Canadian Language Benchmark 6

Writing: Moderate Level

Global Performance Descriptor

• Learner demonstrates developing ability in performing moderately complex writing tasks.
• Can effectively convey familiar information in familiar standard formats.
• Can write one- or two-paragraph letters and compositions.
• Can fill out detailed job application forms with short comments on previous experience, abilities and strengths, and form reports.
• Can reproduce information received orally or visually, and can take simple notes from short oral presentations or from reference materials.
• Can convey information from a table, graph or chart in a coherent paragraph.
• Can write down everyday phone messages.
• Demonstrates good control over simple structures, but has difficulty with some complex structures and produces some awkward-sounding phrases (word combinations).

Performance Conditions

• Circumstances range from informal to more formal occasions.
• Addressees are familiar.
• Topics are of immediate everyday relevance.
• Text is one or two short paragraphs.
• Text to reproduce is up to one or one and one-half pages in legible handwriting or print, or may be a short oral text (10 to 15 minutes).
• Texts are varied and may be of a specialized or technical nature.
• Learner may fill out a teacher-prepared summary grid to aid note taking or summarizing.
• Forms are moderately complex in format, 30 to 40 items long.
• Messages are five to six sentences or one paragraph long.
• Text is one to two paragraphs long on a familiar and personally relevant topic.
• Where necessary for the task, learners must include information presented to them from other sources (e.g., photographs, drawings, reference text/research information, diagrams).

Competency Outcomes and Standards

I. Social interaction

What the person can do

• Convey a personal message in a formal short letter or note, or through e-mail, expressing or responding to congratulations, thanks, apology or offer of assistance.

Examples of tasks and tests

• Community, School, Workplace: Write an appropriate personal note to cancel an appointment because something unexpected has happened. Express inability, disappointment. Send your apologies.
• Community: Write a personal note to thank someone for a special gesture.
• Write a personal note to offer assistance to a friend or acquaintance.

Performance Indicators

• Conveys the message: reader can follow the text.
• Uses language and content that are appropriate and relevant to the occasion.
• Conveys main ideas and supports them with detail in a basic paragraph structure.
• Makes few errors in simple grammatical structures, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, format/layout.

II. Reproducing information

What the person can do

• Take notes from an oral presentation or a page of written information.

Examples of tasks and texts

• Study: Take notes from a 10- to 15-minute oral/TV presentation on a general topic. Write down key information concisely and accurately.
• Workplace: Take notes from an oral presentation on desirable qualifications employers look for in potential employees.
• Community: Take notes from a talk on newcomer orientation/settlement issues.

Performance Indicators

• Takes notes and reduces written or oral information to important points with accurate details.
• Records names, addresses, numbers, dates, times, directions and other details with correct spelling, and in legible handwriting.
• Copies important or new words and details off the board or screen (where relevant).

III. Business/service messages

What the person can do

• Convey business messages as written notes.
• Fill out moderately complex forms.

Examples of tasks and texts

• Community: Write a short letter of request to have your money returned for a guaranteed product that did not work to your satisfaction.
• Fill out a short medical history form.
• Workplace: Fill out a one- or two-page straightforward job application.

Performance Indicators

• Conveys a clear message to the recipient.
• Conveys a sense of audience in language and format.
• Demonstrates good use and control of simple structures, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation.
• Fills out forms with required information.
• Spells and follows punctuation conventions.

IV. Presenting information and ideas

What the person can do

• Write one or two paragraphs to relate a familiar sequence of events, tell a story; provide a detailed description and comparison of people, places, objects and animals, plants, materials, or routines; or describe a simple process.

Examples of tasks and texts

• Study, Workplace: Give a detailed description of a simple process (e.g., the collection, sorting and distribution of mail at Canada Post).
• Study: Write a detailed story or report an incident based on a series of pictures, a film clip or a personal experience.
• Describe and compare two simple science experiments.
• Community, Study, Workplace: Word-process, revise, edit, format and print texts using a computer, if available.

Performance Indicators

• Addresses the purpose of the task.
• Expresses main ideas and supports them with details.
• Demonstrates good control of simple grammatical structures, and some difficulty with complex structures.
• Demonstrates adequate vocabulary for the topic.
• Provides accurate descriptions, comparisons, account of events in the report/story, sequence of stages in a process.
• Provides an introduction, development and conclusion, and an adequate paragraph structure in the text.
• Uses appropriate logical connectors.
• Demonstrates accurate spelling and punctuation; makes minor errors only.
• Presents text in legible handwriting or print.