades is designed to develop a range of essential skills in these four interrelated areas, built on a solid foundation of knowledge of the conventions of standard English and incorporating the use of analytical, critical, and metacognitive thinking skills.
The Ontario Canadian and World Studies curriculum covers topics that pertain to media education. The Canadian and world studies program encompasses five subjects: economics, geography, history, law, and politics; all subjects that encompass media education themes. The grade eleven and twelve curriculum document, Canadian and World Studies, include the following goal:
The Language grades 1-8 released in 2023 is based in part on the principle that “a modern English curriculum reflects emerging technologies and their impact on communication and digital media literacy,” which is defined as combining “the ability to combine the multimodal properties of media literacy with the technological capabilities of digital literacy.”
In Ontario, media components are included throughout the Healthy Active Living Education curriculum, especially within the Substance Use and Abuse and Living Skills Strand:
Strands in English
The expectations in the compulsory courses of the English curriculum are organized in four strands, or broad areas of learning: Oral Communication, Reading and Literature Studies, Writing, and Media Studies. The program in all grades is designed to develop a range of essential skills in these four interrelated areas, built on a solid foundation of knowledge of the conventions of standard English and incorporating the use of analytical, critical, and metacognitive thinking skills.
Media Studies Strand
In Ontario, media components are included throughout the Healthy Living Strand of the Health and Physical Education Curriculum, Grades 1-8.