Detailed Sample Task: EAL Literacy

CLB 1L-Speaking
Getting Things Done

Education and Learning

Real-World Task

Ask your teacher for help with a task.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Greeting words: hello, hi, good morning
Letter formation: lowercase and capital letters
Name of own country

Context:

It is appropriate to ask your instructor for help.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

classroom words: student, teacher, classroom, book, binder, pencil, board, etc.
help
me
please
thanks

Sample Grammar:

Object pronoun: me

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

You can ask for help.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Instructors will help you, and it is okay and appropriate to ask for help in a Canadian classroom.
Asking for help helps you to learn faster.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Always greet each learner as they come into class, using a variety of greetings and building over time: hi, hello, good morning/afternoon/evening, it’s nice to see you, and so on.
Begin each class by going around the room and having a simple conversation with each learner: Hi, how are you? I’m fine, thanks. It’s nice to see you today. Have learners repeat the conversation with a partner.
Using vocabulary cards with words and clear photographs, teach classroom vocabulary. Practice vocabulary using TPR (Total Physical Response). Call out a vocabulary word and have learners hold up the correct card. If possible, include a gesture for the word, such as tapping your chest for me. Play games such as Bingo, Matching, and Memory.
Incorporate phonics activities based on vocabulary words and other vocabulary related to the topic.
Copy classroom words beneath clear photographs.
Read a very simple instructor-made story about learning English in Canada, e.g. It is a new class. The students are learning English. Marta is learning English. She is from Ukraine. Anteneh is learning English. He is from Ethiopia. Tia is learning English. She is from Colombia. The teacher helps the students.
Copy 2-3 words to complete sentences based on the story, e.g. I am learning _________. I am from ___________. The teacher helps _____. Choral read your sentences with the instructor.
Listen to very simple instructor-made dialogue about asking for help, e.g. Learner: Help me, please. Instructor: Okay, I’ll help you. Learner: Thanks. Practice the dialogue as a class until the learners are comfortable with the dialogue and then have them practice with a partner. Perform your dialogue for the class.
Read a very simple instructor-made story about asking for help, in which there is one sentence per page and each sentence is illustrated with a clear photograph, e.g. Tia is learning English. She doesn’t understand. Tia asks for help. Help me, please. Thanks! Choral read the story and then echo read the story.
Use an online site, such as Games to Learn English, Learning Chocolate, Unite for Literacy, to practice English. Ask the instructor for help when you need it using, Help me, please. Thanks!

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Ask your teacher for help with a task. (Very similar to assessment task; only one of the two may be used in the portfolio.)

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Ask your teacher for help with a task.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Learners at this level usually have very little experience with formal education, and what experience they have had may or may not have been positive. Teach learners that there is mutual respect in an adult classroom in Canada, and the instructor is there to help you. Give learners language and gestures (such as raising your hand) for appropriately interrupting the instructor.

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.
Type information to appear on screen.

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 that the size of an image on the screen can be adjusted.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:

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 with learning may be uncertain about asking for help. Learners who have experienced trauma may be triggered by people in authority, including instructors. Work to establish respect and trust with learners, and know this may take some time.
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:

Teach learners that Canada is an inclusive, multicultural country, and that all people have equal rights in Canada.
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:

Practice dialogues using the same task – asking for help – in other contexts, such as a library, store, or doctor’s office.
Place visuals around the class for simple language that learners can use to get help such as Help me, please, Can you repeat, please? Can you spell, please? and so on.

Realia:

Classroom items: book, binder, chair, table, board

Units and Modules:

The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Using School Supplies: CLB FL/1L
Tutela (CCLB): Greetings and Introductions: CLB 1L/2L

Lessons and Activities:

Tutela (Archway): Personal Information: Numeric Focus: CLB 1L/2L
Tutela (Archway): Personal Information: Alphabetic Focus: CLB 1L/2L
The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Adults Learn to Print
The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Reading Skills Stories
Tutela: Foundation L-CLB 2L Phonics Curriculum
Tutela: Norquest LINC Phonics Curriculum: CLB 1L
A search of NLCG (nlcg.achev.ca) may provide additional tasks that can be adapted.

Multimedia: