Detailed Sample Task: Stage II

CLB 5 - Listening, Speaking Comprehending Information, Sharing Information

Collaboration and Teamwork

Real-World Task

Participate in an informal workplace meeting.

Planning Context

Helpful Knowledge:

Some basic knowledge of workplace  norms in Canada.
Some general knowledge of staff meeting and/ or online meeting etiquette; awareness of Robert’s Rules of Order.
Awareness of formal/ polite workplace language.

Context:

Meetings are common requirements in a Canadian workplace. Some are small and very informal, and some are more formal with a set agenda, participants and schedule. Employees in Canada are expected to actively participate in and contribute to meetings.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Sample Vocabulary:

Sample Grammar:

Future tense to talk about meeting agenda, for example, “We’ll brainstorm…” or “We’ll hand over to”.
Sequencers to express meeting agenda such as first / for starters / secondly / then / after that and so on.
Set phrases to express expectations for a meeting, for example, “We wanted to let you know…” or “I’d like your input  on ‘x’”.
Phrasal verbs commonly used in a meeting such as wrap up / hand over / take part in and so on.

Knowledge and Strategies

Textual and Functional Knowledge:

Recognize and use speaking conventions in workplace contexts, such as introductions and closings.
Recognize discourse markers such as grammatical set phrases to help understand the organization of the meeting.

Sociolinguistic Knowledge:

Recognize more formal registers used  in workplace communication.
Use of small talk at the beginning of an informal meeting.

Activities and Tasks

Sample Skill-Building Activities:

Listen to a recording or watch a video  of a meeting and identify the parts, for example, small talk, starting the meeting, reviewing the agenda and concluding the meeting.
Review and discuss the components of  a meeting, such as the agenda, the meeting itself and the meeting minutes or notes.
Brainstorm appropriate and inappropriate small talk conversations  in a group.
Practice making small talk in pairs or small groups.
Play a game where you pull a small talk topic from a hat and have to talk for 60 seconds on that topic with your partner.
Listen to examples of the start of a meeting and identify the purpose of the meeting.
Elicit and learn common meeting vocabulary. Read or listen to vocabulary in context to identify the meaning.
In groups, brainstorm examples of sequencers and place them in order.
Read a transcript of a meeting and place sequencers in appropriate places.
Learn common language functions or set phrases to express yourself in a meeting.
Learn what a phrasal verb is and read examples of phrasal verbs commonly used in meetings. Match the verb to the correct particle.
Practice using the phrasal verbs in small groups, for example, “let’s wrap up” or “I’ll hand over to…”.
Role-play short informal meetings on different topics.
Watch a video of an online and in-person meeting to compare and contrast meeting etiquette and language between the two.
Read step-by-step instructions for accessing an online meeting and practice using a program such as Zoom or Teams.

Sample Skill-Using Tasks:

Read a scenario and role-play a meeting with classmates, including small talk, introductions, agenda review, meeting discussions and closing the meeting. Give peer feedback to classmates.

Sample Assessment Tasks:

Participate in an informal workplace meeting.

Teaching Considerations

Cultural Considerations:

Active listening and participation in meetings is highly valued in Canadian workplaces. These skills may not have been valued in learners’ employment experiences. Review these skills and stress their importance in Canadian workplaces and learning environments.

Digital Literacy Strategies:

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

Learners may need to:

Understand and use virtual meeting etiquette.
Use online recording tools.

Instructors can:

Introduce websites that are relevant to the task(s).
Introduce meeting platforms such as Zoom or Teams.
Use digital tools such as translation or pronunciation tools to support language learning and foster autonomous learning.

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.
Teach that race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics and disability are all protected grounds under the Canadian Human Rights Act.
Recognize that learners with disabilities and learners who are neurodivergent may need accommodations in the workplace; when possible, help learners of all abilities understand their rights in the workplace.

Trauma-informed Strategies:

Possible Trauma Triggers:

Learners who have experienced trauma can be triggered by people in positions of authority or find it difficult to express opinions in a workplace situation; make sure learners understand their rights in the workplace and give strategies  for making polite contributions.

Strategies:

Give learners advance warning of discussions of this topic.
Allow learners choice:
- the choice to share or not share their own experiences
- the choice to take care of themselves
- the choice to step out of the learning environment

Resources

Outings, Guest Speaker Suggestions, Extension Activities:

Invite a manager or HR representative guest speaker to discuss  the importance of meetings in the Canadian workplace.
Read articles or blogs on collaborating in meetings in the Canadian workplace.
Watch videos on taking part in different kinds of meetings in Canadian workplaces.
Expand skills to different kinds of meetings, such as community meetings..

Realia:

Business etiquette in Canada
Real articles and blogs on taking part in meetings

Units and Modules:

(Adapt for the CLB level you teach)

Avenue Course Builder: Select the themes Workplace Communication – General and Employment, and CLB 5, for units related to listening to instructions, meetings or communicating at work.
- CLB 5 Pathways to Employment: Workplace Communication  and Teamwork
- CLB 5+ Taking Notes While Listening
- CLB 5+ Participating in Meetings
- CLB 7 Participating in Workplace Meetings

Lessons and Activities:

(Adapt for the CLB level you teach)

Multimedia:

Instructor Resources and References: