1. Funding provided by
Human Resources & Skills Development Canada
TESL NS 2005

2. CCLB’s Essential Skills Website
Presented by: Marianne Kayed, Project Mgr.

3. Education vs. Skills Literacy Educational Credentials Numeracy
Problem Solving
Skills
In the latest ALLS survey from Stats Canada, the numbers show that where recent immigrants are concerned, that Educational credentials do not always correlate with functional levels of ability in literacy, numeracy, or problem solving in the official language of the host country.
Learning a Living: First Results of the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (2005)

4. Knowledge vs. Skills
In Canada, 65% of recent immigrants with upper secondary
education , yet only about 40% attain Levels 3, 4/5.
(Literacy levels)
“This raises an important question regarding whether the knowledge and skills acquired abroad are useable in the host country and to what extent the portability is attenuated by (official) language proficiency.”
p.212, Learning a Living: First Results of the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (2005)

5. Essential Skills
Workers who have Essential Skills at the levels required for their desired occupations will have enhanced employability.
Measuring Up!
How well do newcomers and immigrants measure up?

6. The 9 Essential Skills Reading text* Document use* Numeracy Writing*
Oral Communication*
Working with Others
Continuous Learning
Thinking Skills
Computer Use
These are the nine essential skills identified by HRSDC. For our project, we will be working only with those skills associated with language:
Reading text
Document Use
Writing
Oral Communication.

7. CCLB & HRSDC
Currently 2 projects related to Essential Skills funded by HRSDC
Includes alignment between CLBs and ES related to communication
Work done to develop resources and materials based on the alignment useful to both ESL/FSL and to Essential Skills practitioners.

8. Two CCLB Projects… Online ES Resources for ESL/FSL Professionals
2. Language
Profiling of
Tourism Sector
Occupations
Based on ES
Profiles
The two projects we’ve received funding for are:
Online Essential Skills Resources for ESL/FSL Professionals.
Language Profiling of Tourism Sector Occupations Based on Essential Skills Profiles.
Both projects are scheduled to run for one and a half years.

9. ES Resources for ESL/FSL
Web Page (itessential.ca)
CLB/Essential
Skills
Comparative
Framework
Best
Practices
How to
Manual
Online
version
Sample Module
Lists of
Resource
Materials
Sample
Lessons

10. Language Profiling Project
Web Page (itessential.ca)
Occupational
Language
Analyses
Best
Practices
Orientation to
OLAs
Online
version
Sample
Lessons
Sample Module

11. The Skills Alignment Canadian Language Benchmarks Essential Skills
Speaking
Oral Communication
Listening
Reading
Reading Text
Writing
Reading & Writing
Document Use
As mentioned on the previous slide, we are dealing with 4 Essential Skills that are slightly different than those we’re used to in the CLBs.
For the alignment, we are suggesting we align the skills as in the table. In Essential Skills, oral communication which is a broad definition of tasks, is aligned with the CLB Speaking and Listening skills.
Document Use refers to how a person uses authentic workplace materials and could cover things like reading tables, schedules, safety manuals, graphs, forms, etc.

12. Itsessential.ca Home Page

13. Background

14. About ES

15. What’s New?

16. Comparative Framework

17. Initial CF Validation Pilot
Pilot #1 - January – March 2005, over 40 ESL teachers participated in pilot of Comparative Framework.
CLB and ES experts also participated in review and feedback of document.
Pilot #2 – Nov Jan.2006
Researchers: Stewart, Geraci, Nagy
Teachers asked to use the framework for a 2+ month period with materials selection, curriculum development, and indicate other ways they found it useful.
Part of the feedback centred on the specific parts of the framework.
Particularly gave feedback on clarity, usability, usefulness, comprehensibility of document.
Skills evaluated in focus groups – Reading and Document Use.
Plans to seek funding to do further validation of the framework in Speaking, Listening, and Writing to provide further validation of the document.
If you are interested in being notified when the final report is ready and/or the final version of the framework, please sign the sheet going around the room.

18. CF Chart

19. Sections

20. CF Global Descriptors

21. Task Descriptors

22. Community Page

23. Language Analyses

24. Definition of OLA
An Occupational Language Analysis (OLA) is a standardized summary of language competencies , referenced to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB), that is linked to success in one occupation.

25. Tourism OLAs

26. OLAS to Date Bartender Freshwater Angler Kitchen Helper
Hotel Front Desk Agent
Travel Counsellor
Taxicab Driver
Golf Club Manager
Guest Services Attendant*
Tour Guide
Line Cook
Food and Beverage Server
Food Counter Attendant
Special Events Coordinator*
Professional Cook*

27. Definition of OLA
An Occupational Language Analysis (OLA) is a standardized summary of language competencies , referenced to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB), that is linked to success in one occupation.

28. OLA Structure Job Definition/Info Overview How to Read OLA
Comparative Indicators
Common Conditions of Communication
Skill breakdown
Tanis

29. OLA Best Practices Defines an OLA Describes development protocols
Maintenance
Interpetation
Application

30. OLAs Immigrants Instructors OLAs Job Analysts Employers Government
Sectors

31. OLA Support Resources
“Orientation to OLAs” multimedia approach for 3 target groups: HR, ESL teachers, and counsellors.
Orientation to OLA methodology
For teachers, Sample Lesson Plans.

32. OLAs & ESL
Learn about which language skills at which CLB levels are required to perform job-related tasks.
See the range of language skills required to do a particular occupation.
Refer to it when planning curriculum and activities for specialized ESL.
Develop learning plans related to an occupation’s language requirements.
Use the checklist for existing language skills and for new tasks being learned.

33. CLB/ES Resources

34. Sample Lesson Plans

35. Lesson Module

36. CLB/ES Research

37. CCLB Research