Real-World Task Guidelines:
Stage II
CLB 6
Canadian Workplace Culture
Possible Topics
This theme may include these topic areas:
And so on
Planning Context
Learners may require the following:
- Use of a unilingual dictionary
- Support understanding faster conversations or abstract, idiomatic and colloquial language
- Support understanding appropriate levels of formality and tone, especially in relation to hierarchy and relationships in the workplace
- Explicit language instruction to convey respect, appreciation and inclusivity
- Information on resources, supports, services and programs related to the theme
Instructors may need to:
- Explain abstract, idiomatic or colloquial language and/ or cultural references
- Include teaching of pragmatics, strategic competence and sociolinguistic knowledge (cultural references, non-verbal communication, sociolinguistic norms and attitudes, speech styles and registers)
- Include collaborative group and pair work to apply the learned skills and promote the development of communication skills and teamwork
- Adapt online resources for accessibility/ use in the classroom and explain that certain tasks are authentically completed online
- Incorporate learning of background information related to the theme
Comprehending Instructions
Understand moderately complex directions and instructions for technical or non-technical tasks.
- Follows sequence markers or other linguistic clues to infer order of steps.
- Responds with actions to directions and instructions.
Interacting With Others
Understand common social exchanges.
- Identifies specific factual details and implied meanings.
- Identifies mood, attitude and emotional states from tone and intonation.
Interacting With Others
Participate in routine social conversations for some everyday purposes.
- Uses and responds to small talk.
- Encourages conversation by adding supportive comments.
Getting Things Done
Understand moderately complex communication intended to influence or persuade in everyday, personally relevant situations.
- Identifies main intent, main ideas, factual details, words and expressions.
- Identifies the functions of utterances (such as suggestions, encouragement and requests).
Getting Things Done
Give and respond to informal and somewhat formal suggestions and indirect requests.
- Conveys a developing ability to make indirect requests appropriately.
- Uses modals with the appropriate level of politeness.
Interacting With Others
Participate in routine social conversations for some everyday purposes.
- Introduces someone to a small familiar group in a way that is appropriate to the situation and audience.
- Uses and responds to small talk
Giving Instructions
Give sequential instructions and directions for everyday activities and processes.
- Uses sequencing intonation so that the listener can follow.
- Checks to confirm understanding.
Sharing Information
Ask for and give information in some detail; express opinions, feelings, obligation, ability and certainty one-on-one and in small group discussions or meetings.
- Provides necessary information.
- Agrees and disagrees appropriately, when necessary.
Comprehending Information
Understand moderately complex descriptive or narrative texts on familiar topics.
- Distinguishes facts from opinions.
- Retells or summarizes.
Interacting With Others
Convey personal messages in short, formal, and informal correspondence for an expanding range of everyday social purposes.
- Conveys the intended meaning.
- Expresses main ideas and supports them with some detail.
Getting Things Done
Write short business or service correspondence for routine purposes.
- Conveys a sense of audience in language and format.
- Conveys the message clearly.
Getting Things Done
Write short business or service correspondence for routine purposes.
- Conveys a sense of audience in language and format.
- Conveys the intended message.
Additional Sample Real-World Tasks and Competency Areas
Listen to a brief, informal orientation from a co-worker. (Sharing Information)
Apologize to a supervisor for being unable to complete a project on time. (Interacting With Others)
Read a job application/resume and decide if the applicant has the skill set required for the job. (Getting Things Done)
Write an email or message to a co-worker to thank them for their help on a project. (Interacting With Others)
Additional Resources
- Avenue
- CCLB
- CCLB Language for Success: Language for Success–Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks
- Norquest College. LINC Works CLB 5. Tutela.ca | Resource
- Norquest College. Critical Incidents for Intercultural Communication in the Workplace – NorQuest College – Edmonton, Alberta
- TCDSB. Make Requests and Suggestions in Daily Life CLB 5-7.
- TCDSB. Interacting with Others CLB 5-7. Chapter 3: Interacting with Others (settlementatwork.org)
- Tutela Collections – Employment/Work: Tutela.ca | Collections
- VPL Skilled Immigrant Centre. Workplace Culture: A guide for newcomers to British Columbia
Digital Literacy Strategies
Successful completion of some tasks may require some baseline digital knowledge and skills.
Learners may need to:
- Have keyboarding and typing skills.
- Have an email address and be able to navigate email proficiently.
- Send and receive text messages.
- Understand and use email and meeting etiquette.
Instructors can:
- Introduce websites that are relevant to the task(s).
- Refer learners to programs to improve their digital skills.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategies
Instructors Can:
- Use diverse representations of people in all your learning resources and images, including people who are 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, Francophone and of other cultures, and people who have disabilities or who are neurodivergent.
- Recognize that learners with disabilities and learners who are neurodivergent may need accommodations in the workplace; when possible, help learners of all abilities understand their rights in the workplace.
Trauma-Informed Strategies
Triggers:
- Learners who have experienced trauma can be triggered by people in positions of authority; make sure learners understand their rights in the workplace and give strategies for making polite requests.
- Questioning can be triggering for learners who have experienced trauma; be careful with the tone of questions in any kind of performance review situation and make sure learners understand the purpose of the activities.
Strategies:
- Give learners advance warning of discussions of this topic.
- Giving learners the knowledge, skills and language to access resources can be empowering.
Sample Real World Tasks
This information is aligned with the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and is designed to help guide you in the planning process. You can use these sample real-world tasks to guide and inform your selection or creation of skill-building activities, skill-using tasks and assessment tasks.
These sample real-world tasks include the following: skill, real-world task, competency area, one competency statement and two sample indicators of ability. This is not an exhaustive list: there are more indicators of ability and information about this CLB level in Canadian Language Benchmarks English as a Second Language for Adults. Consult this resource for more information and to select your own competencies or indicators of ability. Remember, you can use more learner-friendly language in your materials and assessments.
This is NOT a lesson plan, module plan or curriculum.
