Detailed Sample Task: EAL Literacy

CLB 2L-Listening
Comprehending Instructions

Indigenization

Real-World Task

Listen to simple 1-step instructions for making a very simple Indigenous craft.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Present simple

Context:

Indigenous Peoples were the first peoples in Canada and live everywhere in Canada.
There are three groups of Indigenous Peoples in Canada: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
There are many different Indigenous Peoples and cultures in Canada.
This task reflects the intention to include all people in Canada in the themes. The language skills in this task could be applied to other contexts.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

Sample Grammar:

Imperative voice for instructions

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

In an instruction, the first word in the sentence usually tells you the action to do, e.g. String the bead on the line.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Learning about crafts is a way to learn about someone’s culture.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Discuss as a class: who are Indigenous Peoples? Teach that Indigenous Peoples were in Canada first and have been in Canada since time immemorial. There are three main groups of Indigenous Peoples in Canada: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. Within these groups, there are many different Indigenous Peoples with their own cultures and languages.
Discuss as a class: what is culture? Elicit from learners things that are different in different cultures, such as language, clothes, beliefs, food, and traditions. Ask learners to share some unique parts of their culture such as special food, clothing, arts or housing.
Look at images of Indigenous art and crafts. Use Indigenous sources for these images. Teach words such as art, craft, make. Ask learners if they make anything from their culture.
Teach vocabulary using vocabulary cards with words and clear pictures. Use TPR (Total Physical Response). Call out the words and have learners respond by pointing to the correct word. Add actions if possible.
Practice the vocabulary by playing games such as Bingo, matching, Go Fish, and Memory.
Incorporate phonics activities based on vocabulary words and other vocabulary related to the topic.
Read a story from Canadian Indigenous Content about making traditional crafts. Read a story to learners, choral read the story, and echo read the story. Identify vocabulary words in the story. Read the story multiple times over the course of the lessons to practice pronunciation, intonation, and fluency.
Use TPR to practice giving instructions in the imperative voice. Give basic physical instructions (e.g. stand up, sit down, pick up your book, touch your pencil, point to your nose, say hi to a classmate, and so on) and have learners respond with actions. After a few rounds, have learners work in small groups. One learner takes a turn calling out instructions while the others respond with actions.
Give learners a set of sticky notes with colours written on them plus an example of that colour (e.g. red with a patch of red coloured onto the note). Have them fix their sticky notes to things of that colour in the classroom. Set a timer and race to see who can place their sticky notes the fastest.
Practice making a very simple craft, such as stringing beads.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Listen to a few simple instructions about familiar crafts (such as the crafts you’ve read about for this task) and circle the correct picture for each craft.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Listen to simple 1-step instructions for making a very simple Indigenous craft, such as String the beads onto the line.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Indigenous cultures are an important part of Canadian culture.

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.
Read information from a screen.
Navigate camera and microphone
Adjust volume on device

Instructors can:

Dedicate time to improve digital literacy for learners
Make and/ or adapt digital materials.
Introduce websites that are relevant to the task(s).
Support learners in finding, navigating and using websites.
Show learners how to zoom in and zoom out on a digital map.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:

Ensure that the images and cultural representations of Indigenous peoples are diverse and free from stereotypes and biases.
Raise learner awareness of the need for using appropriate language when discussing and addressing Indigenous peoples.
Use authentic Indigenous content, sources and materials whenever possible to support discussion and learning.
Celebrate Indigenous cultures.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma Triggers:

Learners who have been forced to flee from their own land may be triggered by discussions of traditional territory and home.
Newcomers who come from Indigenous groups in their home countries may be triggered by considerations of the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Teaching an Indigenization theme will result in some difficult conversations and may revisit past trauma, oppression and discrimination your learners have experienced.
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:

Acknowledge that you are learning too, and if you are Indigenous, avoid speaking for Indigenous peoples.
Use resources and voices from Indigenous communities when possible (e.g., guest speakers, videos, or approved materials).
Tell learners that acknowledging traditional Indigenous territory is a way to show respect to the Peoples who have been on this land since time immemorial.
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:

Watch a video of Indigenous singers, dancers, or drummers.
Create a simple Indigenous craft.
Read Indigenous stories as a class.
Learn a few words of a local Indigenous language.
Look at some crafts from other cultures represented in the class. Ask learners to share how to make them.

Realia:

Images of Indigenous Peoples and cultural objects
Maps
Beads and nylon line
Other craft supplies as needed

Units and Modules:

Lessons and Activities:

The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Canadian Indigenous Content
The Granddaughter Who was Eaten by a Big Fish (Not literacy but can be adapted)
The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Adults Learn to Print
The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Reading Skills Stories
Tutela: Norquest LINC Phonics Curriculum: CLB 2L
Tutela: Foundation L-CLB 2L Phonics Curriculum
A search of NLCG (nlcg.achev.ca) may provide additional tasks that can be adapted.

Multimedia: