Low Intermediate ESL-Outline

LOW INTERMEDIATE ESL COMPETENCY OUTLINE

CASAS Range: 201-210

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

Communication
1. Differentiate between and recognize uses of documents related to identity.

i. Driver’s license

1. how to get one

2. uses of

3. information on

ii. Insurance card (health)

1. uses of

2. information on

iii. Social security card

1. how to get one

a. filling out an application

b. where to go to get one

2. uses of

3. information on

iv. Passport

1. how to get one

2. uses of

3. information on

Answer, orally and in writing, comprehension questions about conversations.

i. Complete sentences

ii. Abbreviated responses

Respond appropriately to verbal statements and questions.

i. Verbal and nonverbal feedback

Consumer Economics
1. Count and use US coins and currency.

i. Identify all US coins and paper money

ii. Sequence money in order from least to greatest

iii. Read and write monetary amounts in numbers

iv. Read and write monetary amounts to $100 in words

v. Make change for $1, $5, $10, $20

Write a check and record information in a checking or savings register.

i. Write a check

1. Payee, date, amount in numbers, amount in words, signature, “memo”

ii. Enter information into a savings or checking register

1. read and write payees

2. read and write monetary amounts in numbers

3. deposits and withdrawals

iii. Cash a check

1. endorsement

Identify clothing items.

i. Dress, skirt, blouse, shirt, pants, suit, underwear, hat, shoes, socks, boots, coat, gloves, mittens, pajamas, shorts, bathing suit, jeans, t-shirt, scarf

Reading and interpret closing size and care labels.

i. Sizes—L, S, M, XL, XXL, size numbers, difference in sizes for children and adults, difference in size labels between shoes and clothing

ii. Laundry instructions

1. Wash in cold water

2. Hand wash

3. Line dry

4. Dry clean only

5. Tumble dry

6. Machine wash

iii. Dressing appropriately for the weather

Read clothing sale ads and compare prices.

1. read prices

2. compare prices to regular prices

3. percent off, half off

4. interpret restrictions to purchase

Identify types of housing and household items.

i. Types of housing—house, apartment, condo, mobile home, high rises

ii. Own, rent

iii. Household rooms and items

1. kitchen—stove, oven, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, sink, counter, cupboard, table, pots, pans, dishes, glasses, plates, silverware, knives, forks, spoon, bowl, cup, napkins

2. living room/family room—couch, chair, rocking chair, TV, rug, coffee table, end table, picture, painting, pillows, curtains, carpet

3. bedroom—bed, dresser, closet, lamp, mirror, sheet, blanket, pillows

4. bathroom—bathtub, toilet, sink, mirror, medicine cabinet, towel, washcloth, shower, shower curtain

5. basement—furnace, washer, dryer, washing machine, iron, ironing board, air conditioner, water softener

6. garage—garage door, garage door opener

7. outside—lawn, yard, sidewalk, garden

State food costs, read ads, use coupons, and compare prices.

i. Compare prices

ii. Compute unit price when size or quantity varies

iii. Locate and read prices when not on product labels

iv. What are bar codes and scanners

v. Read food ads

1. locate sales price

2. locate amount saved

3. locate any restrictions to purchase

vi. Read and interpret coupons

1. locate cents-off

2. locate any restrictions

a. expiration date

b. quantity restrictions

vii. Compare prices of items bought with coupon versus items on sale or at regular price

Communicate information about home repair and maintenance.

i. Tools—hammer, screwdriver, saw, drill, nail, screw

ii. Shovel, shoveling, lawn mowing, gardening, painting, siding, washing windows, dusting, sweeping, lawn mower, rake, raking, vacuuming, cleaning up

iii. Household problems

1. The sink is leaking; there is a leak in the sink/bathtub/toilet

2. The furnace isn’t working

3. The window won’t open

4. The air conditioner isn’t working

5. The electricity is out

6. The window is broken

7. The --- isn’t working

Know issues and responses to basic home emergencies and safety.

i. Calling 911

ii. Safety hazards in the home

1. electricity and water

2. slippery sidewalks and steps in winter

3. windows in high rises without barriers other than screens

4. hot water in bathtubs

5. stoves

6. overloaded electrical outlets

7. extension cords

iii. Emergencies

1. fire extinguishers

a. location and use of

2. strangers

3. burns

4. escape from a fire

5. emergency kits

6. first aid kits

Community Resources
1. Leave and take a phone message.

i. Leave a phone message with name, phone, and reason for calling

1. friends

2. employer

3. potential employer

4. doctor’s office

ii. Take a phone message

1. name, phone number and reason for calling

2. filling out a phone message form

a. vocabulary—urgent, please call, stopped by

Read and understand a telephone bill.

i. Locate amount due

ii. Locate address to send payment

iii. Locate what happens if not paid on time

iv. Locate charges for local calls

v. Locate charges for long distance

vi. Locate where to contact if a problem with the bill

vii. Vocabulary—long distance, local, calling card, directory assistance, remit, past due

Identify basic utility companies.

i. Gas company, electric company, trash, garbage, cable, telephone, water

Read and understand traffic signs.

i. Traffic signs

1. stop sign, stop light, warning light, merge, slippery wet, steep hill, men working, pedestrian crossing, walk/don’t walk, yield, speed limit, one way, no right/left turn, no right turn on red, no parking, school zone

Describe and identify community and public services.

i. Library

1. library card, check out, books, librarian, computers, Internet

ii. Post office

1. stamps, postage, mail carrier, packages

2. procedures for mailing a package or a letter

iii. Workforce center

1. unemployment, job assistance, dislocated worker programs

iv. Driver’s license office

1. driver’s test, identification card, driver’s license, permit, written test

2. filling out a request form

v. Community Education

1. ECFE, adult enrichment, after school care

2. finding a class in a community education brochure

3. fill out a registration form for a community education class

Demonstrate understanding of holidays and social customs.

i. New Year’s Day, New Year’s Eve, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas

Describe weather conditions.

i. Rain, sun, sunny, hot, humid, cold, freezing, windy, wind chill, snow, hail, thunder, lightning, tornado, blizzard, warm, cool, breeze(y), pleasant, unpleasant, severe

Respond appropriately to weather emergencies.

i. Severe weather warnings

1. blizzards

2. high winds

3. tornados

4. flooding

5. thunderstorm

ii. Watch vs warning

iii. Tornado shelter

iv. What to do when it’s hailing

v. What to do when it’s a blizzard

Health
1. Define, read, write, and say health care and emergency vocabulary.

i. Vocabulary—doctor, nurse, lab technician, x-ray technician, pharmacist, scale, weight, height, blood pressure, appointment, emergency, pulse, health, immunization, shot, checkup, dentist, prescription

ii. Name body parts (internal and external)

Request a doctor’s appointment.

i. State reason for appointment

ii. Write appointment information

iii. Read appointment card

Communicate symptoms and injuries.

i. I have a cold; I have a toothache; I have a bloody nose; I have a stomachache; I have a pain in my ---; I have a fever; My --- is broken/sprained/hurts; I feel sick to my stomach; I cut my ---

Follow doctor’s instructions given orally and in writing; read and interpret information on medicine labels.

i. Daily, three times a day, take until gone, call if the pain persists, stay off your feet, take with food, take with water, take on an empty stomach, bed rest, no heavy lifting

ii. Age appropriate dosages

iii. Teaspoon/spoonful

iv. How often to take

v. Reactions and responses to reactions

vi. Poison control center

Read a thermometer.

i. Fahrenheit

ii. Normal body temperature

iii. Tenths of a degree

iv. I have a temperature of ---

v. My temperature is ---

vi. Fever

Identify basic foods and food groups.

i. Food groups—bread, grains, meat, protein, dairy, sweets, fats, vegetables, fruits

ii. Food vocabulary, servings

Read nutritional information on food labels.

i. Food pyramid

ii. Calories per serving

iii. Grams per serving

iv. Fat per serving

v. Ingredients list

vi. Vitamins per serving

Employment
1. Read simple want-ads.

i. Abbreviations—exp, ft, pt, hr, hrly, mo, wk

ii. Vocabulary—experience, full time, part time, necessary, apply, resume, education, salary, hourly

iii. Identify how to apply for a job through the ad

1. locate phone number

2. locate address

3. locate name of person to contact

4. locate information or process needed to apply

Complete a simple job application without assistance and describe personal work experience and skills.

i. Name, address, phone, social security number, education history, employment history, references, signature

ii. Write and recite names, addresses, and duties of past jobs in chronological order

Understand basic employment expectations, regulations, and safety.

i. Being on time, filling out time cards, calling in absences, requesting time off

ii. Coffee break, lunch break

iii. Recognize safety signs—electrical danger, slippery when wet, hazardous substance, eye wash station, flammable, fire extinguisher, first aid, no smoking

iv. Filling out an accident report

1. name, date

2. narrative description of incident

Demonstrate appropriate interpersonal skills for employment situations.

i. Hand shake, eye contact, nodding

ii. Asking for assistance

1. Could you help me

2. I need help with---

3. Could you show me

iii. Asking for clarification

1. Could you repeat that, please

2. Could you explain---

Recognize and respond appropriately to work place safety hazards.

i. Slippery floors

ii. Hazardous materials

iii. Construction areas

iv. Protective apparel

1. eye protection

2. hard hat

3. clean suit

4. ear protection

Government and Law
1. Identify the US President, Vice-President, and Minnesota Governor.
2. Understand basic government concepts.

i. Leaders are elected

ii. Majority rule

iii. Innocent until proven guilty

iv. Equal rights

v. Freedom of speech

Computation
1. Understand concepts of positive and negative in terms of money/banking/checking.
2. Add and subtract whole numbers and decimals.
3. Multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals.
4. Recognize basic fraction names.

i. One-half

ii. One-fourth, one quarter

iii. One-third

Learning to Learn
1. Make predictions prior to reading.
2. Read and comprehend silently and aloud.
3. Answer comprehension questions.

i. Identify the main idea and explicit details in the text

ii. Sequence a series of events

Read a simple table or chart.

i. Locate headings

ii. Identify the main idea

iii. Read the title

iv. Locate details explicit in the table or chart

Read and interpret product labels directions, warning signs, and symbols.

i. How to prepare food items

1. mix, stir, cup, boil, bake, chill

2. “Bake at 350 for 15 min.”

ii. Written instructions on simple assembly

iii. “Choking hazard”

iv. Poisonous; poison control center, Mr. Yuk

v. Caution instructions on cleaning supplies

vi. Do not mix with---; use in a well-ventilated area

Grammar and Writing
1. Recognize, state, read, and write statements and questions.

i. Change statements into questions and vice versa

Use subject, object, and possessive pronouns.

i. Subject

ii. Object

iii. Possessive

Use common verbs in the present, future, and past tense.

i. Regular and irregular

ii. Past, present, future

Use adjectives.

i. Descriptive

ii. Possessive

iii. Demonstrative

iv. Time

Use prepositions.

i. Of location

ii. Of direction

Use common and proper nouns in the singular and plural.

i. Common and proper

ii. Singular and plural

iii. Count and non-count

Use adverbs.
Use articles.