LOW BEGINNING ESL COMPETENCY OUTLINE

CASAS Range: 181-190

By the end of this level, learners will have worked on and attained competency in the following areas:

1. Communication

   1. Identify orally, read, and write self and personal information.

      1. Respond orally to verbal questions asking for the following

         1. name, address, telephone number

         2. social security number

         3. date of birth/birth date

         4. age

         5. gender/sex

            1. Male, female

      2. Read and write

         1. name, address, telephone number

         2. social security number

         3. date of birth/birth date

         4. age

   2. Use and respond to polite expressions.

      1. How are you

      2. What time is it

      3. How is your family

      4. What did you do last weekend

      5. I’m sorry

      6. Thank you

      7. Your welcome

   3. Write upper and lower case letters.

2. Consumer Economics

   1. Recognize US currency, symbols relating to money, and read prices.

      1. Recognize US penny, nickel, dime, quarter, and dollar bill

      2. Recognize dollar and cents symbols

      3. Recognize use of decimal point to signify cents

      4. Read price tags

   2. Identify basic foods.

      1. Meat

      2. Fruit

      3. Vegetable

      4. Milk, cheese, egg

      5. Bread, rice

      6. Breakfast, lunch, dinner

   3. Identify basic information on food labels.

      1. Where to store food—freezer, refrigerator, cupboard

      2. Amount in a package—single serving, family size

   4. Recognize common transportation signs.

      1. Stop

      2. Stop lights

      3. Walk/Don’t Walk

      4. Bus Stop

   5. Use vocabulary for home furnishings and reporting household repairs.

      1. Furnishings vocabulary—bed, telephone, stove, sink, clock, table, chair

      2. The --- is broken

   6. Recognize concepts and vocabulary for cleaning and hygiene.

      1. Vocabulary—soap, washing, bath, shower, cleaning

      2. Cleanliness habits and routines

3. Community Resources

   1. Use a residential telephone; call to request appoints; call 911.

      1. Call to inform work or school of absence or lateness

         1. I can not come to school/work today

         2. I am sick

         3. I have to go to the doctor

      2. Call to request appointments

         1. I need to see the doctor/dentist

      3. Answer the telephone and respond or express a lack of understanding

         1. Hello

         2. I do not understand English

      4. Call 911 using basic emergency vocabulary

         1. I need help

         2. Fire

         3. I am hurt

   2. Demonstrate the use of a calendar by identifying days of the week and months of the year using words and abbreviations.

      1. Read the words for days of the week and months of the year

      2. Read the words and abbreviations for days of the week and months of the year

      3. Randomly find dates on a calendar

   3. Tell time using analog and digital clocks.

      1. One thirty, one o’clock

      2. morning, afternoon, night

   4. Identify signs using sight words and symbols.

      1. enter, exit, men, women, no smoking

   5. Know basic American holidays.

      1. Thanksgiving

      2. Fourth of July

      3. Christmas

      4. New Year’s

   6. Ask and answer simple questions about the weather.

      1. Sunny, rainy, cloudy, snowy

      2. Cold, hot

      3. It is raining/snowing.

      4. It is cold/hot.

      5. What is the weather today?

4. Health

   1. Recognize and identify basic body parts.

      1. Head, eye, ear, nose, mouth, teeth, arm, hand, finger, back, stomach, leg, knee, foot, toe

   2. Recognize basic vocabulary relating to illness and accidents.

      1. I hurt my---

      2. I have a --- ache

      3. I feel sick

      4. I need to see a doctor

      5. Hot, cold, cut, blood

   3. Recognize basic health care vocabulary.

      1. Doctor, nurse, dentist, hospital

   4. Read an appointment card.

      1. Read the date and time

   5. Identify basic first aid.

      1. Bandage

      2. Aspirin

      3. Rest

5. Employment

   1. Identify entry level jobs and associated vocabulary.

      1. Job title vocabulary—dishwasher, housekeeper, cleaner

      2. Know names of different types of workplaces—office, restaurant, hotel, factory

      3. Workplace verbs—cook, fix, clean, make

   2. Complete a simplified job application with assistance.

   3. Respond to basic job interview questions.

      1. What is your name

      2. Do you know how to ---

      3. Did you work in your country

      4. My name is

      5. I was a

      6. I want a job

   4. Produce identification forms required for employment.

      1. Can produce a social security card, work authorization card, passport, driver’s license

   5. Ask for assistance and clarification on the job.

      1. Use statements and questions to request clarification: “I don’t understand”

   6. Understand basic work safety phrases.

      1. Watch out

      2. Be careful

      3. It’s hot

      4. Don’t touch that

      5. It’s wet

      6. Wait

   7. Identify common, basic workplace tools.

      1. Broom, mop, hammer, drill, vacuum, soap, tray

6. Government and Law

   1. Follow basic traffic signs and laws

      1. Stop

      2. Stop light

      3. No parking

      4. Speed limit

   2. Communicate with emergency personnel.

      1. I need help

      2. Emergency

      3. Staying in the car when stopped

   3. Understand basic concepts of U.S. governmental structure.

      1. President

      2. Voting

7. Computation

   1. Recognize, read, and write cardinal (through 100) numbers.

      1. Read and write as numbers cardinal numbers 1 through 100

      2. Read and copy as words cardinal numbers 1 through 20

   2. Recognize basic cooking measurements.

      1. Lb., pound, cup, half-cup, teaspoon, tablespoon

8. Learning to Learn (Reading)

   1. Recognize the conventions of written English.

      1. Letters make words

      2. Words make sentences

      3. Read from left to write

      4. Letters equal sounds

      5. Capital letters begin sentences

      6. Periods end sentences

   2. Recognize phonological patterns.

      1. Short vowel

      2. CVC syllables

   3. Read basic vocabulary.

      1. Dolch pre-primer sight words

      2. Common symbols related to life skills

      3. High frequency words used in everyday contexts

         1. signs

         2. ads

         3. labels

      4. Basic abbreviations

         1. address

            1. street, avenue

            2. north, south

            3. MN

            4. apartment

         2. title

            1. Mr.

            2. Mrs.

            3. Dr.

   4. Read simple sentences.

      1. Familiar vocabulary

      2. Simple instructions

      3. Statements vs. questions

      4. Match illustrations to sentences

   5. Interpret graphical information.

      1. Functional charts, i.e. bus schedule

      2. Related to life skills content

   6. Use reference material.

      1. Alphabetical order

      2. Picture dictionary

      3. Simplified dictionary

   7. Apply reading strategies.

      1. Predict from a title or picture

      2. Sequence in a simple narrative, picture stories

9. Writing and Grammar

   1. Write personal information on forms.

      1. Name

      2. Address

      3. Telephone

   2. Write addresses on envelopes.

      1. Location of information on the envelope

      2. Abbreviations for street and state

   3. Use subject pronouns.

      1. I, you, he, she, it, we, they

   4. Use common verbs.

      1. to be present

      2. to be yes/no questions

      3. simple present

      4. going to

      5. past tense—regular

   5. Use adverbs.

      1. today, yesterday, tomorrow

   6. Write simple phrases using familiar vocabulary.

10. Listening

    1. Distinguish English sounds.

       1. Vowels

       2. Consonants

       3. Rhymes

       4. Final s

       5. Individual words in connected speech

       6. Intonations for questions and emphasis

    2. Comprehend basic vocabulary.

       1. Words and phrases from familiar contexts

          1. personal information

          2. emergency

          3. basic courtesy

       2. High frequency words and phrases

       3. Simple idioms used in everyday contexts

          1. directions

          2. simple descriptions

       4. Vocabulary from functional life skills

    3. Distinguish speech by grammar and structures.

       1. Present tense verbs

       2. High frequency modals

          1. to need

          2. to have

       3. Personal pronouns

       4. To be contractions

       5. Negative statements

       6. Commands

       7. Questions vs statements

       8. Plurals

       9. Possessive pronouns

    4. Comprehend conversations in a variety of situations.

       1. Social exchanges

       2. Work exchanges

       3. Friend exchanges

    5. Respond appropriately to messages and instructions.

       1. Recorded messages

       2. Single step instructions