The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) has launched a new publication, "Integrated Approaches to Literacy and Skills Development: Examples of Best Practice in Adult Learning Programmes." This new compilation showcases 21 adult education programmes that demonstrate promising approaches to integrating literacy, life skills and…

Companies across the United States provide workplace English classes to non-native-English-speaking employees to increase productivity, retention, and on-the-job safety. Institutions that financially support the programs often require evidence of learning through standardized tests as a prerequisite for continued funding. However, the tests…

A 16-week, 600-hour Office Skills Training curriculum for limited English proficient (LEP) adults is presented. The course is divided equally between the vocational training component and the language component. It is recommended that students have an intermediate level of English language proficiency, but no experience in typing or filing is…

This document is the teacher's edition of a learning module designed to help nonnative English speakers develop basic workplace reading and writing skills. It was developed by educators from the Emily Griffith Opportunity School. The curriculum presented in the module is job specific and intended to serve as an example of how reading and writing…

The Orange County (Florida) Public Schools Workplace Literacy Project is described. The program, established to meet the training needs of the growing hotel and restaurant industry in central Florida, has served over 1,000 primarily limited-English-proficient, immigrant students during the 18-month period of October 1988 through March 1990.…

This document is the teacher's edition of a learning module designed to help nonnative English speakers develop basic workplace mathematics skills. This module was developed by educators from the Emily Griffith Opportunity School. The math curriculum presented in how math might be taught to nonnative English speakers at a manufacturing worksite.…

Two English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) curricula for hotel employees are outlined. The first is limited-English-proficient (LEP) housekeeping staff. It contains notes on initial background and needs assessment, assessment results, course logistics and project design, course content, evaluation, and results. The 60-hour beginning-level curriculum…

This vocational English-as-a-Second-Language program stresses interactive language use in the context of communicating with customers. Intended for intermediate-level adult learners, the manual will assist students in developing the communication and interaction skills they need for a variety of public contact positions, including retail sales…

A discussion of English as a Second Language (ESL) in the workplace looks at current challenges and future educational needs. It begins with an overview of adult immigrant demographics in the United States and federal government conclusions about the kinds of skills needed by this population. Challenges facing immigrant workplace education are…

Vocational English Second Language (VESL) programs have traditionally given immigrant, migrant, and refugee language learners access to employment. VESL programs provide not only the language input needed for learning specific job tasks but also address the sociocultural skills of language needed to negotiate in today's workplace. The demand for…

Describes workplace literacy programs serving immigrants at Cableco, a cable manufacturing plant in California serving the electronics industry in Silicon valley. A workplace literacy lesson, employees responses to it, and an interview with the manufacturing manager demonstrate some of the dangers of conceiving of language as a discrete workplace…

This document contains eight lesson plans for a beginning course in work-related English for non-English or limited-English speaking entry-level employees in the hotel and hospitality industry. Course objectives include the following: helping participants understand and use job-specific vocabulary; receive and understand job-related instructions;…

This document contains 16 lesson plans for an advanced beginning and intermediate course in work-related English for non-English- or limited-English-speaking entry-level employees in the hotel and hospitality industry. Course objectives are as follows: helping participants understand and use job-specific vocabulary; receive and understand…

This curriculum for hotel employees is based on the analyses of worksite tasks and interactions. Hotel housekeepers were observed on the job, supervisors were consulted, and existing resources were reviewed to determine the language and basic skills needed to effectively and efficiently perform job duties. Twelve curriculum units were developed,…

This book is written primarily for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers who are preparing to meet the challenge of teaching ESL in the workplace. The book focuses on the role these teachers play in establishing and implementing workplace language programs. The aim of the book is to provide ESL teachers with a basic orientation to the…