- Definition
A "text" is anything that communicates a message, like a book, a picture, a song, or a video, using words, sounds, or images.
A stop sign is a text that tells drivers to stop.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A text is like a message someone is trying to send you, whether it's in a book, on a sign, or in a drawing.
Ask your child: What message is this picture sending?
Common mix-up: Kids often think a text is just words in a storybook. A text is anything that sends a message, like a picture, a sign, or even a song.
Examples
- A storybook that you read at bedtime is a text.
- A drawing your child makes is a text that shares their ideas.
- A traffic light is a visual text that tells us when to go or stop.
text is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
- Grade 3 The Arts
- Grade 5 The Arts
- Grade 6 The Arts
- Grade 7 The Arts
- Grade 8 The Arts
- Kindergarten Kindergarten
+322 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
