Detailed Sample Task: Stage II
CLB 7 - Speaking, Writing Sharing Information, Getting Things Done
Workplace Writing
Real-World Task
Discuss team availability and strengths, then create a project management schedule for a small project.
Planning Context
Helpful Knowledge:
- Familiarity with the concept of project management and why it is important in many workplaces.
- Some knowledge of more formal/ professional workplaces.
- Some knowledge of expectations in Canadian workplaces.
Context:
- Projects with multiple people or steps require a project management schedule to organize who will do each task at specific times. This should be based on team availability and strengths.
Vocabulary and Grammar
Sample Vocabulary:
- deliverables
- milestone(s)
- duration
- assign
- delegate
- estimate
- conflict
- reschedule
- delay
- resource availability
- personnel
- scope
- sequence
- task dependency
- time sensitive
Sample Grammar:
- Phrases to formally express interests and strengths, for example, “I would be interested in…”, “I strongly prefer working with…” or “If it’s possible, I would rather…”
- Perfect tenses to express actions after something has been completed, for example, “When ‘x’ has completed their task, you will…” or “Once the team has finished, the manager will sign off.”
- Imperatives to clearly write tasks into a schedule.
Knowledge and Strategies
Textual and Functional Knowledge:
- Ability to use cohesion links in speech to show reason or consequence, for example, so, because, in order to and so on.
- Ability to use effective and conventional forms in workplace communication such as a project management schedule.
Sociolinguistic Knowledge:
- Knowledge of appropriate formal ways to express that you are unavailable or would prefer not to do a task.
- Knowledge of the importance of clear concise wording of tasks in a schedule.
- Understanding of collaborative skills in a workplace setting.
Activities and Tasks
Sample Skill-Building Activities:
- Brainstorm ways to express interests and strengths in the workplace.
- Listen to a conversation of coworkers expressing interests and strengths in the workplace. Identify the phrases used and compare to the ones you brainstormed.
- Read examples of the Skills for Success, or similar documents, to understand important workplace skills in Canada.
- In pairs or small groups, consider which skills are your strengths and which skills you may still need to improve.
- Read examples of actions in the workplace and identify which workplace skills they are examples of.
- Learn ways to talk about availability and interests in tasks.
- Role play short scenarios with classmates where you randomly pull examples of tasks and express if you are available and interested.
- Consider appropriate ways to express unavailability or lack of interest. Watch videos with examples of suitable and unsuitable non-verbal communication, such as tone and body language. Identify appropriate non-verbal communication in the workplace when expressing that you’re not interested in doing a task or are unavailable.
- Learn about perfect tenses to express actions after something has been completed, such as in a project management schedule.
- Listen to people explain steps in a project management schedule using perfect tenses and place the actions on a timeline.
- Learn about creating project management schedules on paper and or in online programs such as ProofHub, monday.com and so on.
- Read examples of project management schedules and identify the kind of language used (clear, concise, use of imperatives to name tasks and so on).
- Read examples of ineffective workplace communication and correct the language to be more effective and suitable for a workplace.
- In groups, discuss your personal obligations and tasks for the week, and create a schedule.
Sample Skill-Using Tasks:
- Read a short scenario of employees’ strengths and interests. In a small group, role-play as co-workers on a team. Discuss availability and team members’ skills, then create a timeline for a small project. Give peer feedback.
Sample Assessment Tasks:
- Discuss team availability and strengths, then create a project management schedule for a small project.
Teaching Considerations
Cultural Considerations:
- Learners may not have a lot of/ any knowledge of more formal workplaces where project management is common. Give some specific examples and ensure learners understand the kinds of workplaces where this task would more commonly take place.
- Some learners may have professional experience or have been/ be professional project managers. Make space for them to share their knowledge and experience.
Digital Literacy Strategies:
Successful completion of some tasks may require some baseline digital knowledge and skills.
Learners may need to:
- Use phone or videoconferencing technologies for phone or online meetings.
- Understand and use meeting etiquette.
- Navigate and use online tools for collaboration such as Trello or Google Docs.
Instructors can:
- Introduce websites that are relevant to the task(s).
- Refer learners to programs to improve their digital skills.
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 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; make sure learners understand their rights in the workplace and give strategies for speaking up about strengths and interests.
Strategies:
- Give learners advance warning of discussions of this topic.
- 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:
- If possible, set up a shared Google Doc, Trello board or similar and have learners collaborate to create a schedule for practicing English at home.
- Practice talking about workplace skills and “selling yourself” in an elevator pitch.
- Learn about virtual meetings, how to sign in, virtual meeting etiquette and so on, and practice sharing information about availability and strengths in a virtual meeting.
- Invite a project manager or supervisor to talk about their project management in their job.
Realia:
- Authentic blogs and websites about project management
- Asana: Project Management Schedules 101
- Skills for Success
Units and Modules:
(Adapt for the CLB level you teach)
Lessons and Activities:
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.
