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America’s Skilled Workers: Vocabulary

Students read opens in a new window “Filling America’s Need for Skilled Workers” Newsela article at an appropriate Lexile level and underline unknown words or new vocabulary, transitional words, and specific vocabulary words related to jobs and economics. Students then use opens in a new window Quizlet to create online vocabulary cards. Finally, students create individual resumés for Virginia job/job markets that they are interested in.

Anchor(s)

L6: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Level(s):

Estimated timeframe:

Activity steps

  1. On a SMARTBoard or using an overhead/digital projector, open up the informational article, “opens in a new window Pro/Con: Filling America’s Need for Skilled Workers”: opens in a new window https://newsela.com/read/workers-skills-procon/id/6788. Have students go through the text and underline unknown words. Choose an appropriate reading level for your group (i.e., Lexile 770 for B/C levels, with additional scaffolding for lower level readers; Lexile 940 or 1020 for C/D levels).
  2. After words are identified, have students write new vocabulary words and meanings in their vocabulary notebooks or on opens in a new window Quizel (www.quizlet.com) cards.
  3. Find a job listing relevant for your area of Virginia. Have students read through the information and underline vocabulary related to the listing and the job field/market.
  4. The class can prepare a resumé for that job listing. Sample resumés can be found online on sites such as opens in a new window Resume-Now (www.resume-now.com).
  5. Then, have students work in groups to prepare for a job interview in that field. (Focus on job vocabulary, transitional words and adjectives studied earlier in the lesson, and communication skills). Have students share a few things they added to their resumé (such as using new vocabulary words, including specific skill terms, etc.) with the class.
  6. Ask (where appropriate during the lesson):

    For Level A/B:

    1. What is a market in economics/jobs?
    2. How can you figure out what jobs/markets are open and useful in your job search?
    3. What is an economy?
    4. Where are transitional words in the job listing/article? How are they used? What would happen if they were not included in the job listing/article?
    For Level C/D:
    1. What vocabulary words are specific to jobs/markets?
    2. Why are these vocabulary words important in the job hunting and application process?
    3. How can you incorporate these new vocabulary words into a resumé, job interview, and everyday job interactions?
    4. What tools can you use to find job listings? How does vocabulary specific to a job market help/hinder you in creating a job resumé?

Other skills

Connections and extensions can be made to GED® Social Studies Assessment Targets (Fundamental Economic Concepts):
  • E.c.1 Markets
  • E.c.4 Labor and Capital

Workforce readiness skills

  • 2

    Integrity: apply workforce ethics in resumé building

  • 4

    Self-representation: practice job readiness and job search skills

  • 8

    Speaking and Listening: prepare for job interview

  • 9

    Reading and Writing: write a resumé; read information article and job listings; learn vocabulary words

  • 13

    Lifelong Learning: learn vocabulary related to a specific job search

  • 14

    Job Acquisition and Advancement: search for jobs in area; practice job interview and preparation; build resumé

  • 20

    Internet Use and Security: search Internet for job postings and area-specific needs


opens in a new window External Resources
ELA Activities for Level A / B / C / D
Guest Speaker
Invite an informative guest speaker to class (or ask a student to speak to classmates about an area of expertise). Before the visit, have students plan the questions they will ask; during the visit, encourage students to ask follow-up questions. Read More Guest Speaker
Conversational Fishbowl
Students choose a question (from a list such as opens in a new window this one ) to discuss in order to become more comfortable talking in a discussion format. Instructional focus should be on learners speaking one at a time and listening to respond or add to the topic. Read More Conversational Fishbowl
Finding the Main Idea, Getting to Work on Time
Students at A level will be introduced to finding a main idea through pictures, and students with reading levels as low as first-grade equivalent will read a passage, retell it, and determine the main idea. Extension activities include practicing time management skills, including filling out a timesheet Read More Finding the Main Idea, Getting to Work on Time
America’s Skilled Workers: Vocabulary
Students read opens in a new window “Filling America’s Need for Skilled Workers” Newsela article at an appropriate Lexile level and underline unknown words or new vocabulary, transitional words, and specific vocabulary words related to jobs and economics. Students then use opens in a new window Quizlet to create online vocabulary cards. Finally, students create individual resumés for Virginia job/job markets that they are interested in. Read More America’s Skilled Workers: Vocabulary
In Memory of Dr. King
Students learn about and practice making inferences; they read and/or listen to a passage about the national Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Read More In Memory of Dr. King
More Activities
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