HIGH BEGINNING ESL COMPETENCY OUTLINE

CASAS Range: 191-200

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. race/ethnicity

            1. White, black, African, African-American, Hispanic, Asian

         2. education level

            1. Years of school completed

         3. country of origin

      2. Read and provide written responses on simple personal information forms asking for the following

         1. name, address, telephone number

         2. social security number

         3. date of birth/birth date

         4. age

1. Consumer Economics

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

      1. Read ads and coupons for food and clothing

         1. How much does it cost

         2. percent off

         3. cost per item

      2. Make change

      3. Read and write a check or money order

   2. Identify basic foods, food groups, and healthy eating habits,

      1. Meats—beef, steak, hamburger, pork, ham, hot dog, chicken, turkey

      2. Fruit—apple, banana, orange, strawberry

      3. Vegetables—corn, beans, lettuce, cabbage, tomato

      4. Sweets, dessert—cake, cookie, ice cream, candy

      5. Dairy—milk, cheese, eggs, yogurt

      6. Bread, bun, rice, pasta, rolls

      7. Sandwich, salad, soup, stew

      8. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, supper

      9. Balanced diet, vitamins

      10. Food quantities

          1. loaf

          2. dozen

          3. half-gallon

          4. head

          5. bunch

          6. lb.

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

      1. Furnishings vocabulary—towels, pillows, rug, TV, bed, telephone, bathtub, stove, shower, sink, clock, lamp, refrigerator, couch

      2. Where’s the ---

      3. It’s in the ---

      4. What’s the problem

      5. The --- is broken

   4. Recognize concepts and vocabulary for cleaning and hygiene.

      1. Vocabulary—bath soap, laundry soap, dish soap, washing clothes, bathing, taking a shower

      2. Cleanliness habits and routines

   5. Name common items of clothing.

      1. Vocabulary—pants, shirt, dress, skirt, coat

   6. Follow directions of location.

      1. Aisle

      2. Left, right

      3. Arrows

   7. Follow directions of maintenance and care.

      1. Wash in cold water.

      2. Dry clean only.

      3. Do not put in dishwasher.

      4. Wash before using.

      5. Do not use near water.

2. Community Resources

   1. Use a residential telephone; call to request appointments; 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

         4. I have to take my child to the doctor

      2. Call to request appointments

         1. I would like to see the doctor/dentist

         2. I need to make an appointment

         3. I need to see the doctor/dentist

         4. I need to see a lawyer

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

         1. Hello

         2. This is ---

         3. I do not understand English

         4. I will get someone to help you

      4. Call 911 using basic emergency vocabulary

         1. I have an emergency

         2. I need help

         3. Send the police

         4. Send the fire department

         5. Send an ambulance

         6. I am hurt

      5. Identify a telephone book

         1. find phone numbers

         2. find addresses

   2. Tell time using analog and digital clocks.

      1. Quarter hour, half hour

      2. 1:10, 1:40

      3. am, pm

      4. morning, noon, afternoon, evening, night, midnight

   3. Identify signs using sight words and symbols.

      1. enter, exit, push, pull, men, women, caution, no smoking, no swimming, arrows, directional signs, bus signs

   4. Use vocabulary to ask for and give simple directions.

      1. Vocabulary—turn left, turn right, go straight, next to, between, in front of, behind

      2. Ask for directions

         1. Could you tell me how to get to

         2. How do you get to

         3. Where do I turn

         4. How do I find

   5. Know basic American holidays.

      1. Thanksgiving

      2. Fourth of July

      3. Christmas

      4. New Year’s

      5. Valentine’s Day

      6. Memorial Day

   6. Read a restaurant menu.

      1. Read names of food

         1. hamburger, chicken, steak, potato, French fries, salad, soup, drinks, coffee, pop, milk, eggs, toast, sandwich

      2. Read prices

      3. I would like ---

      4. I would like to order ---

      5. How much is ---

   7. Know basic principles of safe driving.

      1. Seat belts

      2. Child safety restraints

      3. Speed limit

      4. Driver’s license

      5. Stop signs

      6. Stop lights

   8. Use a simple street or road map.

      1. East, south, north, west

      2. Block

      3. Turn right, turn left

3. Health

   1. Recognize and identify basic body parts.

      1. Head, hair, eye, ear, nose, mouth, neck, lips, teeth, throat shoulder, arm, hand, finger, wrist, back, stomach, waist, heart, lungs, leg, hip, knee, thigh, shin, ankle, foot, toe

   2. Recognize basic vocabulary relating to illness and accidents.

      1. I have a pain in my---

      2. My --- feels---

      3. I’ve hurt my---

      4. I have a --- ache

      5. I feel ill

      6. I feel sick

      7. I need to see a doctor

      8. What’s the matter

      9. How does he feel

      10. How do you feel

      11. Hot, cold, cut, blood, broken, sprain, ache

   3. Recognize basic health care vocabulary.

      1. Doctor, nurse, dentist, hospital, clinic, health department, emergency room, thermometer, temperature, fever, blood pressure

   4. Read an appointment card.

      1. Read the date and time

      2. Read the location

      3. Understand how to get to the location or ask for help

   5. Interpret for simple first aid.

      1. Bandage

      2. Aspirin

      3. Apply pressure

   6. Interpret medication and prescription labels.

      1. Dose

      2. Take orally

      3. Take two

      4. Do not give to children

      5. Teaspoonful, spoonful

      6. Take with food, do not take with food

      7. Store in the refrigerator

   7. Interpret basic nutritional information on food labels.

      1. Calories

      2. Serving

4. Employment

   1. Identify entry level jobs and associated vocabulary.

      1. Job title vocabulary—dishwasher, gardener, cleaner, janitor, housekeeper, construction worker, mover, cook, nursing assistant, taxi driver, bus driver, mechanic

      2. Know names of different types of workplaces—office, office building, restaurant, hospital, nursing home, hotel, garage, factory, manufacturing plant

      3. Workplace verbs—cook, fix, paint, answer, clean, make, plant, wait, stock, drive, help, sell

   2. Request a job application.

      1. May I have an application

      2. I would like to apply for the job

   3. Complete a simplified job application with assistance.

   4. Respond to basic job interview questions.

      1. What is your name

      2. What kinds of experience do you have

      3. Did you work in your country

      4. How long did you work as ---

      5. Why do you want to work here

      6. Have you worked in the U.S.

      7. What kinds of jobs have you done before

      8. My name is

      9. I worked as

      10. I would like

   5. Produce identification forms required for employment.

      1. Complete an I-9 and W-4 with assistance

      2. Know about social security cards, passports, driver licenses and how to produce them for I-9’s

   6. Ask for assistance and clarification on the job.

      1. Use statements and questions to request clarification such as “could you repeat that” or “I don’t understand”

   7. Understand basic work safety phrases.

      1. Watch out

      2. Look out

      3. Be careful

      4. It’s hot

      5. Don’t touch that

      6. It’s wet

      7. Wait

      8. Go back

   8. Read a simple work schedule.

      1. Read written time

      2. Understand the concepts of beginning and ending and starting and stopping

      3. Know concepts of sequence—first, second, last, next

   9. Recognize pay stubs and deductions.

      1. Understand the difference between net pay and gross pay

      2. Read monetary amounts

      3. Understand the concept of subtraction or deduction

      4. Know the different types of deductions—state and federal taxes, FICA, union dues, insurance, savings, retirement

5. Government and the Law

   1. Recognize basic traffic signs.

      1. Stop sign

      2. Stop light

   2. Communicate with safety personnel.

      1. I need help.

      2. Emergency.

6. Computation

   1. Read, write, and say numbers.

      1. Cardinal 0-100 in numbers

      2. Cardinal 0-20 in words

      3. Ordinal 1^st – 10^th in numbers

   2. Count by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s.

   3. Count backwards and forwards up to 30.

   4. Recognize odd and even numbers.

   5. Know basic math concepts.

      1. Mathematical symbols +, -, x, 

   6. Add single digit numbers with totals up to 10.

      1. Add a column of 3 or more single digit numbers

   7. Subtract single digits numbers from numbers up to 20.

      1. Subtract multi-digit numbers, i.e. 19 – 2 = 17

      2. Use inverse to check subtraction

   8. Multiply single-digit numbers.

   9. Multiply with double-digit numbers up to 10.

   10. Identify the patterns in a multiplication table.

       1. even numbers

       2. multiples of 5 end in 5 or 0

       3. multiples of 10 end in 0

   11. Divide even numbers in half up to 20.

   12. Identify and write fractions representing a part.

   13. Read and write simple common fractions.

   14. Compare and order simple fractions.

   15. Divide an object in fractional pieces.

   16. Calculate money amounts.

   17. Know basic measurement concepts.

       1. Measure using inches, feet, pounds, degrees, and cups

          1. measure using whole numbers and fractions

       2. Length, weight, width, height

       3. Area, volume, perimeter

   18. Solve narrative math problems using basic math concepts and simple numbers.

       1. identify needed information

       2. identify required operation

   19. Recognize, identify, and describe common two-dimensional shapes.

       1. circle

       2. square/rectangle

       3. triangle

   20. Identify, count, and extra data from simple tables and charts.

   21. Collect, label, and organize information for simple tables and charts.

       1. record information using a tally system

       2. sort, group, classify, or categorize data

7. Learning to Learn (Reading)

   1. Recognize phonological patterns.

      1. Closed syllables, CVC

      2. Short vowels

      3. Beginning consonant blends

      4. Final double consonants

      5. Silent-e syllables

   2. Read and interpret vocabulary.

      1. Life skills symbols

      2. Dolch sight words primer level

      3. Contractions

      4. Abbreviations

         1. address

         2. title

         3. shopping

   3. Read and comprehend simple texts on familiar topics.

      1. Sentences

      2. Short narratives

      3. Instructions

      4. Statements

      5. Questions

      6. Negatives

      7. Pronouns

      8. Illustrations supporting text

      9. Simple forms

         1. sign-in sheet

         2. registration form

         3. address form

      10. Charts and tables related to life skills

      11. Maps

   4. Read and comprehend text using conventions of written English.

      1. Indent

      2. Bold

      3. Bullets

      4. Titles

   5. Use reference materials.

      1. Simplified dictionary

      2. Simplified glossary

   6. Apply reading strategies.

      1. Predict from a title or illustration

      2. Scan forms and schedules

   7. Practice reading skills.

      1. Main idea of a simple paragraph

      2. Sequence in a simple narrative

      3. Inferences and conclusions from simple text

      4. Compare information from two sources, i.e. ads

8. Writing and Grammar

   1. Write dictation based on life skill topics.

      1. Work, shopping, house, family

   2. Demonstrate use of capitalization.

      1. Beginning of sentences

      2. Proper nouns—names of people

   3. Write a simple note and address an envelope including the return address.

   4. Use subject pronouns.

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

   5. Use demonstrative pronouns.

      1. This, that, these, those

   6. Use common verbs.

      1. to be present and past

      2. to + location

      3. to be in the negative

      4. to be yes/no questions

      5. to do

      6. present continuous

      7. simple present

      8. have/has

      9. can/have to

      10. going to

      11. want to

      12. past tense—regular

      13. past tense—common irregular

   7. Use adverbs.

      1. here, there, today, always, usually, never, yesterday

   8. Use adjectives.

   9. Use prepositions of location.

      1. in, on, behind, up, over, down, next to, after, before

   10. Use common and proper nouns.

       1. With a/an as appropriate

9. Listening

   1. Distinguish words and sounds in English.

      1. Short and long vowels

      2. Minimal pairs

      3. Consonants

      4. Rhymes

      5. Word endings

         1. final s /s/ vs. /z/

         2. final ed /t/ vs /d/

      6. Individual words in connected speech

      7. Intonation and stress patterns

   2. Comprehend basic vocabulary.

      1. Words and phrases from familiar contexts

      2. High frequency words and phrases

      3. Phrasal verbs

      4. Simple idioms

         1. directions

         2. everyday conversations

         3. simple descriptions

      5. Functional vocabulary

         1. words

         2. phrases

         3. idioms

      6. Simple and frequent homonyms in context, i.e. hole/whole

      7. Simple and frequent prefixes

         1. un, pre

         2. ment

      8. Context clues for unfamiliar vocabulary

   3. Utilize grammar structures to construct meaning.

      1. Present tense verbs

      2. Modals

      3. Pronoun/antecedent

      4. Contractions

      5. Imperatives

      6. Negatives

      7. Questions

      8. Plurals

      9. Possessive nouns

      10. Simple past

      11. Comparative adjectives

   4. Understand and participate in conversations in a variety of situations.

      1. Social

      2. Work

      3. Medial

      4. Housing

      5. Express thoughts and feelings

      6. Some contracted speech

   5. Comprehend and responded to non-face-to-face communication.

      1. Announcements

      2. Non-recorded phone calls

   6. Comprehend instructions and messages.

      1. Emergency warnings

      2. Safety commands

      3. Single-step instructions

   7. Comprehend oral information.

      1. Main idea or topic

      2. Simple details

      3. Non-verbal language clues