Detailed Sample Task: EAL Literacy

CLB 3L-Reading
Comprehending Information

Education and Learning

Real-World Task

Read a simple list of class rules of 3-5 items.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Present simple
Subject pronouns: I, you, she, he, it, we, they

Context:

Many language classrooms have a set of rules or code of conduct so that everyone can learn best in a safe and welcoming environment.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

Sample Grammar:

Modal verbs: can, should, must

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

Classroom rules are usually written vertically as a list.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Rules in Canada can sometimes be expressed more softly using words like please or can.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Discuss as a class: What is a rule? What are the rules that everyone must follow? Discuss the difference between a rule and a law. Use visual to support your discussion. Ask learners if they think rules are important (and accept and validate all answers). Ask learners if they think classroom rules are important. Why or why not?
Review vocabulary. Have learners copy words to create a mini-dictionary. Practice words by doing activities such as fill in the blanks, matching, and crossword puzzles.
Review modal verbs. Discuss the difference between can, should, and must. Have learners work with a partner to brainstorm things they can do, should do, and must do. Share your list with the class. Have a cache of visuals to support the activity should learners struggle with coming up with examples.
Complete sentences with the correct modal verb.
Read a short instructor-made story about a language classroom. Read the story to learners and then echo and choral read the story. Have learners read the story again with a partner. Complete comprehension activities such as sequencing or matching a descriptive word to the right character.
Using the above story, work with a partner or group and read multiple times over the course of several lessons to practice pronunciations, intonation and fluency.
Teach learners the expression: agree to disagree. Discuss what it means and how it can be a useful strategy in a group such as a class. Ask learners if they have a similar expression in their languages.
Listen to a dialogue between two learners discussing classroom rules. Practice the dialogue with a partner and perform for the class.
Discuss in small groups: What kinds of rules do you like to have in a classroom? Brainstorm a list of possible rules. Share your rules with the class and discuss. Make a list of the possible rules on the board. Give every learner 3 sticky notes and have them vote by placing their sticky notes by the 3 rules they would like. Have a learner count the sticky notes for each rule and record the number. Choose as a class the most popular rules.
In small groups, copy the list of rules onto a poster. Decorate with different colours or stickers and post on the wall.
Read the same instructor-made story and identify the rules they chose for their classroom. Write words to complete sentences about the story.
Read a list of simple community by-laws. Read the list to the class and then have learners read the list again with a partner. Match vocabulary words to the list. Write words to complete sentences about the list.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Read a simple list of rules for a family at home. Demonstrate understanding by answering comprehension questions.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Read a simple list of class rules of 3-5 items. Demonstrate understanding by answering comprehension questions.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Some learners have had very negative experiences with rules, especially if they have lived with war, persecution, facism, or corruption. If learners do not want to discuss classroom rules, respect that and ask only that they follow the only rule: to respect themselves, their classmates, and their instructor. Modify the task to be about suggestions for how to learn English.

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:

This kind of task is a good opportunity to practice an Indigenous way of discussing, such as a sharing circle in which one person holds a special object and has the floor. All others listen until they are finished speaking and hand the object to someone else.
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 had negative experiences in school may be triggered by this topic. Be aware of any learner who needs extra support.
Learners who have experienced persecution, unlawful imprisonment, corruption, war, displacement, or other forms of trauma may be triggered by this topic. Modify the topic if needed.
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
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:

As a class, decide on a list of class chores that need to be done every day/week, such as tucking in the chairs, handing out materials, watering plants, and so on. Make up a schedule of who will do each chore each day.
Learn about the three levels of government in Canada (municipal, provincial/territorial, and federal). Discuss who makes laws in Canada.
Create a poster for the rules of composting for your local community.

Realia:

Examples of classroom rules
Photographs of other community laws, rules and so on such as crossing the crosswalk, following traffic lights (for pedestrians and cars) and not to litter.

Units and Modules:

The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Paying Utility Bills: CLB 2L/3L (Contains information about bylaws)
Tutela: Classroom Language: CLB 2/3L
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 School Rules: 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