Detailed Sample Task: Stage II
CLB 6 - Reading Comprehending Information
Community Connections
Real-World Task
Read descriptions of newcomer programs at a community centre to decide which ones to participate in.
Planning Context
Helpful Knowledge:
- Some knowledge of community centre services and programs.
- Some knowledge about registering for services and programs at community centres.
Context:
- In Canadian communities, community centres are a resource for everyone. These centres provide many different types of programming and supports for people of all ages. These programs can provide an opportunity to gain skills, learn about community resources, practice language and make friends.
Vocabulary and Grammar
Sample Vocabulary:
- register / registration / registrant
- enroll
- course number/ program
- number
- drop-in
- cost/ fees
- deposit
- participant categories: baby / early years / toddler / preschool / child / youth / teen / adult / senior / family
- program categories: arts / recreation / outdoors / sports / camps / digital literacy / taxes / settlement / employment
- referral
Sample Grammar:
- Modals of necessity when discussing program prerequisites such as skill, ability, language level or other registration requirements.
- Imperatives in instructions.
Knowledge and Strategies
Textual and Functional Knowledge:
- Brochure or website genre.
- Recognition of keywords for search terms.
- Table of contents layout and format.
- Website search function.
- How events, activities or programs are described.
- How participants or audiences for events, activities or programs are described.
Sociolinguistic Knowledge:
- Awareness that there are grants and programs available to assist low-income individuals and families access community centres services and programs that have fees.
Activities and Tasks
Sample Skill-Building Activities:
- Elicit types of programming available at community centres.
- Listen to conversations of people talking about different types of community centre programs.
- Identify audiences for different types of programs and what programs are designed to support newcomers.
- Examine a sample program listing to identify layout and scan for features of the listing such as headings, subheadings, bullet points and so on.
- Predict content of sample program listing using headings and subheadings.
- Use features of sample program listings to identify key details in the content.
- Compare different sources of information for community centre programs such as flyers, brochures, websites and so on.
- Practice using keywords to search for types of program such as a table of contents or website search function.
- Read sample profiles/ scenarios and practice identifying needs and matching needs to a selection of sample programs.
- Discuss program choices with a partner and use examples from the texts to explain the reasons behind the choices.
Sample Skill-Using Tasks:
- Read descriptions of newcomer programs at a community centre and identify the main idea, purpose of the program and key details.
- Using a scenario, read a description of a newcomer program at a community centre to decide which ones the people in the scenario should participate in.
Sample Assessment Tasks:
- Read descriptions of newcomer programs at a community centre to decide which ones to participate in.
Teaching Considerations
Cultural Considerations:
- Review the role of a community centre in a Canadian context. Discuss if these types of services and programs exist in other cultures/ countries.
- Review different community options for services and programs – community centres, libraries, cultural centres, immigrant service or settlement centres.
Digital Literacy Strategies:
Successful completion of some tasks may require some baseline digital knowledge and digital skills.
Learners may need to:
- Have keyboarding and typing skills.
- Locate, navigate and use websites.
- Use familiar apps and web pages.
- Scan online resources to find information.
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.
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 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 some learners may have different views. You can be sensitive to their differing opinions, but all learners benefit from EDI, and all learners have the right to an inclusive and equitable learning environment.
- 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.
Trauma-informed Strategies:
Possible Trauma Triggers:
- Many activities in a school environment, such as assessments, answering questions from an instructor or someone in authority, public speaking and interacting with strangers, can be triggers for trauma.
Strategies:
- Learners have the right to choose if, when and what they share about themselves.
- Make space for learners to feel safe and recover from the experience of sharing their experiences.
- Giving learners the knowledge, skills and language to access resources can be empowering.
Resources
Outings, Guest Speaker Suggestions, Extension Activities:
- Invite a guest speaker from a community centre to present their programs and services to your class.
- Take a tour of a local community centre to learn about resources, services and programs, and facilities.
- Follow steps to register for a community centre program.
- Fill out an application for a family or individual recreation subsidy.
- Apply to volunteer at an event or program at the community centre.
- Role-play a conversation asking a community centre employee about program choices, fees and registering for a program.
- Role-play a conversation describing programs or giving directions to the local community centre to a friend or neighbour.
Realia:
- Local map with community centre location(s)
- Local community centre website, online brochure or brochure
Units and Modules:
- Avenue Course Builder: Select the theme digital citizenship, and CLB 5 and 6 for units related to online community resources (adapt for the CLB level you teach).
- CLB 5 Reading about recreation programs in Ontario on a website
- CLB 5 Writing an email for information about recreation services
Lessons and Activities:
(adapt for the CLB level you teach)
- REACH Unit: Community Centres: Register for an Activity – Section 1: Find Activities
- REACH Unit: Community Centres: Register for an activity – Section 2: Read program guides and schedules
- MOSAIC TBL CLB 5 Asking for Information at a Community Centre
- OCDSB: Assessment Task: Writing a Formal Email to a Community Centre (CLB 6)
Detailed Sample Task
This exemplar is aligned with the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and is designed to guide and inform your lesson and module planning. Consult the Canadian Language Benchmarks English as a Second Language for Adults for detailed performance descriptors at this benchmark and skill.
The information in this document is not exhaustive and can be expanded on. As well, you can use more learner-friendly language in your materials and assessments.
This is NOT a lesson or module plan.
