The Language Companion
(The Binder)

The Language Companion (also referred to as “the binder”) is a learner resource  created to help facilitate portfolio-based language assessment 
in government-funded adult language training programs across Canada. It has information about Canada, the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and helpful language. It also serves as a portfolio of evidence of a learner’s growth and progress over time in the LINC program.

This resource is available in print or online:

• in print form in a binder (available from your organization)
• downloadable f rom Tutela in three versions: ESL Literacy, Stage I (CLB 1-4) and Stage II (CLB 5-8)
• as an online resource on Avenue

The Language Companion has the following sections:

• My Portfolio: Includes six subsections: About Me, Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing and Other. 

  • About Me is a space for learners to collect and document information about themselves, such as needs assessments, goals, intake CLBs 
or assessments, and autobiographies.
  • The other five sections are for learners to collect their artefacts and feedback from skill-using and assessments tasks, as well as reflections on their learning.

Periodically, instructors and learners review the items in the Portfolio sections together, in order to discuss progress, challenges and goals, and
 for the instructor to evaluate the artifacts for benchmark proficiency.

• The Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB): Outlines CLB competencies for each skill and level. The Can Do Statements present this 
information in language that is user-friendly and accessible to learners. These statements can be used to help learners better understand 
task-based learning and set language learning goals.
• My Canada: Provides level appropriate information about Canada, such as government responsibilities, weather, laws, housing, taxes, employment and citizenship.
• Where I Live: Provides level appropriate information about government and community services with space provided for learners to add local contact information.
• Helpful English: Provides level appropriate real-world language and grammar in several topic areas. You can have learners reference this content when you are studying related themes or content.
• Francophone Communities in Canada (Stage I and II versions only): Provides information about Francophone communities and French language services in Canada.

Artefacts, consisting of completed skill-using and assessment tasks, can be collected in the physical binder or the e-portfolio. The physical binders also have a My Notes section where learners can file handouts or their personal notes. Learners should maintain an inventory of their artefacts in their My Portfolio section. E-Portfolios on Avenue allow the instructor to tag online activities or assessments as artefacts to be automatically stored. Alternatively, instructors and or learners can upload artefacts to the e-portfolio. The content of the learner portfolio can be inventoried, by hand or digitally, for ease of viewing and tracking learner progress and in preparation for their progress conference