Learning Objectives 

     This module allows learners to explore the school neighbourhood while learning literacy, (reading and writing) numeracy and digital skills. It follows the LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) program’s objectives of English language training and settlement.

Reading skills include: 

• Recognizing the letters of the alphabet
• Recognizing symbols and pictures on signs
• Recognizing whole words
• Understanding word and symbol meaning 

The CLB 1 competencies are the following:

Getting Things Done

• Get information from very short, simple, common formatted texts (such as simple sections of forms, maps, diagrams, sales receipts, or common universal traffic signs and civic symbols).

Sample Task: Read a simple common sign to heed a rule or warning. (Stop. No parking. No smoking.) 

Profile of Ability

The reader can: Recognize letters, numbers, a small number of words and very short, simple phrases related to everyday objects and immediate needs.

When the text is: • Limited to everyday words and phrases • Clear, sparse and very easy to read • Supported by visual clues (e.g., pictures) •

Very short • In non-demanding contexts

Demonstrating these strengths and limitations:

• Finds a few key words and simple details

• Has little ability to apply sound-symbol relationships and spelling conventions in English

• Has almost no ability to decode unknown words, read connected discourse or guess the meaning of unknown words

• Relies heavily on graphics and other visual clues when interpreting meaning

• Relies heavily on a bilingual dictionary due to extremely limited vocabulary

Learners will be given opportunities to learn vocabulary in context, with visual support and make connections to real world realities and structures they are reading Coatney (2006). Kang and Dennis (1995) write, "Any attempt to treat vocabulary learning as learning of isolated facts certainly will not promote real vocabulary knowledge". 

While reading a word on a flashcard may be simple for someone who is literate, the following skills have been reported to read a flashcard:

1. Recognize the line formation as a letter, distinguishing it from all other possible combinations of lines used to create symbols

2. Recognize the lines as A

3. Associate the name A with the symbol used to form the letter A

4. Identify the picture on the card

5. Recall the English word “apple”

6. Correctly pronounce the word “apple”

7. Use phonemic segmentation to pull the initial sound from the word apple to say /ă/

8. Recite the sound /ă/ in isolation from the word

9. Associate /ă/ with the letter representation A

10. Associate /ă/ with “apple”

11. Understand that “apple” begins with the letter A

12. Eventually, memorize /ă/, apple, A for instant recall

https://jyx.jyu.fi/bitstream/handle/123456789/41929/1/what-doesn-t-work-for-the-lowest-level-literacy-learners-and-why.pdf

This list gives a clear idea of the complexity of skills taking place for beginner readers. As such, the length of time needed to scaffold and recycle vocabulary will be up to the teacher, as directed by learner needs. Writing, listening and speaking skills may be included in lessons, however, only reading will be assessed.

Coatney, S. (2006). The importance of background knowledge. Teacher Librarian, 34(1), 60.