LINC/ELSA and CLB Resources
These resources will be especially valuable for teachers working with adult immigrants in Canada.
Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks Home Page
By following links on the top and side bars, teachers can access free downloadable CLB resources such as ‘Can Do’ lists for each benchmark level, posters, sample lesson plans, and booklets as well as information about CCLB projects and activities. Teachers new to the CLB can follow the link for CLB Online Professional Development to get their feet wet by going through the CLB Boot Camp.
Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000: English as a second language - for adults.
(http://www.language.ca/display_page.asp?page_id=254)
Available as a free download (approximately 170 pages) or as a free coil-bound document via Canada Post, this defining document gives information about the history and organization of the CLB as well as complete descriptions of each CLB level from 1-12.
Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000: Theoretical framework.
(http://www.language.ca/display_page.asp?page_id=257)
A free downloadable document which provides a more in-depth study of the CLB than was practical in the CLB 2000 document. It provides an overview of the CLB including: global profiles of Benchmarks 1 to 12, theoretical background, rating scales, a glossary of terms, and a bibliography.
Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000: Additional sample task ideas.
(http://www.language.ca/display_page.asp?page_id=259)
A free downloadable companion document to the CLB 2000 which provides an extensive listing of additional sample task ideas for reading, listening, speaking and writing benchmarks in 3 areas: Community access, Study/Academic, and Workplace .
Companion Tables to the Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000
(http://www.language.ca/display_page.asp?page_id=550)
A free downloadable companion document to the CLB 2000 intended to facilitate use of the national standard for purposes such as test and task design and development, test alignment projects, and evaluation procedures. The document allows users to view the benchmarks across levels to see how criteria for each skill evolve over the twelve benchmarks.
CLB 2000: ESL for Literacy Learners
(http://www.language.ca/display_page.asp?page_id=255)
Available as a free download or via Canada Post at a cost of $15, this document lays out the progression of reading, writing and numeracy skills for ESL adult learners with little or no literacy skills in their first language. It is also useful to inform programs for ESL learners who are literate in a non-Roman alphabet, and who may need help learning reading and writing basics in English. ESL Literacy Benchmarks are designed to be used with the listening and speaking benchmarks in CLB 2000: ESL for Adults Benchmarks. ESL Literacy Benchmarks are divided into a pre-reading and pre-writing phase, called the Foundation Phase, followed by Phases I, II and III.
CCLB E-Learning Portal
(http://elearning.language.ca)
This portal contains various opportunities for teachers to learn more about CLB especially as they are applied in specific contexts. Visitors must first create a free account which gives them access to online courses in CLB Lesson Planning and CLB Classroom Assessment.
Canadian Language Benchmarks/Essential Skills in the Workplace
This website provides ESL and Essential Skills teaching aids and bridging materials for those working with adult immigrants and newcomers to support the use of the Canadian Language Benchmarks and Essential Skills.
Relating Canadian Language Benchmarks to Essential Skills: A Comparative Framework
(http://www.language.ca/display_page.asp?page_id=207)
A companion document to the CLB 2000 which shows the relationship between language skills (CLB) and Essential Skills for employment.
Canadian Language Benchmarks Language Assessment for Nurses
The main website for the CELBAN (Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses) and the online CELBAN Readiness Self-Assessment.
ELSA Net Home Page
The home page for the organization which supports teachers working in government-sponsored CLB-based ELSA programs in B.C. (known as LINC in Alberta and Ontario). Click on ‘Resources’ to access the organizer page with printable, downloadable ELSA materials for teachers as well as links to many other ESL websites.
LINC curriculum guidelines: LINC 1-5.
(http://atwork.settlement.org/sys/atwork_library_detail.asp?doc_id=1003153)
This on-line curriculum resource for LINC levels 1-5 in Ontario, last updated in 2004, corresponds to Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 2000, the Canadian standards which describe a person’s ability to use the English language. The material is organized by themes rather than levels and outcomes for each level have separate competencies for all four skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing). Materials include sample tasks for each of the four skills and all topic pages include relevant pronunciation items, as well as resources for planning and evaluation. Text and Web-based resources appear on the topic pages and computer tasks are fully integrated into the sample language tasks with a variety of activities such as spreadsheets and presentations.
Immigrate to Manitoba, Canada
(http://www2.immigratemanitoba.com/browse/eal_teachers)
Wonderful downloadable materials from Manitoba, including Manitoba's new Adult EAL curriculum framework foundations along with companion and support materials, and a module bank containing CLB-referenced module plans and authentic materials for 12 subject themes. Other resources include: tips & activities for speaking, writing, reading, grammar, listening, assessing language and developing metacognitive strategies; lesson plans for settlement for adult newcomers living and learning in rural communities, staying safe at work, and CLB-based learner activities; two excellent language-learning websites and a CLB-based booklet, developed in conjunction with the Adult Language Training Branch, for students to practise their English; a list of high-quality, English as an Additional Language-related publishers; resources to help incorporate Essential Skills into classroom activities; and word lists – verbs, general and academic – to ensure the inclusion of common vocabulary in students' language development, etc.
Ottawa Community Loan Fund’s Newcomer Finances Toolkit
(http://www.oclf.org/en/newcomers.php)
A toolkit to help teachers address financial topics with newcomers. Teachers can dowload the pdf of the Instructor’s Manual, which gives an overview and suggested activities. Teachers can select from worksheet on topics including Banking, Credit, Income Tax, Insurance, Government Support Programs, Investments and Fraud. In particular, check out the links for the online practice bank machine and the direct payment (debit) machine, both of which are accompanied by Banking worksheets which have sample tasks for newcomers to complete using the online practice machines.
Be aware that—even when you are
authorized to download and use materials from a site—if you and your colleagues
really love a worksheet or whatever, it is highly unlikely that you will be
allowed to make a link from, for instance, your school Website straight to that
specific material; doing so could be considered to be bandwidth theft! However,
it is normally just fine (as on this page) to establish a link to the overall
site in question.
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