Detailed Sample Task: EAL Literacy

CLB FL-Listening
Getting Things Done

Banking and Numeracy

Real-World Task

Ask a bank teller for assistance using the ATM.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Personal pronouns: I, you, he, she
What is a bank; what is an ATM

Context:

ATMs are useful for most basic bank transactions. ATMs often have longer opening hours than banks.
You have to be careful of your personal safety and financial privacy at an ATM. Only ask someone for help if they work for the bank or are known to you.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

Sample Grammar:

Question in the present simple: Can you help me?

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

If you don’t know how to do something, you can ask for help and get assistance.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

You can ask a bank teller for help with your banking.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Show learners photographs of local banks in your community. Discuss: what is a bank? What do you do there? What is your bank?
Look at a picture of an ATM from one of your local banks. Ask learners what this is. Elicit from learners how you use an ATM.
Use a large photo or project a large image of an ATM (as close to life size as possible) on the board. Give learners a pretend bank card (e.g. half an index card with “bank card” written on it). Practice very simple steps for using an ATM: insert card, type in PIN, press “withdraw $20”, take money, take card.
Practice with an online ATM simulator.
Discuss each step of this process with learners: what is a PIN? Who knows your PIN? How do you keep your PIN private? Tell learners many times that their bank PIN is a VERY private number.
Practice the numbers 0-9. Trace and copy the numbers.
Count clear, simple pictures of objects on a page and write the number.
Sing and work out to Work Out and Count to 100.
Listen to simple numbers from the instructor and write them on your small white board or paper.
Read a very simple instructor-made story as a class about using an ATM. Read the story to the learners and then echo read and chorus read the story. Ask learners: what happened in the story? Identify the steps of using the ATM.
Listen to and practice a very simple dialogue between a bank teller and a customer: Can you help me? Yes. I need $20 from my account. Okay, push this button.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Ask a bank teller for assistance using the ATM. (Same as assessment task. Vary the amount of money requested if an assessment task is needed.)

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Ask a bank teller for assistance using the ATM.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

The idea of keeping your money in a bank may be unfamiliar to some learners at this level; however, having a bank account is important as an adult in Canada to be able to receive money and pay for items. Help learners to understand that Canadian banks are very safe and secure.
Learners may not be familiar with the need for security at banks and ATMs. Make sure learners know that they need to keep their bank card safe and can’t tell anyone (including their instructor or friends) their PIN.

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.
Type information to appear on screen.

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.
Show learners that the size of an image on the screen can be adjusted.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:

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.
Learners who are women may not have control of their own finances. Help learners to understand that in Canada all adults have access to their own money.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma Triggers:

Learners who have experienced trauma or who have lived or are living in poverty may be triggered by discussions of money and finances. Learners who have lost their possessions or money may also be triggered by this topic. Be aware of this and be prepared to support learners as 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:

If possible, visit a bank lobby (you might want to notify the bank ahead of time and identify a quiet time to visit). With learners, note the ATMs and the tellers. Return to class and elicit an LEA (Language Experience Approach) story from the learners about the experience.

Realia:

Sand trays
Marker tops, pebbles, or other small objects
Magnetic numbers or number tiles
Play money

Units and Modules:

Tutela (CCLB): Reporting a Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Bank Card: CLB 1L/2L (Not the right level but can be adapted)

Lessons and Activities:

Tutela: Norquest LINC Phonics Curriculum: CLB FL
The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Reading Skills Stories
The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Adults Learn to Print
Tutela (Archway): Personal Information: Numeric Focus: CLB 1L/2L (Not the right level but can be adapted)
Janis ESL ISSBC: Banking and Money ( Not the right level but can be adapted)
Learning Chocolate: Money Matters: ATM ( Not the right level but can be adapted)
A search of NLCG (nlcg.achev.ca) may provide additional tasks that can be adapted.

Multimedia:

YouTube: Work Out and Count to 100
Tutela: ESL Image Bank: Banking and Finance