Essential Skills Skill-Building Activities and the Ontario Skills

Essential Skills, Skill-Building Activities and the Ontario Skills Passport www. ontario. ca/skillspassport

Ontario Skills Passport (OSP)

Essential Skills (ES) Tasks • tasks or activities that are performed in the real world – have a clear purpose and often include a “to” statement – are authentic (respond to real world demands) • levels of complexity ranging from 1 to 4 or 5 depending on the skill • demonstrate the transfer of skills from task to task and context to context

What is an ES task? An activity considered complete in itself that: • employs a skill or skills • describes what is being produced or acted upon • includes a purpose (real life or work context) Writes a report to summarize a recent event. Evaluates the quality of source materials to select what to use.

Examples of ES Tasks • Read cooking instructions on food packages to prepare foods. Reading Text (2) • Make program-design decisions to ensure the smooth flowing of events. Decision Making (3) • Participate in a job interview for a co-op placement. Oral Communication (3)

Essential Skills Tasks: Work, Learning and Life Database

Sample Essential Skills Tasks – Work, Learning and Life Oral Communication

Occupation-Specific Essential Skills Tasks

NOC 3411 – Dental Assistants

Sample Tasks for NOC 3411 – Dental Assistants

OSP Occupational Profiles Links to information on career planning, education and training, and employment and volunteer opportunities

Skill-Building Activities • build competency through practice • link to the Essential Skills framework • help learners understand why and how • “bring it all together” for the student • link to Ontario curriculum

What Are The Skill-Building Activities Needed to Complete this Task?

Examples of Skill-Building Activities • Complete a page of addition and subtraction problems. • Count money to show an understanding of denominations. • Arrange letters in alphabetical order. • Arrange verbs, nouns and prepositions to create sentences.

What Are The Skill-Building Activities Needed to Complete this Task?

Why should I worry about tasks? • Essential skills levels can only be assigned to tasks

One Task, Many Skills • • Skills aren’t used independently; we use many skills to complete one task Generally, one skill is the primary focus of the task

Is this an Essential Skills task?

Is this an Essential Skills task? People often like to renovate their homes. They either do the work themselves or hire someone to do it. Are you thinking about renovating your bedroom and installing a nice hardwood floor? 1. Measure your bedroom and calculate how much hardwood you will need to cover your floor. 2. Ask at a local store or search the Internet to find out the price of the hardwood you want, and the cost of installing it. 3. Calculate how much it will cost to install a hardwood floor in your bedroom (including the HST).

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Task Descriptions • Fill the 7 -day pill box with your grandmother’s four prescriptions ES • Complete the page of addition and subtraction problems SB • Determine the costs for tuition and textbooks for the first semester of your postsecondary program to decide how much you need to save ES • Total your annual heating bill to decide whether the equal billing plan would be a better payment option ES • Write a paragraph about something you like to do SB • Scan the college map to find your way to the bookstore ES • Double the recipe to serve 12 ES 25

Task Descriptions • Make a list of sale grocery items you need and the sale prices ES • Read the bus schedule to find which bus will take you to the doctor’s office ES • • Read the memo and answer the questions that follow SB Read the classified ads and circle jobs you want to apply to ES Fill in the blanks in the following sentences SB Compare the size and cost of two cans of tomatoes and determine the best buy ES • Make a list of all the documents you read today SB 26

Identifying the Essential Skills in the Task Why? • links “what I’m learning” to “how I’ll use it”, connecting classroom learning to real life • easily linked to learner goals • demonstrates the use and application of skill sets • informs instruction • helps learners and practitioners assess skill development and skill gaps • assists learner understanding of skill transfer 27

Guide to Linking Essential Skills and the Curriculum

The guide was created with educators in mind. It can help you as teachers, literacy practitioners, adult educators, curriculum writers, and learning materials developers: • Identify the Essential Skills (ES) you are already teaching; • Make the ES explicit in your classroom teaching and assessment; • Analyse classroom activities to determine where embedded ES are; • Understand task complexity from an ES perspective

How Can I Identify Essential Skills in Classroom Activities?

Step 1

Is this an Essential Skills task? Read pamphlets and information sheets to learn about the causes of diabetes.

Is this an Essential Skills task? Complete a page of word problems to show understanding of a recent Geometry Unit.

Step 2 - Analyze the ES Task Step 2: To analyse Essential Skills tasks, ask: Which Essential Skills are being used? What are the skill level demands? Use the OSP website to help you. On the main page, click on Essential Skills to take you to a list of Essential Skills with definitions. Use the OSP website to help you. Once you are on the page with the list of Essential Skills and definitions, click on the name of an ES to get to skill level descriptions for each ES.

Step 2 - Analyze the ES Task TASK: Count out exact change to pay for the bus.

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Step 2 - Analyze the ES Task 1. 2. 3. 4. Which Essential Skills are being used? What are the skill level demands? Main skill: 1 2 3 4 (5) Other skills: 1 2 3 4 (5) Give a 10 -minute Main skill: presentation to the class on findings from Internet Other skills: research about the long-term health effects of narcotics use. 1 2 3 4 (5) Read pamphlets and information sheets to learn about the causes of diabetes. 1 2 3 4 (5) Main skill: 1 2 3 4 (5) Other skills: 1 2 3 4 (5) Measure a classroom to Main skill: figure out how many desks fit in the room, to show Other skills: understanding of a recently taught unit on area. 1 2 3 4 (5) Complete and sign a waiver acknowledging awareness of risks associated with using shop equipment. 1 2 3 4 (5)

Step 2 - Analyze the ES Task 1. 2. 3. 4. Read pamphlets and information sheets to learn about the causes of diabetes. Which Essential Skills are being used? Main skill: Reading Text Other skills: No additional skills Give a 10 -minute Main skill: Oral Communication presentation to the class on findings from Internet Other skills: Computer Use research about the long-term Finding Information health effects of narcotics use. Complete and sign a waiver acknowledging awareness of risks associated with using shop equipment. Main skill: Document Use Other skills: No additional skills Measure a classroom to Main skill: Measurement and Calculation figure out how many desks fit in the room, to show Other skills: No additional skills understanding of a recently taught unit on area. What are the skill level demands? 3 N/A 2 2 N/A

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Curriculum Planning Chart Course(s) Curriculum Expectations Essential Skills Tasks Locally Developed Compulsory Credit Course, Math, Grade 9 (MAT 1 L) DMSV. 01 – interpret, write, and round decimal numbers with understanding in everyday money situations Count out exact change to pay for the bus when travelling to a doctor’s appointment. DMS 1. 10 – identify Money Math (1) different combinations of coins and bills that would result in a given amount of money (e. g. , What are possible ways to make $27. 48, using coins and bills? ) Skill-Building Activities Identifies money denominations. Knows that a dime equals 10 cents, for example. Counts coins. Performs simple addition. Identifies different combinations of coins for bus fare. 46

Curriculum Planning Chart – Light Duty Cleaner Course(s) Locally Developed Compulsory Credit Course, English - Grade 9 (ENG 1 L) Curriculum Expectations Essential Skills Tasks DRVV. 02 – read and recognize a variety of short, engaging, authentic, and relevant print and non-print text forms, both teacher- and student-selected; The Canada Day holiday will be taken on the last Monday of June and no cleaning will be completed on that day. Look at the Monthly Schedule. Highlight or circle the date on the Cleaning Schedule. Document Use (2) DRV 1. 02 – preview the features and organizational patterns of print and nonprint text, using appropriate strategies; Skill-Building Activities • Read a calendar to locate specific information • Use tools to highlight or indicate specific information Mark T. provided the light duty cleaner with $50 in payment for cleaning services. The cost for two hours of cleaning services is $40 plus HST. Calculate the change the light duty cleaner owes to Mark. Money Math (2) Cleaners sign confidentiality agreements as a condition of employment. Look at the Confidentiality Agreement. Highlight or circle the places where the Cleaner would print and sign his or her name. Reading Text (1) Document Use (1) 47

Curriculum Planning Chart – Light Duty Cleaner Course(s) Curriculum Expectations Essential Skills Tasks Locally Developed Compulsory Credit Course, Mathematics -Grade 9 (MAT 1 L) DMSV. 01 – interpret, write, and round decimal numbers with understanding in everyday money situations; DMSV. 03 – communicate information about money concepts; DMS 3. 03 – communicate, orally and in writing, the solutions to money problems and the results of investigations, using appropriate terminology, symbols, and form; Mark T. provided the light duty cleaner with $50 in payment for cleaning services. The cost for two hours of cleaning services is $40 plus HST. Calculate the change the light duty cleaner owes to Mark. Money Math (2) Learning Strategies 1: Skills for Success in Secondary School, Grade 9, Open (GLS 10/GLE 20) Learning Skills (Overall) identify and use a variety of numeracy skills and strategies to improve their practical application of mathematics in everyday contexts; Skill-Building Activities • Use a calculator to multiply numbers with percentages • Use a calculator to add numbers with decimals • Calculate the tax on an invoice • Sort coins by type. • Identify money denominations. • Know that a dime equals 10 cents, for example. • Counts coins. • Performs simple addition. • Identify different combinations of coins for making change. (Specific) connect and apply mathematical concepts and ideas in a variety of problem-solving situations; describe how mathematics is applied in everyday situations (e. g. , making financial transactions, budgeting, constructing, scheduling); 48

Curriculum Planning Chart – Light Duty Cleaner Course(s) Locally Developed Compulsory Credit Course, English - Grade 9 (ENG 1 L) Curriculum Expectations Essential Skills Tasks Skill-Building Activities DRVV. 02 – read and recognize a variety of short, engaging, authentic, and relevant print and non-print text forms, both teacher- and studentselected; Cleaners sign confidentiality agreements as a condition of employment. Look at the Confidentiality Agreement. Highlight or circle the places where the Cleaner would print and sign his or her name. Reading Text (1) Document Use (1) • Understand the difference between “signature” and “print your name” • Know what the term “signature” means and locate it on a form • Understand what the term confidentiality means • Understand the responsibilities associated with signing your name to an agreement or contract. DRV 1. 02 – preview the features and organizational patterns of print and non-print text, using appropriate strategies; 49

SKILLS ZONE

Review 1. Skill-Building Activities are the building blocks for Essential Skills tasks. 2. Identify Essential Skills in Classroom Activities through a two-step process: Step 1: Identify Essential Skills Tasks Step 2: Analyse the Task 3. Linking Essential Skills and the Curriculum.