This guide is intended to be used as a companion to "The Competitive Edge: Sharpening Your Skills in the Workplace" curricular materials--the student editions and instructors' guides. It can also stand alone as a reference for individuals just starting to implement or beginning to plan a workplace skills enhancement program in their organization.…

This guide, part of a series of workplace-developed materials for retraining factory workers, provides teaching materials for a workplace course in report writing skills for technical staff. The course has been designed to help new engineers with all aspects of report writing. It covers the outline and structure of reports, brainstorming,…

Developed as part of the ABCs of Construction National Workplace Literacy Project, these modules contain materials for improving listening skills that are designed to be used in conjunction with a commercial training video in a required 8-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety course. The first module, which is designed to…

A model of integrated training within the context of Australia's vehicle industry certificate (VIC) was developed, tested, and evaluated through six different pilot programs in different enterprises across Australia's automotive industry. The pilot programs' primary objective was to provide access to and ensure successful participation in…

This monograph examines the issue of task analysis as used in workplace literacy programs, debating the need for it and how to perform it in a rapidly changing environment. Based on experiences of community colleges in Texas, the report analyzes ways that task analysis can be done and how to implement work force education programs more quickly.…

This guide, which is intended for individuals responsible for designing and/or delivering workplace basic skills programs, explains the principles and procedures of curriculum development in the workplace. Discussed in chapter 1 is the importance of focusing on basic skills in workplace education and examining existing practices. Chapter 2…

The typical undergraduate program in computer science includes an introduction to hardware and operating systems, file processing and database organization, data communication and networking, and programming. However, many graduates may lack the ability to integrate the concepts "learned" into a skill set and pattern of approaching problems that…

Following an introductory section that provides a rationale for using computers in workplace literacy classes, this guide reviews six computer programs and provides activities that teachers can use with the programs in teaching workplace literacy classes. The six computer programs reviewed are as follows: "Grammar Games,""Spell It 3,""The Way…

This teacher's guide is designed to help teachers conduct a course in fundamental blueprint reading as part of a workplace literacy program. The course offers nine central topics necessary for initial exposure to blueprint reading. Each topic lists several learning objectives, specific terms or vocabulary, and a measurable outcome. The topics in…

This paper is a description of a union-sponsored workplace literacy program conducted in a large metropolitan hospital. The section following the introduction presents the research methodology, including data collection and data analysis procedures. The section entitled "The Making of a Workplace Literacy Program" looks at the planning stages of…

This packet contains 15 lessons developed in a workplace basic skills project for the metal casting industry established jointly by Central Alabama Community College and Robinson Foundry, Inc. The lessons cover the following topics: (1) green sand schedule; (2) the core room; (3) the core room (continued); (4) figuring time; (5) the cleaning room;…

The Prince George's County (Maryland) Public Schools and Prince George's Private Industry Council worked together to provide workplace literacy classes at worksites for employees of 10 different employers. Over 300 employees participated in classes in English as a second language or basic skills. Businesses in need of literacy and basic skills…

Developed as part of a National Workplace Literacy Program, this lesson focuses on terms and mathematical operations associated with Statistical Process Control (SPC) in the foundry industry. With appropriate assistance and preparatory work, workers testing between grades 4 and 9 on the Test of Adult Basic Education Locator should be able to use…

A cooperative project received a federal education grant to provide workplace literacy education in communications, mathematics, and problem-solving skills for the printing/graphic arts industry. Partners in the 18-month program were Catonsville Community College in Baltimore (Maryland), the printing industries of Maryland and Southern…

Through a federal grant, Salt Lake Community College (Utah), in conjunction with two area industries, implemented a workplace literacy project to serve 225 employees. The training included work-related curriculum and instruction in reading, English as a Second Language, oral communication skills, written communication skills, mathematics, and…