Detailed Sample Task: EAL Literacy

CLB FL-Speaking
Giving Instructions

Community and Recreation

Real-World Task

At an Indigenous learning event, ask a classmate to sit down and close their binder.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Basic class room words: book, pencil, binder, table, chair

Context:

It is common to get ready for a speaker.
Indigenous Peoples were the first peoples in Canada.
Indigenous Peoples live everywhere in Canada. Indigenous Peoples in Canada have many different cultures and languages.
This task reflects the intention to include all people in Canada in the themes. The language skills in this task could be applied to other contexts.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

Sample Grammar:

Imperative voice for instructions

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

In the imperative voice, the first word is the action.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

You can soften an instruction by saying please.
Sitting down and listening quietly shows respect to a speaker.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Discuss as a class: Who are Indigenous Peoples? Where do they live? What languages do they speak (some speak English, French, and Indigenous languages)?
As a class, look at videos of Indigenous Peoples from your local area speaking, singing, dancing, or drumming.
Look at Indigenous lands and cultures in your local area.
Using vocabulary cards with large, clear pictures on a white background, review simple classroom vocabulary.
Practice vocabulary by copying simple words, such as book or binder underneath a word and clear photograph.
Use TPR (Total Physical Response) to practice vocabulary words. Begin with having learners point to classroom items (e.g. book, binder, pencil), and then add actions: Pick up your book. Close your binder. Stand up. Sit down.
Do various worksheets to practice the vocabulary words and actions such as matching, copying and Bingo.
Incorporate phonics activities based on vocabulary words and other vocabulary related to the topic.
As a class, read a very simple story such as one of the Canadian Indigenous Content stories from the Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES. Read the story to learners several times over several days. Do comprehension activities such as pointing to a photograph and asking who or what this is.
Discuss as a class: What do you do when a teacher or a visitor speaks? Discuss ways of showing you’re listening, such as sitting down and closing your binders.
Practice a simple, instructor-made dialogue in which two classmates prepare to listen to a speaker: e.g. Hi./Hi!/The teacher is starting. Sit down. Close your binder./Okay, thanks! Practice the dialogue as a class. Give half the class one part and the other half the other part. Practice many times until learners have memorized the dialogue. Then work with a partner to practice the dialogue.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

At the start of an activity, ask a classmate to sit down and open their binder.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

At an Indigenous learning event or to prepare to listen to a speaker or teacher, ask a classmate to sit down and close their binder.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Learners at this level may be unfamiliar with Indigenous Peoples and cultures. Help learners to understand there are Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

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.
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.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:

Teach learners how to show respect through listening politely to speakers from all cultures.
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 may be triggered by orders or people who are overly authoritative. Teach learners to soften instructions with words such as please.
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 a class speaker, such as an instructor from another class, to come and read a simple story or a few photographs with the class. Prepare for the visit and practice showing respect in different ways to the speaker.
Have each learner share something about themselves. Treat each learner as a guest speaker, and invite the class to sit down and close their books to listen. Clap after each speaker.

Realia:

Stories about Indigenous Peoples
Photographs and videos of Indigenous Peoples

Units and Modules:

The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Starting a New English Class: CLB FL/1L

Lessons and Activities:

Tutela (Archway): Items in the Classroom: CLB 1L/2L (Not the right level but can be adapted)
The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Adults Learn to Print
The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Reading Skills Stories
The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Canadian Indigenous Content
Tutela: Norquest LINC Phonics Curriculum: CLB FL
Tutela: Foundation L-CLB 2L Phonics Curriculum
A search of NLCG (nlcg.achev.ca) may provide additional tasks that can be adapted.

Multimedia:

YouTube (CBC): What is a Powwow?