Vocational and Career Preparation Activities in Lesson Plans for Reading and Writing

Vocation comes from the Latin 'voco--to call'. This is the same concept as a priest or religious calling or vocation. Vocational training or education gets a pretty bad rap these days however. After having just prepared an 18 page thesis on vocational education in schools I am a bit dazed and confused. I have been reading volumes of scholarly literature (peer-reviewed and refereed don't ya know!). I have come to one very cogent realization: what we teach in schools and expect of students has very little pragmatic translation into real life.

I am sure that there are educators who are really trying to give students some real life application. I don't fault teachers; I am in solidarity. But I do fault mandatory curriculum which gives students no backing in life lessons. So I have also come up with some practical ideas to infuse career preparation into the curriculum particularly in reading. The Michigan Model of Reading defines reading as Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. These activities address all four of these areas.

Technical Education classes:
Instruct and practice word processing; practice writing emails, online journals (Facebook, LiveJournal, Myspace), blogging, and writing forums like
AssociatedContent or student writing forums.

Prepare spreadsheets for budgeting, checkbooks, inventories, research

Design Powerpoint presentations on student career choices, job shadowing, career information, community focus, employers, etc. Utilize the layout, outline
and bullet techniques

Develop online resume and job hunt websites (MiWorks, Career matrix)

Perform searches for colleges, trade schools, and career opportunities skills:

English/ Language/ Reading classes

Oral Presentation and practice:

Role-play in class to simulate college and job interviews, job and work scenarios, job skills, employee/employer interaction

Telephone calls to set up class presentations, inviting speakers, make appointments, scheduling activities,

Developing student surveys both written and oral canvassing

Public speaking: introducing speakers,