Detailed Sample Task: Stage I

CLB 2 - Writing
Sharing Information

Community and Recreation

Real-World Task

Write a simple, single sentence response to questions about personal needs on a food bank intake form.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Vocabulary related to requests for personal information.

Context:

When you apply for services such as  Food Banks, or other community support programs, it is common to have to provide personal information related to more than identification. This may include information related to employment and housing status, members of your family and total household income.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

Sample Grammar:

Indications of a positive and a negative statement.
Word order.
Common everyday English spelling and punctuation.

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

Common cohesion links such as pronoun references.
Writing information in the correct parts of a form.
Proof reading to ensure accuracy.
Printing or typing accurately.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Elicit all kinds of information that could be requested on a food bank application form including personal identification information and information related to needs.
Match vocabulary words related to personal information to visuals.
Read a simple, short description of a person who is requesting support from a food bank. In the description learners circle key words for personal information and needs.
Listen to individuals talk about themselves and their family; learners match the description to visuals of different families.
In pairs, describe their families and the dietary needs of their families.
Copy personal information provided into a form template.
Listen to a simple conversation about the food bank and circle key words from the conversation.
Match visuals to words to show the services at the local food bank.
Create a short, simple instructor-made story on the topic, and have learners listen as the instructor reads, following with their finger. Have learners repeat after the instructor to match intonation and fluency. Finally, have learners read the story as a group, and then individually. These activities practice vocabulary in context, show relevancy of the language and improve fluency.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Match simple questions about dietary preferences and family needs to the appropriate answers and copy the answers.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Write simple (1 line) responses to questions about personal needs on a food bank intake form.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Applying to some community supports and resources can require the sharing of significant personal information in order for the agency to determine if you qualify for support.
It is not always safe or advisable to share personal information as this may result in identity theft or scams.

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.
Have an email address and be able to navigate email proficiently.
Locate, navigate and use websites.
Use familiar apps and web pages.

Instructors can:

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.
Share knowledge and strategies to ensure online safety.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Strategies:

Instructors can:

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.
Recognize that issues related to economic disadvantage are often stigmatized and work to reduce the stigma.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma Triggers:

Filling in forms can be a trigger for learners who have experienced trauma.
Learners who have experienced trauma can be triggered by people in positions of authority.

Strategies:

Create a safe and supportive classroom environment by establishing familiar routines, repeated activities, and model friendly and non-evaluative interactions; learners who have experienced trauma often benefit from having routine.
Recognize and respect learners’ right to choose if, when and what they share about themselves and their routines.
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.
Giving learners the knowledge, skills and language to access resources can be empowering.

Resources

Outings, Guest Speaker Suggestions, Extension Activities:

Guest speaker from the Food Bank to discuss services and supports offered.
Outing to the food bank, or other relevant community support programs.
Consider times when it is safe to provide personal information and times when it could be a scam or threat.

Realia:

Authentic Food Bank intake forms
Forms to apply for subsidized community programs

Units and Modules:

Lessons and Activities:

Multimedia:

TVO. What is a food bank?