Detailed Sample Task: EAL Literacy

CLB 3L-Writing
Recording Information

Education and Learning

Real-World Task

Choose 4 vocabulary words and copy their meanings and sample sentences.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Present simple
Connecting words: and, or, but, so
Basic knowledge of some vocabulary related to school and education

Context:

Recording words, definitions, and sample sentences in a personal dictionary is a good strategy for building your vocabulary.
This task can be done in the context of any vocabulary. In this example, it uses common classroom actions and behaviours as the vocabulary.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

vocabulary
dictionary
meaning
example
learning actions: copy, compare, explain, discuss
school supply words: binder, book, paper, pencil, pen, eraser, stapler, scissors, hole punch
classroom words: desk, table, chair, board, computer

Sample Grammar:

you as an indefinite pronoun (more common than using one)

Dependent clause: When you ______, you… e.g. When you copy, you write what you see.

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

Definitions or meanings use other words to explain what a word means.
Example sentences use the vocabulary word in a simple sentence that shows its meaning and how it is used.
Both definitions and examples can help you learn a word.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

A personal dictionary can help you to learn and practice new words.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Discuss as a class: what strategies (How) do you use to learn new words? Brainstorm a list of strategies on the board, such as a personal dictionary, vocabulary cards, word wall, underline new words when you see them, watching TV, listening to the radio, speaking English in class and outside of class, and so on.
Using vocabulary cards with words and clear photographs, practice school supply words and classroom words. Do activities such as matching and sorting.
Play games to practice vocabulary such as Bingo, Go Fish, and Memory.
Work with a partner. Look at a flyer for school supplies or at an online site and match vocabulary words to the items in the flyer or online.
Write a list of the vocabulary on the board. Have learners take turns explaining what each word means. Elicit a sample sentence for each vocabulary word.
Create a personal dictionary for each learner with space for them to write a vocabulary word, a simple meaning, and an example sentence. At the start of each class, have learners copy 2 new vocabulary words, meanings, and a simple example sentence for each into their dictionaries.
Discuss the meaning of learning action words: copy, compare, explain, and discuss. Have learners work with a partner and write the correct word into the blank of a simple sentence that shows its meaning.
Work with a partner to write meanings for the learning action words: copy, compare, explain, and discuss. Use the sentence stem to write the meanings: When you copy, you write the same word or sentence, and so on.
Read a simple instructor-made story about learning new words. Match vocabulary words to words in the story and complete simple comprehension questions. Compare your answers with a partner.
Choose 3 of the school supply vocabulary words and write a sentence for each word. Complete a short checklist to edit your sentences for a capital letter, period, and the correct ending on the verb.
In a small group, write suggestions for learning vocabulary on a sheet of chart paper.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Match 4 vocabulary words with their meanings and write a sample sentence for each word.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Choose 4 vocabulary words and copy their meanings and sample sentences.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Some learners may not be used to a communicative approach to language learning and may not immediately see the value of group work, games, or talking about learning strategies. Be transparent with the purpose of each activity and help learners to see what they are learning.

Digital Literacy Strategies:

Successful completion of some tasks may require some baseline knowledge and digital skills.

Learners may need to:

Have keyboarding and typing skills.
Locate, navigate and use websites.
Use familiar apps, social media platforms and web pages.
Read information from a screen.

Instructors can:

Dedicate time to improve digital literacy for learners.
Make and/or adapt digital materials.
Introduce websites and/or apps that are relevant to the task(s).
Support learners in finding, navigating and using websites.
Teach reading strategies such as skimming and scanning to find information on websites or apps.
Introduce tools and apps that can aid learners in coping with communication barriers, such as translation, pronunciation, text to speech, speech to text tools and so on.
Share knowledge and strategies to ensure online safety.
Refer learners to programs to improve their digital skills.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:

Discuss with learners where to purchase school supplies if needed. Find strategies for finding school supplies on sale, such as during August at back-to-school sales. Discuss the balance between price and quality; sometimes the cheapest school supplies are poor quality and more expensive in the long run.
Use diverse representations of people in all your learning resources and images, including people who are 2SLGBTQ+, Indigenous, Francophone and of other cultures, and people who have disabilities or who are neurodivergent. Consider this diversity as you choose names for characters in stories you create as well.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma Triggers:

Learners who have had negative experiences in school may be triggered by this topic. Be aware of any learner who needs extra support.
When teaching about Canada, you may teach about things that are triggering to learners who have experienced trauma. We can’t know what the triggers might be and what seems commonplace to us may have a triggering component for learners. Be aware of this and be prepared to support learners as needed.

Strategies:

Give learners advance warning of this topic and be aware that there may be learners who require support.
Learners who have experienced trauma often benefit from having routine. Create a safe and supportive classroom environment by establishing familiar routines, repeated activities, and model friendly and non-evaluative interactions.
Learners will benefit from positive relationships established in the classroom with the instructor and peers.
Learners who have experienced trauma benefit from having choices.
- Allow learners choice:
  - the choice to work on a different topic
  - the choice to share or not share their own experiences
  - the choice to work alone or to work with others
  - the choice to take care of themselves
  - the choice to step out of the learning environment
When learners have shared personal distressing or traumatic experiences, make space for learners to feel safe and recover from the experience of sharing their experiences. Follow the activities which may make learners feel vulnerable with routine, predictable and comforting activities.
Giving learners the knowledge, skills and language to access resources can be empowering.

Resources

Outings, Guest Speaker Suggestions, Extension Activities:

Have learners share their strategies for learning vocabulary with another class.
Give learners an imaginary budget of $25 and a flyer for school supplies. Give them a list of things to buy, and have them work in a small group to circle the items in the flyer they would purchase.
Create a class poster on some ideas for learning vocabulary.

Realia:

Classroom items, such as staplers, hole-punches, pencils, etc.
Flyers for school supplies

Units and Modules:

Tutela (CCLB): Communicating with a Child’s School: CLB 3/4 (Not literacy but can be adapted)
Tutela: Classroom Instructions: CLB 3 (Not literacy but can be adapted)

Lessons and Activities:

LINC 3 Classroom Activities: Education (p. 311-342) (Not literacy but can be adapted)
Tutela (Archway): Items in the Classroom: CLB 1L/2L (Not the right level but can be adapted)
Tutela (OCDSB): Assessment Task: Understanding School Rules: CLB 3 (Not literacy but can be adapted)
Tutela (OCDSB): Assessment Task: Filling Out a School Registration Form: CLB 3 (Not literacy but can be adapted)
A search of NLCG (nlcg.achev.ca) may provide additional tasks that can be adapted.

Multimedia:

Tutela: ESL Image Bank: Education