Detailed Sample Task: Stage I

CLB 2 - Writing
Reproducing Information

Banking & Numeracy

Real-World Task

Budget for grocery expenses by copying prices from a store flyer next to a list of food items.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Some basic vocabulary related to banking and finances.
Basic food items
Basic vocabulary for money such as dollars, cents, price and so on, as well as conventions for writing prices

Context:

Food is expensive and food prices are generally increasing. It is very helpful to be able to save money on food.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

(The vocabulary list is a bit long but there is an assumption that the learners will know many of these prior to the lesson.)

some common food items such as bread, milk, eggs, rice, chicken, apples, bananas, carrots, cheese, fish and so on.
money vocabulary such as dollars, cents, price, cost, total and so on
sale
each
per pound
flyer
grocery store
budget
list
compare
buy
abbreviations such as lb., ea., kg., pkg., $, and so on

Sample Grammar:

Numbers and prices
Present tense: There is/ There are
Countable and uncountable nouns: apples, bread, milk, cheese and so on.

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

Begin to identify the layout and different parts of grocery store flyers (items, prices, visual layout, abbreviations (lb., ea. pkg. and so on) and so on).
Follows basic spelling conventions.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Use flyers to make informed shopping decisions and compare prices. Using flyers and comparing prices is a normal, respected practice and not a sign of poverty.
Prices in flyers may vary by brand, store or size. Understanding these helps to make smart choices.
Flyers may be printed and/or digital.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Discuss as a class: Do you like shopping? Where do you shop in <local area>? Where do you buy clothes? Where do you buy your food? Where is the cheapest store to buy groceries? Do you shop for groceries online? Do you use flyers to shop? Why do people use flyers for shopping? What is a budget? Use visuals to support your discussion.
Teach and review abbreviations that you will be using in the lesson. Using an authentic flyer, practice reading some short examples: “bananas- $0.69/ lb.”, “eggs $3.49 per dozen” and so on.
Label an image of a simplified grocery store flyer with some of the vocabulary terms. Match images from the vocabulary list to words from the image.
Listen to your instructor read the vocabulary words aloud. Using flashcards of the vocabulary items, hold up the matching image when you hear each word. Next listen to the list of vocabulary words again and this time hold up the correct word card. Now copy the list of vocabulary words into a vocabulary notebook or digital vocabulary word bank.
Create a word wall in the classroom with food items and saving practices that you can add to and use throughout the module.
Incorporate phonics activities based on vocabulary words and other vocabulary related to the topic.
Hand out a basic list of 8-10 items and a grocery store flyer. As a class, find 2-3 items together and copy the prices onto the list. Model how to write prices correctly.
Working individually or in pairs, use the flyers to find the rest of the items. Do peer assessment to check the answers, ensuring the answers are both accurate ( right price for right item) and written correctly.
Discuss budgeting. Demonstrate how to determine which are the least expensive items to buy when you have a set amount to spend: Are apples less expensive as a fruit than grapes? Should you buy potatoes or rice?” and so on.
Have learners create their own sample grocery list of 8- 10 items with the food they like.
Repeat above activity with some online grocery store flyers, saving apps like Flipp, or if not able to work digitally, additional but different store flyers.
Introduce countable and uncountable nouns. Give several examples of food items that can be counted individually like apples, tomatoes and potatoes, and those that need to be counted in a container such as milk, cheese, or coffee. Practice identifying and naming countable and uncountable items in a flyer.
In pairs, complete a Flyer Scavenger Hunt; highlight items on a flyer such as sale items, items that are sold by “ea.”, “/lb.”, “/kg.”, items that are countable and uncountable and so on.
On an instructor-made form with pictures, write the prices of the items under the pictures as the instructor calls out the items and their prices.
In pairs, read a short sample grocery list and their prices. While 1 partner reads the list, the other partner writes the prices, Switch roles, use a separate list, and then compare answers,
Listen to an audio of someone describing their shopping trip, giving the names of items and their prices. Complete True / False questions about the information they shared.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Using a list of school supplies with both visuals and words, copy the applicable prices next to the items using a simplified flyer.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Budget for grocery expenses by copying prices from a store store flyer next to a list of food items.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Recognize that some learners live or have lived in poverty and may be living in food scarce situations. Always treat food with respect, and discuss strategies for saving money on food. Avoid any judgement on “good food” or “bad food” and note that learners who are struggling with the price of food are unlikely to pay much attention to considerations like whether something is organic or better for the environment.
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.

Digital Literacy Strategies:

Successful completion of some tasks may require some baseline digital knowledge and skills.

Learners may need to:

Have keyboarding and typing skills.
Locate, navigate and use websites.such as online shopping websites.
Use familiar apps, social media platforms and web pages.
Type information to appear on screen
Complete formatted texts online, such as forms

Instructors can:

Dedicate time to improve digital literacy for learners.
Make and/ or adapt digital materials.
Introduce websites that are relevant to the task such as those found on online shopping websites.
Support learners in finding, navigating and using websites.
Share knowledge and strategies to ensure online safety.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:

Learners who have experienced starvation or food scarcity or who are experiencing food scarcity may be triggered by discussions of food. Learners who have experienced or are experiencing poverty may be triggered by discussion of saving money, or they may feel supported and empowered.
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.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma triggers:

Filling in forms and dealing with authority can be triggering for learners who have experienced trauma, especially for learners who have been in unsafe situations or have been in a political regime. Make sure that learners are always aware of the purpose of the form and be ready to provide support if 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:

Make sure that learners are always aware of the purpose of forms and be ready to provide support if needed.
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 financial literacy program facilitator to talk about budgeting and saving basics in Canada. Have learners describe how to make their favourite food.
Have learners interview each other about their favourite supermarket and restaurant.
Visit a grocery store and write an LEA (Language Experience Approach) story when you return to class.
With a partner, look at a grocery store flyer and do a scavenger hunt to find the prices of the foods on your list.
Introduce community sales apps if possible, such as “Flipp.”

Realia:

Grocery store flyers
Flashcards of different foods or plastic foods
Food containers

Units and Modules:

Tutela: Money and banking
Tutela: Banking CLB 1-2
Tutela: Shopping and Grocery Stores CLB 2
Tutela (CCLB): Shopping for Groceries CLB 1-2
The Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES: Staying Healthy: CLB 2L/3L

Lessons and Activities:

Tutela: Shop for Food CLB 1 -2
Tutela: Groceries and Grocery Shopping CLB 1- 2
Tutela: Shopping : Assessment- Listen for Prices, Sections, Aisles CLB 2
LINC 2 Classroom Activities: Food and Nutrition (p. 401-424)
A search of NLCG (nlcg.achev.ca) may provide additional tasks that can be adapted.

Multimedia:

Unite for Literacy: Our Good Food
Unite for Literacy: Let’s Eat Fruits and Veggies
Unite for Literacy: Fresh from the Farm
Tutela: ESL Image Bank: Food

Tutela: ESL Image Bank: Banking & Finance
YouTube (RightStart Newcomer Services): Going to the bank
YouTube (Ellii): Going to the bank – Everyday English dialogues