Real-World Task Guidelines:
Stage II
CLB 8
Health and Workplace Safety
Possible Topics
This theme may include these topic areas:
And so on
Planning Context
Learners may require the following:
- Use of a unilingual dictionary to confirm or clarify meaning
- Some support understanding faster conversations or abstract, idiomatic and colloquial language
- Some support understanding appropriate levels of formality and tone, especially in relation to hierarchy and relationships in the workplace
- Some explicit language instruction to convey respect, appreciation and inclusivity
- Information on resources, supports, services and programs related to the theme
Instructors may need to:
- Explain some abstract, idiomatic or colloquial language and/ or cultural references
- Include teaching of pragmatics, strategic competence and sociolinguistic knowledge (cultural references, non-verbal communication, sociolinguistic norms and attitudes, speech styles and registers)
- Include collaborative group and pair work to apply the learned skills and promote the development of communication skills and teamwork, including simulations that allow learners to take on different roles and understand different perspectives
- Adapt online resources for accessibility/ use in the classroom and explain that certain tasks are authentically completed online
- Incorporate learning of background information related to the theme
Comprehending Instructions
Understand extended multi step directions or instructions for technical or non-technical tasks.
- Follows sequence markers, cohesive devices (connecting words, reference, parallel structure, substitution) or other linguistic clues to infer order of steps.
- Responds with actions to directions and instructions.
Getting Things Done
Understand communication intended to influence or persuade (such as extended warnings, threats, suggestions, recommendations and proposed solutions) in situations related to personal decisions or to work-related issues in own field.
- Identifies the functional value of utterances (such as warnings, threats, suggestions or recommendations).
- Evaluates the validity of suggestions or proposed solutions.
Comprehending Information
Understand extended monologues or presentations on topics that are generally familiar and related to general knowledge or technical/ work-related issues in own field.
- Identifies phrases and sentences that mark topic introduction, topic development, topic shift and conclusion.
- Identifies rhetorical discourse markers and patterns of chronological order and sequence, comparison and contrast, and cause and effect.
Giving Instructions
Give instructions and directions for a broad range of technical and non-technical tasks, procedures and processes.
- Uses clear references and provides necessary details.
- Checks to confirm understanding.
Getting Things Done
Propose or recommend solutions to problems in a familiar area.
- Describes problems and clarifies details.
- Indicates possible solutions, recommends the best ones, and gives reasons.
Sharing Information
Give presentations to describe and explain structures, systems or processes based on research.
- Expresses main ideas and supports them with details.
- Provides an introduction, development and conclusion.
Comprehending Instructions
Understand extended, moderately complex, multi step instructions and instructional texts for established (set) procedures related to specialized tasks.
- Interprets sequence and location signals and implied meanings.
- Follows instructions as required to complete a task.
Getting Things Done
Get information from moderately complex business/ service texts containing proposals, recommendations and statements of rules, regulations or policies.
- Identifies main ideas, key details and implied meanings.
- Scans text and makes inferences to select the relevant information.
Comprehending Information
Understand moderately complex extended descriptions, feature articles, reports and narrations.
- Identifies organization of text and links between paragraphs.
- Evaluates ideas in text, draws conclusions, compares with own opinion.
Comprehending Information
Understand moderately complex extended descriptions, feature articles, reports and narrations.
- Identifies organization of text and links between paragraphs.
- Evaluates ideas in text, draws conclusions, compares with own opinion.
Reproducing Information
Reduce a text of up to about 2 pages to an outline or summary.
- Reduces information to main points with accurate supporting details and no major omissions.
- Conveys essential information.
Reproducing Information
Reduce oral discourse about established procedures (given in a live demonstration, over the phone, or from pre-recorded audio or video material) into notes that can be used to write instructions.
- Reduces information to main points with accurate supporting details and no major omissions.
- Conveys essential information.
Additional Sample Real-World Tasks and Competency Areas
Watch an informational video about occupational health and safety inspections. (Comprehending Information)
Tell a co-worker about the procedure for a work refusal. (Giving Instructions)
Read about the Occupational Health and Safety Act and evaluate the impact it has on workplaces. (Comprehending Information)
Acting as a health and safety committee member, write a recommendation to an employer about a workplace hazard and the steps to mitigate it. (Getting Things Done)
Additional Resources
- Avenue
- CCLB
- Government of Canada: Workplace health and safety
- Ellii: Health & Safety – Ellii (formerly ESL Library)
- Tutela Collections – Health and Safety: Tutela.ca | Collections
Digital Literacy Strategies
Successful completion of some tasks may require some baseline digital knowledge and skills.
Learners may need to:
- Use videoconferencing technology for online meetings.
- Fill in forms online.
- Scan online resources to find information.
Instructors can:
- Use digital tools such as translation or pronunciation tools to support language learning and foster autonomous learning.
- Introduce websites that are relevant to the task(s).
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategies
Instructors Can:
- Use diverse representations of people in all 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
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 making polite requests.
- Filling in forms and dealing with authority 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.
- Discussions of emergencies may be triggering for learners who have experienced trauma. Give learners advance warning of this topic and be aware that there may be learners who require support.
Strategies:
- Learners who have experienced trauma often benefit from having routine.
- Learners who have experienced trauma benefit from having choices.
- 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.
