EAL Literacy Learners

EAL literacy learners are often identified during their initial CLB-based language placement test. EAL literacy learners can also be identified by their years of formal education before arriving in Canada; learners with fewer than 9 years of formal education are likely to benefit from dedicated literacy instruction. However, education in their origin countries can vary considerably from place to place due to different levels of access to resources, access to formal education facilities, class sizes and interruption of education, and so years of education alone is not necessarily a 
good indication of literacy need.



When assessment centres suspect there are literacy issues, they use  dedicated literacy screening and placement tests used to help guide placement. The National LINC Placement and Progression Guidelines (NLPPG) provides guidance for placing learners in LINC programs. 
EAL literacy learners can also be identified once they are placed in a LINC program if their instructor notices a literacy need.



EAL literacy is a continuum, with learners along the continuum having very different proficiency levels in reading and writing, and literacy learners are highly diverse. They can be all genders, all ages, all faiths and can come from a wide range of countries and backgrounds. There are many possible reasons why a learner has not developed literacy, including: 

• Conflict: In countries with conflict or war, it is often impossible or unsafe to send children to school.


• Refugee status: Children who become refugees often experience interrupted education or education with fewer resources.


• Cultural background: Not all languages have a written form, and people from these cultures are less likely to have a formal education in any language.

• Gender: Girls and women are less likely to be educated worldwide, and when a family does not have much money, females are less likely to 
be educated than the males.

• Economic status: Families with fewer resources are less likely to be able to afford to educate their children. In many places, children are expected to work either inside or outside the home from a young age.

EAL literacy learners bring a unique combination of strengths and challenges to a LINC class which can vary from learner to learner. They often have strong community bonds and survival skills. They may speak multiple languages, and they tend to be good oral, aural, kinesthetic, cooperative and collaborative learners. 



Aside from the obvious challenges in reading and writing, EAL literacy learners may also struggle with learning strategies and may not be used 
to conventions in education, such as sitting still, facing the instructor, or organizing their learning materials. They often have a different form of background knowledge than non-literacy learners; they may have extensive knowledge in their areas of expertise but may have gaps in their understanding of science and in things which may be considered “general knowledge” in Canada. They are also developing visual literacy, which means they may not understand symbolic visual conventions such as speech bubbles or stick people. Visual literacy  is generally developed in this order:

• clear photographs

• clear, realistic drawings

• more stylized drawings

• highly stylized drawings or cartoons

• symbolic images

EAL literacy learners often have numeracy needs, which can include concepts such as time, measurement and money. There is no direct correlation between literacy level and numeracy level; a learner with low literacy skills may have better numeracy skills, depending on their background.



EAL literacy learners may also have needs that extend beyond the academic. They often live in poverty and experience pressing and immediate settlement needs, including the need for food and housing. EAL literacy learners, especially those who are in Canada as refugees, are at high risk of having experienced trauma and it is important to use trauma-aware practices when working with literacy learners.