Relating Canadian Language Benchmarks to Essential Skills: A Comparative Framework

How to Read the Tables in the Framework

Example: WRITING (Baseline: ES Level 2)

Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4
ES: GLOBAL DESCRIPTION	CLB: GLOBAL DESCRIPTION	ES: WRITING TASKS	CLB: WRITING TASKS
LEVEL 2 Brief text that is a paragraph or longer intended to serve a variety of purposes. More formal style for an audience other than co-workers. A tone which is appropriate for the occasion, e.g., friendly, respectful, authoritative, etc.	BENCHMARKS 6-7 Effectively conveys familiar information in familiar standard formats. (6) Writes 1 or 2 paragraph letters and compositions. (6) Constructs coherent paragraphs on familiar concrete topics with clear main ideas and some supporting details and with a developing sense of audience. (7)	LEVEL 2 Writes estimate sheets to provide details on cost of materials and labour required to do a job. Writes incident/accident reports including detailed description of incident. Revises work orders. Prepares form letters, memos, notes, e-mails including explanations, etc.	BENCHMARKS 6-7 Conveys a personal message in a formal short letter or note, or email, expressing or responding to congratulations, thanks, apology, offer assistance, appreciation, complaint, disappointment, satisfaction, dissatisfaction and hope. (6/7) Takes notes from an oral presentation (in point-form) or from pre-recorded longer phone messages on public information lines or voice mail messages with many details. (7)

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Column 4

ES: GLOBAL DESCRIPTION

CLB: GLOBAL DESCRIPTION

ES: WRITING TASKS

CLB: WRITING TASKS

LEVEL 2

Brief text that is a paragraph or longer intended to serve a variety of purposes.
More formal style for an audience other than co-workers.
A tone which is appropriate for the occasion, e.g., friendly, respectful, authoritative, etc.

BENCHMARKS 6-7

Effectively conveys familiar information in familiar standard formats. (6)
Writes 1 or 2 paragraph letters and compositions. (6)
Constructs coherent paragraphs on familiar concrete topics with clear main ideas and some supporting details and with a developing sense of audience. (7)

LEVEL 2

Writes estimate sheets to provide details on cost of materials and labour required to do a job.
Writes incident/accident reports including detailed description of incident.
Revises work orders.
Prepares form letters, memos, notes, e-mails including explanations, etc.

BENCHMARKS 6-7

Conveys a personal message in a formal short letter or note, or email, expressing or responding to congratulations, thanks, apology, offer assistance, appreciation, complaint, disappointment, satisfaction, dissatisfaction and hope. (6/7)
Takes notes from an oral presentation (in point-form) or from pre-recorded longer phone messages on public information lines or voice mail messages with many details. (7)

Column 1: Global descriptors of Essential Skills from level 1 to 5 for Reading, Writing and Document Use and level 1 to 4 for Listening and Speaking. (These two skill areas do not have a level 5). Source: Reader’s Guide to Essential Skills Profiles.

Column 2: Global descriptors of Canadian Language Benchmarks levels that align to the Essential Skills descriptors in Column 1. Alignments are based on holistic judgments. Source: Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000: English as a Second Language – for Adults. Benchmark levels are in parenthesis and frequently represent a range, for example, (6-8).

Column 3: Essential Skills workplace tasks that correspond to the ES level of Column 1. Source: HRSDC website on Essential Skills, including examples from a variety of occupations.^{Footnote 3}

Column 4: CLB tasks that correspond to level(s) in Column 2. Source: Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000: English as a Second Language – for Adults.

Skip footnote section

^{Return to note 3} HRSDC website on Essential Skills: http://www15.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/English/general/es.asp