March 9, 2023 PD

Literacy, Numeracy and Employability PD March 9

Professional Development

with

Dr. Chris Merrill

and

Rod McQuality

Numeracy, Literacy and Employability

90-minute Session Participant Edition

At the conclusion of this professional teaching and learning workshop, participants will be able to: • Identify trends in popular media indicating an interest in CTE • List several components of CTE that graduates have found particularly helpful • Identify soft skills, literacy skills and numeracy skills for the classroom • Develop ideas to use immediately in your classroom

Materials you will need: •

Access to Jamboard.google.com https://jamboard.google.com/d/1LOMPdGwpO5hTPaAsnbIhfb DVldNb8dTAIIURrf8e1A/edit?usp=sharing • CTE Graduate Profile Book • Menti.com

Duration

What

Who

Description

Start 5

Welcome and intro

Rod & Chris

10

Engage

Rod

Show short video on highlighting some of the CTE-ish popular TV shows such as Dirty Jobs, Fixer-Upper, Christina on the Coast, Counting Cars, Graveyard Carz, British Baking Show, Liberty’s Great American Cookbook, etc. Teachers will submit a few comments on Jamboard about common threads they saw in the videos. Follow this with a brief discussion of the popularity of CTE-ish topics. Provide the link to the CTE Profile book and then teachers in pairs will look at 3-4 different profiles of their choice. Each room will look at a different 3-4 people. From the Profile book, identifying commonalities in the stories about the impact of CTE courses on individuals lives, looking especially for soft skills. Each group will write several 2 – 3-word statements and post them on Menti

Jam Board

10

Explore I

Rod

Menti

5

Explain I

Rod

Briefly discuss entries on Menti.

5

Explore II

Chris

Discuss why CTE courses and employability skills are so important. Make a long list.

5

Explain II Explore III

Chris

Discuss list

10

Chris & Rod

How do we prepare our students for the careers we have seen to make employable and successful citizens?

10

Elaborate

Chris

Present and show examples of literacy skills in the classroom. Go back into pairs to share ideas in how to use these literacy skills. Present and show examples of numeracy skills in the classroom. Go back to pairs to share ideas in how to use these numeracy skills. Again, with your partner, discuss how you could implement the numeracy, literacy and employability skills we have discussed today in your classroom lessons. Use Jamboard, or sticky notes to post 3-4 ideas you will take back and use in your classroom. Employability Skills

10

Elaborate

Chris

10 10

Explain IV Evaluate

Chris

Rod

Meet Your Facilitators Chris Merrill is a Professor of Technology and Engineering Education, as well as STEM Education and Leadership in the Department of Technology at Illinois State University. Merrill has 26.5 years of experience at the high school and university levels. In 2020, Chris was named the Association for Career and Technical Education National Teacher Educator of the Year. Before becoming a high school teacher, Merrill was a cabinetmaker.

Rod McQuality is a retired Illinois School Administrator. Since retirement, Rod has taught undergraduate and graduate students in the education department at Concordia University Chicago and the University of Illinois Springfield. In addition, Rod has served as Project Director for two different CTE grant projects for the Illinois State Board of Education. Rod has over 40 years of education experience in the public-school classroom, serving as a school administrator and teaching at the college level.

Technology and Engineering Education

Title of Lesson:

Subject:

Grade Level:

Estimated Instructional Time (minutes or days):

Learning Standards:

Essential Questions:

Lesson objective(s):

Enduring Understanding(s):

Career Cluster(s) and Pathway(s):

Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs (specific to your school and students): For example: modified writing, modified assessment, extended time, hearing assistance, guided notes, etc . ENGAGEMENT The purpose is to pique student interest and get them personally involved in the lesson, while pre-assessing prior understanding.

• Describe how you will capture students’ interest. What is the hook? • What kind of questions should the students ask themselves after the engagement?

EXPLORATION The purpose is to get students involved in the topic; providing them with a chance to build their own understanding.

• Describe the lesson; what materials/supplies would be needed; the hands-on/minds-on authentic activities students will be doing. • You should provide students with the opportunity to construct their own understanding of the topic.

EXPLANATION The purpose is to provide students with an opportunity to communicate what they have learned so far and figure out what it means.

• What questions or techniques will you use to help students connect their exploration to the concept under examination?

ELABORATION/EXTEND The purpose is to allow students to use their new knowledge and continue to explore its implications.

• Describe how students will develop a more sophisticated understanding of the concept. • How is knowledge and skill applied for students’ daily lives?

EVALUATION The purpose is for both students and teachers to determine how much learning and understanding has taken place.

• How will students demonstrate that they have achieved the lesson objective(s)?

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Technology and Engineering Education

Essential Employability Skills: Which of these skills are demonstrated or necessary to do this lesson? Provide a short explanation.

Integrity Respect

o o o o o o o o o o

Perseverance Positive Attitude Dependability Professionalism Active Listening

Clear Communication

Critical Thinking

Effective and Cooperative Work

Detailed description of the lesson content, which provides you, and ultimately the student, with the required background information, major concepts, historical facts, etc.

Activity to be used to reinforce the content.

Resources used for the lesson/activity.

Standards-based assessment tool.

Any handouts, presentation materials developed, etc.

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Practical Lesson Writing Guide Innovative Curriculum Resources Project 2020

The intent of this practical lesson writing guide is for you to develop a lesson based on a series of prompts or questions that will help strategize, plan, and execute the lesson. The practical lesson writing guide is then used to create a lesson plan. Author: What is the topic or title of the lesson? What do you want the students to learn about this topic? (goals and objectives) Why do you think they need to know it? (rationale) What Educational Standard(s) are addressed? Five years after graduation, what should they still know about this topic? How might they be using this What do we need to see to be convinced that they know it? Be sure to assess every objective and/or standard. Start with evaluation first. What is it that students should know, be able to do, and how will it be assessed? What formative and summative assessments will you utilize AND where in the lesson? Write the assessment in the student’s voice. What class(s) or discipline(s) would be the most likely to do this lesson? What grade level do you feel would be most appropriate? Engage: (Anticipated Minutes ______) How will students get interested and excited about learning this material? What is the hook of the lesson? Explore: (Anticipated Minutes ______) What activities can be completed so that they experience and/or discover the material we want them to learn? Explain: (Anticipated Minutes ______) What questions can students answer if they are beginning to understand this material? Elaborate/Extend: (Anticipated Minutes ______) What situation/activity/process can we set up so that students can build on their new knowledge to learn more or apply this knowledge in the “real world” or in other classes? knowledge/skill set? (part of the rationale) Evaluate: (Anticipated Minutes ______)

Differentiation: How might this lesson be adapted to varying abilities? Below are common differentiation strategies that can be used in the classroom based on your students; this list is not all encompassing but rather a starting point. Common Differentiation/Accommodations for Diverse Learners:

⃝ Modified Writing

⃝ Preferred Seating

⃝ Use of Calculator or other Manipulatives

⃝ Modified Assessment

⃝ Hearing (Inst. Aid)

⃝ Study Guide

⃝ Modified Assignment

⃝ Computer-Assisted Instruction

⃝ Targeted Interventions

⃝ Modified Project

⃝ Assistive Technology ⃝ Small Group Work

⃝ Recognize Effort

⃝ Testing (read aloud) ⃝ Individual Assistance

⃝ Extended Time

⃝ Language

⃝ Recorded Lectures

Translation

⃝ Vision (Inst. Aid)

⃝ Individual Test

Essential Employability Skills: Indicate the skills demonstrated or necessary to do this lesson. Write a short explanation identifying where and how they are addressed. Each lesson you develop should relate to one or more of these essential employability skills but it impractical to assume that your lesson would address all of these employability skills; focus on one or two of these skills, making sure that each can be assessed.

Category

Skill

Where and How it is addressed/experienced

Personal Ethics: Integrity

Respect Perseverance

Positive attitude

Work Ethic:

Dependability

Professionalism

Communication: Active Listening

Clear Communication

Teamwork:

Critical Thinking

Effective and Cooperative Work

Time Required: Approximately how much class time will be required to complete this lesson? Resources Needed: What tools, materials, documents, etc. are needed to teach this lesson? Lesson Overview: Look back over the lesson you have written. How would you describe this lesson to teachers and students in 1 short paragraph?

About the Career Ready Practices The Common Career Technical Core (CCTC) are the result of a state-led initiative to establish a set of rigorous, high-quality benchmark standards for Career Technical Education (CTE) that states can voluntarily adopt. Forty two states, the District of Columbia and Palau supported the development stage of the CCTC. The CCTC include a set of end-of-program of study standards for each of the 16 Career Clusters ® and their 79 Career Pathways, as well as an overarching set of Career Ready Practices, which address the knowledge, skills and dispositions that are important to becoming career ready.

No. While the CCTC establish goals for CTE programs, the Career Ready Practices are relevant for all students and can and should be taught or reinforced in academic and technical courses, as well as during career exploration activities and programs.

Career Ready Practices should be taught and reinforced in all career exploration and preparation programs with increasingly higher levels of complexity and expectation as a student advances through a program of study. Therefore, the Career Ready Practices are relevant for both secondary and postsecondary students, as well as adult learners.

The Career Ready Practices can be practiced, observed and evaluated in school-based settings such as academic and CTE classrooms and Career Technical Student Organization activities, as well as in community and workplace settings.

The Career Ready Practices provide a framework for the developmental experiences necessary to becoming career ready – experiences that can be “practiced” using many different approaches in a variety of settings. A student refines these practices throughout their full continuum of learning: through their journey in school, postsecondary, the workforce, and when they return to advance their education. A standard articulates a finite skill or knowledge.

Yes. The Career Ready Practices are not exclusive to a Career Cluster, Career Pathway, program of study, discipline or level of education – they are applicable to all careers and all industry sectors.

Discussion Paper

Strategies to Enhance Numeracy Skills

Andrew Pleasant, Megan Rooney, Catina O’Leary, Laurie Myers, and Rima Rudd

May 5, 2016

Strategies to Enhance Numeracy Skills

Andrew Pleasant, Canyon Ranch Institute; Megan Rooney, Health Literacy Missouri; Catina O’Leary, Health Literacy Missouri; Laurie Myers, Merck & Co., Inc.; and Rima Rudd, Harvard University 1 Individuals make decisions about health and well-being every day. Many of those decisions involve using and understanding numbers, and most of the decisions are made quickly, at home or at work, as a person goes about a daily routine. Even with adequate time, many people lack the skills to make good use of numerical information to help them make informed decisions (Peters et al., 2014). Health professionals and health systems also often communicate numerical information poorly, increasing the challenge (IOM, 2014). Like low health literacy (of which numeracy is a part), poor numeracy skills are widespread and affect more than just those with lower income or less education. Factors such as emotional stress (perhaps from a recent diagnosis), lack of time or confidence, high demands for numeracy skills, or simply a dislike of math can affect understanding, leading to people feel overwhelmed (Peters et al., 2014). We aim in this paper to provide guiding principles for communicating numbers in a clear, simple way. These principles can be used by health professionals interacting with patients; health systems creating and giving information about diseases, treatments, prevention, cost, and covered services; and health plans explaining the cost of deductibles, co-pays, maximum out-of pocket costs, tiered coverage for medicines, and quality. Pharmaceutical and medical device companies also have a great opportunity to explain the risks and benefits of medicines and devices. No matter how different these organizations appear, they all should take the opportunity to help foster improved health decision making by presenting data and numbers clearly. An individual’s ability to understand and use numbers, such as data and risk information, to make health and health care decisions often depends on and can be greatly supported by the way numbers are presented (Zikmund-Fisher, 2013). Even those with higher numeracy skills are helped by clear communication of numbers. The challenge is to know what numerical information to present (if any) and how to present it so people can find, understand, evaluate, communicate, and use that information to make an informed health decision. This capacity depends on many contextual factors, including the social and cultural setting, the audience, the purpose (to increase knowledge, instruct, facilitate decision making, or persuade), and the nature of the numerical information (is it fractions, percents, ratios, equations, and so forth). We believe that a complete understanding of those different contexts will help professionals choose the best way to communicate numerical information.

STRATEGIES

Several best practices are already well identified that can help make understanding numerical information easier for all people to both understand and communicate (Peters et al., 2014; Trevena et al., 2013; Fischhoff et al., 2011; National Cancer Institute, 2011) . We offer the following strategies to help make numerical information easier to communicate, less confusing, and easier to use.

1 The authors are participants in the activities of the Roundtable on Health Literacy working group on numeracy.

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Marry Words and Numbers to Provide a Complete Understanding

When presenting numeric information (such as quantities, ratios, percentages, and so forth), emphasize numbers rather than words such as “rare,” “low risk,” or “common.” Such words have different meanings to people and can lead to confusion. However, neither words nor numbers are free from misinterpretation. Instead of replacing numbers with words or words with numbers, use both when feasible to help people better understand your message. This means ensuring that explanatory text accompanies the numbers, interprets their meaning, and gives descriptive information to place the numerical information in context. Do the Math Always do the math for your audience. For example, instead of advising people to lose a certain percentage of their body weight, which requires them to measure their weight and then calculate a percentage, advise them to lose a precise number of pounds. By doing the math for these individuals, you give them a specific action goal while not requiring them to perform mathematics. To teach patients to calculate the percentage, use examples to illustrate the math. For example, a 100-pound person would need to lose 2 pounds to lose 2 percent of his or her weight, but a 200-pound person would need to lose 4 pounds to lose the same percent of his or her weight. Finally, if a quantity or rate might change over time, do that math for your audience as well. For example, if a rate changes depending on income level, present the rates for several income categories so people can easily see how the rates change. Be specific about what causes changes in risk and express the quantitative rates clearly. Use consistent language and presentation styles and formats to help avoid confusion. Present numbers in consistent and expected formats — this further removes the burden of performing calculations and makes it easier to compare numbers. For example, use the same denominators in fractions and ratios when comparing information —that is, compare “10 out of 40” to “20 out of 40 , ” not to “10 out of 20.” Consistency is also important when providing information such as dosage instructions. What pharmacists write on the prescription label often vary, given the same prescription, and these variations can cause patient confusion (Wolf et al., 2009). When possible, align your use of numbers with expected normative meaning — for example, have higher numbers reflect “better” and lower numbers reflect a “worse” situation. Be Consistent

Present Only the Most Necessary Information, But Enough to Be Fully Understood

Providing too much information can be overwhelming, especially to those with lower numeracy and health literacy skills. Do not overwhelm people with numbers, but do give them all of what they need to make a truly informed decision. For example, to help people compare

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treatment options (for example, surgery versus chemotherapy versus palliative care, or chemotherapy alone versus chemotherapy plus radiation treatment), present only the most important information related to the goal of this task — understanding and then choosing the best treatment option. This means eliminating background information that is not directly relevant to the choice. To help people make fully informed decisions, you also need to explain what information you have left out, why you left that information out, and where they can find it if they are interested. Provide supporting information to help them easily find credible, accurate, and understandable additional information. Researchers suggest giving people information in different ways, such as in verbal along with written or graphical form, to meet their preferred learning style and to ensure understandability. Providing information in graphical form using charts, pictographs, and diagrams is particularly helpful. Combine numbers, words, and visuals to explain risk statements. Risk statements that solely rely on numbers may be difficult. People better understand probabilities when they are presented with words and visuals that reinforce the meaning of the numbers rather than when numbers are presented alone. Certain types of graphics in risk communication, such as icon arrays, bar charts, and risk scales can also be helpful. To help people manage their medicines, provide medication schedules, simple charts, or even computer-aided tools to help people integrate multiple treatments and simplify daily routines. Be sure your visuals explain rather than confuse. For example, when using graphs and charts to compare numerical information, be sure they are all presented in the same way, in the same scale, and with the same labels and value ranges. Different types of visuals are better for communicating different concepts:  Line graphs are usually better to explain trends over time than pie charts or bar graphs.  Pie charts often show magnitude through an easy comparison of a part to the whole.  Bar charts can show magnitude and change over time or across groups.  Maps allow geographic comparison.  Pictographs or icon arrays can represent quantity while reflecting percentage of the whole. Finally, be very aware of your use of color and labels in visual presentations of numeric information. People may assign meaning to a color (for example, red is often linked with danger). Some people also have difficulty visually interpreting colors; contrast can often be useful to help differentiate. Be sure your labels are understandable while being brief but also relevant and informative. Be Visual — Use Images and Shapes to Reflect the Meaning of the Numbers

Be Aware of How You Present or Describe a Risk

To make informed decisions, people need to understand the risks and benefits of

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behaviors, treatments, and preventive actions. When communicating about numbers that discuss risk, you are communicating about behaviors and their likely outcomes. That information will be interpreted in many ways that include but go beyond a person’s numeracy skills. Be careful using percentages to explain changes in risk. For example, a change in risk from “1 in 100” to “2 in 100” is a 100 percent change, but using only that percent change is misleading and may not lead to informed decision making. Furthermore, always explain what the percentage is of, be it about people or objects or risk. Be extremely careful when comparing risk because even when the numbers are equivalent, the actual risk and the outcomes of that risk may not be equivalent. For example, when reporting change in two risk levels of 20 percent, if the baseline for one risk was 1 percent, that is an increase to 1.2 percent, but if the baseline for the second risk was 20 percent, that would be an increase to 25 percent. Furthermore, be very conscious of whether you are describing a risk or the level of dread or fear of that risk. Be very aware that people will interpret a risk based on many factors beyond the numbers — for example, how much they understand the risk, how much they dread or fear the risk, and how many people and which people may be affected by the risk. Whether communicating relative or absolute risk, always be specific about who or what that risk is based on. Try to provide both absolute risk and relative risk. Absolute risk tells the likelihood of something happening at all — it is the risk itself. The higher the absolute risk, the more likely it is that something will happen. Relative risk tells how much more or less likely something is compared to something else. This compares two risks — it tells you nothing about the actual risk. Research shows that when only relative risk is presented, people may view risks as larger or treatments as worse. Providing absolute-risk information does the math for the reader, making the choices more concrete and requiring less cognitive effort and room for error. As much as possible, use both positive and negative frames to describe a risk. For example, “1 out of 10 w omen who take this medicine have side effects. This means that 9 out of 10 women do not.” Some research suggests that when communicating risk, negative framing (“You have a 1 in 10 chance of dying”) can result in a desired behavior change more often. On th e other hand, when promoting healthy preventive behaviors, positive framing (“Seat belts lower your chance of getting hurt in an accident”) may be more effective. Always take the time to test your communication with the intended audience. Involve your audience early and often in message development — they are the experts in their own life and communication skills. During the communication, use methods such as teach-back to ensure that your message is being understood as intended. Clearly explain your message and check in for comprehension as you do so. For example, when comparing two risks, the teach-back could take the form of a question such as, “I want to make sure I explained this well, so tell me, which risk did I say was highe r of the two risks we’ve been talking about? Why is that risk higher?” Check In Early and Often

CONCLUSION

Numeracy helps people in all walks of life — be they mathematical experts or third-grade students — to solve problems. One thing we can all agree on is that being alive inherently means you will encounter problems to be solved. These may be entirely numerical or about a risk you

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do not understand or a social or cultural situation you find perplexing. We close by proposing that numeracy skills — both the skill to navigate numbers as well as the skill to successfully communicate numerical information — will be useful across the wide range of problems life presents. By making numbers and their implications more understandable to more people, we can improve decision making, efficiency, and outcomes such as health and quality of life. Andrew Pleasant, Ph.D., is the senior director for health literacy and research at Canyon Ranch Institute. Megan Rooney, M.S.W., M.Ed., is the director of program development at Health Literacy Missouri. Catina O’Leary , Ph.D., L.M.S.W., is the president and chief executive officer of Health Literacy Missouri. Laurie Myers, M.B.A., is the global health literacy director at Merck & Co., Inc. Rima Rudd, Sc.D., M.S.P.H., is a senior lecturer on health literacy, education, and policy at the Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University.

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REFERENCES

Fischhoff, B., N. Brewer, and J. Downs, eds. 2011. Communicating risks and benefits: An evidence- based user’s guide. Washington, DC: Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AboutFDA/ReportsManualsForms/Reports/UCM268069.pdf (accessed March 31, 2016). IOM (Institute of Medicine). 2014. Health literacy and numeracy: Workshop summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. National Cancer Institute. 2011. Making data talk: A workbook. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/cancerlibrary/MDT-Workbook.pdf (accessed March 31, 2016). Peters, E., L. Meilleur, and M. K. Tompkins, eds. 2014. Numeracy and the Affordable Care Act: Opportunities and challenges. In Health literacy and numeracy: Workshop summary. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Trevena, L. J., B. J. Zikmund-Fisher, A. Edwards, W. Gaissmaier, M. Galesic, P. K. Han, J. King, M. L. Lawson, S. K. Linder, I. Lipkus, E. Ozanne, E. Peters, D. Timmermans, and S. Woloshin. 2013. Presenting quantitative information about decision outcomes: A risk communication primer for patient decision aid developers. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 13(Suppl 2):S7. http://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6947-13-S2-S7. Wolf, M. S., P. Shekelle, N. K. Choudhry, J. Agnew-Blais, R. M. Parker, and W. H. Shrank. 2009. Variability in pharmacy interpretations of physician prescriptions. Medical Care 47(3):370 – 373. Zikmund-Fisher, B. J. 2013. The right tool is what they need, not what we have: A taxonomy of appropriate levels of precision in patient risk communication. Medical Care Research and Review 70(Suppl 1):37S – 49S. .

Suggested Citation

Pleasant, A., M. Rooney, C. O’Leary, L. Myers, and R. Rudd. 2016. Strategies to enhance numeracy skills . Discussion Paper, National Academy of Medicine, Washington, DC. http://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Strategies-to-Enhance-Numeracy-Skills.pdf.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this Perspective are those of the authors and not necessarily of the authors’ organizations or of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). The Perspective is intended to help inform and stimulate discussion. It has not been subjected to the review procedures of, nor is it a report of, the NAM or the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Copyright by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

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COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS & SUCCESS Center

at American Institutes for Research

Integrating Employability Skills A Framework for All Educators

Handouts

SEPTEMBER 2019

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING MODULE

About This Booklet This Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts booklet is intended for use with the following additional resources: • Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Facilitator’s Guide • Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators sample agenda • Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators slide presentation • Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Workbook Adapting This Booklet This booklet is designed so that facilitators can adopt it as written or modify the content to reflect state and local contexts, needs, and priorities. If modifications to content are made, the CCRS Center requests that the following disclaimer be included in the revised materials: This booklet was modified in whole or in part with permission from the College and Career Readiness and Success Center.

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts

April 2016 (Updated September 2019)

College and Career Readiness and Success Center

1000 Thomas Jefferson Street NW Washington, DC 20007-3835 800-634-0503 www.ccrscenter.org

Copyright © 2019 American Institutes for Research. All rights reserved . This work was originally produced in whole or in part by the College and Career Readiness and Success Center with funds from the U.S. Department of Education under cooperative agreement number S283B120034. The content does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department of Education, nor does mention or visual representation of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the federal government. Copyright © 2019 American Institutes for Research. All rights reserved.

www.air.org

9501_09/19

Contents Handout A. What Are Employability Skills?................................................................................................ 1

Handout B. Employability Skills Framework: Definitions........................................................................... 2

Handout C. Curriculum Planning Tool to Integrate Employability Skills.................................................... 6

Handout D. Employability Skill and Instruction Matching Activity ............................................................ 7

Handout E. Formative Lesson Planning Tool: Integrating Employability Skills Into Instruction.............. 18

Handout F. Formative Lesson Planning Tool for Integrating Employability Skills Into Practice

(Career and Technical Education [CTE] Sample) ................................................................... 19

Handout G. Formative Lesson Planning Tool for Integrating Employability Skills Into Practice

(English Language Arts [ELA] Activity Template)................................................................. 23

Handout H. Formative Lesson Planning Tool for Integrating Employability Skills Into Practice

(English Language Arts [ELA] Sample).................................................................................. 27

Handout I. Summative Lesson Planning Self-Reflection Tool ................................................................... 31

Handout J. Scenarios for Business—Employability Skills ......................................................................... 39

Handout A. What Are Employability Skills? Part I Write out the top 5–10 employability skills you consider to be most important: 1. ___________________________________

6. __________________________________

2. ___________________________________

7. __________________________________

3. ___________________________________

8. __________________________________

4. ___________________________________

9. __________________________________

5. ___________________________________

10. _________________________________

Part II Place the employability skills listed above into the following three categories of skills: Effective Relationships Workplace Skills Applied Knowledge

Recategorized Skills

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—1

Handout B. Employability Skills Framework: Definitions Note: The content of this handout is adapted from the Employability Skills Framework website (http://cte.ed.gov/employabilityskills). Employability skills are general skills that are necessary for success in the labor market at all employment levels and in all sectors. These skills, which may be taught through the education and workforce development systems, fall into three broad categories:  Effective Relationships —The interpersonal skills and personal qualities that enable individuals to interact effectively with clients, coworkers, and supervisors  Workplace Skills —The analytical and organizational skills and understandings that employees need to successfully perform work tasks  Applied Knowledge —The thoughtful integration of academic knowledge and technical skills, put to practical use in the workplace Within each of these three categories, there are nine sets of skills , detailed on the following pages.

Effective Relationships

Interpersonal Skills Personal Qualities

Workplace Skills

Resource Management

Information Use

Communication Skills

Systems Thinking

Technology Use

Applied Knowledge

Applied Academic Skills

Critical Thinking Skills

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—2

Effective Relationships Interpersonal Skill s Interpersonal skills enable employees to collaborate as a member of a team or work independently, as appropriate, and contribute to the overarching goals of the workplace. They include the following:  Understands teamwork and works with others  Responds to customer needs  Exercises leadership Personal Qualities Personal qualities include a set of behaviors and skills that enable employees to establish effective relationships and function appropriately in the workplace. They include the following:  Demonstrates responsibility and self-discipline  Adapts and shows flexibility  Works independently  Demonstrates a willingness to learn  Demonstrates integrity  Demonstrates professionalism  Takes initiative  Displays positive attitude and sense of self-worth  Takes responsibility for professional growth Workplace Skills Resource Management Resource management skills enable employees to perform work tasks successfully by managing time and other resources. They include the following:  Manages time  Manages money  Negotiates to resolve conflicts  Respects individual differences

 Manages materials  Manages personnel

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—3

Information Use Information use skills enable employees to perform work tasks successfully by understanding, evaluating, and using a variety of information. They include the following:

 Locates information  Organizes information  Uses information  Analyzes information  Communicates information

Communication Skills Communication skills enable employees to perform work tasks successfully by communicating effectively with others in multiple formats. They include the following:  Communicates verbally  Listens actively

 Comprehends written material  Conveys information in writing  Observes carefully

Systems Thinking Systems thinking skills enable employees to perform work tasks successfully by understanding relationships among the components of a system. They include the following:  Understands and uses systems

 Monitors systems  Improves systems

Technology Use Technology use skills enable employees to perform work tasks successfully by applying information technology appropriately and effectively. They include the following:  Understands and uses technology

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—4

Applied Knowledge

Applied Academic Skills Applied academic skills enable employees to put skills based on academic disciplines and learning—such as reading, writing, mathematical strategies and procedures, and scientific principles and procedures—to practical use in the workplace. They include the following:

 Uses reading skills  Uses writing skills

 Uses mathematical strategies and procedures  Uses scientific principles and procedures

Critical Thinking Skills Critical thinking skills enable employees to think critically and creatively in the context of their work, solve work-based problems, and make sound decisions at work. They include the following:

 Thinks critically  Thinks creatively  Makes sound decisions  Solves problems  Reasons  Plans and organizes

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—5

Handout C. Curriculum Planning Tool to Integrate Employability Skills Course/Grade: ___________________________________

Units

Content-Specific Knowledge, Skills, and Practices What actions, habits, or practices do students need to demonstrate in order to be proficient in this standard(s) for the unit?

Opportunities to Align to Employability Skills Which employability skills could explicitly and implicitly connect to the standards for this unit?

Strategies to Assess

What are some possible strategies or ways to assess these skills?

Explicit

Implicit

Next Steps: What Are One or Two Concrete Next Steps to Make Sure That Courses/Grade Levels Are Aligned to the Employability Skills to Ensure That Students Are College and Career Ready?

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—6

Handout D. Employability Skill and Instruction Matching Activity 1. Read the employability skills, skill components, and accompanying attributes in the tables below. 2. Review the sample instructional techniques at the end of this document. 3. Identify up to three sample instructional techniques that support each employability skill component. (Note: Each instructional technique may support more than one employability skill.) 4. Brainstorm additional instructional techniques that support the development of specific employability skills on your own or with your colleagues. 5. Write the instructional techniques in the tables below next to the employability skill components they support. 6. Discuss your list with your colleagues, considering the following questions: • Are these instructional techniques commonly used in schools or classrooms in your state or district? • Are there notable similarities or differences among these instructional techniques (e.g., student-led, long-term, discussion based)? • Are the resources, materials, or staff needed to implement these instructional techniques available and accessible? • Are teachers generally knowledgeable and able to implement these instructional techniques? • Are students generally prepared and able to engage in these types of learning activities? Do students need additional social- emotional or academic support to engage in these types of learning activities?

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—7

Applied Academic Skills

Skill Components Reading skills

Instructional Techniques That Support the Development of These Skill Components

Skill Attributes

 Interpret written instructions or project directions  Interpret technical language  Use print and online materials as resources  Seek clarification about what they have read  Construct lab reports, posters, and presentation materials  Take notes  Compose essay responses  Use computational skills appropriately in real-world contexts  Make logical choices when analyzing and differentiating among available procedures  Follow procedures  Experiment  Infer and hypothesize (even as simple as “what if we do it this way?”)  Construct processes to complete a task

1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3.

Writing skills

Mathematics strategies and procedures

Scientific principles and procedures

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—8

Critical Thinking Skills

Skill Components

Instructional Techniques That Support the Development of These Skill Components

Skill Attributes

Thinks creatively

 Create and share innovative and novel ideas in writing based or project-based learning  Create and share innovative and novel solutions to problems  Display divergent thinking in project design and planning

1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3.

Thinks critically

 Display analytical and strategic thinking  Debate an issue  Converge on an understanding  Assess a problem  Question (e.g., play devil’s advocate)  Differentiate among multiple approaches  Assess options

Makes sound decisions

Solves problems

 Assess problems involving the use of available resources (i.e., personnel and materials)  Review multiple strategies for resolving problems

Reasons

 Negotiate pros and cons of ideas, approaches, and solutions  Analyze options using “if-then” rationale

Plans and organizes

 Identify approaches for addressing tasks  Plan steps and procedures  Solve discrete problems  Complete a long-term or multistep project

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—9

Interpersonal Skills

Skill Components Understands teamwork and works with others Responds to customer needs

Instructional Techniques That Support the Development of These Skill Components

Skill Attributes

 Participate in cooperative groups  Work with a partner  Contribute fairly to the task  Show respect to others

1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3.

 Help fellow students understand tasks  Find resources  Fulfill assigned roles (e.g., by thinking of fellow students as customers)  Participate as team leaders or effective team members in project assignments  Organize work and utilize team roles to meet project goals

Exercises leadership

Negotiates to resolve conflict

 Keep fellow team members on track  Suggest alternative approaches or solutions  Discuss options  Promote or seek agreement

Respects individual differences

 Listen to and consider all team members’ ideas  Respond supportively to ideas given in class or in teams  Use proactive approaches to prevent conflict or misunderstanding  Work well with all teammates

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—10

Personal Qualities

Instructional Techniques That Support the Development of These Skill Components

Skill Components

Skill Attributes

1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3.

Demonstrates responsibility and self-discipline

 Actively participate in class  Ask questions  Volunteer answers  Complete and submit assignments  Work well in groups

Adapts and shows flexibility

 Adapt easily to different modes of instruction and different types of assignments  Compromise with others  Accept changes or modifications

Works independently

 Commit to time-on-task during class  Begin work without hesitation  Plan and pace work schedule

Demonstrates a willingness to learn

 Cooperate and be noticeably engaged  Communicate with peers and superiors with respect and confidence  Share information and feedback clearly and accurately  Treat work assignments with respect in that work is either original or credited correctly  Acknowledge team members’ work or contributions

Demonstrates integrity

Demonstrates professionalism

 Treat others with respect  Consider all ideas  Use appropriate dress, tone, and manners

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—11

Instructional Techniques That Support the Development of These Skill Components

Skill Components

Skill Attributes

Takes initiative

 Seek out and seize the opportunity to take on a leadership role on tasks and projects

1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3.

Displays a positive attitude and sense of self-worth

 Contribute new ideas or thinking to class tasks, projects, or discussions  Show pride in work and strive for quality

Takes responsibility for professional growth

 Be active listeners  Seek clarification and understanding when needed  Accept and use feedback for improvement

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—12

Resource Management

Instructional Techniques That Support the Development of These Skill Components

Skill Components Skill Attributes

Manages time

 Demonstrate time management when organizing and planning project activities with a team  Demonstrate time management when organizing and managing individual class assignments and homework  Manage money in group projects requiring allocation of limited finances and resources

1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3.

Manages money

Manages resources

 Manage resources in projects requiring allocation of limited resources and personnel

Manages personnel

 Gain experience managing personnel (i.e., each other) in group projects requiring role assignments  Manage their own behavior and participation

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—13

Information Use

Instructional Techniques That Support the Development of These Skill Components

Skill Components Skill Attributes

Locates

 Use analytical strategies to determine the best medium for finding necessary information  Differentiate among data sources

1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3.

Organizes

 Use any graphic organizer (e.g., outline, concept map, organizational chart, or table) to sort information or data

Uses

 Use classification and analytic skills to determine the necessary information to complete a task

Analyzes

 Assess information to determine which is relevant  Understand the relationship between different pieces of information

Communicates

 Summarize information in oral or written form  Explain information, reasoning, or process

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—14

Communication Skills

Instructional Techniques That Support the Development of These Skill Components

Skill Components Skill Attributes

Communicates verbally

 Provide oral responses to impromptu short questions  Share ideas or feedback with peers or teachers  Complete a formal oral presentation  Be noticeably engaged through note-taking, questioning, and responding  Respond well to constructive feedback  Adapt accordingly  Follow written instructions or project directions  Review print and digital resources  Ask questions about what they have read

1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3.

Listens actively

Comprehends written material

Conveys information in writing

 Organize lab reports, posters, and presentation materials  Take notes

Observes carefully

 Interpret the verbal and nonverbal communication efforts of others  Follow and take directions from teachers or peers

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—15

Systems Thinking

Skill Components

Instructional Techniques That Support the Development of These Skill Components

Skill Attributes

Understands and uses systems

 Understand their roles and assignments when collaborating as a team (e.g., system)  Contribute to the organizational structure and function of the team  Identify resources (people or information) that can further project aims  Devise methods to assess team (e.g., system) progress

1. 2. 3.

Monitors systems

1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3.

Improves systems

 Negotiate midcourse corrections and adaptations to team (e.g., system) tasks if necessary

Technology Use

Skill Components

Instructional Techniques That Support the Development of These Skill Components

Skill Attributes

Understands and uses technology

 Use appropriate digital technologies for calculating, collecting and displaying data, conducting research, creating presentations, and writing reports  Identify attributes and uses of common digital technologies

1. 2. 3.

CCRS Center

Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators Handouts—16