ERIC ED426255: Language & Communication Skills Curriculum Binder. Workplace Training Project.

267 Pages·1997·3.2 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
CE 077 937
ED 426 255
Language & Communication Skills Curriculum Binder. Workplace
TITLE
Training Project.
Lane Community Coll., Eugene, OR.
INSTITUTION
Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington,
SPONS AGENCY
DC. National Workplace Literacy Program.
1997-00-00
PUB DATE
269p.; For the "Math Skills Curriculum Binder", see CE 077
NOTE
938. The other partners in The Workplace Training Project
are: Newood Products, Pacific Western Extruded Pipe Company,
Springfield Forest Products, Staffing Services, HMT
Technology.
Classroom
Guides
PUB TYPE
Teacher (052)
MF01/PC11 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Adult Basic Education; Adult Literacy; Behavioral
DESCRIPTORS
Objectives; Classroom Techniques; *Communication Skills;
Community Colleges; *Competency Based Education; Conflict
Resolution; Cultural Differences; Cultural Pluralism;
Curriculum Guides; Documentation; English (Second Language);
*Functional Literacy; Hispanic Americans; *Language Skills;
Learning Activities; Lesson Plans; Limited English Speaking;
*Literacy Education; Partnerships in Education; Performance
Based Assessment; School Business Relationship; Spanish;
Vocational English (Second Language); *Workplace Literacy;
Writing (Composition)
ABSTRACT
This document, which is intended for workplace trainers,
contains materials for conducting 10 workplace language and communication
skills courses that were developed through the Workplace Training Project,
which was a partnership involving Lane Community College in Oregon and five
area businesses. The courses were developed by project staff based on
business partners' input regarding the mathematics skills required of
employees at their specific worksites. The course topics are as follows:
"know your company"; basic communication skills for lead workers; basic
principles for effective communication; conflict resolution for lead workers;
production document reading; writing in the workplace; English as a second
language for Hispanics; English as a second language in a workplace setting;
English as a second language production document reading; and cultural
diversity/Spanish in the workplace. The following materials are included for
each course: course description; student outcome objectives; description of
target student population; description of class environment; suggested
instructional techniques; syllabus of course activities; learning activity
sheets; student handouts; student worksheets; sample problems; and
substantial bibliography. Each learning activity sheet contains the
following: introductory activities; list of resources and materials needed;
description of the instruction process; performance assessment methods and
results; and comments.
(MN)
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
4.12-1ri;-document has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating it.
CI Minor changes have been made to
The Workplace Training Project
improve reproduction quality.
is a partnership with
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
Lane Community College and
Newood Products
Pacific Western Extruded Pipe Company
Springfield Forest Products
Staffing Services
HMT Technology
Department of Education
National Workplace Literacy Program
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The Workplace Training Project
a partnership with
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Lane Community College and
Newood Products
Pacific Western Extruded Pipe Company
Springfield Forest Products
Staffing Services
HMT Technology
Department of Education
National Workplace Literacy Program
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Workplace Training Project, funded by a National Workplace Literacy grant,
brought together Lane Community College and five businesses: Newood Products,
PW Pipe, The Springfield Group, Staffmg Services, and HMT Technology. As a
part of our grant, project staff wrote curriculum in response to training needs at
each of the businesses. Business partners assisted staff in identifying important
objectives and in supplying necessary information and documentation for trainings.
As a result of these combined efforts, the project developed two curriculum guides:
language and communication, and math.
Elaine Pray, project coordinator, would like to thank the efforts of project staff and
business partners who worked on creating curriculum for the project trainings, and
most importantly, the 419 employees who participated in the trainings.
Business Partners:
Newood Products
Chuck McBee
Gary Falleur
Mick Thaxton
Members of the Site Advisory Team
Ron Gerrard
PW Pipe
Ben Bortz
Members of the Site Advisory Team
Springfield Group
Tauni Samuel
Martha Carlisle
Julie Craddock
Members of the Site Advisory Team
Patty Edwards
Staffmg Services
June Boucher
MIT Technology
Mark Matteson
Liz Fisher
Rachael Brooks
Pro ect Instructors and Staff:
Curriculum specialist
Susan Brous
Communication instructor
Greg Fishwick
Communication instructor
Susan Isaacs
English as a Second Language instructor
Bill Kinkel
Math / Problem Solving instructor
Mary Mayfield
English as a Second Language / Diversity
Sally Myers
instructor
Math instructor
David Shellabarger
Instructional Assistant / Support Staff
Pamela Soine
Communication instructor
Kaya Stasch
Know Your Company
Basic Communication Skills for
Lead Workers
Basic Principles for Effective
Communication
Conflict Resolution for Lead
Workers
Production Document Reading
Writing in the Workplace
English as a Second Language
for Hispanics
English as a Second Language
in a Workplace Setting
English as a Second Language
Production Document Reading
BUT COPY AVAILABLE
Cultural Diversity / Spanish in
the Workplace
Workplace Training Project
Course Title: Know Your Company
Course Description:
Two companies offered this class during the three years of the project. The purpose of the course
was to provide employees with "the big picture" of the company. Many employees indicated
they did not know exactly what happened to the product before and after it left their work
stations. Each company's Site Advisory Team developed the curriculum and contacted the
necessary company personnel who would be involved with different sessions throughout the
course. In this eight session course, participants learned about company operations, product
information, and process information. One company included a problem-solving unit that
culminated with teams defining a problem, proposing solutions, and developing a plan to solve
the problem.
Student Outcome Objectives
Participants will demonstrate the ability to:
Understand the full range of processes involved in the company's products.
1.
Organize and process diverse kinds of work-related information in meaningful ways.
2.
Identify work-related problems.
3.
Generate ideas about the cause(s) of a given problem.
4.
Generate new solutions to common work conditions or problems.
5.
Identify solutions to a given problem.
6.
Choose appropriate solution(s).
7.
Apply appropriate solution(s).
8.
Course Title: Know Your Company
Student Population:
Company 1:
Ten people participated in the class from two different shifts. A few employees were
members of the Site Advisory Team, some employees were new to the company, and other
employees were interested in learning more about other positions within the company.
Company 2:
Twenty people from two different shifts participated. Most of the participants were either
recently hired employees or temporary employees who wanted to gain information regarding
product and process.
Class Environment:
Both companies scheduled eight sessions of one and a half hours each for the Know Your
Company class. For one company the class took place during the work shift; for the other
company, the class took place before or after workers' shifts.
Mostly, instruction took place in the conference rooms at each of the businesses. Some
supervisors at one site chose to conduct their session on the shop floor so that employees could
see the product and the machinery used in that department.
Both companies culminated the training with a company tour in which class participants asked
specific questions while walking through the plant. At one of the sites, the company gave
participants a written description of each department during the tour. This information helped
the group focus on each department while they moved through the plant and provided them
written information to refer to during and after the tour. Because it was often difficult to hear
while on the tour, the written information proved particularly helpful. The tour leader
occasionally "herded" participants into a room off the shop floor so that questions could be asked
and information could be clarified.
Instructional Techniques: El
Used in this class
Multi-media
Small group
Cooperative learning
'a
'a
Lecture
E Computer-aided
Assignments
ra
0 Individualized instruction
D Simulation
Peer tutoring
'a
Role-playing
": Project
n
In-class practice
Other: Company tours
Workplace Training Project
Eugene, Oregon
Lane Community College
Page A - 2
Course Title: Know Your Company
Know Your Company
Syllabus of Course Activities
Introductory information
I.
Overview of class
Grant paperwork
Problem-solving pretest for Company 1
Explanation of the ending assignment, which required participants to work in teams to
solve a work-related problem identified during the training
Review of objectives to be achieved in the training
Preparation of Individualized Learning Plan for each participant
Introduction of problem-solving model
II.
Presentation of the STP model (Situation, Target, Plan)
Problem solving example using the STP model
Discussion of identifying problems within the workplace
III. Department presentations -6 sessions (not included in curriculum)
Supervisors, Managers, and Suppliers of the company conduct the sessions
Presenters share information about company history, policy and operations through
tours and presentations
Sessions often include such things as company documents, catalog of products,
a sales
video, samples of product at different stages
Each session ends with a question and answer period
IV. Team presentations of problem-solving model
Each team presents their solution(s) to a problem they identified as a team
Workplace Training Project
Eugene, Oregon
Page A 3
Lane Community College
8
Course Title: Know Your Company
Activity I: Introductory Information
Participants filled out the grant paperwork
1.
2. The instructor reviewed the course objectives and made sure participants understood the
meaning of each objective
3. The class prepared Individualized Learning Plans
4. The participants took the pretest, the results of which indicated their knowledge of
company operations and of problem solving
5. The instructor explained the ending assignment in which each participant, working
as a
part of a team, solves a work-related problem identified during the training
Resources and Materials needed:
Grant paperwork
Sample objectives on the Individual Learning Plan for class to review
Pretest
Description of Instruction:
Instructor helped participants complete all the preliminary paperwork.
1.
2. As part of the review of objectives, the participants completed their individual learning
plans.
Participants took the pretest.
3.
4. The instructor explained how the team activity
was to work, and how they would be
involved as a member of a team solving a problem
Workplace Training Project
Eugene, Oregon
9
Lane Community College
Page A 4
Course Title: Know Your Company
Activity 11: Introduction of Problem Solving Model
For the purposes of this curriculum, only the two problem solving sessions of the class
NOTE
are described. For the other six sessions, company personnel described department operations,
machinery, and showed the product at different stages.
Resources and Materials Needed:
"The "STP" Problem-Solving Process," Adapted from Glaser Training Seminar, Peter
and Susan Glaser, Glaser and Associates, 975 Oak, Ste. 910, Eugene, OR, 1995. (Used
with permission)
"Problem Solving" example by Elaine Pray, Lane Community College
Problem Solving Scoresheet by Greg Fishwick, Lane Community College
Description of Instruction:
The instructor introduced the problem solving process by walking participants through
1.
each of the three steps of the STP model (Situation, Target, Plan). A written description
of the STP process gave participants a reference to use for their own projects. The
instructor realized after the first class that participants had had a difficult time grasping
how to use the model for their own purposes.
Responding to the needs of participants, project staff developed a specific worksite
2.
example that helped explain each of the problem solving steps. Participants then seemed
more comfortable in both identifying a problem and in using the model for their team
projects.
Participants broke into teams to brainstorm a problem they had observed at their worksite.
3.
At the end of the session, the instructor shared the problem solving scoresheet that would
4.
be used to rate each of the teams at the end of their presentation. Other class participants
and the instructor(s) filled out the scoresheet in order to give feedback to each team after
their presentation.
Performance Assessment Methods and Results:
By the end of the session, teams identified at least one problem that they would explore
during the next sessions when guest speakers explained departments, machinery, and
product.
Comments:
It was clear after the first class that participants had a difficult time grasping how to use
the model for their own purposes. It was then that project staff developed an example of
the STP process using a work-related example.
Workplace Training Project
Eugene, Oregon
Page A 5
Lane Community College
1 0