Detailed Sample Task: EAL Literacy
CLB 3L-Reading
Comprehending Instructions
Education and Learning
Real-World Task
Read 4-5 instructions for how to get a library card.
Planning Context
Helpful Knowledge:
- Imperative voice for instructions
- Extended personal information
Context:
- Most communities in Canada have access to libraries. Libraries usually require members to have a library card but will give people a card for free and allow you to borrow materials.
- Libraries also often provide community spaces and access to a variety of programming for children and adults.
Vocabulary and Grammar
Sample Vocabulary:
- library
- librarian
- collection
- form
- fill out
- borrow
- return
Sample Grammar:
- Adverbs: first, then, next
- Modal verbs: can, must
- Imperative for instructions
Knowledge and Strategies
Textual and Functional Knowledge:
- Instructions are usually given in chronological order.
- Instructions often have words like first, then, and next to help the reader understand the sequence.
Sociolinguistic Knowledge:
- Libraries are inclusive community spaces that can help you in many ways. You can borrow materials such as books, audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs, you can access devices and the internet, and you can participate in programming.
Activities and Tasks
Sample Skill-Building Activities:
- Discuss: What is a library? What can you do in a library? Elicit from learners obvious answers such as borrow books and less obvious answers such as use computers, print documents, borrow movies, and participate in groups and programs.
- Discuss in small groups: Have you been to a library? Have you been to a library in Canada? In a different country? Which library did you go to? As a small group, complete a short checklist for what you have done at a library (e.g. borrowed books, used the computer, taken a class, borrowed a movie, and so on.). Share your results with the class.
- Review vocabulary. Use vocabulary cards with words, clear pictures, and very simple definitions to practice the vocabulary. Play games such as Bingo, Memory, and Go Fish.
- Assign actions to the vocabulary words, such as handing a book over for return, and practice the vocabulary using TPR. Call out a vocabulary word and have learners respond with the action or by indicating the correct vocabulary card.
- Incorporate phonics activities based on vocabulary words and other vocabulary related to the topic.
- Review the modal verb: can. Play I can: stand in a circle. Each learner takes a turn saying something they can do, e.g. I can speak Farsi. Everyone who cannot do that thing must sit down. The last learner standing wins. Play several rounds.
- Review the difference between can and must. Give learners a list of things to do and have them divide the list into things they can do and things they must do, e.g. I can speak English; I must pay my taxes.
- Read a simple instructor-made story about a library and what is available at a library. Read the story to learners and then choral and echo read the story. Work with a partner to answer comprehension questions. Read the story multiple times over the course of several lessons to practice pronunciation, intonation and fluency.
- Review sequencing adverbs: first, second, next, then. Complete a jigsaw activity using the same story about the library. Sequence events in the story and add a sequencing adverb for each step.
- Review the imperative for instructions using a variety of activities and worksheets.
- As a class, look at the local library website. Have learners identify key information such as the name of the library, the address, and the phone number. Look at what is available at the local library. Look at information about how you get a library card.
- Practice filling in a form with extended personal information.
- Listen to the steps for getting a library card and answer comprehension questions.
Sample Skill-Using Tasks:
- Read 4-5 instructions for how to sign up for a program at the library. Demonstrate understanding by answering comprehension questions.
Sample Assessment Tasks:
- Read 4-5 instructions for how to get a library card. Demonstrate understanding by answering comprehension questions.
Teaching Considerations
Cultural Considerations:
- Some learners may not know what a library is and/or may not have had experience with a typical modern Canadian library which has a collection of books, audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs, but also often functions as a community space. Learners may not know they can usually get a library card for free and borrow materials for themselves or their children.
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.
- Read information from a screen.
Instructors can:
- Dedicate time to improve digital literacy for learners.
- Make and/or adapt digital materials.
- Introduce websites and/or apps that are relevant to the task(s).
- Support learners in finding, navigating and using websites.
- Teach reading strategies such as skimming and scanning to find information on websites or apps.
- Introduce tools and apps that can aid learners in coping with communication barriers, such as translation, pronunciation, text to speech, speech to text tools and so on.
- Share knowledge and strategies to ensure online safety.
- Refer learners to programs to improve their digital skills.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:
- Teach that libraries are inclusive spaces and are open to all. Also teach learners that libraries often have information about community programming and other services.
- Use diverse representations of people in all your learning resources and images, including people who are 2SLGBTQ+, 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 have experienced trauma are sometimes triggered by filling in forms or by overly authoritative systems.
- 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:
- 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
- Allow learners choice:
- 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:
- Visit a local library. Arrange a tour if possible. When you return to class, complete an LEA (Language Experience Approach) story.
- Have learners get a library card if they don’t already have one and help learners locate materials that interest them.
Realia:
- Forms for library cards
- Websites for local libraries
Units and Modules:
- Tutela: Classroom Instructions: CLB 3 (Not literacy but can be adapted)
Lessons and Activities:
- LINC 3 Classroom Activities: Education (p. 311-342) (Not literacy but can be adapted)
- Tutela (OCDSB): Assessment Task: Understanding Directions at the Library: CLB 3 (Not literacy but can be adapted)
- Tutela (OCDSB): Assessment Task: Filling Out a School Registration Form: CLB 3 (Not literacy but can be adapted)
- Tutela (OCDSB): Assessment Task: Understanding How to Get a Library Card: CLB 4 (Not literacy and not right level but can be adapted)
- Tutela (OCDSB): Assessment Task: Reading about Library Programs: CLB 3 (Not literacy but can be adapted)
- Tutela: Norquest LINC Phonics Curriculum: CLB 3L
- A search of NLCG (nlcg.achev.ca) may provide additional tasks that can be adapted.
Multimedia:
- Tutela: ESL Image Bank: Education
Detailed Sample Task
This exemplar is aligned with the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and is designed to guide and inform your lesson and module planning. Consult the Canadian Language Benchmarks English as a Second Language for Adults for detailed performance descriptors at this benchmark and skill.
The information in this document is not exhaustive and can be expanded on. As well, you can use more learner-friendly language in your materials and assessments.
This is NOT a lesson or module plan.
