Learning Skills Report Card Comments: An Ontario Teacher’s Guide with Examples

The Learning Skills and Work Habits section is the first thing parents see on an Ontario report card. It sits above every subject, it appears on the fall progress report and both provincial report cards, and in Grades 1–8 it is usually the homeroom teacher who writes it. That makes it the comment most worth getting right — and, by the twenty-fifth student, the one most likely to start sounding the same.

The six learning skills and work habits

Growing Success sets out six skills, each with sample behaviours. The behaviours below are quoted from the current provincial report card templates. They are examples to guide you, not a checklist to work through.

E, G, S and N

Each skill is rated E (Excellent), G (Good), S (Satisfactory) or N (Needs Improvement). The ratings are already on the page, so the comment should not repeat them. Its job is to explain them: what the student does well, and what they should work on next.

What the comment has to do

In the space for anecdotal comments, the policy asks teachers to elaborate on the student’s demonstration of the skills and to comment on "strengths" and "next steps for improvement". In practice, a strong comment:

• picks the two or three most significant skills rather than all six
• describes observable behaviour, not character
• names one specific next step the student can act on next term
• suggests how home can help, where it is natural to do so

Examples by profile

Mostly E: an independent, organized learner (Grade 5)

Amira plans her time well and uses class time productively, often extending her learning by researching topics beyond class discussions. In group work she encourages others and helps the group reach its goals. A next step is to take on a leadership role, supporting classmates who are less confident in sharing their ideas.

Mostly G, with Self-Regulation at S (Grade 3)

Noah is a kind classmate who shares materials and includes others in group activities. He completes his class work and returns homework on time. Noah is learning to manage his feelings when a task feels difficult. A next step is to use a strategy from his calm-down plan and then ask for help. Talking at home about what he can do when he feels stuck will support this goal.

Responsibility and Organization at N (Grade 7)

Lucas shows curiosity and participates with enthusiasm in class discussions, and he responds positively to his classmates’ ideas. Several assignments were not submitted by the agreed-upon dates this term. A next step is for Lucas to use a planner to break assignments into smaller steps with due dates. Reviewing the plan together at home each week will support his progress.

Notice what the N comment does not say: "disorganized", "lazy", "never hands anything in". It opens with a real strength, states the concern as a fact, and gives a plan a twelve-year-old can follow.

Phrases worth retiring

• "Keep up the good work" — a compliment, not a next step
• "Needs to focus" — focus on what, and how will you both know?
• "Always" / "never" — rarely true, and easy to dispute
• "Is a pleasure to have in class" — says more about the teacher than the student
• "Is capable of more" — name the behaviour that would show it

Progress report or provincial report card?

The fall Elementary Progress Report Card (issued between October 20 and November 20) has the same six skills and the same E/G/S/N ratings. Keep the comment shorter and forward-looking: it describes how the student has settled in and sets a goal for the first provincial report card in January or February.

Secondary teachers

In Grades 9–12 the six skills are rated for every course, and teachers may comment on them in each course’s comment space. Because secondary comment fields are short, one sentence on the most significant skill — tied to the course — is usually enough.

Sources

• Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools (2010) — chapters 2 and 6
• Elementary and secondary report card templates