EAL Literacy:
Health and Wellness
This theme focuses on the communication skills required to navigate health systems, and understand and manage health and well-being in Canada.
Choose a CLB level by clicking below to access information about Real-World Tasks and Detailed Sample Tasks for this theme.
Helpful Hint
You would benefit from familiarity with Literacy Learner Considerations for each level as you navigate the Sample Real-World Tasks below.
Listening
CLB Foundation L
Listen to an announcement for the vaccine clinic to find out the address.
Comprehending Information
Understand very simple information about highly familiar topics.
- Identifies a few obvious factual details, such as numbers, letters, times and dates.
- Identifies a few key words and short expressions.
Follow a simple instruction (2-5 words) for what to bring to the hospital for a medical procedure.
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.
CLB 1L
Listen to a short announcement for a vaccine clinic; identify the date and time of the clinic.
Comprehending Information
Understand very simple information about highly familiar topics.
- Identifies a few obvious factual details such as numbers, letters, times and dates.
- Identifies a few key words and short expressions.
Follow a simple instruction (2-5 words) for what to bring to the hospital for a medical procedure.
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.
CLB 2L
Listen to a short announcement for two vaccine clinics; identify the date and time and locations.
Comprehending Information
Understand simple information about familiar, concrete topics.
- Identifies factual details, such as numbers, letters, time and place.
- Identifies key words and expressions.
Follow very short simple instructions for fasting before a medical test.
Comprehending Instructions
Understand short, simple common instructions, commands, requests and directions related to immediate needs.
- Identifies words or phrases that indicate positive or negative commands.
- Responds verbally or non-verbally to indicate understanding.
CLB 3L
Listen to a short description of the benefits of getting a yearly flu shot.
Comprehending Information
Understand short, simple, descriptive communication about a person, object, situation, scene, personal experience or daily routine.
- Gets the gist.
- Identifies factual details, key words and expressions.
Follow simple instructions for how to access healthcare services in French/ other languages that may be available in your community.
Comprehending Instructions
Understand instructions and directions related to familiar, everyday situations of immediate personal relevance.
- Identifies basic connectors related to time (now, then, before, after) and place (this, that, here, there).
- Responds with correct actions to instructions
Listen to a short conversation of up to 5 turns between two mothers talking about time off needed for taking care of sick children.
Interacting with Others
Understand simple social exchanges, including styles of greetings, introductions and leave taking.
- Begins to identify formal and casual style and register
- Identifies participant roles and relationships based on courtesy formulas and introductions.
CLB 4L
Listen to a short description about the benefits and possible side effects of a flu shot.
Comprehending Information
Understand short descriptive or narrative communication on topics of personal relevance.
- Identifies factual details, some implied meanings, key words and expressions.
- Compares simple information.
Follow instructions for arranging a home care visit after leaving the hospital.
Comprehending Instructions
Understand common, sequentially presented instructions and directions related to familiar, everyday situations of personal relevance.
- Identifies words and phrases that indicate manner and frequency.
- Recognizes and identifies the correct sequence of steps.
In the emergency room listen to a nurse saying she does not speak French, or another language, but will get another nurse who can.
Comprehending Instructions
Understand common, sequentially presented instructions and directions related to familiar, everyday situations of personal relevance.
- Identifies words and phrases that indicate manner and frequency.
- Recognizes and identifies the correct sequence of steps.
Speaking
CLB Foundation L
Greet a receptionist at a medical clinic; state name and time of appointment.
Interacting with Others
Use and respond to basic courtesy formulas and greetings.
- Responds appropriately to common greetings, introductions, and leave-takings.
- Uses appropriate basic courtesy formulas.
Answer 2 to 3 personal identification questions at the emergency department.
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.
CLB 1L
Greet a receptionist at a medical clinic; state name and time of appointment.
Interacting with Others
Use and respond to basic courtesy formulas and greetings.
- Responds appropriately to common greetings, introductions, and leave-takings.
- Uses appropriate basic courtesy formulas.
Answer 2 to 3 personal identification questions at the emergency department.
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.
CLB 2L
Make a follow-up appointment at a medical clinic choosing a date and time.
Getting Things Done
Make and respond to simple requests related to common everyday activities.
- Opens a short conversation.
- Uses appropriate memorized expressions, simple sentences and courtesy formulas for requests.
- Indicates communication problems verbally, if needed.
Give a simple, short description of symptoms to a health practitioner.
Sharing Information
Give expanded personal information to a supportive listener.
- Answers simple questions about personal information.
- Expresses basic ability or inability.
CLB 3L
Make an appointment for a friend or family member at a medical clinic.
Getting Things Done
Make and respond to an expanding range of simple requests related to everyday activities.
- Uses simple sentence and question formations.
- Provides some basic details.
Describe a family member or friend’s symptoms to a health practitioner.
Sharing Information
Give simple descriptions of experiences in a few short sentences.
- Answers simple, factual questions.
- Sustains about 4 to 5 sentences which may not be adequately connected as discourse.
Call the medical clinic and ask if your daughter can come with you to translate.
Getting Things Done
Make and respond to an expanding range of simple requests related to everyday activities.
- Uses simple sentence and question formations.
- Provides some basic details.
CLB 4L
Call an information line to find out about the options for healthcare services in French/ other languages that may be available in the community.
Interacting with Others
Participate in short, very simple phone calls.
- Asks and responds to routine questions.
- Uses a range of small talk phrases and expressions.
Describe a reaction to a new medication to a pharmacist.
Sharing Information
Give information about needs and feelings related to common everyday situations.
- Answers simple, factual questions.
- Expresses feelings, needs, and preferences.
Reading
CLB Foundation L
Read highly familiar words about healthy food (for example: sugar, fat, fried, salt).
Read own name and number of pills to take on a highly simplified prescription label.
CLB 1L
Match a few simple words to visuals to understand some local Indigenous food and plant medicines.
Comprehending Information
Recognize names, numbers, and some basic details in very simple short texts related to everyday situations.
- Identifies numbers, letters, a few key words and short expressions.
- Identifies a few simple details.
Identify personal information on a health card.
Getting Things Done
Get information from very short simple common formatted texts.
- Identifies numbers and familiar words.
- Identifies an address.
Read a simplified prescription label; identify how many pills to take.
Comprehending Instructions
Understand very short, simple instructions for common, familiar everyday situations.
- Recognizes individual words (imperative verbs and common nouns) in a set of instructions.
- Identifies numbers, a few key words and short expressions in instructions.
CLB 2L
Read a few, short sentences about foods and plants some local Indigenous peoples use for healing.
Comprehending Information
Understand the purpose and some basic details in very simple, short texts related to everyday, related to personally relevant situations and topics.
- Identifies purpose (what is EDII?)
- Identifies numbers, a few key words, and short common expressions.
Read the hours of operation for a medical clinic in order to plan a visit.
Getting Things Done
Get information from simple formatted texts
- Recognizes layout.
- Scans text to find specific details.
Read simplified instructions on a medicine label; identify dosage and time to take the medication.
Comprehending Instructions
Understand short, simple, clearly sequenced instructions for common, familiar everyday situations.
- Recognizes individual words, phrases and symbols used in simple instructions.
- Follows instructions in the proper sequence.
CLB 3L
Read a short description about how local Indigenous peoples use traditional foods and plants as medicine.
Comprehending Information
Understand the purpose, main idea, key information and some details in simple, short texts related to everyday familiar and personally relevant situations and topics.
- Gets the gist.
- Identifies key information and main idea.
Get information from a short notice about a community health service, to determine whether to use it.
Getting Things Done
Get information from short business or service texts.
- Gets overall meaning.
- Scans text for specific information.
Read instructions on a medicine label; identify dosage and time to take the medication and whether to take with food or on an empty stomach.
Comprehending Instructions
Understand short, simple, clearly sequenced instructions for familiar everyday situations.
- Identifies sequence signals (such as first, second, next).
- Recognizes words, phrases and symbols commonly used in instructions.
CLB 4L
Read an article of up to 3 paragraphs about traditional foods being used in Indigenous cultures for healing.
Comprehending Information
Understand the purpose, main idea, key information and specific details in simple short texts related to everyday familiar and personally relevant situations and topics.
- Identifies the type and purpose of the text.
- Finds key information and specific details.
Read a simplified prescription information handout to understand the medication instructions (including when to take medication, whether to take with food and what to avoid) and how to respond to minor side effects of medication.
Comprehending Instructions
Understand short, simple, clearly sequenced instructions and instructional texts for familiar everyday situations.
- Identifies sequence signals (such as first, next, before).
- Recognizes common sentence patterns, phrases and symbols commonly used in instructions.
Read a short article of up to 3 paragraphs on how to best prevent breast or prostate cancer.
Comprehending Information
Understand short descriptions or narrative communication on topics of personal relevance.
- Gets the gist
- Identifies factual details some implied meanings, key words and expressions.
Writing
CLB Foundation L
Complete familiar words in a highly simplified personal information form at a new dentist’s office.
Copy highly familiar words about self-care, such as sleep, eat and healthy food to accompany pictures.
CLB 1L
Complete the personal information section of a simplified form at a medical or dental office.
Getting Things Done
Complete very short, simple or simplified forms that require only basic personal identification information.
- Includes the required basic information.
- Write basic information in appropriate sections.
Copy simple tips to accompany pictures of healthy habits.
Reproducing Information
Copy numbers, letters, words, short phrases or sentences from simple lists or short passages for personal use.
- Copies or records letters, numbers, words and short sentences with correct capitalization and punctuation.
- Copies text legibly; reader may still have some difficulties decoding some letters and numbers.
CLB 2L
Complete a change of address form at a medical or dental office.
Getting Things Done
Complete short, simple or simplified forms that require only basic personal identification or familiar information.
- Includes the required basic information.
- Follows standard conventions for capitalization and punctuation.
From a list of activities at a community centre, copy the activities under the correct pictures.
Reproducing Information
Copy a range of information for personal use.
- Copies or records letters, numbers, words and short sentences with correct capitalization and punctuation.
- Copies text with no major omissions and only occasional copying mistakes.
CLB 3L
Complete a short, simple new patient form at a medical centre; include current medications and emergency contact information.
Getting Things Done
Complete short, simple forms that require basic, personal identification or familiar information.
- Includes the required basic information with no major omissions.
- Follows standard conventions for capitalization and punctuation.
From a list of health or wellness suggestions, copy tips for your own use.
Reproducing Information
Copy or record a range of information from short texts for personal use.
- Copies or records letters, numbers, words and sentences with correct capitalization and punctuation.
- Copies text with no major omissions and only occasional copying mistakes.
CLB 4L
Complete a simplified new patient information form at a medical centre including current medications, allergies or other health concerns.
Getting Things Done
Complete short, simple forms that require basic, personal identification or familiar information.
- Includes the required basic information with no major omissions.
- Follows standard conventions for capitalization and punctuation.
Write a short email to your dentist’s office requesting information about payment plans for treatment.
Getting Things Done
Complete simple forms that require basic, personal identification or familiar information.
- Includes the required basic information with no major omissions.
- Follows appropriate conventions for capitalization and punctuation.
From a short text about healthy living, make a list of suggestions for your own use.
Reproducing Information
Copy or record an expanded range of information from short texts for personal use.
- Follows standard conventions for capitalization and punctuation.
- Copies text with no major omissions and only occasional copying mistakes.
Literacy Learner Considerations
CLB FL 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
CLB 1L Literacy Learner Considerations
Listening and Speaking
1L learners are meeting the requirements of CLB 1 in listening and speaking. It is important for 1L learners to develop all new languages orally first so that it is familiar to them when they learn to recognize it in print. Listening and speaking should be taught and assessed orally and not through the skills of reading and writing. There is a focus on learning basic and immediately relevant vocabulary and beginning to learn the sounds of the language, including the ability to break words into sounds and to blend sounds into words.
Reading
To be successful in 1L reading tasks, 1L learners can work towards the development of reading skills in the context of real-world tasks, such as:
- developing oral vocabulary related to the task
- recognizing that letters have distinct sounds
- connecting letters to sounds
- reading own name and recognizing own address and personal information
- developing first sight words
Writing
To be successful in 1L writing tasks, 1L learners can work towards the development of writing skills in the context of real-world tasks, such as:
- developing oral vocabulary related to the task
- forming lowercase and uppercase letters
- identifying the first sound and some other sounds in a familiar word
- copying words
- writing own name and personal information
CLB 2L Literacy Learner Considerations
Listening and Speaking
2L learners are meeting the requirements of CLB 2 in listening and speaking. It is important for 2L learners to develop all new languages orally first so that it is familiar to them when they learn to recognize it in print. Listening and speaking should be taught and assessed orally and not through the skills of reading and writing. There is a focus on increasing basic, immediately relevant vocabulary and learning the sounds of the language, along with the ability to break words into sounds and to blend sounds into words.
Reading
To be successful in 2L reading tasks, 2L learners can work towards the development of reading skills in the context of real-world tasks, such as:
- developing oral vocabulary related to the task
- using short vowel sounds to differentiate between a few short, highly familiar words
- beginning to blend sounds to read very simple words
- recognizing familiar repeated sentence stems
- developing some very basic sight words
Writing
To be successful in 2L writing tasks, 2L learners can work towards the development of writing skills in the context of real-world tasks, such as:
- developing oral vocabulary related to the task
- using a mature grip on a pencil or pen
- forming all letters and numbers with increasingly consistent size
- filling in missing initial and final sounds of dictated familiar words
- spelling own name and a small set of short, familiar function words from memory
CLB 3L Literacy Learner Considerations
Listening and Speaking
3L learners are meeting the requirements of CLB 3 in listening and speaking. It is important for 3L learners to develop all new languages orally first so that it is familiar to them when they encounter it in print. Listening and speaking should be taught and assessed orally and not through the skills of reading and writing. There is a focus on widening basic vocabulary and learning grammatical structures through rhythm and repeated patterns.
Reading
To be successful in 3L reading tasks, 3L learners can work towards the development of reading skills in the context of real-world tasks, such as:
- developing oral vocabulary related to the task
- categorizing familiar single-syllable words by rime (make, take, lake)
- recognizing diagraphs as a single sound while reading familiar words (fish, church, think)
- attending to initial, medial and final sounds when reading familiar words
- recognizing inflectional endings (-ing, -ed, -s)
Writing
To be successful in 3L writing tasks, 3L learners can work towards the development of writing skills in the context of real-world tasks, such as:
- developing oral vocabulary related to the task
- forming letters and numbers in consistent, adult-like size
- writing with consistent spacing
- developing a larger rote spelling repertoire including multisyllabic words
- using long vowel conventions in spelling
CLB 4L Literacy Learner Considerations
Listening and Speaking
4L learners are meeting the requirements
of CLB 4 in listening and speaking. It is important for 4L learners to develop all new languages orally first so that it is familiar to them when they read it and use it in print. Listening and speaking should be taught and assessed orally and not through the skills of reading and writing. There is a focus on an increasingly broad vocabulary for basic communication and a wider range of grammatical structures that are familiar through rhythm and repeated patterns.
Reading
To be successful in 4L reading tasks, 4L learners can work towards the development of reading skills in the context of real-world tasks, such as:
- developing oral vocabulary related to the task
- applying onset-rime knowledge to decode unfamiliar words in context
- attempting to break unfamiliar multisyllabic words into syllables while reading in context
- beginning to recognize common but irregular spelling patterns (height, although)
- identifying contractions and their connection to long forms
Writing
To be successful in 4L writing tasks, 4L learners can work towards the development of writing skills in the context of real-world tasks, such as:
- developing oral vocabulary related to the task
- forming letters and numbers with automaticity
- varying writing size and line spacing depending on context
- using root words to attempt to write new words independently (happy, happiness)
- applying spelling rules for inflectional endings with accuracy
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.
