Professional Development System Adult Literacy Instruction: Why
Soft Skills are Important to All 10:50 am 12:05 pm Kim Rossman
Tutors of Literacy in the Commonwealth [email protected]
www.tlcliteracy.org 814.867.0203 Slide 2 Professional Development
System Agenda Welcome Objectives Soft Skills Definition Food for
thought Instruction Assessment Activity Discussion Questions Slide
3 Professional Development System Session objectives At the end of
the session, participants will: develop a plan for teaching a
specific soft skill in their classroom, tutoring and/or mentoring
session. Slide 4 Professional Development System A few questions If
you are currently providing one-on- one instruction to an adult
learner please raise your hand. Slide 5 Professional Development
System A few questions If you are currently providing instruction
to adult learners in a small group or classroom setting please
raise your hand. Slide 6 Professional Development System SOFT
SKILLS ~ DEFINITION Slide 7 Professional Development System
Definition Google Personal attributes that enable someone to
interact effectively and harmoniously with other people.
livecareer.com Soft skills are general skills - like the ability to
accept feedback, work collaboratively, manage your time, etc. These
are skills that will help you in a wide range of jobs, not just the
target job you're applying for. Slide 8 Professional Development
System Examples of soft skills
_____________________________________________ Slide 9 Professional
Development System SOFT SKILLS ~ WHAT DO EMPLOYERS WANT? Slide 10
Professional Development System What soft skills do employers want?
The CEOs tell us, Dont worry so much about the technical skills We
need you to teach them how to show up on time, how to work in
teams, how to take supervision. From Hard Work on Soft SkillsHard
Work on Soft Skills Slide 11 Professional Development System What
soft skills do employers want? In Are They Really Ready to Work
(2006) employers have indicated the four most important foundation
skills needed by employees are:Are They Really Ready to Work Slide
12 Professional Development System What soft skills do employers
want? In Are They Really Ready to Work (2006) employers have
indicated the four most important foundation skills needed by
employees are:Are They Really Ready to Work Professionalism/Work
Ethic Oral and Written Communication Team Work/Collaboration
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving Slide 13 Slide 14 Professional
Development System 2013 Forbes survey 1. Ability to work in a team
2. Ability to make decisions and solve problems 3. Ability to plan,
organize and prioritize work 4. Ability to communicate verbally
with people inside and outside an organization 5. Ability to obtain
and process information 6. Ability to analyze quantitative data 7.
Technical knowledge related to the job 8. Proficiency with computer
software programs 9. Ability to create and/or edit written reports
10. Ability to sell and influence others Slide 15 Professional
Development System SOFT SKILLS ~ FOOD FOR THOUGHT Slide 16
Professional Development System Do you think instructors can
directly, explicitly teach soft skills? If so, how? Slide 17
Professional Development System Do you think instructors can
directly, explicitly teach soft skills? Group activities team
building Problem solving - walk through real life dilemma, POCS
chart, role playing Timeliness Organization Oral and written
communication Body language activity Mock interviews Set up
instructional setting like the workplace Put learner in employers
position Slide 18 Professional Development System Food for thought
What are the roles of awareness and assessment in the process?
Slide 19 Professional Development System More food for thought Can
you think of any soft skills deficits the learner(s) you work with
may have? Slide 20 Professional Development System And more Can you
think of any soft skills deficits the learner(s) you work with may
have? Do you think the learner is aware of the deficit(s)? Slide 21
Professional Development System Can you think of any soft skills
deficits the learner(s) you work with may have? Do you think the
learner is aware of the deficit(s)? How do you think the learner
could be motivated to improve his/her soft skills? Slide 22
Professional Development System Can you think of any soft skills
deficits the learner(s) you work with may have? Do you think the
learner is aware of the deficit(s)? How do you think the learner
could be motivated to improve his/her soft skills? How can you show
him/her where he/she is in terms of soft skills? Slide 23
Professional Development System SOFT SKILL ASSESSMENTS Slide 24
Professional Development System Did you know PA Common Core
Academic Standards PA Common Core Academic Standards have a section
for soft skills? Slide 25 Slide 26 Slide 27 Slide 28 Slide 29 Slide
30 Slide 31 Professional Development System Other assessments? What
have you used? Slide 32 Professional Development System INSTRUCTION
OF SOFT SKILLS Slide 33 Professional Development System Instruction
of soft skills Examples of activities: What if scenario or multiple
choice questions (Soft Skills Discussion Resource)Soft Skills
Discussion Resource Body Language Awareness Activities Service
learning, projects Provide a realistic workplace scenario (i.e. you
see someone at work take money that doesnt belong to them) then ask
the questions: What is the problem? What do you need to do? How are
you going to do it? Did you fix the problem? Did you do a good job?
Other ~ what have you used? Slide 34 Professional Development
System Instruction of soft skills How can the learner know if
he/she is improving in an area? Collaboratively develop a rubric
Other Slide 35 Professional Development System Soft skills rating
rubric Skill to be developed Beginning (Rarely) Emerging
(Sometimes) Developing (Often) Competent (Consistently) Handout
Slide 36 Professional Development System ACTIVITY ~ EXAMPLE THEN
PRACTICE Slide 37 Professional Development System Handout SCANS
skills activity ~ overview Complete the following sections of the
Foundation Skills Self- Appraisal on behalf of a learner or group
of learners with whom you work. Basic Workplace Skills Basic
Employability Skills Partner with a peer to: a) Identify a mutual
skill needed by the learners with whom you work b) Develop a plan
for addressing needed skill (complete back of form) c) If time,
develop a rubric for assessing progress d) Share your plan with the
group Slide 38 Handout Slide 39 Professional Development System
Example of activity Completed assessment for learner being tutored
Focusing on the result: I am on time for work. Slide 40 Slide 41
Professional Development System Specific learning objective By the
end of this activity I would like the learner to be able to: Come
to at least 13 out of 15 tutoring sessions on time. If running late
or unable to attend a session, he must notify me in advance, using
our previously established guidelines. Slide 42 Professional
Development System Measurement of objective I will know that this
objective was met after 15 tutoring sessions. We will look at the
tracking of his attendance and punctuality. We will develop a chart
or other graphic organizer for the learner to track his own
attendance and punctuality so he can have visual representation of
his performance. Slide 43 Professional Development System
Achievable Yes, based on what I know about this learner and the
supports in place for him, he will be able to achieve this
objective. Slide 44 Professional Development System What is the
activity and is it relevant? The activity will involve the learner
and tutor sitting down together to establish clear guidelines on
attendance. We have already developed standard procedures for
notifying each other if we are unable to attend a session or if we
are running late so this will be a review of material already
developed. The activity will involve the learner doing the same
things he needs to do for his job. He will need to show up to the
tutoring sessions on time. If running late or unable to attend, he
needs to follow our agreed upon procedures which are similar to
those he needs to adhere to at his job. Slide 45 Professional
Development System Authentic materials The tasks being monitored
are the same as those needed to keep his current job (and, most
likely, any future jobs he may get). Slide 46 Professional
Development System Time frame The goal is to accomplish this
activity within 15 tutoring sessions. Slide 47 Professional
Development System Transfer of skill The learner understands that
these are skills he needs in order to keep his job. After we work
on this activity we will discuss how he can continue to do these
things properly in his work environment so he can keep his job and
possibly, eventually, get a promotion. Slide 48 Professional
Development System Handout SCANS skills activity ~ overview
Complete the following sections of the Foundation Skills Self-
Appraisal on behalf of a learner or group of learners with whom you
work. Basic Workplace Skills Basic Employability Skills Partner
with a peer to: a) Identify a mutual skill needed by the learners
with whom you work b) Develop a plan for addressing needed skill
(complete back of form) c) If time, develop a rubric for assessing
progress d) Share your plan with the group Slide 49 Professional
Development System Plan Learning objective How will you determine
and measure if objective(s) have been met? What contextualized
activities can you develop that will provide measurable outcomes?
What authentic materials are being used? Is the activity
challenging for the learner, yet not too difficult? Timeframe?
Transfer of skills? Slide 50 Professional Development System
Example ~ Soft skills rating rubric Skill to be developed Beginning
(Rarely) Emerging (Sometimes) Developing (Often) Competent
(Consistently) Be on time for work. (instructional session) Shows
up late for work 4 out of 5 work days, without proper notification
(and most likely loses job) Shows up late for work 3 out of 5 days,
with proper notification 50% of the time Shows up late for work 1
out of 5 days with proper notification 80% of the time Shows up
late for work less than 1 out of 5 days with proper notification
100% of the time Slide 51 Professional Development System
DISCUSSION & QUESTIONS Slide 52 Professional Development System
Please remember to complete the evaluation at the end of the day.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/tinstitute2014 Slide 53 Professional
Development System Resources Are They Really Ready to Work?
Employers Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and Applied Skills of
New Entrants to the 21st Century U.S. Workforce Are They Really
Ready to Work? Employers Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and
Applied Skills of New Entrants to the 21st Century U.S. Workforce
Bissonnette, Denise. 1999. 30 Ways to Shine as a New Employee, A
Guide to Success in the Workplace. Chatsworth, CA: A Milt Wright
& Associates, Inc. Publication Bissonnette, Denise. 1999. 30
Ways to Shine as a New Employee, A Guide to Success in the
Workplace. Equipped for the Future Resources Guide to Adult
Education for Work, Transforming Adult Education to Grow a Skilled
Workforce Guide to Adult Education for Work, Transforming Adult
Education to Grow a Skilled Workforce Slide 54 Professional
Development System Resources, continued Hard Work on Soft Skills,
Creating a Culture of Work in Workforce Development, Working
Ventures Hard Work on Soft Skills Keep that Job, article from the
May, 1936 issue of Current Psychology and PsychoanalysisKeep that
Job O*Net OnLine Workforce Skills Self-Appraisal and other PA
Workforce Education Resources including Foundations Skills
materials Workforce Skills Self-Appraisal and other PA Workforce
Education Resources Soft Skills Discussion Resource (Brief),
Learning Resources, Inc.Soft Skills Discussion Resource (Brief
Slide 55 Professional Development System Resources, continued New
Ways to Work Quality Work-Based Learning Toolkit, Kansas City,
Kansas Public Schools Creating Quality Work-Based Learning How-To
Guides for Workplace Tours, Job Shadows and more Building the
Classroom Connection Teacher Guide to the Work-Based Learning Plan
Workplace Partner Guide to the Work-Based Learning Plan Student
Guide to the Work-Based Learning Plan Tools Factsheets Resources
Slide 56 Professional Development System THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!
Feel free to contact me at: [email protected] or visit us at:
www.tlcliteracy.org [email protected] www.tlcliteracy.org Slide
57 Professional Development System Everyday materials for
developing life skills Public School Materials Registration forms
School handbooks Parent-teacher communications Homework Excuse
forms Lunch menus Permission slips Medical Information Forms
Insurance Prescriptions Over-the-counter medicine instructions
Poison or hazardous materials information Employment Material
Applications Job Manuals Report Forms Time cards Newspapers Want
ads Community announcements Utility/Financial Information Bills
Check writing Account balancing Shopping Transportation
Schedules
