Ontario Report Card Comments for Grades 7 and 8: Examples and Tips
Report card comments take forever. You know your students, but finding fresh words for 24 (or 30) kids, in every subject, with a strength and a next step each time, is where the hours go. This guide covers how Ontario report cards work for Grades 7 and 8, a simple formula for writing comments, and a bank of examples you can adapt for learning skills and each subject.
How Ontario report cards work in Grades 7 and 8
Ontario reports to families under the Growing Success policy (the province's overview is here), with three reports a year:
The fall progress report card: each subject is marked as progressing with difficulty, progressing well or progressing very well, with comments on strengths and next steps. Learning skills are rated too.
The Term 1 provincial report card (usually January or February): Grades 7 and 8 get percentage marks, plus comments.
The Term 2 provincial report card (June): final percentage marks and comments.
Two changes from 2023 are worth knowing. Language now gets one overall mark instead of separate marks for reading, writing, oral communication and media literacy. History and Geography each get their own comment box.
Learning skills and work habits are rated E (Excellent), G (Good), S (Satisfactory) or N (Needs Improvement) in six areas: Responsibility, Organization, Independent Work, Collaboration, Initiative and Self-Regulation.
A simple formula for every comment
Name the strength, using the language of the curriculum.
Give evidence: a task, a unit or a specific thing the student did.
Give one clear next step the student can actually work on.
For example: "[Name] explains how the parts of a cell work together, using clear diagrams and accurate vocabulary in their Cells unit project. Next, [Name] will add evidence from their own observations to support their conclusions."
Keep the student at the centre, keep it positive but honest, and skip the jargon. Parents should be able to read it once and know what to do at home.
Learning skills comment examples
Responsibility
Strength: [Name] consistently completes and submits work on time and takes ownership of their learning.
Next step: [Name] will benefit from using an agenda to track due dates and plan ahead for larger assignments.
Organization
Strength: [Name] plans their work carefully, breaking larger tasks into manageable steps.
Next step: [Name] is encouraged to keep their materials organized so they can find notes and handouts quickly.
Independent Work
Strength: [Name] stays focused during independent work and follows instructions with little support.
Next step: [Name] will work on starting tasks promptly and using class resources before asking for help.
Collaboration
Strength: [Name] works well with others, shares ideas respectfully and helps their group reach its goals.
Next step: [Name] is encouraged to invite quieter group members to share their ideas.
Initiative
Strength: [Name] approaches new tasks with curiosity and often extends their learning beyond what is required.
Next step: [Name] will benefit from asking questions and taking risks when a task feels challenging.
Self-Regulation
Strength: [Name] sets goals, monitors their progress and perseveres when work becomes difficult.
Next step: [Name] will continue to practise strategies for managing frustration, such as taking a short break and returning to the task.
Subject comment examples
Language
[Name] makes thoughtful connections between texts and their own experiences, supporting their ideas with evidence from the text. Next, [Name] will work on organizing their written responses into clear paragraphs with a topic sentence.
[Name] writes descriptive pieces with vivid word choice and a strong voice. To improve, [Name] will revise their work for sentence variety and edit carefully for spelling and punctuation.
[Name] analyzes how media texts try to persuade their audience. Next, [Name] will explain how specific techniques, such as word choice and images, shape the message.
Mathematics
[Name] solves multi-step problems involving fractions, decimals and percents, and clearly explains their thinking. Next, [Name] will check their answers for reasonableness by estimating first.
[Name] accurately solves two-step equations and can explain each step. To improve, [Name] will practise representing problems with equations before solving them.
[Name] creates a realistic budget and explains how saving and spending choices affect financial goals. Next, [Name] will compare options using unit rates to make informed decisions.
Science and Technology
[Name] explains how cells, tissues and organs work together, using accurate scientific vocabulary. Next, [Name] will strengthen their lab reports by stating a clear hypothesis and linking their conclusion to it.
[Name] designs and tests structures, identifying the forces and loads that act on them. To improve, [Name] will record observations more carefully during testing so they can explain changes to their design.
[Name] uses the particle theory to explain how heat moves through solids, liquids and gases. Next, [Name] will evaluate the costs and benefits of a heat-producing technology using evidence.
History and Geography
History: [Name] uses primary sources to explain different perspectives on events in Canada's past. Next, [Name] will support their conclusions with more specific evidence from their research.
Geography: [Name] interprets maps, graphs and data to describe global patterns. To improve, [Name] will explain how these patterns affect quality of life in different countries.
French
[Name] participates willingly in conversations in French and uses familiar vocabulary with confidence. Next, [Name] will expand their sentences using connecting words such as « parce que » and « mais ».
[Name] reads short French texts and identifies the main idea. To improve, [Name] will use context clues to work out unfamiliar words.
Next-step starters when you're stuck
[Name] will benefit from...
[Name] is encouraged to...
Next, [Name] will work on...
To improve, [Name] will...
At home, [Name] can practise...
Tips that save time
Write as you go. Jot one strength and one next step per student after each big task, and the report card mostly writes itself.
Build your own bank. Save every comment you're proud of in one document, sorted by subject and unit.
Watch the character count. Your board's software limits each comment, so write short and specific.
Personalize every comment. A bank gets you started, but one detail only that student would recognize makes all the difference.
Check your board's guidelines. Boards differ on pronouns, names and wording, so follow your own board's guide first.
Resources that include ready-made comments
Several of my resources come with report card comments written for the task, so you can assess and report in one go:
For science, my guide to every Grade 7 and 8 Ontario science unit lists what students learn in each unit, which makes it easier to write specific comments.
Comments