Canadian Language Benchmark 6

Reading: Moderate Level

Global Performance Descriptor

• Learner can follow main ideas, key words and important details in a one-page (three to five paragraphs) plain language authentic prose and non-prose (formatted) text in moderately demanding contexts of language use.
• Can locate three to five pieces of specific, detailed information in prose passages, charts and schedules for analysis, comparison and contrast.
• Can read printed or legible handwritten notes, memos, letters, schedules and itineraries.
• Can get new information about familiar topics from reading mostly factual texts with clear organization, and within familiar background knowledge and experience.
• Language of the text is mostly concrete and factual, with some abstract, conceptual and technical vocabulary items, and may require low-level inference to comprehend it (e.g., learner may guess some new words by recognition of prefixes and suffixes).
• Uses a concise unilingual ESL/EFL learner dictionary regularly.

Performance Conditions

• Text is up to one page long and related to a personal or common experience, or a familiar context.
• Text is legible, easy to read; is in print or neat handwriting.
• Instructions are clear and explicit, for everyday situations, used with some visual clues, but not always presented in a step by step form.
• Context is relevant and familiar.
• Pictures occasionally accompany text.
• Text has clear organizational structure.
• Types of texts: forms, tables, schedules, directories, calendars, notices and announcements.
• Text is three to five paragraphs long, with clear organization; is in printed or electronic form.
• Passages are in plain language, with occasional idioms.
• Language is mostly concrete and literal, but may also be abstract and technical.
• Context and topic are often familiar; are sometimes related to personal experience; and are partly predictable to learner.
• Text types: newspaper articles, educational content materials, stories, encyclopedia entries.

Competency Outcomes and Standards

I. Social Interaction Texts

What the person can do

• Identify factual details in moderately complex notes, e-mail messages, letters and announcements containing cancellations of arrangements, apologies.

Examples of tasks and tests

• Community, Study, Workplace: Obtain information from authentic notes, e-mail messages and letters; identify correctly specific factual details and inferred meanings (e.g., circle or check items, fill in blanks).
• Community, Study: Obtain information from social announcements, reports and other social texts in the newspaper.

Performance Indicators

• Identifies specific factual details and inferred meanings in the texts.
• Identifies purpose of text.
• Identifies reader-writer relationship, attitude of writer and context.

II. Instructions

What the person can do

• Follow a set of common everyday instructions (up to 10 steps) when not presented completely in point form: sequence/order must be inferred.

Examples of tasks and texts

Before depositing the slip in the deposit box, check if it is signed. The appliance must be disconnected prior to opening the cover.

• Community, Workplace: Explain instructions of use and warnings printed on the labels of common commercial/industrial chemical products (e.g., dishwasher detergent).

Performance Indicators

• Follows instructions as required.
• Carries out task.

III. Business/service texts

What the person can do

• Identify factual details and some inferred meanings in moderately complex texts containing advice, requests, specifications.
• Find two or three pieces of information in moderately complex formatted texts.

Examples of tasks and texts

• Community: Explain the details in notices, announcements and newspaper coverage of public health issues (e.g., a disease).
• Study: Scan a page in a continuing education community courses calendar; locate two to three pieces of information that match the requirements in another text.

Performance Indicators

• Identifies main intent, main idea, factual details and some inferred meanings in the texts.
• Identifies writer’s purpose/intent/attitude.
• Identifies communicative value of text, and its parts.
• Finds two or three specific pieces of information by scanning five to 10 paragraphs, extensive directories or forms.

IV. Informational texts

What the person can do

• Show comprehension of a one-page moderately complex descriptive/narrative text on a familiar topic.
• Demonstrate comprehension of a cycle diagram, flow chart and a time line/schedule.
• Information literacy/reference and study skills competencies
• Access/locate/compare two or three pieces of information in a CD-ROM electronic reference source.

Examples of tasks and texts

• Community, Study, Workplace: Read a report, interview, news item or a story that includes explanations and examples. Identify seven out of 10 important points. Retell the text in own words.
• Study: Explain how something works (in nature or man-made) based on a text; relate the sequence of steps or stages in a cycle or process described in the text.
• Use the information from a time line/schedule chart to solve a simple scheduling problem.
• Access, locate and compare/contrast two or three pieces of information in a CD-ROM electronic reference source (e.g., dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases).

Performance Indicators

• Identifies factual details and inferred meanings in text as required (70%-80%).
• Identifies/states main idea and key details.
• Retells or summarizes the story.
• Relates sequence of steps in a cycle.
• Guesses meaning of words and expressions from textual clues.
• Predicts what will happen next in the text.
• Interprets a cycle diagram and a time line/schedule chart.
• Accesses, locates and compares two or three pieces of information in a CD-ROM electronic reference source.