Detailed Sample Task: EAL Literacy

CLB 2L - Listening
Comprehending Information

Employment - At the Workplace

Real-World Task

Listen to a supervisor explain the importance of safety such as appropriate workwear and emergency exits.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Present simple: to be

Context:

There are often safety procedures in workplaces.
Many different kinds of workplaces have safety procedures, including kitchens, construction sites, and any place that uses chemicals such as cleaning products.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

Sample Grammar:

Modal verb: must

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

Must introduces something that is essential.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Safety procedures are there to keep workers safe and from getting hurt.
Workers in Canada have rights including rights to a safe working environment and proper protection.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Discuss as a class: What does safe mean
at work? Post a large photograph of a worksite such as a professional kitchen or
a construction site. Elicit from learners the possible dangers or risks in each environment.
Discuss as a class: Do you have a job right now? If yes, what is your job? Are there any safety procedures? What are they?
Use vocabulary cards with words and clear photographs to learn task vocabulary. Practice vocabulary by playing games such as Bingo or Charades.
Practice vocabulary using TPR (Total Physical Response). Give each word an action, such as putting on gloves for gloves. After a few rounds, have learners take turns calling out vocabulary words.
Incorporate phonics activities based on the vocabulary words and other vocabulary related to the topic.
Review the modal verb must and give examples of things you must do, such as You must do your homework, You must pay your taxes, or You must pay your rent each month.
Work with a partner. Look at a prompt card with words and pictures about safety equipment and tell them what they must do, e.g. You must wear a hard hat.
Listen to a supervisor give an instruction about safety and circle the correct picture for what you hear, e.g. goggles, hard hat, or closed-toe shoes.
Listen to a dialogue about emergency exits. Practice the dialogue as a class and then practice with a partner. Perform your dialogue for the class.
Discuss as a class: Where are the emergency exits for your school or organization?

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Listen to a simple instructor-made dialogue between a supervisor and an employee about safety equipment. Demonstrate understanding by answering simple comprehension questions orally or by circling the correct pictures.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Listen to a supervisor explain the importance of safety such as appropriate workwear and emergency exits. Demonstrate understanding by answering simple comprehension questions orally
or by circling the correct pictures.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Learners may come from places where there is little or no protection for workers and may not be aware of their rights in Canada. There are also workplaces in Canada that do not follow safety procedures. Help learners to understand what their rights are.
Be aware that some learners may be working “under the table”
and are less protected because of it. Any learner may be reluctant
to stand up for their rights for fear of losing their job.

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.
Type information to appear on screen.

Instructors can:

Dedicate time to improve digital literacy for learners.
Make and/ or adapt digital materials.
Introduce websites or apps that are relevant to the task(s).
Support learners in finding, navigating and using websites or apps.
Show learners how to change the speed on an online video.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:

Learners who work in typically less-regulated industries, such as those who take care of children in someone’s home, are at a greater risk of being taken advantage of. Learners who work in under-the-table or cash-in-hand jobs are at a greater risk of being taken advantage of. Help learners to understand their rights but be aware that learners may be reluctant to challenge their employers for fear of losing their jobs.
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. Consider this diversity as you choose names for characters in stories you create as well.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma Triggers:

Learners who are working or who have worked in unsafe situations may be triggered by this topic. They may also feel empowered to learn about their rights.
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 their rights as workers 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:

Read a short, simple, instructor-made story about safety at work.
Copy words to complete short sentences about safety at work.

Realia:

Hard hats
Gloves
Goggles

Units and Modules:

Lessons and Activities:

The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Reading Skills Stories
The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Adults Learn to Print
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: