Charting a Course: Responding to the Industry-Related
Adult Basic Education Needs of the Texas Workforce
Handbook Two: Workplace Savy for Workforce-related Instruction
Modules #5 & 6

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Module Six: Delivering Instruction Responsive to Identified Needs

Ten Ways to Make Your Classroom Workforce-Friendly Practical Tips from the Field

The following is a collection of practical applications teachers have submitted to national, state, and local discussion groups over the past year (If you do not currently subscribe to a national discussion list for English as a Second Language or Workplace, go to www.nifl.gov. If you do not subscribe to the Texas adult basic education teachers listserv maintained by TCALL, go to http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/discussions.htm). The learning activities included here correspond to the Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks and can easily be adapted using the lesson plan template included in the June 2007 Implementation Guide. A copy is included in this handbook for your use. The template, as well as additional learning activities, are also available online at http://www-tcall.tamu.edu.

#1
Familiarize learners with forms they might encounter in the workplace. Collect resources learners are likely to come across in the workplace. Samples can be found in many commercial texts, but you can also encourage individuals to bring in employment-related forms (be prepared to remove specific, proprietary names and references before using them for the class as a whole). Some suggested materials include:

#2
Two of learners’ greatest fears are interacting with English speakers and answering the phone. Try mock discussions that they might have with customers face-to-face or on the phone. Practice telephone conversations requiring learners to answer calls and take messages. Develop scenarios and dialogues – or better yet – have them share real life experiences and develop the scenarios together. Find out what a particular employer expects from employees in terms of giving out information or taking down information.

#3
Have students surf the net for employers’ websites (their own employer or a local company they might be interested in working for). Have them copy or write three bullets that describe the company, or ask them to find specific information online or in a company brochure. For example:

#4
Find out what kinds of jobs learners have. If possible, group learners by similar job functions. Using picture dictionaries, poster paper, and markers, and have the groups identify the tools they use in their work. Then, depending on learners’ proficiency levels, help them write three statements about their work. Suggestion: provide them with a short list of action verbs that would help them describe the job tasks they perform. Keep in mind that many English language learners are highly proficient workers; the objective is to help them become comfortable talking about the skills they have – a good skill in itself!

#5
The Learning Edge is an online newspaper for adult learners. Many of the issues (#5, 6, and 7) include workforce or work-related articles and are rich in work-related basic skills development. You’ll find stories and lesson that address communication in the workplace (what to say, how to say it, and what not to say); workplace safety; essential workplace skills (use of memory, problem-solving, active listening, speaking so others can understand, etc.) The site includes workplace stories about the skills individuals use in the workplace, and there are even quizzes learners can use to rate their employability. Go to http://www.thewclc.ca/edge.

#6
The Massachusetts Worker Education Roundtable (www.umass.edu/roundtable) has designed a Workplace Health and Safety ESOL Curriculum to help students learn about and exercise their workplace health and safety rights. The curriculum can be adapted for various levels of ESL as well as ABE instruction. It is learner-centered and engages students in authentic scenarios and discussion and builds on their own experience. Includes all handouts for learners.

#7
The Workforce Education LAB (Learning Activities Bank) is an interactive resource of work-related basic skills lessons for use by instructors in the workplace and in traditional adult education programs. It can also be accessed directly by adult learners. The LAB is funded by Verizon and is a part of LINCS (Literacy Information and Communication System), a project funded by the National Institute for Literacy. It is part of the Southern LINCS special collection of resources on workforce education. A sample lesson, Interpreting Workplace Memos and Notices, is included in this handbook. To access others that address content standards and benchmarks, go to http://slincs.coe.utk.edu/gtelab/find.html.

#8
ADULTINSTRUCTION.ORG offers online ESL instructional materials in Tools for ESL Lesson Planning (Los Angeles Unified School District), a book of techniques, sample lesson plans, activities, and other resources for teaching ESL. There is also a link to ESL Action Photos* (created by Barry Bakin as part of a National Institute for Literacy ESL mini-grant competition) which can be incorporated into instruction (other use strictly prohibited). Go to website, http://www.adultinstruction.org/teachers/index.htm and click on instructional materials, then Tools for ESL Lesson Planning.

#9
Let your fingers (and those of your students) do the walking - Use the Internet to:

• scope out local companies. Industry-related information about products manufactured and/or services provided, employment applications, job openings, expansion and/or downsizing projections can often be found on employers’ websites.
• locate labor market information (LMI) for your community. The local workforce development region (LWDB) in which your community is located gathers and publishes information about projected job growth and employment opportunities.
• locate information about employment, career pathways, education and training requirements. One source is O*NET OnLine, the Occupational Information Network providing information on high growth industries, occupation descriptions, job families, skill requirements, etc. http://online.onetcenter.org

#10
Check out the Career Development Resources (CDR) at the Texas Workforce Commission. CDR offers a collection of inexpensive hardcopy and electronic labor market and career information products. For English language learners, there are three side-by-side English/Spanish publications addressing employment-related topics such as first day on the job, the work ethic, job hunting, and teamwork. For ABE/ASE learners, Pathways to Personal Independence is an excellent resource aimed at helping workers identify career paths that can move them from entry level jobs to economic freedom. In addition, there are brochures and charts that can be used to generate interest and discussion in any classroom. Most materials range in price from 5 cents to $2.00. Order form is available at http://www.cdr.state.tx.us.

Of course, the most accessible resource you have is the Texas Adult Literacy Clearinghouse maintained at Texas A&M University by the Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning. A lending library, free materials, the Literacy Links newsletter, the website, listservs, and announcements are all at your disposal. http://www-tcall.tamu.edu or email tcall@tamu.edu.