Unit 11 Overview
Employment: "It's a Job!"
CASAS Competency: 4. Employment
Time Frame: 9 days

Unit 11 Picture

Goals for this unit:

  1. Students will identify different kinds of jobs, including descriptions, qualifications, responsibilities, and titles.
  2. Students will learn how to effectively use community resources such as newspaper classified ads and Internet Web sites to find available employment.
  3. Students will practice answering employment interview questions through mock and reallife interviews.
  4. Students will become knowledgeable about salaries, benefits, and labor unions, available to employees in the U.S.
  5. Students will gather relevant information to complete employment applications.
  6. Students will write their own resumes.

Suggested Activities:

Activity 1—Pre-test
Teacher-led discussion follows the completion of the test.

Materials needed:
◆ Pre-test “Employment: ‘It’s a Job’”

Activity 2— Discuss jobs students have had in the past. Brainstorm with students about job titles, skills, and training needed to accomplish their jobs. Use a graphic organizer and fill in information during the discussion. Begin an organic list of vocabulary words and phrases that students can add to as they learn more about employment topics.

Materials needed:
◆ Vocabulary list (students and teacher generate)

Activity 3— Create a picture collection of jobs. Include brief descriptions or tasks that accompany each job. Teacher provides an example by describing his/her own job. (The final product of this group project could be shared with other ESL classes.)

Materials needed:
◆ Pictures of various jobs from magazines, newspapers or the Internet (students and teacher generate)
◆ Classroom art supplies (teacher provides)

Activity 4—Using the job pictures from Activity 3, tape one of the picture cards on the back of each student. Students mingle and ask each other information questions (e.g., “What do I wear to work?” “Where is my job located?”) to figure out what his/her profession is. Teacher can model the game first before the students play.

Materials needed:
◆ Job pictures (from Activity 3)
◆ Tape

Activity 5—Using the classified section of the newspaper or Internet Web site, identify employment opportunities available and the skills required for specific jobs. Students circle the relevant job ad in their newspaper as the teacher asks them to find various areas of employment (e.g., “Find a job for an English teacher,” “Find an entry level position for a receptionist,” “Find a job with good benefits,” etc.). Students log on to an employment Web site and run a search for various jobs (translator/interpreter, maintenance, teacher, volunteer, childcare, etc.). Students read the job requirements, qualifications, and benefits
and report back to the class.

Materials needed:
◆ Current local newspaper classified ads (teacher provides)
◆ Computers with Internet access:
Web sites: www.hotjobs.com, www.monster.com, www.careerbuilder.com

Activity 6—As a class, gather a list of benefits offered by various employers (students can use information gathered in Activity 5 or bring in their own benefits packages or those of family members). Discuss similarities and differences between the benefits in the U.S. and those offered in their native countries and the importance of having benefits included in the job’s compensation. Add new terms and phrases to student vocabulary list.

Materials needed:
◆ Employment benefits (students and teacher provide)
◆ Vocabulary list (students generate)

Activity 7—Go on a Labor Union Information Search through Internet Web sites. Students gather basic information and summarize answers to the questions on the worksheet. Add new terms and phrases to student vocabulary list.

Materials needed:
◆ Computers with Internet access
◆ Worksheet “Labor Union Information Search”
◆ Vocabulary list (students generate)

Activity 8—Continuing the job search process, ask students to pick up an application from local businesses and/or potential employers (local grocery store, office building, library, gas station, convenience store, café, shop, etc.). Students review information requested on the application and create reference note cards with their own pertinent information for applications (include names and addresses of professional and personal references, dates and responsibilities of work experience, dates and courses of education and professional development, etc.). Note cards will be used again in Activity 10. Students practice completing different applications.

Materials needed:
◆ Note cards
◆ Blank job applications (students provide)

Activity 9—Continue discussing the steps of the job search process to include interviewing (i.e., appropriate dress, punctuality, and what to expect at an interview). Practice answering interview questions in pairs. Students may want to write out their answers before they practice orally. Then, practice asking questions a job candidate might ask a potential employer.

Materials needed:
◆ Worksheet “Interview Questions 1 & 2”

Activity 10— Write a resume. The students may choose different styles or formats for their resumes. Employment Web site will walk them through the steps to creating a document with their qualifications: Chronological resume, Functional resume, Curriculum Vitae, or a Candidate Profile - the anti-resume. Add new words, terms, phrases, and idioms to student vocabulary list.

Materials needed:
◆ Completed note cards from Activity 8
◆ Computers with Internet access:
Web sites: www.hotjobs.com, www.monster.com, www.careerbuilder.com
◆ Resume paper (teacher provides)
◆ Vocabulary list (student generates)

Activity 11 (optional)—Students post resume on an employment Web site or submit it with a job application at a local business.

Materials needed:
◆ Computer with Internet access
◆ Completed job applications

Activity 12—Post-test

Materials needed:
◆ Post-test “Share What You’ve Learned”

Connected Activities:

GUEST SPEAKER
Career counselor
Representative from an employment agency

FIELD TRIP
Employment interview
Job fair

Supplemental Resources:

Access Reading 4, Unit 10, pp. 110-120
English, No Problem 4, Unit 4, pp. 52-57, pp. 63-65; Unit 9, pp. 122-135
Stand Out 4, Unit 6, pp. 101-116; Unit 7, pp. 121-136

Summary:

CASAS COMPETENCIES

4. Employment
4.1-4.2 Understand basic principles of getting a job, wages, and benefits
4.4 Understand concepts related to job performance and training
4.7 Effectively manage workplace resources

VOCABULARY

Employment Topics On-going list of terms used in various aspects of employment,
including workplace resources, benefits, organizations, and training
Job Skills Words related to skills performed in various jobs
Titles Names and titles of employment positions

SKILLS

Listening Interview questions and answers to open-ended questions
Speaking Job interviews; asking questions; class discussions
Reading Newspaper classified ads; Web sites
Writing Employment applications; Resume (includes organizing and formatting information)
Life Skills Applying and interviewing for job; identifying and listing skills, qualifications, and experience (for resume); posting resume on Internet

GRAMMAR

Questions Yes/No questions; open-ended questions
Pronouns Names and titles of employment positions and organizations

ENTERTAINMENT

Using local resources and information, students develop an awareness of social and cultural activities. Teacher and students work together to incorporate this in the course of study.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

  1. Pre-test (needs assessment)
  2. Job picture collection
  3. Classified section of newspaper (ability to locate and manage information)
  4. Internet information search
  5. Applying for a job
  6. Resume
  7. Post-test

Activity Sheets: