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The Why
Social-emotional skills – sometimes called “soft skills” or “employability skills” – have become increasingly valued in the 21st century workplace.
Research shows they are as important as academic learning to lifelong success and wellbeing.
Until now, there has been little agreement on how to teach, assess and document these skills. SkillSense bridges that gap and supports this lifelong journey by establishing common definitions, language and tools for improvement to be used by individuals, educators and employers.
SkillSense involves all sectors of the workforce system, but it is being led by Ottawa Area Intermediate School District with the support of the Talent Triangle (the three regional Intermediate School Districts – Ottawa, Muskegon and Kent).
These groups previously collaborated with West Michigan Works! to develop a series of WorkReady workshops to help job-seekers develop similar skills.
Drawing on this experience, K-12 teachers from across the region have formed Network Improvement Communities to develop practices to improve social-emotional skills. These efforts will include post-secondary institutions.
To learn more about SkillSense, go to: https://talnet.org/skillsense/
SkillSense: A Thoughtful Progression of Interrelated Social Emotional/Employability Skills
SkillSense: A Thoughtful Progression of Interrelated Social Emotional/Employability Skills
This infographic was designed to provide guidance around what a structured and intentional progression of teaching employability skills across K-12 could look like across the West Michigan Region.
Key takeaways of our region's work include:
Key takeaways of our region's work include:
THIS SUPPORTS AND DOES NOT REPLACE
THIS SUPPORTS AND DOES NOT REPLACE
The skills outlined within this progression come from the US Governments O*NET Program. Your district or school has probably been working with students on very similar skills that may be names or described slightly differently.
This progression is meant to support and not replace what you are already doing within your district or school. Use this document to verify what you are already doing and to probe where there are areas that might need to be reworked or added to.
COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION
Learning to listen, speak, read, and write effectively is an essential task, especially in the early grades. As a result, the skill of communication is emphasized across all of the grade bands, but is especially highlighted in grades K-3
SKILLS ARE EMPHASIZED DURING SPECIFIC GRADE BANDS, BUT ARE LEARNED THROUGHOUT
SKILLS ARE EMPHASIZED DURING SPECIFIC GRADE BANDS, BUT ARE LEARNED THROUGHOUT
While approximately 2 skills are emphasized or worked on every 2-3 years, this does not mean that students do not naturally learn about or utilize them beforehand or stop learning about and utilizing them after the grade band they are emphasized in has passed.
Our Theory of Action
Our Theory of Action
We believe that in order for students to gain proficiency in these employability skills, they need to:
HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE EXPOSED TO AND LEARN ABOUT THE SKILLS IN WAYS THAT HAVE VALUE TO THEM
This could include observing and discussing what the skills look like within the classroom, on the sports field, at home, or at an actual business or industry site. The important point is that the student finds VALUE (is interesting and/or relates to the students' life in some way) in the experience.
HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO APPLY AND PRACTICE THE SKILL IN A REAL-WORLD SETTING
Again, the setting for this could include the school, sports field, home or business or industry site. What is important is that the skills are PRACTICED in a REAL WAY, in a REAL-WORLD SETTING.
GAIN A GREATER AWARENESS OF THEIR PROFICIENCY IN THE SKILLS THROUGH CONTINUOUS REFLECTION AND FEEDBACK
Students could reflect and receive feedback through many different means. This could include (1) them doing self-reflection and critique, (2) peers, parents, teachers, coaches, or others giving them feedback on their developing skills, or (3) an application or tool designed to give students feedback and support student reflection.
BE SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS
In order to become proficient in these skills, students need support and guidance throughout the process from peers, adults, and/or applications and tools.
Link below for individual detail and classroom resources
Link below for individual detail and classroom resources
Employer Video Playlist: These are videos created by West Michigan employers that support the Progression of Skills.
Connecting Learning Targets to Real Life Connection/Skill Connection: Cedar Spring Teacher Example
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