Detailed Sample Task: EAL Literacy

CLB 4L - Speaking
Giving Instructions

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Real-World Task

Give 4-5 instructions about how you can be inclusive in the school or community.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Imperative voice for instructions

Context:

This task includes all forms of inclusion.
All people have equality in Canada. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms asserts the right to no discrimination.
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms includes protected grounds, including race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, and conviction for an offense.
There is still discrimination in Canada, but many people are working to change it.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

Sample Grammar:

Phrasal verbs
Modals to give advice / instructions / tips

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

A speaker may give examples to explain their ideas.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Instructions can be made softer by using modals instead of the imperative voice.
You can indicate respectful listening by watching the speaker and nodding while they speak.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Discuss as a class: What is racism? What is sexism? What is equality? What are the rights to equality in Canada?
Elicit from learners what they know about the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada. Discuss the right to no discrimination. Discuss as a class: Do you think this right is important? What are the protected grounds in Canada? Make a list of the protected grounds in Canada and describe or explain each one.
Copy words to complete a mini-dictionary of task vocabulary. Cut out picture cards with clear photographs or clear symbols and tape or glue them in a space next to the word and definition in your mini-dictionary.
Incorporate phonics activities based on vocabulary words and other vocabulary related to the topic.
Read a simplified version of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, especially as it pertains to the right to no discrimination, and circle vocabulary words.
Work with a partner to practice giving instructions using You can… or You should.
Discuss as a class what it means to be inclusive. Brainstorm ways for a class, school, or organization to be inclusive. Write ideas on the board.
Work in small groups and discuss ways for a community or a workplace to be inclusive. Share your ideas with the class and make a large list of suggestions.
Read sentences with phrasal verbs, such as stand up for or speak up for and underline all parts of the phrasal verb.
Read tips on being inclusive that use the imperative voice. Circle the verb in the imperative. Underline vocabulary words. Retell the instructions to a partner using a modal verb such as You can… or You should…
Listen to sentences with phrasal verbs and fill in the correct preposition to complete the phrasal verb.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Explain to the instruction what inclusion means and why it is important in a school.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Give 4-5 instructions about how you can be inclusive in the school or community.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Many learners in the class may have experienced discrimination, sexism, or racism in other countries or in Canada.
Learners may have different expectations of what equality means.

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.
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.
Teach learners that all people in Canada have the right to no discrimination.
Teach learners that many people still experience discrimination in Canada, but that there are things that can be done if you have this experience.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma Triggers:

Learners may have experienced discrimination, racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny or gender-based violence. Discussions of EDI may be triggering: be aware that there may be learners who need help, but it may also provide some comfort and support.
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:

Focus the discussion on the things that can be done to prevent, stop, or report discrimination. Focusing on what can be done about discrimination may help learners who have experienced trauma to not feel helpless.
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:

Create a book about cultural inclusion with your learners. Have each learner write a few sentences about themselves, where they are from, and what language(s) they speak. Work together as a class to write an introduction about inclusion. With permission, include photographs of learners on their pages.
Work as a class to write a class code of conduct. Discuss what things are important to include in the code of conduct.

Realia:

Websites about cultural centres in your area
Cultural objects like decorations, clothing, or tools
Canada Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Images depicting different rights and freedoms to support discussions.

Units and Modules:

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

Lessons and Activities:

The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Canadian Indigenous Content
Tutela: Norquest LINC Phonics Curriculum: CLB 4L
A search of NLCG (nlcg.achev.ca) may provide additional tasks that can be adapted.

Multimedia:

Ottawa Public Health: How to be an Ally