Detailed Sample Task: Stage I

CLB 4 - Writing
Getting Things Done

Banking & Numeracy

Real-World Task

Write your bank representative an email and ask them to correct the spelling of your name.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Vocabulary related to banking and personal identification.
Knowledge of personal identification and ways to demonstrate your identity and how to address concerns related to your identification documents.

Context:

In Canada, it is important to have accurate spelling of your name and personal information in all parts of your everyday life. This includes information related to banking. In order to protect your accounts, you will often be asked to show identification to access your accounts. It is important that your bank accounts accurately record your names, spelled correctly to avoid any confusion or delays.
People have come to live in Canada from many countries. Canadian society has people with many different names and many different spellings of their names. People in banks, schools, and government offices see many names every day including long names, short names, names with accents or different letters.
It is a good idea to say your name slowly, spell it, or correct a mistake. People will not be surprised. They are used to this and will not be offended by it.
It should be emphasized that it is important to ensure that all information is correct and up-to-date because if there are errors, important communications and government cheques may not reach them.
It is important not to forget to include apartment or unit numbers if applicable.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

bank teller
ID / identification
account
name / full name / first name / last name
spell / spelling
correct / correction
mistake / error
check / confirm

Sample Grammar:

Modal verbs for polite requests, such as may, could, can.
Coordinated clauses using basic tenses, using coordinating conjunctions such as and, but, so.

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

Appropriate phrases and expressions for salutations and to thank.
Basic email writing conventions (such as subject lines and opening closing conventions).

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Discuss as a class: What problems have you had with people misspelling or mispronouncing your name? Do you ever correct people who make these mistakes? Why or why not? Why are some spelling mistakes more important than others? Elicit examples related to government documents, airline tickets, and banking information. Discuss the implications of incorrect information such as not receiving government cheques or communications or being unable to board a flight.
Match picture flashcards to vocabulary words and then in pairs match these to a third set of cards with detailed definitions of the vocabulary items. Use the cards to create a word bank to use in later activities.
In small groups, each learner takes turns spelling their name to the group. Each group member writes down each name and then compares each written name to check the spelling is correct. Practice the structures of “How do you spell…? with slow deliberate spelling responses.
Review the grammar rules for modal verbs and focus on the modals used to express requests politely. In pairs, review a set of sentences using modal verbs with errors in the form of the modal verbs. Correct the errors and re-write the sentences into a digital document.
Read a sample email to the bank raising a mistake on a statement. Highlight key parts of the email, including the greeting, purpose, correction, and closing of the email. Answer basic 5-W questions about the text.
Review simple coordinating conjunctions to connect simple sentences. Look at an instructor-created paragraph about the diversity of names in Canada, which is made up of all simple sentences. Rewrite the sentences in a digital document with some of the sentences combined using coordinating conjunctions.
Scan a bank form and highlight the last name and family name, date, account number, email. Copy the personal information in the form into a digital document.
Listen to a short conversation between a bank teller and a customer who has found a mistake on their bank statement. Answer 3-4 questions about the conversation.
Read a teacher-adapted paragraph about how to correct a spelling mistake on an official government document in your province. Underline all of the modal verbs and highlight all of the coordinating conjunctions in the paragraph. Circle any vocabulary words you find in the paragraph. Answer a set of true / false statements about the paragraph.
Look at bank websites and identify contact information or instructions for how to change or update account information.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Write to your bank representative and ask them how to update your address as you are moving house soon. Indicate your current address and your new address and open and close the email appropriately.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Write your bank representative an email and ask them to correct the spelling of your name. Indicate key items in the email including what the initial mistake was, what the corrected spelling should be and open and close the email appropriately.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Recognize that issues related to economic disadvantage are often stigmatized. Instructors can work to reduce the stigma.
Some learners may experience changes to gender roles when they come to Canada. For some, this may be a welcome change, but for others it may be challenging. A bank may only communicate directly with an account holder rather than allowing family members to complete transactions on their behalf.
Instructors can encourage discussion about gender roles with finances, but address concerns with sensitivity but teach that Canada is equitable and inclusive to people of all genders.

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
Send and receive text messages and messages on other texting apps.
Send and receive email messages
Complete formatted texts online, such as forms
Navigate and use online learning management systems (LMS) such as Avenue.
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.
Use digital tools such as translation or pronunciation tools to support language learning and foster autonomous learning.
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 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, Francophone and of other cultures, and people who have disabilities or who are neurodivergent.
Recognize that people who identify as women may not have had independent access to financial services. Make sure these learners are aware of their rights in Canada and the resources that are available to them.

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.
Learners who have experienced trauma can be triggered by people in positions of authority, and may be concerned about raising issues around name spelling which could be seen as challenging that person in authority.

Strategies:

Make sure learners understand their rights with banks and give strategies for making polite requests related to mistakes that have been made.
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:

Take a field trip to a local credit union or bank and arrange for a short Q&A with a staff member.
Invite a guest speaker from a local settlement agency to share information related to financial literacy.
Using a script provided by the instructor, role play with a partner opening a bank account and sharing personal information. Ensure the information is recorded accurately by spelling out the information and repeating back the information.
Meet with another class in your school and practice introductions, asking and confirming the spelling of first names.

Realia:

Authentic forms from different government agencies to apply to change a name after marriage, to correct a spelling mistake or other required updates.
Digital application forms for name changes
Websites to identify contact information when they need to report challenges or inaccuracies.
Websites with information about changing personal information on federal, provincial and municipal registries.

Units and Modules:

Lessons and Activities:

Tutela: Using an ATM
Tutela: Opening a bank account

Multimedia: