Imagine this: A 41-year-old gentleman from El Salvador has immigrated to Canada and is in your ESL class. Let's call him Jorge. As a child he went to school for six years, although his attendance at school was irregular owing to the need to work on the family farm and its distance from the school. He has never felt comfortable reading and writing in Spanish. Since his arrival in Canada, he has picked up only survival English words and phrases; he cannot read or write. Jorge's ability to earn a living for his family here in Canada is dependent upon his learning English. He is most eager to learn.

Jorge is not unique. There are many who have limited literacy and numeracy skills in their first language because their education was limited or interrupted due to war, poverty or particular cultural values. Therefore, the process of acquiring a second language is made more complicated because the written word does not assist their learning. For them, dictionaries and textbooks do not represent learning resources; they represent learning burdens. Consequently, their teachers require a different repertoire of teaching techniques and resources and a different way of describing their learners' progress in developing reading, writing and numeracy skills.

The Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB) with HRDC funding and the province of Manitoba's contribution has developed just such a unique document. Designed to be used by English as a Second Language (ESL) literacy teachers, program developers and administrators, this document lays out the progression of reading, writing and numeracy skills for ESL adult learners who have little or no literacy skills in their first language.

Teachers will be able to use the Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000: ESL for Literacy Learners to set learning objectives and identify appropriate learning activities and tasks for learners such as the one described. Test developers will use it to develop assessment tools to determine the developmental level of their learners, and materials writers will use it as a basis for preparing ESL Literacy learning resources.

The Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000: ESL for Literacy Learners was developed by a team of experienced teachers in the Winnipeg School Division Adult ESL Literacy program, led by Linda Johansson M. Ed (TESL). It is the culmination of years of effort to identify and break down ESL Literacy skills and concepts into incremental components. It also reflects their determination to identify points at which learners can celebrate their progress in learning to read and write.

The Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000: ESL for Literacy Learners has practical teaching suggestions in addition to the clearly written description of ESL Literacy competencies. It will be a valuable addition to the resource collections of ESL Literacy teachers nationwide.

Some Suggestions for Working with ESL Literacy Learners

• Often ESL Literacy learners lack self-confidence. Getting to know learners, encouraging selfexpression, listening actively and joining discussions can help instructors build their learners’ confidence in the classroom.

• ESL Literacy learners benefit when their needs and experiences provide the direction or context for their learning. A Language Experience Approach (LEA) has been found to be an effective way to teach reading and writing.

• ESL Literacy learners require extensive concrete context to support their learning. Real items (realia), such as grocery items, clothing, cheques, flyers, catalogues, etc. should be used in the instructional process. Pictures and picture stories are also valuable aids to provide context to ESL Literacy learners.

• Because ESL Literacy learners must develop their oral skills as well as their literacy skills, they need frequent opportunities to listen to and speak English. They may not be able to attach meaning to the written word unless sufficient oral practice precedes written work.

• Oral practice should include activities that are focused on developing both accuracy of word form, sentence or grammatical structure and pronunciation, as well as on developing fluency in carrying on real-life conversations.

• Timelines are often a source of frustration in the ESL literacy class. If learners are consistently unable to accomplish objectives within set timelines, then it may be time to reconsider the timelines and closely examine the program content and delivery.

Submitted by: Joanne Pettis, M.Ed. (TESL), Coordinator, Adult ESL Curriculum Development & Implementation, Manitoba Labour and Immigration, Adult Language Training Branch