Aligning Task-Based Resources to the OALCF project

Project summary

In 2011-12, the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development introduced the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF) for use by adult upgrading programs that are funded by the Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) Program of Employment Ontario

The main purpose of our project, Aligning Task-Based Resources to the OALCF, was to align two specific learning materials to the competencies of OALCF to make it easier for LBS practitioners to use two existing resources with their students.

“Bridging the Employment Gap for Learners with Low Literacy Skills” is a series of workforce literacy curricula in five occupational sectors – Clerical, Retail, Grounds Maintenance, Janitorial, Kitchen Help – with a sixth manual called “Ready for Work” that focuses on “soft skills” needed by all employees. These manuals are targeted to clients/learners with low level literacy, numeracy and other Essential Skills, including special needs clients, to provide learning materials and activities to help them prepare for entry-level employment and/or for further training and education.

All Bridging the Employment Gap manuals are now available for free download at the NALD website.

The project created alignment charts for each curriculum, colour-coded to show the competencies, task group and complexity levels for each of the activities/tasks in the curriculum. This allows practitioners to determine if a curriculum is suitable for a specific student or to select learning tasks based on specific competencies and complexity levels.

Click here to find the alignment charts or find them with the curriculum manuals on the National Adult Literacy Database.

The resource “Goal-Directed Demonstrations” contains over 100 activities to demonstrate learning.  Originally designed for use in initial, ongoing and exit assessment of learning, many of the tasks can be used as task-based learning activities or unofficial milestone-type tasks within a variety of LBS programs.  Twenty-five of the tasks have been aligned to the OALCF and will eventually be added to the website: Task-Based Activities for LBS.

Bridging the Employment Gap for Learners with Low-Level Literacy Skills

This project developed workforce curricula to help learners at Essential Skills Level 1 to upgrade their literacy, numeracy and other essential skills in an entry-level occupational context. Though best suited for Ontario LBS levels 1 & 2, including learners with special needs, they can also be adapted for use at LBS level 3. The curricula were field-tested at 11 pilot sites, enabling some participating students to enter job placements or paid entry-level employment in specific occupations. The curricula also help prepare students for more advanced training.

There are 5 occupational sector manuals – Clerical, Retail, Janitorial, Grounds Maintenance, and Kitchen Help – as well as a 6th manual called Ready for Work which focuses on “soft skills” needed by all employees. Ready for Work was developed in response to requests from employment counsellors and job developers. The manuals include instructor notes, learning activities and learning demonstrations. To order these manuals in either hard copy or on CD, please contact simcoe.muskoka@literacynetwork.ca.

All Bridging the Employment Gap manuals are now available for free download here and at the NALD website.

As of 2013, charts aligning the six curricula to the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework are now available. The alignment charts are colour-coded to show the competencies, task group and complexity levels for each of the activities/tasks in the curriculum. This allows practitioners to determine if a curriculum is suitable for a specific student or to select learning tasks based on specific competencies and complexity levels.