Detailed Sample Task: EAL Literacy

CLB 2L-Listening
Interacting with Others

Shopping

Real-World Task

Listen to a short, simple conversation between a customer and salesperson about getting help in a language other than English.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

In many sales and service outlets, it’s common for both staff and customers to know other languages and use them if it is helpful.

Context:

Many people in Canada speak multiple languages.
It is the role of staff members to serve customers as best as they can.
Some places in Canada are officially bilingual.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

Nouns for people in a store (customer, manager, sales staff, cashier)
Nouns for names of languages (based on learner population) and countries where they are spoken
verbs related to the situation of serving a customer in a certain language (greet, serve, help, speak, ask, answer)
Stock phrases to ask and to offer help (Can you help me? How can I help you?)

Sample Grammar:

Simple present (Mina speaks Spanish.)
Yes/ No Questions in simple present  (Do you speak …?).
Wh-questions in simple present  (What language do you speak?).

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

Replying to questions.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Using polite greetings and courtesy formulas.
Using body language to show understanding/ non-understanding  and agreement.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

As a class, learners say the names of their previous countries and the languages they speak; make a list on the board.
Tell the class the language(s) you speak.
Have learners in pairs practise asking and answering the question “Do you speak _________?”
Have learners go around the room and practise asking and answering the question “What language do you speak”.
Copy names of languages.
Have learners name the languages they speak; write the list on the board.
Learners complete sentences about themselves with names of languages they speak.
Learners identify manager, cashier, staff member and customer in a picture of a store.
In small groups or pairs, learners sort vocabulary cards with names of languages by first letter.
Learners go around the room and ask questions to complete a Find someone who speaks…with names of different languages.
Learners Listen to the instructor say vocabulary words and point to the correct vocabulary card.
Learners listen to a few short conversations, in which one person doesn’t understand English and asks for help in their language; learners reconstruct the text.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Listen to a conversation between a staff member and a customer in a store in which the customer asks if the staff member speaks another language.
Listen to a staff member introduce themselves and say which languages they speak.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Learners listen to a short interaction between a customer and a staff member, in which the customer doesn’t speak English and asks for help in their language. Learners identify key details.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Many people in Canada speak more than one language.
There are places in Canada that are officially bilingual.
In many areas in Canada, there are ethnic communities such as Little India in Toronto, or Chinatown in Vancouver.
In many communities in Canada, there are shops, restaurants and services from different ethnic groups. Customer service standards in Canada generally use a client-centred approach, where staff do what they can to meet customer needs.
In most stores in Canada, you cannot haggle or negotiate the price.

Digital Literacy Strategies:

Successful completion of some tasks may require some baseline knowledge and digital skills.

Learners may need to:

Look at a website.
Read information from a screen.

Instructors can:

Introduce websites that are relevant to the task(s).
Show learners how to find a website.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization 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.
Recognize and teach learners that Canada is a diverse place and has people from many different cultures. Canadian culture includes the cultures of all people in Canada.
Discuss/ inform learners about diverse languages spoken in Canada, provide examples including Indigenous languages spoken locally as well as English and French as official languages.
Recognize that some learners will have different views and experiences related to EDII concepts. You can be sensitive to their opinions, but create boundaries related to conveying respect for all groups of people. All learners have the right  to an inclusive and equitable learning environment.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma Triggers:

Learners may have experienced misogyny, homophobia, transphobia and/ or racism in the community.
Give learners advance warning of these topics and be aware that there may be learners who require support.

Strategies:

Create a safe and supportive classroom environment by establishing familiar routines, repeated activities, and model friendly and non-evaluative interactions; learners who have experienced trauma often benefit from having routine.
Recognize and respect learners’ right to choose if, when  and what they share about themselves.

Resources

Outings, Guest Speaker Suggestions, Extension Activities:

Visit a store or market in Canada.
Extend this listening task by providing writing and speaking practice.

Realia:

Web Page, images, flyers of stores advertising their ethnic merchandise or services.

Units and Modules:

Avenue Course Builder: Theme: Shopping
- Grocery Shopping, CLB 1L-2L
- Grocery Shopping, CLB 1
- Shop for Food, CLB 1 (Toronto Catholic DSB)
- Shop for Food, CLB 1 (Avon Maitland DSB)
Avenue Course Builder: Theme: Employment
- Follow Instructions at Work, CLB 1
- Talk About Job Duties, CLB 1-2
- Talk About Jobs and Workplaces, CLB 1-2
- Working in Canada, CLB 2

Lessons and Activities:

Jobs in My Community

Multimedia: