essential skills, skill-building activities and the ontario skills passport

Essential Skills, Skill-Building Activities and the Ontario Skills Passport

www.ontario.ca/skillspassport

http://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 ProfilesLinks 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).

Try it out!

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

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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

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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

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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 TaskStep 2: To analyse Essential Skills tasks, ask:

Which Essential Skills are being used?

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.

What are the skill level demands?

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 TaskTASK: Count out exact change to pay for the bus.

Try it out!

Step 2 - Analyze the ES TaskES Task Which Essential Skills are

being used?What are the skill level demands?

1. Read pamphlets and information sheets to learn about the causes of diabetes.

Main skill: 1 2 3 4 (5)

Other skills: 1 2 3 4 (5)

2. Give a 10-minute presentation to the class on findings from Internet research about the long-term health effects of narcotics use.

Main skill: 1 2 3 4 (5)


3. Complete and sign a waiver acknowledging awareness of risks associated with using shop equipment.

Main skill: 1 2 3 4 (5)


4. Measure a classroom to figure out how many desks fit in the room, to show understanding of a recently taught unit on area.

Main skill: 1 2 3 4 (5)


Step 2 - Analyze the ES TaskES Task Which Essential Skills are

being used?What are the skill level demands?

1. Read pamphlets and information sheets to learn about the causes of diabetes.

Main skill: Reading Text 3

Other skills: No additional skills N/A

2. Give a 10-minute presentation to the class on findings from Internet research about the long-term health effects of narcotics use.

Main skill: Oral Communication 2

Other skills: Computer Use Finding Information

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3. Complete and sign a waiver acknowledging awareness of risks associated with using shop equipment.

Main skill: Document Use 2


4. Measure a classroom to figure out how many desks fit in the room, to show understanding of a recently taught unit on area.

Main skill: Measurement and Calculation 2


Try it out!

Curriculum Planning Chart

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Course(s) CurriculumExpectations

EssentialSkills Tasks

Skill-BuildingActivities

Locally DevelopedCompulsory CreditCourse, Math,Grade 9 (MAT1L)

DMSV.01 – interpret, write, and round decimal numbers with understandingin everyday moneysituations

DMS1.10 – identifydifferent combina-tions 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?)

Count out exactchange to pay for the bus when travelling to a doctor’s appointment.

Money Math (1)

Identifies moneydenominations.

Knows that a dime equals 10 cents, for example.

Counts coins.

Performs simpleaddition.

Identifies differentcombinations ofcoins for bus fare.

Curriculum Planning Chart –

Light Duty Cleaner

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Locally Developed Compulsory Credit Course, English - Grade 9 (ENG 1L)

DRVV.02 – read and recognize a variety of short, engaging, authentic, and relevant print and non-print text forms, both teacher- and student-selected;

DRV1.02 – preview the features and organizational patterns of print and non-print text, using appropriate strategies;

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)

•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)


Light Duty Cleaner

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Locally Developed Compulsory Credit Course, Mathematics-Grade 9 (MAT 1L)

DMSV.01 – interpret, write, and round decimal numbers with understanding in everyday money situations;DMSV.03 – communicate information about money concepts;DMS3.03 – 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)

• 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 equals10 cents, for example.• Counts coins.• Performs simple addition.• Identify different combinations of coins for making change.

Learning Strategies 1: Skills for Success in Secondary School, Grade 9, Open (GLS10/GLE 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;

(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);


Light Duty Cleaner

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Locally Developed Compulsory Credit Course, English - Grade 9 (ENG 1L)

DRVV.02 – read and recognize a variety of short, engaging, authentic, and relevant print and non-print text forms, both teacher- and student-selected;

DRV1.02 – preview the features and organizational patterns of print and non-print text, using appropriate strategies;

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.

SKILLS ZONE

Review1. 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 TasksStep 2: Analyse the Task

3. Linking Essential Skills and the Curriculum.

essential skills, skill-building activities and the ontario skills passport

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