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What are examples of essential skills? What should various departments of education around the world know about essential skills? What are Essential Skills? What specifically are the Essential Skills needed in the workplace? Skills for Life, basic skills, key skills, functional skills – what’s the difference? |
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Essential skills What are examples of essential skills? The essential skills enumerated above are recognized by all education departments around the world as essential skills. Various findings have revealed that some teachers and professors could not email or call because they did not have essential skills. If teachers do not have essential skills, students are not going to learn. What are Essential Skills? A good working definition of Essential Skills is: Essential Skills are the skills needed for work, learning and life. They provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. Essential Skills are another way to talk about literacy skills development. They were created for the workplace. Add, subtract, multiply, and divide real numbers. Continuous learning Computer Use - working with computers, from entering information, to knowing a software package, to managing a network, to analyzing and designing systems. English language reading abilities. English language speaking abilities. English language understanding abilities. English language writing abilities. Thinking Skills - knowing how to problem solve, make decisions, plan and organize tasks, find information and make good use of memory Working with others The nine Essential Skills that have been identified so far are: Reading Text - reading different types of material such as notes, letters, memos, manuals, specifications, books, reports and journals Document Use - reading tables, graphs, lists, blueprints, drawings, signs, labels Numeracy - using numbers to perform calculating and estimating tasks such as handling ______, budgeting, measuring and analyzing Writing - doing tasks such as filling in forms, writing text and using computers to write Oral Communication - using verbal skills to exchange ideas and information with others Working with Others - doing tasks with ______ or in a team Continuous Learning - the requirement of workers to participate in an ongoing process of acquiring skills and knowledge Thinking Skills - knowing how to problem solve, make decisions, plan and organize tasks, find information and make good use of memory Computer Use - working with computers, from entering information, to knowing a software package, to managing a network, to analyzing and designing systems. What do literacy and Essential Skills have in common? The first three Essential Skills (Reading Text, Document Use and Numeracy) are basic literacy skills - the kinds of skills that are taught in adult literacy programs in ________. ESSENTIAL WORKPLACE SKILLS Foundation Skills Basic Skills Reading Writing Arithmetic Mathematics Listening Speaking Thinking Skills Creative Thinking Decision Making Problem Solving Seeing Things in the Mind’s Eye Knowing How to Learn Reasoning Personal Qualities Responsibility Self-Esteem Social Self-Management Integrity/Honesty Workplace Competencies Resources Allocates Time Allocates ______ Allocates Materials and Facility Resources Allocates Human Resources Information Acquires and Evaluates Information Organizes and Maintains Information Interprets and Communicates Information Uses Computers to Process Information Interpersonal Participates as a Member of a Team Teaches Others Serves Clients/Customers Exercises Leadership Negotiates to Arrive at a Decision Works with Cultural Diversity Systems Understands Systems Monitors and Corrects Performance Improves and Designs Systems Technology Selects Technology Applies Technology to Task Maintains and Troubleshoots Technology Communication Oral and Written Communication Numeracy Using Graphical Information, Using Number Information Technology Using Information Technology Problem Solving Critical Thinking, Planning and Organising, Reviewing and Evaluating Working With Others 1. Read and comprehend a variety of text 2. Write clearly and accurately 3. Apply mathematics in a variety of settings 4. Listen actively and speak clearly and coherently 5. Think critically and analytically 6. Use technology to learn, live, and work 7. Demonstrate civic and community engagement 8. Demonstrate global literacy 9. Demonstrate personal management and teamwork skills 10. Oral Communication 11.Document Use Essential Skills are the skills that people need for learning, work and life. They are used in the community and the workplace, in different forms and at different levels of complexity. Basic Skills Reading Writing Mathematics Listening and Speaking Reading Read and comprehend a variety of text(English language) •Vocabulary •Word Analysis •Strategic Reading that allows students to read non-fiction and technical texts •Summarize and interpret Writing Write clearly and accurately •Expository (identify and defend author’s purpose) •Descriptive (elaborate use of sensory detail) •Persuasive (argument based) •Research-based reports •Editing and Revision Oral Communication Using speech to exchange thoughts and information. Working with Others Thinking Finding and evaluating information to make rational decisions or to organize work. Interacting with others to complete tasks. Continuous Learning Participating in an ongoing process of improving skills and knowledge. Mathematics Apply mathematics in a variety of settings Critical Thinking •Intellectual Openness •Inquisitiveness •Analysis •Reasoning •Argumentation •Interpretation •Problem-Solving Computer Use Using computers and other forms of technology. Self-Management •Meta-Cognition •Reflection •Persistence •Evaluation •Organization •Study Skills •Integrity •Global and Community-Minded •Interpersonal Skills •Etiquette •Personal/Professional Presentation Demonstrate global literacy Demonstrate personal management, and teamwork skills Use technology to learn, live, and work • Continuous Learning • Continuous Thinking • Computer Use • Computer Communication • Continuous Learning • Computer Use • Document Use • Numeracy • Oral Communication • Reading • Thinking • Working with Others • Writing • Writing Learning What specifically are the Essential Skills needed in the workplace? The result has been the identification of the following nine workplace Essential Skills: 1.Reading 2.Document Use 3.Numeracy 4.Writing 5.Oral Communication 6.Working With Others 7.Thinking 8.Digital Technology 9.Continuous Learning Building Basic Skills in Management and Leadership 1.Problem Solving and Decision Making 2.Planning 3.Delegation 4.Internal Communications 5.Meeting Management 6.Managing Yourself Team Management Skills |
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| Skills for Life |
| Skills List |
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Essential Skills Definitions 1. Read and comprehend a variety of text* This skill includes all of the following: Demonstrate the ability to read and understand text. Summarize and critically analyze key points of text, events, issues, phenomena or problems, distinguishing factual from non-factual and literal from inferential elements. Interpret significant ideas and themes, including those conveyed through figurative language and use of symbols. Follow instructions from informational or technical text to perform a task, answer questions, and solve problems. *text includes but is not limited to all forms of written material, communications, media, and other representations in words, numbers, and graphics and visual displays using traditional and technological formats 2. Write clearly and accurately This skill includes all of the following: Adapt writing to different audiences, purposes, and contexts in a variety of formats and media, using appropriate technology. Develop organized, well-reasoned, supported, and focused communications. Write to explain, summarize, inform, and persuade, including business, professional, technical, and personal communications. Use appropriate conventions to write clearly and coherently, including correct use of grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, sentence construction, and formatting. Essential Skills Definitions 2 Essential Skills Definitions 3. Apply mathematics in a variety of settings This skill includes all of the following: Interpret a situation and apply workable mathematical concepts and strategies, using appropriate technologies where applicable. Produce evidence, such as graphs, data, or mathematical models, to obtain and verify a solution. Communicate and defend the verified process and solution, using pictures, symbols, models, narrative or other methods. 4. Listen actively and speak clearly and coherently This skill includes all of the following: Listen actively to understand verbal and non-verbal communication. Give and follow spoken instructions to perform a task, ask and answer questions, and solve problems. Present or discuss ideas clearly, effectively, and coherently, using both verbal and nonverbal techniques. Use language appropriate to particular audiences and contexts. 5. Think critically and analytically This skill includes all of the following: Identify and explain the key elements of a complex event, text*, issue, problem or phenomenon. Develop a method to explore the relationships between the key elements of a complex event, text*, issue, problem or phenomenon. Gather, question and evaluate the quality of information from multiple primary and secondary sources. Propose defensible conclusions that address multiple and diverse perspectives. Evaluate the strength of conclusions, differentiating reasoning based on facts from reasoning based on opinions. *text includes but is not limited to all forms of written material, communications, media, and other representations in words, numbers, and graphics and visual displays using traditional and technological formats 6. Use technology to learn, live, and work This skill includes all of the following: Use creativity and innovation to generate ideas, products, or processes using current technology. Use technology to participate in a broader community through networking, collaboration and learning. Recognize and practice legal and responsible behavior in the use and access of information and technology. Use technology as a tool to access, research, manage, integrate, and communicate ideas and information. The following Essential Skills will be phased-in after 2014, timeline to be determined. 7. Demonstrate civic and community engagement This skill includes all of the following: Apply knowledge of local, state, and ________ history and government to explain current social and political issues. Perform the civic and community responsibilities essential to living in a representative democracy. 8. Demonstrate global literacy This skill includes all of the following: Demonstrate knowledge of diverse cultural, linguistic, and artistic expressions. Apply a global perspective to analyze contemporary and historical issues. 9. Demonstrate personal management and teamwork skills This skill includes all of the following: Participate cooperatively and productively in work teams to identify and solve problems. Display initiative and demonstrate respect for other team members to complete tasks. Plan, organize, and complete assigned tasks accurately and on time. Exhibit work ethic and performance, including the ability to be responsible and dependable. Document Use is the ability find & use the information you need, put in information where it is needed, and construct information displays: these are all document use tasks. Icons, labels, lists, tables, forms, graphs, signs, maps, gauges, images, schedules, schematics, touch screens & technical drawings are examples of documents or information displays used in a workplace. We use this skill when we read signs, labels, lists, as well as when we interpret graphs and charts. Essential Skills for Social Studies Working with others Here are further guidelines. |