Real-World Task Guidelines:
Stage I
CLB 4
Education and Learning
Possible Topics
This theme may include these topic areas:
And so on
Planning Context
Learners may require the following:
- Clearly formatted texts with clear font or printing
- Use of common and familiar visuals in reading texts
- Visual clues such as accompanying video for listening texts
- Slow, clear speech in listening texts
Instructors may need to:
- Limit answers that require writing; use tasks that require circling, matching, etc.
- Ensure texts include familiar words and phrases
- Ensure topics are very familiar and concrete
- Repeat listening texts
- Give support to learners in dialogues
Comprehending Information
Understand short descriptive or narrative communication on topics of personal relevance.
- Gets the gist.
- Identifies factual details, some implied meanings, key words and expressions.
Comprehending Instructions
Understand common, sequentially presented instructions and directions related to familiar, everyday situations of personal relevance.
- Responds with appropriate actions to directions and instructions.
- Recognizes and identifies correct sequence of steps.
Comprehending Information
Understand short descriptive narrative communication on topics of personal relevance.
- Gets the gist.
- Identifies factual details, key words and expressions as required.
Getting Things Done
Make and respond to a range of requests and offers.
- Asks questions and makes requests and suggestions politely and appropriately..
- Uses modals with some accuracy.
Sharing information
Ask for and give information about needs and feelings related to common everyday activities.
- Asks and answers simple, factual questions.
- Expresses feelings, needs, preferences, satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
Getting Things Done
Get information from short business or service texts.
- Finds main ideas, specific information and key details.
- Compares facts and information to make choices.
Comprehending Instructions
Understand short, simple, clearly sequenced instructions and instructional texts for familiar everyday situations. Instructions are up to about 6 steps, in point form or as a short, continuous text that may include a visual.
- Identifies sequence signals (such as first, next, before).
- Recognizes common sentence patterns, phrases and symbols commonly used in instructions.
Comprehending Information
Understand the purpose, main idea, key information and specific details in simple, short texts related to everyday familiar and personally relevant situations and topics.
- Gets the overall meaning.
- Identifies key information and specific details.
Getting Things Done
Write simple business or service messages. [Messages are about 7 sentences.]
- Conveys main ideas and supports them with some detail in a basic paragraph structure.
- Uses language and content that are appropriate to the purpose, intent, and social context.
Interacting with Others
Convey short, personal, informal social messages on topics related to familiar everyday situations [Message is a few sentences or a short paragraph addressed to a familiar person and related to a personally relevant situation.]
- Conveys the message so that a reader can follow it.
- Conveys feelings in a manner that is appropriate to the context.
Reproducing Information
Copy or record an expanding range of information from short texts for personal use.
- Texts to copy are up to about 2 paragraphs and have a clear layout; can include passages, directories, schedules, instructions, directions, dictionaries and manuals, and may come from more than one source.
- Copies texts legibly causing only slight uncertainty in decoding for the reader
- Copies with no major omissions and only occasional copying mistakes.
Additional Sample Real-World Tasks and Competency Areas
Make small talk about your weekend with your teacher at the beginning of a class. (Interacting With Others)
Respond to a classmate’s questions about a group project like deadlines, duties and group meetings. (Getting Things Done)
Read a paragraph of information about an adult education course like high school equivalency or a sector specific bridging course. (Comprehending Information)
Write an email to a teacher to request an accommodation, such as extra time in assignments, for a neurodivergent child. (Getting Things Done)
Additional Resources
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.
- Scan online resources to find information.
- Use videoconferencing technology for online meetings.
- Navigate and use online learning management systems (LMS) such as Avenue.
Instructors can:
- Use digital tools such as translation or pronunciation tools to support language learning and foster autonomous learning.
- Support learners in finding, navigating and using websites.
- Refer learners to programs to improve their digital skills.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 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 and teach learners that Canada is a diverse place and has people from many different cultures. Canadian culture includes the cultures of all people in Canada.
- Recognize that learners with disabilities and learners who are neurodivergent may need accommodations in learning environments; when possible, help learners of all abilities understand their rights.
Trauma-Informed Strategies
Triggers:
- Filling in forms and dealing with authority, including teachers, 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.
Strategies:
- Give learners advance warning of discussions of this topic.
- Giving learners the knowledge, skills and language to access resources can be empowering.
Sample Real World Tasks
This information is aligned with the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and is designed to help guide you in the planning process. You can use these sample real-world tasks to guide and inform your selection or creation of skill-building activities, skill-using tasks and assessment tasks.
These sample real-world tasks include the following: skill, real-world task, competency area, one competency statement and two sample indicators of ability. This is not an exhaustive list: there are more indicators of ability and information about this CLB level in Canadian Language Benchmarks English as a Second Language for Adults. Consult this resource for more information and to select your own competencies or indicators of ability. Remember, you can use more learner-friendly language in your materials and assessments.
This is NOT a lesson plan, module plan or curriculum.
