Using Canadian Language 
       Benchmarks to Improve the 
       LBS Intake/Referral Process
             Marianne Kayed, Manager, Continuing and 
                   Community Education, OCSB
               Anne Senior, Special Consultant, CCLB
            Who are ESL Literacy learners?
       Learners may be:
            Pre‐literate   Theselearnerscomefromoralcultureswherethe
                           spokenlanguagesdonothavecurrent written
                           formsorwhereprintisnotregularlyencountered
                           in daily life. They may not understand thatprint
                           conveysmeaningorrealizehowimportant
                           readingandwritingareinCanadiansociety.
            Non‐literate   Theselearnersdonotreadorwriteinanylanguage, ev
                           enthoughtheyliveinliterate societies.
            Semi‐literate  Theselearnershavesomebasicreadingandwriting
                           skills, but are not yet functionally literate.
    What distinguishes ESL learners?
     Non-Literate ESL                English Literacy Learner
     • Lack awareness of use of      • Very aware
       literacy                      • Some not successful at school
     • Lacked access to literacy     • May have few skills/ 
       instruction                     strategies
     • Limited formal learning       • May have strong oral skills
       strategies, concepts
     • Need to develop oral 
       language skills (vocabulary, 
       syntax patterns, 
       comprehension)
      What distinguishes ESL learners? 
                                (2)
     Non-Literate  ESL              English Literacy Learner
     • Tends to use higher oral     •  Use higher oral skills to 
       language knowledge              support literacy learning
     • Likely affected by past      •  Likely affected by poverty, 
       trauma or other issues          family issues, lack of 
     • Remarkable survival skills,     support
       resilience, perseverance     •  May have diminished 
                                       resilience and perseverance 
                                       due to past failures