Here are some initial steps I would recommend based on this scenario: 1. Conduct interviews with managers, supervisors and employees to identify specific language skills needed to use the electronic timesheet system. This will help determine learning objectives. 2. Observe employees using the system to identify where language or process breakdowns typically occur. Note vocabulary, instructions or interfaces that seem unclear. 3. Develop targeted language and cultural lessons focusing on the key tasks, using authentic materials from the system and workplace. Teach in small, contextualized units. 4. Pilot test lessons with a small group and refine based on their feedback and performance. Provide ongoing support and assessment after full implementation. The goal is to make the

1. CONTEXTUALIZED INSTRUCTION
IMPACTS THE WORKPLACE
Kristin Ekkens, MA TESOL
Vera Grishkina, MA
TESOL/Linguistics
Jane DeGroot, MA TESOL
Kelly Hernandez, MA TESOL
TESOL Conference 2010
March 25, 2010

2. Workshop Agenda
Brief overview of workplace English program
Introduction to contextualized instruction
Conducting needs assessments
Creating contextualized lessons
Levels of contextualization
Employability Skills Resources
Additional resources

3. Overview of Literacy Center of West Michigan

4. Literacy Center of West Michigan
LCWM’s
Executive Director: Susan K. Ledy
Mission: Type of Company: Non-profit, 403c since 1986
Build a literate People Served: 1,372 Total (ABE, ESL, MWT)
community and (PY 08-09)
transform lives
by
Programs: Adult Tutoring Program,
strengthening Customized Workplace English
language and Family Literacy Program
literacy skills.
Staff: 10 Full-time paid
6 Part-time paid, 9 AmeriCorps
315 Part-time volunteers
Annual Budget: nearly $1.3 million
Website: www.literacycenterwm.org

5. Customized Workplace English
Building Bridges over Language and Culture Barriers
Featured in 2008 broadcast of ABC World News
Recognized Tonight with Charles Gibson.
for
Cited as a model program for workplace literacy in
Innovation 2008 CLEG report and received 2006 Best Practices
and Quality Award by MDLEG
Featured multiple times in The Grand Rapids Business
Journal, Business Review of West Michigan, and MiBiz
(area newspapers)
Awarded the 2007 Vendor of the Year Award by
Windquest Companies, Inc., Holland, Michigan
Ranked 6th on the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s list
of Top Area Corporate Training Companies of 2008.

6. Customized Workplace English
Learner Achievements (Oct 08-Sept 09)
• Learning Gains and Class Attendance
– Average gain on CASAS – 3.5 Listening; 3.9 Reading;
4.8 Math
• National Career Readiness Certificates
– 50 WorkKeys tests administered
– 25 individuals tested
– 4 bronze and 2 silver NCRC’s achieved (PY 08-09)

7. Literacy Center of West Michigan’s
Customized Workplace English
Building Bridges over Language and Culture Barriers

8. CWE Instruction
Classes
On-site at companies or community-based classes, flexible scheduling
3-20 participants
Recommended 30-40 hours of instruction over 10 weeks
Classes divided by proficiency levels (no multi-level classes)
Instruction
English only immersion (allows a variety of language backgrounds)
Hands-on, contextualized instruction, transferrable skills
Curriculum and instruction based on nationally recognized content standards
and best practices
Trainers have MA in TESOL or related field or graduate ESL endorsement on
teaching certificate and are trained in workplace English
Use a variety of language teaching methods (i.e. content-based, situational,
TPR)
Tangible goals that are outcome-driven

9. Contextualized Instruction

10. What is Contextualized Instruction?
Providing instruction for the development of
skills, knowledge, and attitudes drawn from
the context in which they will be used, using
real-life materials and situations from that
context. Work-based basic skills is an
example of a particular context.
Source: PA Department of Education (http://www.pawin.org/pawin/cwp/view.asp?a=239&Q=88343 )

11. Contextualized Instruction
Shifts the focus from acquisition of skills and knowledge
to active application in realistic situations
Demands more hands-on, active learning that stimulates
learners to think, act, and apply skills and knowledge
as they would in the workplace and real life
Marginally literate adults enrolled in job-related
programs make approximately twice the gains in
performance on job-related reading tasks than on
standardized, general reading tests
Source: Tennessee ESOL in the workplace, Module 3

12. Benefits to Employers
The Conference
Board of
Canada.
CONFERENCE
BRIEFING
The economic
benefits of
improving
literacy skills in
the workplace
BY MICHAEL R.
BLOOM, MARIE
BURROWS, BRENDA
LAFLEUR AND ROBERT
SQUIRES

13. What does that look like?
When teaching reading When teaching math an
an instructor may use the instructor may use the
following workplace following workplace skills:
materials:
Compute sales prices
Food order slips Count finished products to
Logs of working hours determine if product orders are
complete
Appropriate safety
Weigh or measure ingredients
procedures
Collect payments from
Operation procedures customers
Safety logs Balance currency, coin, and
checks in cash drawers
Source: PA Department of Education (http://www.pawin.org/pawin/cwp/view.asp?a=239&Q=88343 )

14. Conducting a Needs Assessment

15. Workplace ESOL focus varies according to need
Employability – Soft skills
Basic skills training – Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, Math
Occupational and technical knowledge
Limited in scope and duration
Delivery format
Work-centered and worker-centered

16. What is a Needs Assessment?
What do the employers want the employees to know
or learn?
What do the employees want to know or learn?
What kinds of problems is the company
encountering with respect to language skills and
work habits?
How can the problems be addressed with the help
of the language, literacy or cultural training for
managers?

17. Needs Assessment Process
Interview Assess Tour the
stakeholders employees facility:
pictures/video
Analyze and Collect job- Job
design the specific shadowing
course documents

18. Sample Needs Assessment Interview
Questions
What jobs are performed by workers with limited English language skills?
What skills are required for those jobs?
What skills do workers have? What skills do they still need and want?
What problems do workers experience in performing their jobs and
moving to new jobs?
Why is the site considering a training program for its employees?
Who determined that there was a language or literacy problem, and with
whom is the problem presumed to lie?
What are the workers' educational aspirations, and how do they
participate in planning the program?
What are the language, literacy, and cultural issues to be addressed?
Who will measure progress in the program? How? What is at stake if a
certain literacy level is not attained by the program's end?
Source: Tondre-El Zorkani, B. (2007). Charting a Course: Responding to the Industry-Related Adult Basic
Education Needs of the Texas Workforce, Handbook #1 – Planning and Implementation Tips for Program
Planners and Administrators. Houston, Texas: Texas LEARNS.

19. Language Task Analysis
Question Notes
1. What are the language, literacy, and My employees do not
cultural issues you as an employer understand working instructions
want to have addressed? that are given to them.
2. What jobs are performed by workers Production, but the jobs rotate
with limited English language skills? frequently, so the employees
need to be able to do several
jobs.
3. What skills are required for these jobs? What Understand spoken directions,
other skills are required? commands, ability to state
mis/understanding; teamwork
4. Do workers need to read safety and chemical Need to enter information
warnings, manuals, or digitalized screens on pieces regularly on computer screens.
of equipment?
Source: Tondre-El Zorkani, B. (2007). Charting a Course: Responding to the Industry-Related Adult Basic
Education Needs of the Texas Workforce, Handbook #1 – Planning and Implementation Tips for Program
Planners and Administrators. Houston, Texas: Texas LEARNS.

20. Workplace Scenario #1
Your organization was hired to provide language
and literacy training at a local manufacturing
company.
Recently, following a company-wide training session
on the use of an electronic procedure for tracking of
produced parts and labor (“Electronic Timesheet”), it
became obvious to the HR department that a number of
employees did not understand much of the training.
You realize that the employees are struggling with
company jargon or obscure language. This makes it
especially difficult for non-native speakers of English to
follow the procedure and enter information correctly on
the screen. This scenario may require specialized
training, and the company’s not sure where to begin.

21. The company has some questions…
What solutions can you offer to this company in
terms of services?
What additional information/ resources do you
need and how can the company provide it?
What activities will the instructors have to carry out
in preparing to deliver services?

23. General and Specialized Vocabulary

25. Creating Contextualized Lessons

26. Contextualized ESL learning activities
Based on employer/employee needs
Job contextual, using workplace materials
Activity oriented and focused on application
Tap into learners’ prior knowledge
Specific, measurable outcomes/competencies
Support improved job performance
Motivate, build, model, guide, and provide
independent, applied practice
Source: Tennessee ESOL in the workplace, Module 3

27. Lessons and activities are…
…built around teaching the particular skills using
materials and scenarios needed for success in the
workplace.
…designed to include measures for learner gains
through observation, surveys, checklists, and role
plays.

28. Workplace instructional resources
Company Newsletters Operating instructions
Purchase and work Medical forms
orders Job descriptions
Invoices Workers’ compensation
Safety and health forms and insurance forms
Union material Company brochures
Signs Pay slips, memos, labels
Employee handbooks Manuals
Inventory sheets Pictures and video of
the workplace
Source: Tennessee ESOL in the workplace, Module 3

29. Workplace Scenario #2
You are providing workplace ESL training to a
local coffee company.
HR shares with you that the non-native English
speaking employees are struggling with identifying
the different kinds of coffee bean roasts. This is
slowing down production and causing a number of
errors in orders. In addition, there have been an
increasing number of errors with correctly filling out
manufacturer order labels.

30. Where would you start? What additional
information/ resources do you need and how can
the company provide it?
What activities would you suggest to help the
employees learn the vocabulary? And to complete
manufacturer orders correctly?

33. Levels of Contextualization
Specialized
Customized
Off-the-shelf
curriculum

34. Off-the-shelf curriculum: Supplemental materials
Ready to Go (Pearson and Longman)
Preparing Workers, Math, Reading & Writing
(Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth,
online publication)
KeyTrain (Thinking Media)
Clear Speech (Cambridge)
Work Matters (Contemporary’s)
English ASAP (Steck-Vaughn)
Other suggestions?

35. Customized: Off-the-shelf with created activities

36. Specialized: Tailor-made materials
Welcoming
Environment
•Courtesy and
Respect
•Communication
•Teamwork
•Service
Recovery and
Responsiveness
•Wayfinding and
Elevator
Etiquette

37. Excellence in Action: Wayfinding and
Elevator Etiquette
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
•Evaluate your areas of strength and areas for improvement in regards to
wayfinding and elevator etiquette
•Recognize and use the common words and phrases related to workplace
evaluation, specifically, in the area of wayfinding and elevator etiquette
•Help patients and guests find their way around the hospital
•Understand the rules of elevator etiquette
•Communicate different ways of expressing “I don’t know” which are helpful and
not dead-end responses

39. Please help me find my way!
Starting points:
245 Cherry
Can you help me find the Lacks Cancer Center?
Main hospital
How do you get to the North Visitor parking lot?
Loretto Hall
How do I get to the Medical Office Building?
Lacks Cancer Center
Do you know how I can get to the Wege Center?

41. Elevator TRIVIA FUN!
How well do you know elevator etiquette?

42. Elevator Etiquette Game: True or False
1. If you are waiting to board, do not stand in front of the
elevator door. TRUE or FALSE
2. Unless you are sure no one is exiting, do not enter the elevator
car. TRUE or FALSE
3. If you cannot see an indicator lamp (if the elevator is going
up or down), it is rude to ask the riders of the car which
direction the car is traveling. TRUE or FALSE
4. As a general rule, for every one person who is attempting to
get on the elevator, there should be room enough for two
people. TRUE or FALSE
5. If an elevator is crowded, it is impolite to split up and agree
to meet at your destination floor. TRUE or FALSE
Adapted from www.elevatorrules.com

43. Employability Skills
Equipped for the Future
Preparing Workers for 21st Century Employment
KeyTrain and National Career Readiness
Certificate (NCRC)

44. Equipped for the Future (EFF)
EFF Mission: To provide the tools, professional development
and technical assistance that support the implementation of
standards-based adult education in ways that meet the needs
of adult learners.
http://eff.cls.utk.edu/

45. Four Purposes for Learning

46. Fundamental
tools for
facilitating the
EFF approach
to teaching,
learning and
assessing, and
program
improvement.

47. Michigan DELEG’s Preparing Workers
materials: Math, Reading, Writing
www.maepd.org/lib-preparingworkers.html
Personal quote from company representative
Vocabulary
Scenario set in the workplace
Think About It! Questions to engage the learner
EFF Work Readiness Profile Tasks

48. KeyTrain and the NCRC
KeyTrain is the complete interactive training system for
career readiness skills, based on ACT's WorkKeys®
assessment system and the National Career Readiness
Certificate.
The National Career Readiness Certificate is the
national standard in certifying workplace
skills. Requested and required by employers across the
nation, the Certificate allows individuals to demonstrate
their level of skill in the most common skills required for
success in the workplace.

49. KeyTrain: Career Skills

50. Summary
Contextualization will accelerate the learning
process and help close the gap between language
classes and the workplace.
To have quality contextualized instruction, lessons
must:
Be based on a thorough needs assessment of various
stakeholders
Use nationally recognized and statewide content
standards
Emphasize the worker and work-centered nature of
learning
Connect learning and the real lives of the employees in
their jobs

51. Additional Resources
Texas Learns: Charting a Course
Tennessee ESOL in the Workplace
Introduction to Workplace ESL
Workbase (New Zealand)

52. Questions and Answers
Kristin J. Ekkens, MA
Customized Workplace English,
Program Director
Email: kekkens@literacycenterwm.org
Website: www.literacycenterwm.org