I presently serve as the Curriculum Developer and Adult Literacy Teacher in a vocational program for people with limited work experience. Most of our clients have histories of incarceration, addiction or homelessness. The majority struggle with writing and reading comprehension, and few are familiar with computers. We support clients in overcoming these challenges and securing full-time employment.
When I write program curriculum, manuals and signage, I do so with an eye toward clarity and accessibility. I aim to impart useful skills, build clients' confidence in exercising them, and stay relevant to the pursuit of self-sufficiency.
In our "Surfing [The Web]" course, clients learn the mechanics of applying for jobs online. Instructors were overwhelmed by trying to provide simultaneous, individualized support to multiple clients. I created a set of printed guides for common computer needs, among them the Copying & Pasting Manual. The guides now hang in our computer lab, enabling clients to take initiative even if staff is unavailable.
This lesson is part of"Words That Work" course for clients who have scored at or below a 5th-grade reading level on a standardized test administered at Intake. Other lessons address critical thinking, professional communication, syntax, grammar and punctuation.
When I began in my current position, program staff were writing clients' cover letters for them—not instructing them in how to write cover letters themselves. I created a guide to address this missed opportunity; it is now used in vocational classes and Case Management sessions.