The Quebec Education Program (Q.E.P.) divides elementary education into three two-year cycles. This organizational model takes into account the need for a long-term approach in developing competencies. It corresponds better to the students’ learning rate and permits more differentiated teaching practices.
The Q.E.P. is designed as a system with three integrating elements: subject areas, broad areas of learning and cross-curricular competencies. Its structure is intended to facilitate the establishment of connections among the different educational components.
Subject Areas
Within the Elementary Education Program, there are 14 programs (courses) of study organized into the following six subject areas:
- Languages
- Mathematics
- Science and Technology
- Arts Education
- Personal Development
- Social Sciences
Broad Areas of Learning
The broad areas of learning help students relate subject-specific knowledges to their daily concerns and thus give them a better grasp of reality. There are five broad areas of learning in the Québec Education Program:
- Health and Well Being
- Personal and Career Planning
- Environmental Awareness and Consumer Rights and Responsabilities
Cross Curricular Competencies
Cross-curricular competencies represent goals that are common to the whole curriculum. They apply to all the broad areas of learning and are also closely linked to the subject areas. The Q.E.P. containes nine cross-curricular competencies grouped into four categories:
- Intellectual: To use information to solve problems, to exercise critical judgment and to use creativity.
- Methodological: To adopt effective work methods, to use information and communications technologies.
- Personal and Social: To construct his/her identity and to cooperate with others.
- Communication: To communicate appropriately with others.
