Detailed Sample Task: EAL Literacy

CLB 4L - Writing
Sharing Information

Canada

Real-World Task

Write a very simple paragraph (several sentences on the same topic) to describe what you have learned about a local Indigenous nation close to you.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

basic knowledge of Indigenous Peoples in Canada
present simple

Context:

Indigenous Peoples live throughout Canada.
Different Indigenous Peoples have different languages, cultures, and traditions.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

culture
tradition
Indigenous
People
history
specific words related to local Indigenous Peoples

Sample Grammar:

Phrases with present perfect: have been, have lived…

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

Simple paragraphs have sentences all on the same topic.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Indigenous cultures are a big part of Canadian culture. Learning about another person’s culture is a good way to connect to that person.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

As a class, watch a short video about Indigenous people such as What Does Indigenous Mean? or What is a Powwow? Discuss what you see in the video and elicit from learners what they know about Indigenous people. Gently help learners sort facts from stereotypes.
As a class, explore a website such as Native Land or Whose Land to learn about the Indigenous Peoples in your local area. Learn whose land you are living on.
Copy words to complete a mini-dictionary of task vocabulary.
Review the task vocabulary. Use vocabulary cards with words, pictures, and very simple definitions. Practice the vocabulary by playing games such as Bingo, matching, and Memory.
Incorporate phonics activities based on vocabulary words and other vocabulary related to the topic.
Read a simple instructor-made or instructor-adapted story about a local Indigenous People. Discuss the story as a whole, and then focus on the parts of the story. Do activities to work with the vocabulary and key details of the story.
Read the story several times over several days to increase comprehension. Complete activities such as identifying unfamiliar words, completing comprehension questions, and reading to increase fluency.
Work with a partner to complete sentence prompts about what you have learned about Indigenous Peoples in your area, such as The Indigenous Peoples in my area are…They have lived here…They speak…
As a class, read a model paragraph about a local Indigenous People. Identify key information in the paragraph, such as information about who, what, where, and when.
Work with a small group to write sentences about a local Indigenous People.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Write sentences about a local Indigenous People. Use a checklist to review your writing for spelling, punctuation, and correct use of tenses.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Write a very simple paragraph (several sentences on the same topic) to describe what you have learned about a local Indigenous nation close to you.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Learners may not have much knowledge about or experience with Indigenous people in Canada. Help learners to understand the importance of Indigenous Peoples in Canada, both historically and today. There are a lot of stereotypes about Indigenous people. Help learners to sort facts from stereotypes.

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.
Navigate camera and microphone.
Adjust volume on device.

Instructors can:

Dedicate time to improve digital literacy for learners.
Make and/ or adapt digital materials.
Introduce websites 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.
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:

Use diverse representations of people in all your learning resources and images, including people who are 2SLGBTQIA+, 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.
As much as possible, let Indigenous people speak for themselves about their culture and history. Use authentic sources whenever possible, adapting the language so that it is at the right level if necessary.
Help learners to understand there are many different Indigenous cultures in Canada.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma Triggers:

Learners who have been forced to leave their homes, who have faced persecution or discrimination, or who are the Indigenous Peoples of their own countries may be triggered by discussions of the treatment of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
Learners who have come to Canada as a refugee may not have chosen Canada as a home so much as fled a place where they were in danger. They may have ambivalent feelings about living in Canada and learning about Canadian culture.
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:

Invite an Elder to speak to the class.
Try making a simple Indigenous craft.
Read stories about Indigenous people such as Canadian Indigenous Content.

Realia:

Maps of Canada
Videos of Indigenous people

Units and Modules:

The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Going to a Powwow: CLB 3L/4L
Tutela (ATESL): Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism: CLB 3/4 (Not literacy but can be adapted)

Lessons and Activities:

Tutela (Norquest): Diversity and Inclusion Materials for the EAL Classroom: CLB 3-6
(Not literacy but can be adapted)
Tutela (TCDSB): Canada and Diversity
The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Canadian Indigenous Content
LINC 4 Classroom Activities Canada (p. 85-140) (Not literacy but can be adapted)
Tutela: Norquest LINC Phonics Curriculum: CLB 4L
A search of NLCG (nlcg.achev.ca) may provide additional tasks that can be adapted.

Multimedia: