Detailed Sample Task: Stage I

CLB 3 - Writing
Sharing Information

Shopping

Real-World Task

Write a few sentences about a shopping experience involving returning an item.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Knowledge of basic shopping vocabulary
Knowledge of basic past tense
Knowledge of basic sentence structure

Context:

Shopping and returns are common experiences.
Customers are able to return items to stores for a variety of reasons such as wrong size, wrong colour, defect or poor quality.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

cashier
receipt
return
broken
too big/small
wrong (colour, size, model)
spoiled/gone bad
buy/bought
paid by credit card/debit card/cash
time vocabulary: yesterday/last week/then

Sample Grammar:

Simple past tense: I bought/ I went/ returned/ paid
Simple reason clauses: because it was too small/ broken/ the wrong colour and so on
WH questions: Where did you buy it? What did you buy? Why are you returning it?

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

Connective words and phrases within and between sentences to indicate addition, such as and, also and so on.
Knowledge of how to describe a past experience
Knowledge of how to explain a problem

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Returning items to store is common and acceptable
Receipts are usually required and an explanation of the problem
Returns result in a refund (money back) in the same method as how it was paid for, or store credit.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Discuss as a class: Where do you shop for groceries? What about clothing or other household items? What do you buy? Make
a list on the board.
Discuss as a class: Have you ever returned an item? Tell about the experience. Why do people return items to the store? Make a list on the board.
Present vocabulary with images. Match problems to images. Practice sentences such as It was too small. Practice pronunciation, Also practice vocabulary with various activities such as matching images to words, or word/ image to definition.
Incorporate phonics activities based on vocabulary words and other vocabulary related to the topic.
Listen to several short audios describing people returning items to stores. Answer some comprehension questions or true/ false questions about the audios. Identify the store, the item they are returning and why they are returning it.
As a class I read a short story about a woman who is returning a sweater because it is the wrong colour. The instructor reads the story and the learners listen, then echo read and choral read. Learners can read the story in pairs, taking turns, focusing on pronunciation, intonation and fluency.
Review giving reasons using because.
Use examples from returning items as well as other reasons used in daily life.
In pairs, learners ask and answer simple WH questions about the reading used earlier, then switch partners and confirm answers. Ask where the item was bought, what they bought and why they returned it.
Present a sample message such as:

Hi Rana, I was shopping at Walmart last week. I bought a new blender. It didn’t work so I returned it.

Read the message together. The instructor can read to the class and the class repeats- matching intonation, pronunciation and speed. Learners can then practice on their own reading aloud to a partner.

Review the message again. Underline the store where the item was bought. Circle the item returned. Underline the reason for the return.
Highlight the reason for the return. Provide other examples of reasons for returns.
Show different images of problems and have learners write other messages to each other using various items and different reasons for returning the item.
Together, as a class, write a short new message on the board with blank spaces for the store, the items bought and the reason for the return. Have learners complete the sentences in pairs.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Write a short message to a family member telling them about going to a store to return an item.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Write a few sentences about a shopping experience involving returning an item.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

In many cultures, people don’t have the opportunity to return items.
There are policies, usually store-specific, about how returns are handled. Money may be returned, in the same manner as it was paid, or as a store credit, where the money value must be spent in the same store.

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.
Use familiar apps, social media platforms and web pages.
Type information to appear on screen
Complete formatted texts online, such as forms
Use a search engine to find information

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.
Share knowledge and strategies to ensure online safety.
Refer learners to programs to improve their digital skills.

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.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma triggers:

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:

Have a class discussion about different cultural traditions in various countries represented in the class. Showcase the activities that occur such as celebratory foods or dress and gifts and so on that may be exchanged.
Look at some invitations to various Canadian events and discuss the customs associated with the invitation and some specific phrases such as Best Wishes Only, RSVP and BYOB.
Using invitations, practice recognizing details about the events and how to respond.
Practice writing other messages asking for help with other situations such as where to find certain grocery items, where to find a good mechanic, or childcare.

Realia:

Sample short paragraphs about returning items
Images of items that may be returned
Shopping receipts

Units and Modules:

Lessons and Activities:

Tutela: Speaking Assessment: Talking to Customer Service CLB 3
Tutela: Problems with Clothing CLB 1-3
LINC 3 Classroom Activities
Tutela: Farmers Markets CLB 3L ( Not CLB 3 but can be adapted)
A search of NLCG ( nlcg.achev.ca) may provide additional tasks that can be adapted.

Multimedia