Workplace Literacy Discussion List Members,

For those of you who are new members, I bundle resources for the list
every Thursday, and these are the ones I found this week.  But another
important resource will be the discussion on Work Readiness
Credentials/Certificates that begins on the list on Monday.  This
discussion features guests who have experience with the most widely used
and recognized programs across the country, and we are fortunate to have
been able to get them to agree to join our discussion.  I hope you will
make the discussion "come alive" by determining what you want to know
about and taking an active role in contributing your voice.  Some of you
have never before posted to the list, so here's your chance!  To post,
all you have to do is hit "reply" when you have a list message open, and
your message goes automatically to the list. To post anonymously, send
your message directly to me rather than to the list, and I will post it
for you. If you have questions about how to word what you want to say,
I'm more than willing to help you with that.  You can email me your
thoughts at <djgbrian at utk.edu> and I will respond directly to you.

I will post additional information about the discussion tomorrow so we
will be well prepared for Monday.  Thank you in advance for your
participation.

Donna

Donna Brian, Moderator
Workplace Literacy Discussion List
djgbrian at utk.edu




~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion~~Monday~~~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion
~~Monday~~~~


[Workplace subscribers, I am including the following CAELA resources
because there is such an important tie between ESL and workplace
literacy.  I think they will be helpful and applicable to workplace ESL
as well as standard ESL instruction.  Donna]


>From CAELA (Center for Adult English Language Acquisition)

http://www.cal.org/caela/ 
Using content standards in adult ESL instruction was a topic of interest
at TESOL and COABE and is certainly a topic of interest and importance
to the field. The Center for Adult Emglish Language Acquisition (CAELA)
has just published a brief on the subject, "Using Adult ESL Content
Standards."  This brief, by CAELA staff members Kirsten Schaetzel and
Sarah Young, begins with historical information about content standards
and then describes the processes that adult ESL teachers and program
administrators can follow to successfully incorporate standards into
lesson planning, classroom activities, performance assessment, and
professional development. The brief is available for downloading in html
or in pdf on CAELA's Web site at
http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/briefs/usingcontstandards.html  

There are two other briefs on standards on the CAELA Web site:

"Using Content Standards" supplements the information from an earlier
CAELA brief on "Understanding Adult ESL Content Standards," by Cristine
Smith and Sarah Young, which is also available in html and in pdf  at
http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/briefs/contentstandards.html. 

To complete the set, there is also a CAELA brief on program standards
and adult ESL Instruction. "Using the ESL Program Standards to Evaluate
and Improve Adult ESL Programs," by Joy Peyton is available on CAELA's
Web site at
http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/briefs/eslprogstandards.html.



~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion~~Monday~~~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion
~~Monday~~~~



>From Workforce Week  http://www.workforce.com  

Would-Be Replacement for America's Job Bank Gets Backing: The planned
exchange is a new service designed to take the place of America's Job
Bank, the U.S. Labor Department's free online job site that is set to
expire on June 30.
Click to read more.
http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/24/83/27.html


~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion~~Monday~~~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion
~~Monday~~~~



>From Workforce3 One March 2007 Newsletter  [Note from Donna: These and

other resources are available through the Workforce3 site
http://www.workforce3one.org/ , a U.S. Department of Labor site. You
must register to access resources on the website, but registration is
free.]

A "How To" Guide for Conducting a Regional Skills Gap Analysis 
	A Skills Gap Analysis can help communities ensure that
manufacturing-related education and workforce training resources are
aligned with the current and projected skill requirements of
manufacturers in a particular region. This how-to guide outlines a
3-step Gap Analysis process developed by the National Association of
Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Institute (NAM/MI), with the
expertise of Key Links, Inc. of Portland, OR, which was piloted in the
Kansas City region by the Alliance for Innovation in
Manufacturing-Kansas City. 

Implementation Guide: An In-Depth Guide to Developing and Implementing a
Skills Center: Retail Skills Centers are one-stop industry career
centers that provide employers in the retail and other service
industries and new and current employees a dedicated resource for
meeting their workforce needs. Skill Centers are organized and supported
by partnerships including HGJTI grantee the NRF Foundation, shopping
center developers, employers, local, state and federal workforce
agencies, schools and colleges, and community-based organizations. This
guide provides information on how to implement and operate a Skills
Center in your community. 

Upgrading the Nations Automotive Programs: This project, developed by
grantee Gateway Technical College, in partnership with Snap-on
Incorporated, seeks to increase the number of industry-certified schools
and the capacity of automotive training programs. 

Peer Mentoring: A Workshop Series for Direct-Care Workers in Home and
Residential Care: The modules of this curriculum were developed,
field-tested and reviewed by grantee the Paraprofessional Healthcare
Institute (PHI) in cooperation with Cooperative Home Care Associates and
CNR Nursing System, both in New York City, and Home Care Associates of
Philadelphia, to address issues of recruitment and retention of
Direct-Care Workers. 


~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion~~Monday~~~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion
~~Monday~~~~



>From MDRC  http://www.mdrc.org/


Subsidized Housing and Employment: Building Evidence About What Works to
Improve Self-Sufficiency 
	This working paper reviews what is known from research about
promoting employment within subsidized housing programs and argues for
building a stronger base of evidence through an expanded use of
randomized controlled trials.
http://www.mdrc.org/publications/446/abstract.html


~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion~~Monday~~~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion
~~Monday~~~~



>From Jobs For the Future (JFF)  http://www.jff.org/


Working Toward Reinvention: SkillWorks at Three   by Geri Scott (2007)
	Launched in 2003, SkillWorks is the largest effort in Boston's
history to substantially improve workforce development services for both
low-skill/low-income residents and for business. This ambitious,
five-year initiative has since become a national model, inspiring other
communities and states to launch similar initiatives. This report looks
at what SkillWorks has to tell us about the formation of partnerships,
engaging employers, aligning resources around a common goal, and the
challenges in advancing low-skilled adults toward family-sustaining
incomes. 
http://www.jff.org/Documents/SkillworksReinventionExSum.pdf (executive
summary)
http://www.jff.org/Documents/SkillworksReinvention.pdf  (full report)

Improving Workplace Opportunities for Limited English Speaking Workers 
	This report promotes employer-supported models that demonstrate
a relationship among innovative, workplace-based ESL instruction,
technical training, and "high road" employer practices that provide a
competitive edge for firms, as well as for the workforce. The report is
a joint effort of the National Association of Manufacturers' Center for
Workforce Success and Jobs for the Future.
http://www.jff.org/JFF_KC_Pages.php?WhichLevel=1&lv1_id=4&lv2_id=0&lv3_i
d=0&KC_M_ID=322


~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion~~Monday~~~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion
~~Monday~~~~



>From Literacy Works (New Zealand)  http://www.workbase.org.nz/ 

Literacy Profiles on the Workbase website
	Workbase has recently developed some profiles which describe the
literacy skills needed in certain occupations.  
Profiles have been developed for the following occupations:
- Welder/Metal Fabricator
- Storekeeper/Warehouse
- Coal Miner
- Plumber/Gasfitter
- Apprentice Chef
- Carpenter
- Hairdresser
There are two types of profiles - "Literacy on the Job" and "Literacy
Profiles". 
"Literacy on the Job" shows the main literacy tasks in an occupation.
You may find the "Literacy on the Job" profiles useful when you are
talking to employers as they clearly demonstrate the literacy tasks in
different job roles.  
The second document "Literacy Profiles" provides more detail of the
different literacy tasks required in specific roles as well as
identifying the literacy skills required to do these tasks.  The
"Literacy Profiles" can be used by tutors and trainers when trying to
identify and develop the literacy skills of a learner who works or
wishes to work in one of these occupations.
 http://www.workbase.org.nz/Article.aspx?ID=418 

The Workbase Library houses over 5,000 resources on a range of topics
including reading, writing, numeracy, workplace education, literacy in
vocational training, and health and safety. Joining the library and
borrowing resources is free.
Here is a selection of some of the exciting resources that have been
added to the collection this year.  Featured this month are resources on
teaching critical thinking skills, teaching reading and writing,
teaching literacy to ESOL learners, and literacy, language and numeracy
in vocational training. Go to
http://www.workbase.org.nz/Article.aspx?ID=360 for information on
library services and to access our free online catalogue.


~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion~~Monday~~~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion
~~Monday~~~~



>From the Centre for Education and Work in Manitoba, Canada

http://www.cewca.org/
Benchmarking Best Practices in Adult Learning Centres and Workplace
Education - Summary Report
	This second guide (18 pages) has a set of best practice
principles that have been developed for all literacy programmes.  Each
principle has commentary about the differences in the various contexts.
 http://www.cewca.org/PDF/alc_workplace_ed_summary.pdf#Zoom=100

How Do Workers Really Learn? Informal and Secretive Learning in the
Workplace
http://www.cewca.org/documents/SecretiveLearningPaper.pdf


~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion~~Monday~~~~~~work~~readiness~~discussion
~~Monday~~~~


And don't forget the discussion that starts Monday!