Propel Adult Literacy - Instructional Learning Library

Workplace Literacy

“It’s been an amazing journey for me. I’ve been here less than a year and already accomplished a lot.”

That's how Marisol Reynolds described her experience as an Adult Basic Education student at UNM-Gallup.

While working toward her high school equivalency credential, Reynolds also enrolled in CDL training through UNM-Gallup’s Community Education and Workforce Development program. The training was challenging, but she stayed with it, passed the CDL exam, and became CDL certified.

Read the full story from UNM Gallup here. To see more about what UNM-Gallup is doing for workplace literacy, check out their website.

"They gave me the hand to stand up."

That's what Nigora Aminova said about the support she received from Lincoln Literacy.

Aminova came to Lincoln, Nebraska from Tajikistan in 2017 with her two children. She began working at Bryan East Campus, cleaning patient rooms and other areas of the hospital. She later enrolled in Lincoln Literacy's CNA Prep program, which helped her build the vocabulary and knowledge needed to pursue nursing-assistant training. Aminova passed the exam and became a Certified Nursing Assistant.

Read the whole story here. See Lincoln Literacy's website for more.

These stories are examples of what can happen when adult education connects directly to learners' career goals. Workplace-focused instruction connects education directly to employment, helping employees communicate, understand information, build confidence, develop new skills, and move forward in their actual careers.

Introduction

What is workplace literacy?

Workplace literacy is not just about reading or writing in a classroom. It is the ability to use reading, writing, speaking, listening, math, digital skills, and problem-solving in real work and training situations. For educators, it is about helping learners use these skills in their training and employment situations. For Reynolds and Aminova, adult education and workforce training worked together, helping them build skills, complete credentials, and take steps toward new career pathways. And, the impact extends beyond the learner: to their families, their employers, and communities themselves.

This month's PAL Learning Library topic brings together five practical areas: workplace communication, workplace reading, workplace writing, job search/career readiness, and workplace numeracy.

What does workplace literacy actually look like in practice?

It can include any literacy instruction that can be found at work, including skills like reading instructions, understanding schedules, communicating with supervisors, completing forms, using math, and working with others effectively. For adult learners, these skills are connected to employment, career advancement, IET programs, HSE preparation, ESL communication, and everyday confidence.

The goal is not to teach every possible workplace skill at once. Instead, tutors and instructors can help learners practice realistic tasks that match their goals, such as asking for clarification, reading a schedule, writing a short message, filling out a form, identifying strengths, or preparing for an interview.

Where do I begin?

Before exploring the individual workplace literacy topics, begin by thinking about the learner’s real goal. Workplace literacy is most meaningful when it connects to something the learner wants or needs to do, such as getting a job, keeping a job, entering an IET program, improving communication, preparing for an interview, or building confidence in a workplace setting.

This Proliteracy video from The Pitney Bowes Workforce Development Collection gives a simple overview of workforce-focused adult literacy topics, including career goals, resumes, interviews, and communicating at work. It fits well as a “start here” resource because it frames workforce literacy as practical skills adult learners can use for employment and career growth.

As you watch the video, think about how workplace skills can be practiced in small, realistic steps. A learner does not need to master everything at once. They can begin with one practical skill, one real-life situation, and one activity that connects directly to their goal. After watching, ask yourself: What workplace skill would be most useful for my learner to practice first?

This question can help guide your work throughout the topic. Use the resources that follow to choose one area of focus, adapt the try it activity to the learner’s level, and connect the practice to your learner's real workplace, training, or career-readiness situation.

Ready, Set, Go!

Workplace Communication

Workplace communication includes the speaking, listening, and interpersonal skills learners need to interact with supervisors, coworkers, customers, clients, patients, etc. Employees may need to ask questions, clarify instructions, report a problem, explain a change, or give an update. Communication practice is especially useful in building confidence along with language and literacy skills.

Focus Skills:

Asking questions and clarifying instructions
Reporting problems, changes, or concerns
Making conversation with a client

Tutor Tip: Use sentence frames first, then personalize them. A learner can begin with “Can you repeat that, please?” or “I need to let you know ...,” then adapt the phrase for their job, training program, or other work situation.

Learn:

Watch Communicating at Work from PBS
Complete week 1, "The Importance of Communication" in the Open Learn mini-course "Effective Communication in the Workplace"

Try It: Choose one workforce conversation your learner needs to feel more confident having. Build a short script with three parts: Who they are talking to, what they need to say, and what help or action is needed. Practice it aloud twice, then switch roles.

Reflect: How might your learner feel creating their own dialogue script?

Workplace Reading

Workplace reading means understanding written information used in jobs, training programs, and career pathways. This may include schedules, signs, instructions, job postings, policies, procedures, emails, forms, safety information, charts, task descriptions/ how-tos, or manuals. Learners often need to find key details quickly and decide what action to take based on what they read.

Focus Skills:

Reading schedules, signs, and instructions
Reading job postings and ads
Reading workplace policies

Tutor Tip: Use real or realistic materials. A short schedule, simple safety sign, job posting, or workplace note can become a strong reading lesson when the learner identifies key details, confusing words, and the action they should take next.

Learn:

Watch "Evidence-Based Reading Instruction in the ABE Classroom" from SABES
Skim through the Workplace Documents Archive from ACT Workkeys

Try It: Give the learner a workplace text (or, better yet, ask them to bring one) such as a schedule, job posting, sign, or policy. Ask them to highlight: Who is it for? What is the main message? What details matter? What action is needed?

Reflect: How did your student respond to the task, and how did that compare with what you expected?

Workplace Writing

Workplace writing includes short, practical writing texts that adults may need for employment, training, or a job search. This can include text messages, emails, notes, forms, logs, reports, or guides. Workplace writing does not need to be long: A clear message or accurately completed form can be a meaningful literacy task.

Focus Skills:

Writing short workplace messages
Filling out forms or reports
Completing time sheets

Tutor Tip: Focus on purpose, audience, and clarity. Before the learner writes, ask: Who will read this? Why am I writing it? What information must be included? This helps the learner write with a real reason instead of just completing a worksheet.

Learn:

Read the sample lesson using a basic work email
Complete week 5, "Writing for the Workplace" of the Open Learn mini-course on "Effective Communication in the Workplace"

Try It: Practice one short workplace message. The learner can write a text or email about being late, asking for help, requesting a schedule change, or reporting a problem. Revise it for tone, clarity, and important details.

Reflect: How might you continue to practice the skill with your learner?

Workplace Numeracy

Workplace numeracy is the ability to use math and number sense in real, practical work and training situations. This can include tasks like reading schedules, completing timesheets, calculating mileage, understanding pay stubs, measuring ingredients, comparing prices, giving correct change, estimating supply needs, tracking inventory, or interpreting data.

Focus Skills:

Reading schedules, timesheets, and pay stubs
Calculating hours, wages, and PTO
Understanding measurements, quantities, and estimates
Reading charts, tables, and graphs
Solving workplace-based word problems

Tutor Tip: Start with a real situation. Ask the learner, Where do you use numbers at work or in training? Then choose one practical task, like reading a schedule. Keep the focus on how the learner would use the number information.

Learn:

Watch "Adult Numeracy Training: More Than Worksheets" from The Adult Numeracy Network
Read "Making Sense of Math at Work" from LINCS

Try It: Ask the learner to choose one real-life workplace or training situation that uses numbers like those listed above. Then, use this simple process:

Look: What numbers do you see?
Understand: What do the numbers mean?
Do: What calculation or comparison is needed?
Explain: How would this information be used at work or in training?

Reflect: Where did you notice your student shine, and where did they need extra guidance?

Job Search & Career Readiness

Job search and career readiness help learners prepare for employment, training, advancement, or career changes. Learners practice identifying strengths, understanding transferable skills, reading job postings, completing applications, preparing for interviews, and setting career goals. This topic helps learners connect their life experience to workplace language and future opportunities.

Focus Skills:

Identifying skills and strengths
Filling out job applications
Writing a cover letter and resume
Preparing for interviews

Tutor Tip: Help learners name what they already know how to do. Skills can come from jobs, school, caregiving, volunteering, family responsibilities, hobbies, or community roles. Once a learner can name a skill, they can practice explaining it in workplace language.

Learn:

Watch The Interview - KET Workplace Essential Skills from LINCS
Read "Reading Job Ads" from Writing Commons

Try It: Create a simple skills inventory. Ask the learner to list three things they do well, where they learned each skill, and how that skill could help in a job or training program. Then practice answering one interview question using one of those strengths.

Reflect: What strength or skill does your learner already have that could be connected to a workplace or career goal?

Tutor Tip

Workplace literacy is a broad topic that incorporates many different areas. It is not just one skill; it is a combination of academic, language, digital, communication, and problem-solving skills used for real purposes. The goal is not to teach every skill at once. The goal is to help learners build confidence through practical, realistic tasks that connect to their personal goals.

The skills connected to workplace literacy can look different depending on the learner, the setting, and the goal. For one learner, workplace literacy may mean practicing how to ask a supervisor for clarification. For another, it may mean using workplace vocabulary with more confidence. For a third, it may mean getting a specific license to move up at work. This is why it is so important to ask your learner what they want to do, what they need to practice, and where they want to feel more confident.

Take time to explore how workplace literacy shows up in real situations by looking closely at the kinds of tasks your adult learners may already be doing or preparing to do. These tasks often combine several skills at once. For their job, a learner may need to read instructions, understand unfamiliar vocabulary, ask a question about it, use numbers to make a decision, and explain their next step, all in one related task.

Remember: You do not need to use every resource or cover every skill. Your job is to find out which skills your learner needs to practice. Choose one idea that connects to a learner’s immediate need. Start small. Select one workplace situation, one realistic material, and one skill to practice, then build from there.

Deeper Dive

For Educators

Explore the resources below to gather ideas and adapt activities for your own context and your learner's work goals. How can you help learners see how literacy connects to real opportunities, confidence, and next steps?

Canada's UpSkills for Work has free, accessible resources (workshop workbooks, courses, video lessons) on content-based and essential soft workplace skills that can be used directly with students.
Learn Free's Job Search online courses, with a mix of video, readings, and are a great way for learners to enhance their job search skills.
The Teaching Skills That Matter: Workforce Preparation toolkit includes best practices, a case study, and example lesson plans that can be adapted for your context that utilize the nine essential skills: adaptability and willingness to learn, communication, critical thinking, interpersonal skills, navigating systems, problem solving, processing and analyzing information, respecting differences, and self-awareness.
The Realityworks' Soft Skills Training Resources playlist is a collection of helpful videos on teaching workplace skills.
Texas A&M's workshop "Integrating Employability Skills: A Framework for All Educators" focuses in on learners' skills and the techniques that support the development of those skills.

For Administrators

Consider which resources could support the workplace aspect your program is working on, whether it is ESL learners building workplace communication, pre-IET learners connecting basic skills to career training, or adult literacy learners working toward personal employment goals.

Proliteracy's Workplace Literacy Guide discusses steps for organizations that want to develop workplace literacy programs, including planning, finding clients and educators, identifying funding, and iedntifying skills and content for instruction.
Proliteracy's Pre-IET Workplace Skills Instruction course introduces how programs can work to bridge the literacy needs of lower-level students interested in IET (Integrated Education Training) programs. The course identifies key workplace skills, explores how to incorporate them in instruction, and includes resources.
LINCS' Preparing English Learners for Work and Career Pathways resources give teachers and adminstrators practical ideas for connecting English language learning to career-focused instruction. The resources include an issue brief, module, and resource on approaches.
This "Getting Started with Workplace Literacy" webinar from MN Adult Education Professional Development provides an overview of program possibilities and examples.

💬Join the discussion on November 18 from 10-11 AM. Bring your ideas and questions about this topic as well as any tutoring-related concerns.

📝Share your experience, questions, and suggestions using this form. Have you tried implementing any of the above principles or strategies? How did it go? Are you interested in trying them but need a little support?

* Join our Facebook group for more activities and discussion!

Would you like to learn about another topic? Explore the Instructional Learning Library here or suggest a topic on the above form.

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