LESSON PLAN Things I Can Do!

Theme Developing myself

CAREER SKILLS Self Development

KEY SKILLS Communication, Working With Others, Improving Own Learning and Performance

WORK RELATED LEARNING Learning For Work

COMPETENCIES *ai, *aii, *aiii, *bi, *ci, *cii, *di, **eii, **eiii, **eiv, **evi, ***fiv, ***Ii, ***kiv,
****li, ****mi

SUGGESTED SUBJECT AREA Personal Development, English, Social Studies

Learning Outcomes

By completing this task students will be able to:

Identify their achievements.

Discuss the skills developed by these activities.
Choose activities and explain why an employer would find these skills/qualities useful.

Preparation and Materials

Copies of Activity Sheets Things I Can Do! (1), (2) and (3).
Blackboard/flipchart.
Teachers Notes as a prompt for discussion.
This lesson may extend to two sessions.

Method

1. Group the students so that they can work in pairs.

2. Explain the aims of the lesson using the learning outcomes on Activity Sheet (1).
3. Give out the Activity Sheet (1) to the students and ask them to tick their answers to the questions on
the list.
4. Ask the students to complete the three skills question at the bottom of the page. Give one or two
examples to help them.
5. Use the Teachers Notes as a prompt to engage the class in discussion of the exercise.
6. Give out Activity Sheet (2) to the students.
7. Ask students to examine the pictures which of these apply to them? Students tick next to the pictures.
8. Give out Activity Sheet (3) to the students. Ask the students, What other things are you good at?
Stress that these can be from any area of their lives not just school. Students should then list the things
that they are good at in the left hand column.
9. Working in pairs students identify skills which are developed by these activities and then rank them.
Lead a class discussion discussing if some skills or qualities are more important than others.
10. Ask the students to complete the question about what employers look for and why they value some
skills and qualities more than others.
11. Ask the students what they have learned from the lesson.
12. Summarise the main learning outcomes.
TEACHERS NOTES Things I Can Do!
Introduction

Explain that everyone has skills and qualities that can be helpful to them in the world of work. We are all
good at different things and we are not all good at the same things. They have all achieved different things
and can all be proud of themselves for what they have achieved.

First Activity

Engage the students in discussion of things they can do. Start with easy things:

Can you.? World of Work

Can you get the right classroom at the right time? Following instructions/reliability

Are you on time for your lessons? Punctuality

Do you remember your books, pens and other Organisational skills/planning ahead
equipment?
Do you walk sensibly along the corridors? Health and safety/professional behaviour

Do you spend enough time on your homework? Thoroughness/application/commitment

Do you remember to hand it in? Meeting deadlines/time management/priority

Do you make sure your work is neat? Presentation skills/pride in work/care

Do you ask teachers questions when you are not Communication

sure what you are doing or if you do not skills/teamwork/clarification/honesty/willingness to
understand? learn
Do you join in class discussion? Team work/communication

Do you help other people when they need it? Team work/corporate spirit/common sense

Make the point to the students that all of these simple everyday things that they can do are useful skills
needed in the world of work.

Second Activity

The skills and qualities that employers are looking for. When taking feedback about this accept the
responses given by the students and, if appropriate for the level of understanding, you could bring in a
simple classifications of skills ones that are only needed in specific jobs and ones which are needed
generally. These last ones are Key Skills (see previous lesson plan KEY SKILLS).

Reasons why some skills are valued more than others could be:

Skills are more valuable when rare to find e.g. skill shortages like mathematics/science teachers and
computer engineers. Skills are valued because they are a basic necessity e.g. Key Skills.
Learning Outcomes: By completing this task you will be able to:

List your achievements.

Discuss the skills you developed through these activities.
Explain why an employer would find these skills or qualities useful.

ACTIVITY SHEET (1) Things I Can Do!

Can you.? (please tick one box) Always Usually sometimes Not Often Never

Can you get the right classroom

at the right time?

Are you on time for your lessons?

Do you remember your books, pens

and other equipment?

Do you walk sensibly along

the corridors?

Do you spend enough time on

your homework?

Do you remember to hand it in?

Do you make sure your work is neat?

Do you ask teachers questions when

you are not sure what you are doing
or if you do not understand?

Do you join in class discussions?

Do you help other people when they need it?

How do you think these simple everyday things could help you t work? Think about the skills
and qualities they are developing in you. List three of these below.

Skill How it would help at work

1.
2.
3.
ACTIVITY SHEET (2) Things I can Do!

Cooking Shopping

Babysitting Gardening

Dancing Being helpful

Using PC

Electrical Work

Decorating

Sewing

Ironing

Cleaning

Reading

Writing letters

Adding up bills

Sport

Music

Making friends

Talking on the phone

 ACTIVITY SHEET (3) Things I Can Do!

Things I Can Do Skills and Qualities Rank Order

What skills and qualities do you think employers are looking for?

Why do you think they value some skills and qualities more than others?