Canadian Language Benchmarks

Canadian Language Benchmarks

What is it?The national standard in Canada.Measures English language proficiency of

adult immigrants who want to work and live in Canada.

Provides a scale which measures reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Real life language tasks are used in CLB.Scores are valid for 6 months.

CLB ContentTime: 2.5 hours.Scale of 12 proficiency levels divided into 3

stages. Measures proficiency from beginner to highly

proficient level.Benchmark 8 is required for to study at the

university level.

CLB’s History1992 - Canadian government funded a

project to create national standards.1996 – First copy of CLB made available.2000 – The current version was published.Currently the Centre for Canadian

Language Benchmarks maintains the CLB.

http://sait.ca/pages/cometosait/internationalstudents/pdf/CLBA1107.pdf

Stage 1 (Benchmarks 1 – 4)

Beginner to low intermediate level Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) / ESL

Stage 2 (Benchmarks 5 – 8)

Intermediate to high intermediate level Academic preparation and employment readiness programs

Stage 3 (Benchmarks 9 – 12)

Highly proficient English usage Specialized areas of study in a post-secondary program

What You’re Tested On

Communicative proficiency is described in relation to:

• 4 language skillsSpeaking ReadingListening Writing

• 3 stages of progress/ proficiency–Basic (Stage I- Benchmarks 1-4)–Intermediate (Stage II- Benchmarks 5-8)–Advanced (Stage III- Benchmarks 9-12)

• 4 specific competency areasSocial Interaction Following and

giving adviceSuasion

Information

Listening• Performance conditions

– Listen to a tape or watch a video and students have to identify specific details or make inferences.

– Responses may be oral, physical, or written• Strategies to develop

– Able to recognize suprasegmentals– Ability to listen and perform actions– Familiarity with language discourse format

• Scoring– Percentage of the questions that you respond to

appropriately

Examples of Listening Tasks (BM6)Social Interaction

Listen to a videotaped casual dialogue and identify specific details and inferred meaning.

InstructionsBefore depositing the slip in the deposit box,

check if it is signed. The appliance must be disconnected prior to opening the cover. Follow directions appropriately and complete task.

SpeakingPerformance Conditions

Informal one-on-one interview with questions guided by the interlocutor. Instruction is 2-3 word utterances

To be successful you need a knowledge of Task, purpose, audience, content/ topic and

related vocabulary, and appropriate discourse format for a task

Scoring: 30% holistic and 70% analytic

Examples of Speaking Tasks (BM6)

SuasionIt’s cold—perhaps we should close the window.

You shouldn’t…If we do X, Y will happen. I ordered X a while ago; I was wondering when it will be ready/ if it’s ready yet. Make simple formal suggestions, predict consequences,

request items or service needed.Information

Call a library to inquire and obtain information about appropriate research materials and other availability. Reserve materials.

Reading• Performance conditions

– Response may be short answer or multiple choice

– Texts may be handwritten or printed – For lower levels, pictures accompany texts

• Strategies to develop– Sight recognition of words and phrases in texts– Ability to use context clues to interpret texts– Ability to use different reading strategies

• Scoring– Percent of questions answered correctly

Examples of Reading Tasks (BM6)Social

Obtain information from authentic notes, e-mail messages and letters; identify correctly specific facts and inferred meanings.

InstructionsExplain instructions of use and warnings

printed on the labels of common commercial/ industrial chemical products

Writing• Performance Conditions

– Circumstances range from formal to informal– Generally topics are immediately relevant to

everyday life • Skills to develop

– Ability to record information – Familiarity with common formats of various

texts– Writing and revising process

• Scoring– 30% Holistic and 70% analytic

Examples of Writing Tasks (BM6)Information

Give a detailed description of a simple process

Reproducing InformationTake notes from a 10-15 minute oral/ TV

presentation on a general topic. Write down key information concisely and accurately

Promotes and supports the use CLB in educational, training, community and workplace settings.

These  Assessment Centres are located in every

province of Canada where certified CLB assessors administer CLB “tools” to: • Test learners’ English communication skills• Assist with placement in scholastic or career-

oriented programs

What are these CLB “Tools”?

CCLB

CLBPlacement

Test(CLBPT)

CLBAssessment

(CLBA)

Literacy Tests(LPT,

CLBLA)

CLBClassroom

Assessment

Workplace Language

Assessment(WLA)

Canadian Eng LangAssessmentFor Nurses(CELBAN)

Test of Eng forScholars & Trainees

(CanTEST)

CLB Assessment CLBALevels 1 – 8

Designed in 1996, the first CLB tool

Measures what learners can do with English

Given individually (writing can be in a group setting)

Can take up to 4 hours

Perceived as the most effective tool

Recognized by all training providers across Canada

CLB Placement Test CLBPTLevels 1 – 8

Streamlined placement test

Measures what learners can’t do

Can be given in group setting

Takes up to 80 minutes

Adaptable: 4 versions

Not accepted by all institutions

Literacy Tests

Literacy Placement Tool (LPT)

Canadian Benchmark Literacy Assessment (CLBLA)

• Measure proficiency levels of literacy in the learner’s native language.

• For placement of learners on the national literacy benchmark scale

• LPT Volume 1• Foundation and Phase I levels of the CLB 2000:  ESL For Literacy

Learners. 

• LPT Volume 2• Foundation and Phase II levels

• Available in 26 languages

• CLB to assess communication skills of nurses whose native language is not English

• Nurse’s workplace context

Canadian Eng LangAssessment for Nurses CELBAN

Workplace LanguageAssessment WLA

CLB Classroom Assessment

Canadian Test of Engfor Scholars and TraineesCanTEST

•Levels 7 – 10 •preparing newcomers for the Canadian workforce•Helps determine eligibility for work

•University of Ottawa's CanTEST versions for CLBs. •developed to parallel CanTEST and CLBs•levels 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 •academic and professional

•university admission•professional accreditation •vocational training.

•CLB assessment of ESL learners in the classroom

Reading and Listening

English or French proficiency

Levels 1 – 9

Unofficial: for personal, academic and employment goals

Provides information about How CLBs are used How to find language training in Canada Credential requirements for professions What skill levels are required for immigration, post secondary studies

and professional programs

Can be used worldwide by Prospective immigrants Adult English are French learners abroad ESL teachers and trainers Resettlement councilors

Where are these Assessment Centres?

At settings for• Educational studies• Training• Community Services• Workplace

With certified CLB assessors

In every province of Canada

Examples:

Counseling Center

Counseling Center

Under 6 yearsEducation in L1

Literacy Tests

Over 6 yearsEducation in L1

CLBPT

CLBANon-LINC Clients

Higher Stakes

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ConsTeachers lack necessary training to

administer test.No way of deciding if one items is more

complex than another.It does not seem to be regularly revisedIs much different from the TOEFL

Referenceshttp://www.language.ca/pdfs/comparison.pdfhttp://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/

bench-m-l.asphttp://www.docstoc.com/docs/33393758/Canadian-

Language-Benchmarks-Assessmenthttp://www.language.ca/display_page.asphttp://sait.ca/pages/cometosait/

internationalstudents/pdf/CLBA1107.pdfhttp://www.language.ca/pdfs/clb_adults.pdfhttp://www.catholicsocialservices.ab.ca/

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