Minnesota’s E ssential S kills C redential: Curriculum & Implementation

1. Minnesota’s Essential Skills Credential: Curriculum&Implementation

2. Stackable Credentials supplemental services grant provided by Minnesota Department of Education National Work Readiness Credential Career Readiness Credential Essential Skills Credential GED Accuplacer Education and Training Collaborative - Occupational Credentials

3. This presentation addresses three questions: • 1. How can I recognize learner achievement and demonstrate skills acquired to prospective employers? • Minnesota’s Essential Skills Credential • 2. How can I help my learners improve CASAS test scores and progress toward Essential Skills certification? • Minnesota’s Essential Skills Credential Curriculum • found at www.escurriculum.spps.org • What can I do to help promote Minnesota’s Essential Skills Credential in my community? • Minnesota’s Essential Skills Brochure

4. Minnesota’s Essential Skills Credential Why do it? Provide a standardized method of measuring program effectiveness Establish a common language among literacy partners and other constituents • Provide motivation for learners • Use as a recruitment and retention tool • Benchmark student performance and learning gains in multiple skill areas

5. Minnesota’s Essential Skills Credential What is it? FIVE separate certificates: Four individual certificates obtained by completing CASAS Level C with a score of 236 on the Reading and Math tests, 221 on the Listening test*, and 261 on the Writing test. * A score of 236 is required if using the “new” Listening Life and Work series, available in June 2009. One FINAL certificate awarded for mastery in all four areas. This level certifies the end of the ESL classification and the beginning of the ABE classification.  Learners who achieve this certificate are ready to begin GED preparation.

6. Minnesota Department of Education provides a writeable PDF, so programs can print their own certificates. The reverse side details the skills that each certificate certifies.

13. How can my program participate? Sign the partner agreement! found online at www.escurriculum.spps.org Follow test administration guidelines: • Reading / Math – 60 minutes • Writing – 30 minutes • Listening – Self-timed Keep records and award certificates according to policy guidelines

14. www.escurriculum.spps.org

15. www.escurriculum.spps.orgBrowse Lesson Plans

17. CASAS Reading Level A Lesson by Kristine Halling

18. Worksheet 3AssessmentJohn got a new job at ABC Company. He is excited and a little nervous. He is driving to his new job on Johnson Avenue and 18th street. He can’t remember how to get to ABC Company, so he stops his car and looks at his map.When John arrives at his new job, he parks his car in the parking lot. He turns off his cell phone. Then he goes inside the building. • What problem does John have on his way to his new job? • He forgets how to get to ABC Company. • He doesn’t know the street the company is on. • He gets a phone call. • He decides to go home. 2.What does John do after he turns off his cell phone? • He goes inside the building. • He looks at his map. • He parks his car. • He is excited.

19. What?Presentation:Use Worksheet 1: Presentation and Practice, Vocabulary Building A, to match new vocabulary words on the left to the definitions on the right. Today’s lesson will provide more practice with these vocabulary words. Students will read them in the context of two narratives and answer reading comprehension questions about each passage. New Vocabulary: worried - To feel upset or nervous Pairs discuss a time they felt nervous or worried. deliver - To bring something to a place Elicit examples of items that are delivered, like soda to an office building. sure - To believe something is true Elicit examples of things students are sure about. For example, learning English is difficult. arrive - To get some place Elicit some times that students arrive various places: What time do you arrive at school? Work? Have you ever arrived late? trouble - To have a problem with something Pairs share different things they have or have had trouble with, for example, learning English.

20. Worksheet 1: Presentation and Practice Vocabulary Building A Match each word with its proper definition. worried a. To get some place ______________ deliver b. To believe something is true ____________ sure c. To have a problem with something _______ arrive d. To bring something to a place _______ trouble e.To feel upset or nervous_______________ Vocabulary Building B Fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word. worried a. The plane will ___________ on time. deliver b. He is _______ that he will pass the test. sure c. The man will _________ the furniture today. arrive d. She has ____________ with English. trouble e.I have a test tomorrow, and I feel _______.

21. Worksheet 2: Pair PracticeIt is Manuel’s first day at his new job and he is a little worried. He is a driver for a bottling company. He is delivering bottled water to Trust Cleaning Company on 10th Avenue and Marshall Street. He is not sure how to get there, so he looks at his map. When he arrives at Trust Cleaning Company, he parks the truck in the back of the building in the area for delivery trucks. Then he looks for the door. What does Manuel do right away after he arrives at Trust Cleaning Company? He looks for a door. He parks the truck. He reads a map. He leaves. 2.What trouble does Manual have? He doesn’t know how to get to Trust Cleaning Company. He doesn’t know where to park at Trust Cleaning Company. He doesn’t know how to read a map. He doesn’t know how to drive.

22. Worksheet 3AssessmentJohn got a new job at ABC Company. He is excited and a little nervous. He is driving to his new job on Johnson Avenue and 18th street. He can’t remember how to get to ABC Company, so he stops his car and looks at his map.When John arrives at his new job, he parks his car in the parking lot. He turns off his cell phone. Then he goes inside the building. What problem does John have on his way to his new job? He forgets how to get to ABC Company. He doesn’t know the street the company is on. He gets a phone call. He decides to go home. 2.What does John do after he turns off his cell phone? He goes inside the building. He looks at his map. He parks his car. He is excited.

23. CASAS Writing Level B Lesson by Alison Shank

24. Handout 5: Supermarket Safety Writing Prompt ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

26. CASAS Math Level C Lesson by Laura Rutmanis

27. Handout 3: Individual Assessment Scale 1 inch = 15 feet

28. CASAS Workplace Speaking Level C Lesson by Teresa Miller

30. WHAT’S THE HAZARD?Part 1: With a partner or group, look at your picture and discuss the following questions. 1. What dangerous situation is shown in this picture?2. What could happen to the man in the picture if he doesn’t change what he’s doing?3. What could or should the man do differently?Suggested grammar and vocabulary for your picture:

31. CASAS Listening Level C Lesson by Lia Conklin

32. Part 1:DiscussionWhat are some rights of U.S. citizens?What are some responsibilities?Directions: Discuss these questions in a small group. Then write examples from your group in the chartbelow. 1. Now discuss in your small group these questions: Do U.S. legal residents have the same rights and responsibilities as citizens? Use the diagram to compare them. 2. Do you think getting U.S. citizenship is a good idea? Why?

33. Part 4: Listening Assessment A: Listen to each conversation and the question that follows. Read the answers on your paper. The possible answers will not be said on this sound clip. Bubble your answer on the right.

34. Part 2: PredictionsDirections:Skim each of the following conversations and match them with the correct main idea from the Main Ideas box. Complete the conversations using the words from the Word Box to help you. Conversation 1: _________________________________ main idea *Can you help me with some questions I have about my W4? --Sure. What do you need to know? *I’m not sure how many __________ to claim for my federal income tax. --You can _________ yourself, any children you support, and your spouse if he doesn’t have an income. *I have a son who’s in college. Can I claim him? --If he’s a full-time student and you __________ him you can definitely claim him. *Thank you very much for your help. --No problem. Main Ideas Miranda rights Applying for an absentee ballot Filling out a W4

35. 1. How can you use this in your classroom? What changes do you need to make to your prep to fully implement the credential? 2. If you are a manager or coordinator, what program changes need to occur to fully implement the credential?

36. How can we add value to the Essential Skills Credential?Through community partnerships:employers, training programs, MFIP providers, workforce centers

37. Think – Pair - Share

38. Individual Outreach Plan: 1. Write the name of 2 potential partners with whom you are willing to make a connection. 2. Make a phone call and send out an Essential Skills Credential brochure. 3. Set up a face-to-face meeting. Nancy Bjorn Nordeen and Judy Mortrude will be happy to join in on a conference call!

39. For more information, please contact: Nancy Bjorn Nordeen Saint Paul Adult Learning 651-290-4890 nancy.bjorn.nordeen@spps.org