Real-World Task Guidelines:
EAL Literacy
CLB FL
Home and Neighbourhood
Possible Topics
This theme may include these topic areas:
And so on
Planning Context
Learners may require the following:
- Clear photographs
- Topics that are related to immediate personal needs
- Face-to-face or one-on-one digital interactions
- Text that is single words
- Slower rates of speech
- Non-demanding contexts
Instructors may need to:
- Teach all concepts and vocabulary orally first
- Limit vocabulary to highly familiar words and phrases
- Speak slowly
- Use increased white-space, large font size, a literacy-friendly font and clear photographs
- Limit reading text to highly familiar words
- Provide extensive scaffolding and support
Comprehending Instructions
Understand very short, simple instructions, commands and requests related to immediate needs.
- Identifies words or phrases that indicate positive or negative commands.
- Indicates comprehension with appropriate verbal or non-verbal requests.
Getting Things Done
Understand expressions used to attract attention and to request assistance in situations of immediate personal need.
- Identifies a few common key words and formulaic expressions.
- Indicates comprehension with appropriate verbal or non-verbal responses.
Sharing Information
Give basic personal information in response to direct questions from a supportive listener.
- Answers simple questions about personal information.
- Uses alphabet to spell out words, such as own name.
Interacting with Others
Use and respond to basic courtesy formulas and greetings.
- Responds appropriately to common greetings, introductions, and leave-takings.
- Uses acceptable gestures and body language when making requests.
Literacy Learner Considerations
Listening and Speaking
For listening and speaking, Foundation L learners vary in their abilities. It is important for them to build oral language related to the task or theme. This will help them understand the structure of the language, cultural- specific ways of communication, and to recognize the same language in print.
Reading
To prepare for CLB 1L reading tasks, Foundation L learners can work towards foundation reading skills, in the context of real-world tasks, such as:
- developing oral vocabulary related to the task or text
- recognizing letters of the alphabet
- connecting letters and corresponding sounds
- attending to first sound when learning new oral vocabulary
- attending to the first letter and corresponding sound when locating a familiar word
- recognizing numbers 1-10
- recognizing date and date of birth formats
- recognizing their own name in print
- recognizing a few common sight words related to the task
Writing
To prepare for CLB 1L writing tasks, Foundation L learners can work towards foundational writing skills, in the context of real world tasks, such as:
- developing oral vocabulary related to the task or text
- gripping a pen or pencil effectively
- forming the letters of own name legibly, and orally spelling own name
- using letter counting to check accuracy while copying
- forming capital and lowercase letters from a model
- creating a reference card with personal identification information
- forming numbers 1-10
- tracing and copying words
- labeling a picture or diagram
- filling in missing first letter of a dictated familiar word related to the task
- attending to the first sound when attempting to write words
Additional Sample Real-World Tasks and Competency Areas
Listen to 2-3 word instructions on how to use your oven. (Comprehending Instructions)
In 2 or 3 words, warn a neighbour about slippery ice. (Getting Things Done)
Read 2-3 highly familiar common home words such as house, apartment and kitchen.
Copy 2-3 highly familiar words into a guided text to complete a card to a friend to say congratulations on moving into a new home.
Additional Resources
Digital Literacy Strategies
Successful completion of some tasks may require some baseline digital knowledge and skills.
Learners may need to:
- Look at a website.
Instructors can:
- Introduce websites that are relevant to the task(s).
- Support learners in finding, navigating and using websites
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategies
Instructors Can:
- Use diverse representations of people in all learning resources and images, including people who are 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, Francophone and of other cultures, and people who have disabilities or who are neurodivergent.
Trauma-Informed Strategies
Triggers:
- Filling in forms and dealing with authority can be triggering for learners who have experienced trauma, especially for learners who have been in unsafe situations or have been in a political regime. Make sure that learners are always aware of the purpose of the form and be ready to provide support if needed.
Strategies:
- Learners who have experienced trauma often benefit from having routine.
- Learners who have experienced trauma benefit from having choices.
- Learners have the right to choose if, when and what they share about themselves.
Sample Real World Tasks
This information is aligned with the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and is designed to help guide you in the planning process. You can use these sample real-world tasks to guide and inform your selection or creation of skill-building activities, skill-using tasks and assessment tasks.
These sample real-world tasks include the following: skill, real-world task, competency area, one competency statement and two sample indicators of ability. This is not an exhaustive list: there are more indicators of ability and information about this CLB level in Canadian Language Benchmarks English as a Second Language for Adults. Consult this resource for more information and to select your own competencies or indicators of ability. Remember, you can use more learner-friendly language in your materials and assessments.
This is NOT a lesson plan, module plan or curriculum.
