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Language for Work: CLB and Essential Skills

This comprehensive guidebook provides ESL instructors with essential tools, lesson plans, and resources to integrate Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and Essential Skills (ES) for workplace success. Sections cover framework, resources, lesson plans, and tips.

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Language for Work: CLB and Essential Skills

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  1. Language for Work: CLB and Essential Skills For ESLInstructors -Colette Pépin, Project Officer, CCLB

  2. Outline • Essential Skills Initiative (3 guidebooks) • Guidebook for ESL Instructors • Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB), Essential Skills (ES) and how they relate • Lesson Plans (template and rational) • Approaches to Incorporate ES

  3. Tools and Resources to Support the Use of Essential Skills • Project aims to support three groups • Job analysts • Workplace trainers • ESL/FSL instructors • Three guidebooks entitled • Language for Work: CLB and Essential Skills

  4. Language for Work - what’s inside? • Section I - Information • CLB, ES and their relationship • Employers expectations (communicative performance) • Transferable skills (workplace to workplace) • Language skills in the classroom versus in the workplace

  5. Language for Work - what’s inside? • Section II- Resources for planning • Foundational Framework • Diagnostic tools (ES needs) • Skills Tables (workplace tasks, lower level emphasis) • Links to additional resources, for example • The Comparative Framework (2005)

  6. Language for Work - what’s inside? • Section III – Ideas and tips • Using the Foundational Framework to create lesson plans • Other approaches in creating lesson plan • Tips to incorporating Essential Skills • 25 sample lesson plans

  7. CanadianLanguage Benchmarks • For adult ESL learners • Illustrates communicative proficiency in progressively • Demanding tasks • Demanding contexts • Higher performance expectations

  8. Not created for ESL learners Describe tasks rather than a person’s ability to demonstrate a task Not technical skills, apply to all occupations Complexity ratings 1-4 or 5 * Except Working with Others and Continuous Learning Essential Skills • “Essential Skills are the skills needed for work, learning and life.” • - ES Website

  9. Understanding Complexity Levels • Oral Communication : • Find out which global issueconcerns your neighbour the most. (Obtains specific information; ES 1) • Converse with your neighbour to learn why this issue is the most important and follow-up with a question. (Exchanges information; ES 2)

  10. Understanding Complexity Levels (cont’d) • Convince your colleague that your issue is more important than theirs, without disregarding their opinion. Try to anticipate their reactionand consequently adapt your approach in trying to persuade them. (Persuades. Exchanges detailed complex information and opinions; ES 3) • Manage a discussionwith a multi-stakeholder population. Present a global issue and suggest possible solutionsthat can accommodateas many peopleas possible. (Facilitates complex group problem solving and decision making; ES 4)

  11. Reading Text Document Use_(ex) Writing Numeracy_(ex) Oral Communication Thinking Skills (6 types) Working with Others Computer Use Continuous Learning Nine Essential Skills www.hrsdc.gc.ca

  12. CLB and ES: Matching the Skills CLB Speaking = ES Oral Communication CLB Listening = ES Oral Communication CLB Reading = ES Reading Text and ES Document Use CLB Writing = ES Writing and ES Document Use

  13. Resources for CLB and Essential Skills • The Comparative Framework (2005) • Illustrates what CLB levels are required to be able to demonstrate Essential Skills

  14. CLB & ES Comparative Framework Overview (2005)

  15. Resources for CLB and Essential Skills • The Foundational Framework (2009) • Provides tasks for lower levels to practice and to work towards being able to demonstrate Essential Skills

  16. Foundational Framework • Diagnostic Materials_(link) • Assist ESL teachers in determining ES needs • Foundation Tables_(link) • Build lower-level CLB tasks to ES level 1 • Highlight the workplace attributes of CLB

  17. Lesson Plans • 25 lessons (1.5 – 3 hrs each) • Range of lower-level CLB • Transferable skills • Essential Skills that correlate with CLB skills • Materials are provided • Available from www.itsessential.ca (Feb./Mar. 09) • Template_link

  18. Examples • Workplace Culture: • In the Canadian workplace: • Workers are expected to report problems that prevent them from doing their work. • Reflective Evaluation: • Circulate while learners are working to determine if learners: • Are able to communicate that they are experiencing a problem; • Are able to articulate the type of problem using appropriate phrases. • Debriefing/Wrap up: • Point out the three steps to reporting problems seen in class can be used in a variety of settings. Illustrate this by practicing the three steps in contexts provided by the learners.

  19. Approaches to Incorporate ES Three starting points: Foundational Framework CLB tasks or language function Essential Skills, workplace task or authentic document (available from Essential Skills Profiles or workplace documents available online) Different starting point – similar result!

  20. Approaches to Incorporate ES: Example CLB or Language Function

  21. Workplace Culture and Debriefing - Discuss importance of information accuracy and safety. - Offer case studies, e.g., a worker who does not understand instruction about a meeting and ends up missing it. - Ask learners to brainstorm similar possible situations in their place of work. - For lower levels where discussion is less fluent, use pictures to illustrate a similar situation in a multitude of workplaces.

  22. Approaches to Incorporate ES: Example Essential Skills, workplace tasks or authentic materials

  23. Workplace Culture and Debriefing - Show pictures/provide descriptions of a variety of jobs and have learners identify: --the types of forms workers may have to complete --different ways in which numbers are used in forms on the job - For lower levels use picture-word or picture –picture association

  24. Language for Work: CLB and Essential Skills for ESL Instructors • The guidebook contains: • Information on the relationship between CLB and ES • Resources to support teachers in planning; • Practical tips for incorporating Essential Skills

  25. How can I get a copy? • Guidebook and lesson plans are free • Available March 2009 • www.itsessential.ca (go) • www.language.ca(go) • Thank You!

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