1. Pursues Professionalism
2. Applies Skills for Success Best Practices
3. Teaches Skills for Success Strategies
1. Pursues Professionalism
Competency
Competency 1.1Stays informed about current developments in Skills for Success and adult education fields
Performance Indicators
- Uses evidenced-based learning principles based on examination of research studies, reports and other publications and resources relevant to best practices and emerging trends in Skills for Success and Adult Education
- Upskills to understand new concepts and/or procedures by participating in professional development, workshops, courses, etc.
- Integrates new knowledge and skills in design, delivery and/or assessment practices
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of the history and evolution of the Skills for Success framework
- Knowledge of research studies, literacy surveys and other publications related to the Skills for Success framework and adult education fields
- Knowledge of research and resources related to the new Skills for Success framework and domains
- Knowledge of Indigenous principles of learning, ways of knowing and worldviews
- Knowledge of Canada’s history and legacy of colonialism and racism: e.g., Indian residential schools, contemporary racism, and steps towards reconciliation
- Knowledge of processes and practices to support the Indigenization of education and curricula
- Knowledge of research and resources related to social-emotional skills and learning, growth mindset, personality and soft skills
- Knowledge of human capital theory, skill supply and demand and social theories
- Knowledge of the theories, principles and approaches of andragogy
- Knowledge of emerging trends in adult education
- Knowledge of learning principles of cognitive psychology, such as interleaving and spacing
Competency 1.2Contributes knowledge and service to the Skills for Success Professional Community
Performance Indicators
- Contributes to knowledge sharing in the Skills for Success field
- Participates in mentorship as a mentee or mentor
- Adheres to a code of ethics (Note: TBD for Skills for Success field)
- Advocates for an inclusive, equitable and accessible Skills for Success community
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of collaborative practice: e.g., interprofessional collaboration, team teaching, collaborative planning, etc.
- Knowledge of professional communities of inquiry: e.g., collaborative dialogues, book studies, social media, professional networks
- Knowledge of training partners that make up the Skills for Success community and field: e.g., participants, funders, training organizations, employers, instructors, supervisors, mentors, peers and community members.
- Knowledge of mentorship frameworks and strategies: e.g., Mentorship Matters
- Awareness of how race, class, sexual orientation, culture, trauma, disability and gender identity intersect in the workplace and educational contexts and impact adult learners
Competency 1.3Engages in self-reflection
Performance Indicators
- Assesses personal strengths and areas for growth
- Sets professional development goals
- Seeks feedback on performance
- Participates in formal and informal professional development activities
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of self-assessment tools and self-reflective exercises: e.g., journaling, Socratic methods, etc.
- Knowledge of professional development opportunities: e.g., conferences, workshops, seminars, training sessions, institutes, sharing circles, etc. (Note: Specific opportunities for inclusion in supplemental resource material)
- Knowledge of coursework opportunities: e.g., community courses, certificates, diplomas, graduate work, community college (Note: Specific opportunities for inclusion in supplemental resource material)
Competency 1.4Promotes the role and value of Skills for Success with participants and other training partners
Performance Indicators
- Advocates for the role, value and transferability of Skills for Success in work, learning and life
- Explains the connection between Skills for Success training and improved work performance
- Explains the relationship between Skills for Success and social and economic outcomes
- Explains the relationship between efficient skill acquisition in one domain and proficiency level in another domain
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of the definition and constructs of Skills for Success as specified in the framework
- Knowledge of connection between Skills for Success and economic and social prosperity
- Awareness of the ways Skills for Success interconnect and how that affects learning and instruction: e.g., numeracy requires sufficient reading and document use skills; problem-solving ability improves with greater reading and numeracy skills; collaboration requires communication and problem-solving skills.
- Knowledge of training partners that make up the Skills for Success community and field: e.g., participants, funders, training organizations, employers, instructors, supervisors, mentors, peers and community members
2. Applies Skills for Success Best Practices
Competency
Competency 2.1Integrates Skills for Success into learning materials and activities
Performance Indicators
- Considers job requirements and skill importance and frequency of use to identify the most relevant Skills for Success domains for program design, delivery and assessment
- Uses targeted Skills for Success as the basis for program design, delivery and assessment
- Determines advantageous skill domains for integration into learning activities
- Integrates multiple Skills for Success into learning tasks to reflect the integrated nature of workplace tasks
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of criticality and frequency: i.e., ability to determine the importance and frequency of skills used in specific roles
- Awareness of the ways Skills for Success interconnect and how that affects learning and instruction: e.g., numeracy requires sufficient reading and document use skills; problem-solving ability improves with greater reading and numeracy skills; collaboration requires communication and problem-solving skills.
- Knowledge of needs analysis processes (See Design 1. Conducts Needs Analyses)
Competency 2.2Contextualizes Skills for Success training to make learning relevant and practical
Performance Indicators
- Selects and incorporates authentic materials and scenarios into learning activities, including culturally and contextually relevant materials
- Creates task-based learning activities based on real-world, workplace applications
- Adapts the language, style and presentation of content to maximize relevancy for specific audiences
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of different types of authentic documents
- Knowledge of intercultural competence and culturally relevant and responsive curriculum
- Knowledge of task-based learning
- Knowledge of the theories, principles and approaches of andragogy, including the connection between adult experience, needs, relevancy and motivation
- Knowledge of techniques to gather information and create realistic scenarios: e.g., critical incident method
Competency 2.3Applies a competency-based approach to Skills for Success training
Performance Indicators
- Creates performance tasks that require participants to demonstrate what they can do
- Assesses participants’ mastery of required skills and knowledge to determine appropriate individual learning paths
- Facilitates active learning processes with problem, inquiry or project-based tasks that are open-ended and challenging
- Uses proficiency scales and mastery standards to measure participant performance, ladder instruction, monitor progress and motivate participants
- Aligns competencies with relevant occupational and industry standards
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of the nature of proficiency scales: i.e., the standard metric that supports comparison and aggregation
- Understanding of how proficiency levels are established: e.g., probability, mastery and the costs of error, employer expectations or impacts on outcomes
- Understanding of the impact of familiarity and transfer
- Knowledge of occupational and industry standards
- Awareness of the ways Skills for Success interconnect and how that affects learning and instruction: e.g., numeracy requires sufficient reading and document use skills; problem-solving ability improves with greater reading and numeracy skills; collaboration requires communication and problem-solving skills
Competency 2.4Varies complexity of learning tasks and materials to align to participants’ Skills for Success needs and goals
Performance Indicators
- Uses data from job task analysis to determine the complexity level of Skills for Success used in specific occupations
- Uses pre-assessment and needs analysis data to determine differences between participants’ starting levels and required levels
- Creates learning tasks at target complexity levels
- Selects and develops materials at the appropriate complexity level to match participants’ needs
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of complexity levels for each Skill for Success domain, including the variables that affect complexity for each skill
- Knowledge of theoretical foundations of complexity
Competency 2.5Applies instructional scaffolds to help participants progress
Performance Indicators
- Focuses instruction on areas of skill development where participants are struggling
- Guides participants through progressively more complex learning tasks
- Motivates learners by providing a level of challenge that is slightly beyond learner’s current abilities yet still within reach
- Provides learning supports, such as templates, scripts, outlines and prompts, to assist participants with skill acquisition
- Builds participants’ awareness of aspects of tasks they find difficult and proposes strategies for improvement
- Models metacognition using think aloud step-by-step processes
- Identifies and develops enabling skills for participants who may require upgrading prior to developing proficiency in other Skills for Success domains
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of scaffolding techniques: e.g., provision of examples, models and templates; think aloud step-by-step processes; pre-teach vocabulary; use of visual aids; checks for understanding during lessons; division of large tasks into smaller chunks; slowing of the instructional pace; etc.
- Knowledge of how to differentiate instruction relative to the needs of individual participants
- Awareness of the ways Skills for Success interconnect and how that affects learning and instruction: e.g., numeracy requires sufficient reading and document use skills; problem-solving ability improves with greater reading and numeracy skills; collaboration requires communication and problem-solving skills
Competency 2.6Provides direct instruction to structure and guide Skills for Success learning
Performance Indicators
- Establishes specific learning outcomes for lessons and communicates those to participants
- Provides explicit instruction on component parts and structure of concepts and performance tasks
- Guides the learning process with step-by-step processes, templates, demonstrations and/or models for participants to follow
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of how to break down large and complex concepts into manageable instructional/learning chunks
- Knowledge of models and direct instruction strategies
Competency 2.7Incorporates ongoing formative assessment and feedback to track progress of Skills for Success outcomes
Performance Indicators
- Regularly monitors learning through a variety of formative assessment strategies
- Incorporates frequent opportunities to provide participants with formal and informal feedback on progress
- Uses formative assessment to adapt and align instruction and curriculum with participant levels, interests and goals
- Provides quick and timely formative feedback after and/or during assessment
- Focuses feedback on the specific strengths and areas for growth that have the greatest impact on participant performance
- Incorporates self-assessment and self-reflection activities throughout the training period
- Facilitates participant self-reflection to evaluate progress and set goals for continued improvement
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of formative assessment strategies: e.g., learning observations, discussion, self-reflection, exit-slips, portfolios, quizzes, interviews, questionnaires, student error logs, etc.
- Knowledge of approaches to deliver feedback: e.g., supportive vs. corrective, sandwich approach, behavioural based, etc.
- Knowledge of goalsetting approaches and frameworks: e.g., SMART, BSQ, BHAG, backward goals, one-word goal setting, golden circle, etc.
- Awareness of the ways Skills for Success interconnect and how that affects learning and instruction: e.g., numeracy requires sufficient reading and document use skills; problem-solving ability improves with greater reading and numeracy skills; collaboration requires communication and problem-solving skills
Competency 2.8Supports social-emotional well-being to develop self-regulation skills
Performance Indicators
- Encourages participants to see errors and mistakes as growth opportunities rather than setbacks or failures
- Encourages a growth mindset by praising and commenting on participants’ efforts and processes rather than qualities or traits that reinforce a fixed mindset
- Supports participants with anxiety, trauma and other adverse experiences and behaviours
- Uses interventions to improve participants’ ability to focus, minimize distractions and regulate emotions
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of goal setting approaches and frameworks: e.g., SMART, BSQ, BHAG, backward goals, one-word goal setting, golden circle, etc.
- Knowledge of ways to empathize and support participants with anxiety, trauma and other adverse experiences and behaviours
- Knowledge of outside agencies that support complex participant needs: e.g., trauma, mental health and other adverse experiences
- Knowledge of research and resources related to social-emotional skills and learning, growth mindset, personality and soft skills
- Knowledge of psychological interventions: e.g., mindfulness, acceptance, appraisal/perspective taking-based approaches, box breathing, etc.
Competency 2.9Applies a learner-centred approach to Skills for Success training
Performance Indicators
- Acknowledges and builds upon the prior knowledge and experiences of participants
- Connects learning to participants’ career and personal goals
- Co-creates learning by involving participants in decisions about content, process and assessment where possible
- Respects, accommodates and incorporates individual differences in learners’ backgrounds, interests, abilities, identities and experiences
- Incorporates culturally responsive materials and activities
- Encourages participants to collaborate and learn from each other
- Creates individual learning plans based on participants’ needs and abilities
- Provides instruction and materials to accommodate a variety of participant levels, abilities and interests
- Offers additional supports and resources for participants who are struggling or seeking additional challenge
- Supports participants with learning differences and disabilities to access assistive technologies
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of the theories, principles and approaches of andragogy, including the connection between adult experience, needs, relevancy and motivation
- Knowledge of constructivist learning theory
- Knowledge of learner-centred approaches
- Knowledge of disability and accessibility standards as applicable to community context: e.g., Accessible Canada Act, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Accessibility for Manitobans Act, Nova Scotia Accessibility Act, etc.
- Knowledge of accommodations that support participants with learning differences and disabilities
- Knowledge of assistive technologies for participants with learning differences and disabilities: e.g., screen readers, screen magnifiers, text-to-speech software, etc.
- Knowledge of Indigenous principles of learning, ways of knowing and worldviews
- Knowledge of processes and practices to support the Indigenization of education and curricula
- Knowledge of intercultural competence and culturally relevant and responsive curriculum
3. Teaches Skills for Success Strategies
Competency
Competency 3.1Uses instructional strategies to improve participants’ reading skills
Performance Indicators
- Provides instruction on foundational reading skills and knowledge as required
- Provides instruction on reading strategies to help participants respond systematically to comprehension questions
- Integrates context-specific language and vocabulary-building activities into reading instruction
- Integrates authentic documents into reading activities, including culturally and contextually relevant documents
- Provides instruction on structures, features and purposes of different types of documents
- Provides instruction on strategies for navigating documents through the use of features and structures
- Provides instruction on question structure and determining requested information
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of foundational reading skills and knowledge: e.g. print concepts, letter knowledge, phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition, etc.
- Knowledge of reading strategies: e.g., 4-Step Question Strategy, SQ3R Method, close reading, KWL charts, GIST summary, etc.
- Knowledge of vocabulary building strategies: e.g., use of context clues, word clusters, word walls, mnemonics, glossaries, visual associations, flash cards, etc.
- Knowledge of different document types: e.g., lists, tables, entry forms, manuals, policies, procedures, diagrams, flowcharts, symbols, regulations, codes, etc.
- Knowledge of document features and structures: e.g., headings, subheadings, numbering systems, bullets, bolding, colour, etc.
- Knowledge of document purposes: e.g., to inform, instruct, explain, describe, analyze, persuade, entertain, etc.
- Knowledge of intercultural competence and culturally relevant and responsive curriculum
- Knowledge of Kirsch Mosenthal Taxonomy and Question Structure Theory: e.g., Type of Requested Information (TORI), Type of Match (TOM), Type of Processing (TOP) and Competing Information (CI)
- Knowledge of reading instructional techniques, academic research on teaching reading, and reading teaching and learning materials
Competency 3.2Uses instructional strategies to improve participants’ numeracy skills
Performance Indicators
- Provides instruction on math operations
- Provides instruction on problem-solving strategies to help participants solve numeracy tasks systematically
- Provides participants with opportunities to use different numeracy approaches and strategies and to explain their reasoning
- Provides instruction on the language of numeracy
- Incorporates concrete, visual and hands-on activities to develop participants’ understanding of numeracy concepts
- Provides participants with opportunities to reflect on their prior learning in numeracy and connect it to new concepts
- Recognizes, assesses and addresses participants’ diverse and potentially negative experiences, beliefs and emotions towards numeracy that may interfere with learning
- Integrates authentic documents into numeracy activities, including culturally and contextually relevant documents
- Provides instruction on strategies for navigating documents through the use of features and structures
- Provides instruction on the structure, features and purposes of different types of documents
- Provides instruction on question structure and determining requested information
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of basic math operations: e.g., whole numbers, ratios, proportions, percent, geometry, simple and complex correlation
- Knowledge of numeracy problem-solving strategies: e.g., identification of requested and given information, use of the 5-Step Question Strategy, CUBES, RUNS, UPS Check, etc.
- Knowledge of multiple methods to calculate an answer
- Knowledge of numeracy language: e.g., ‘total’ means addition and ‘difference’ means subtract
- Knowledge of numeracy visual representations, manipulatives and hands-on tasks: e.g., tape measures, base ten blocks, fraction circles and tiles, Cuisenaire rods, place value blocks, algebra tiles, etc.
- Knowledge of math anxiety
- Knowledge of ways to empathize and support participants who are displaying anxious, struggling or challenging behaviours
- Knowledge of different document types: e.g., lists, tables, entry forms, manuals, policies, procedures, diagrams, flowcharts, symbols, regulations, codes, etc.
- Knowledge of document features and structures: e.g., headings, subheadings, numbering systems, bullets, bolding, colour, etc.
- Knowledge of document purposes: e.g., to inform, instruct, explain, describe, analyze, persuade, entertain, etc.
- Knowledge of intercultural competence and culturally relevant and responsive curriculum
- Knowledge of Kirsch Mosenthal Taxonomy and Question Structure Theory: e.g., Type of Requested Information (TORI), Type of Match (TOM), Type of Processing (TOP) and Competing Information (CI)
- Knowledge of numeracy instructional techniques, academic research on teaching numeracy, and numeracy teaching and learning materials
Competency 3.3Uses instructional strategies to improve participants’ writing skills
Performance Indicators
- Provides instruction on elements of writing
- Provides instruction on the relationship between audience, tone and formality
- Provides instruction on organizational strategies to help participants approach writing tasks systematically
- Provides instruction on strategies for pre-writing and generating ideas, such as brainstorming and discussion
- Provides instruction on strategies for gathering and integrating information from one or more sources into writing content
- Provides instruction on strategies for editing, revising and proofreading
- Integrates context-specific language and vocabulary-building activities into writing instruction
- Integrates authentic documents into writing activities, including culturally and contextually relevant documents
- Provides instruction on structures, features and purposes of different types of documents
- Provides instruction on strategies for navigating documents through the use of features and structures
- Provides instruction on question structure and determining requested information
- Integrates collaboration, communication and digital skills into writing tasks to help participants generate ideas, peer edit, revise writing and share knowledge
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of basic elements of writing: e.g., length, purpose, style, structure, organization, content, audience, etc.
- Knowledge of purposes of writing: e.g., to inform, organize, remind, explain, request, express opinion, give directions, compare, contrast, make recommendations, evaluate, critique, persuade, etc.
- Knowledge of elements of style: e.g., informal, formal, mood, tone, etc.
- Knowledge of organizational strategies: e.g., graphic organizers, paragraph outline, writing process, etc.
- Knowledge of vocabulary building strategies: e.g., use of context clues, word clusters, word walls, mnemonics, glossaries, visual associations, flash cards, etc.
- Knowledge of different document types: e.g., lists, tables, entry forms, manuals, policies, procedures, diagrams, flowcharts, symbols, regulations, codes, etc.
- Knowledge of document features and structures: e.g., headings, subheadings, numbering systems, bullets, bolding, colour, etc.
- Knowledge of document purposes: e.g., to inform, instruct, explain, describe, analyze, persuade, entertain, etc.
- Knowledge of intercultural competence and culturally relevant and responsive curriculum
- Knowledge of Kirsch Mosenthal Taxonomy and Question Structure Theory: e.g., Type of Requested Information (TORI), Type of Match (TOM), Type of Processing (TOP) and Competing Information (CI)
- Knowledge of writing instructional techniques, academic research on teaching writing, and writing teaching and learning materials
Competency 3.4Uses instructional strategies to improve participants’ creativity and innovation skills
Performance Indicators
- Uses conceptual model(s) to help participants work systematically with information in creativity-based tasks
- Creates open-ended, creativity-based tasks to prevent from leading participants’ thinking towards a pre-determined path
- Integrates discussion, brainstorming and collaboration into creativity and innovation activities
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of conceptual models of creativity: e.g., Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem Solving (CPS) model, Kaufman & Beghetto Four-C model, etc.
- Knowledge of skills related to creative and innovative thinking: e.g., critical thinking, divergent thinking, convergent thinking, constraint identification, analogies, problem solving, conceptual combination, idea generation, abstract thinking, intercultural competence, etc.
- Knowledge of active learning strategies: e.g. case study, problem-based learning, project-based learning, etc.
- Knowledge of team dynamics
- Knowledge of creativity instructional techniques, academic research on teaching creativity, and creativity teaching and learning materials
Competency 3.5Uses instructional strategies to improve participants’ collaboration skills
Performance Indicators
- Provides explicit instruction on collaboration skills
- Provides instruction on strategies for analyzing the context and procedure of collaboration tasks
- Creates challenging collaboration tasks that encourage diverse perspectives and outcomes
- Structures group interactions to encourage participation and individual accountability
- Incorporates activities to develop trust and psychological safety in team environments
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of collaboration skills: e.g., group listening skills, appropriate disagreement, conflict resolution, collaboration strategies, negotiation, etc.
- Knowledge of the difference between collaboration, teamwork, cooperative learning, group work, parallel work, etc.
- Knowledge of the effect of group structure on participation and accountability: e.g., size of groups, role assignment, homogeneous versus heterogeneous skill groupings, etc.
- Awareness of the influence of culture on collaboration
- Knowledge of role assignment in collaboration tasks: e.g., elaborator, clarifier, etc.
- Knowledge of personality and behaviour assessments to support understanding self and others: e.g., Myers-Brigs, DISC assessment, PDA Behavioural assessment, etc.
- Knowledge of the principles of team cognition and team dynamics
- Knowledge of strategies to increase psychological safety designed to improve teamwork and collaboration: e.g., approach conflict as a collaborator, recognize the emotions/feelings of others, anticipate team member reactions to feedback, avoid blaming, etc.
- Knowledge of collaboration instructional techniques, academic research on teaching collaboration, and collaboration teaching and learning materials
Competency 3.6Uses instructional strategies to improve participants’ problem-solving skills
Performance Indicators
- Provides explicit instruction on the basic elements and procedures of problem solving
- Uses problem-solving models that provide systematic processes for participants to follow
- Provides instruction on cognitive biases and how they can hamper successful problem solving
- Provides instruction on research methods and determining relevancy of information
- Provides instruction on thinking strategies to choose the best course of action and evaluate its effectiveness
- Provides participants with sufficient time to work through problem-solving steps and find their own solutions
- Intervenes in problem-solving activities to provide structured guidance, feedback and questions, rather than leaving participants solely to the discovery method
- Debriefs the process and results of problem-solving to model critical thinking processes and encourage participant reflection
- Provides opportunities for participants to compare each other’s work and critique alternative problem-solving strategies
- Integrates discussion, brainstorming and collaboration into problem-solving activities
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of problem-solving elements and procedures: e.g., identifying the issue, gathering information, analyzing the issue, considering multiple routes of action, addressing the issue, and evaluating the effectiveness of the solution or decision, etc.
- Knowledge of different problem-solving models: e.g., IDEALS, the 5 Whys, PROACT, etc.
- Knowledge of cognitive biases: e.g., confirmation bias, fundamental attribution, bias blind spot, pre-conceptions, habits, etc.
- Knowledge of thinking strategies to choose the best course of action: e.g., logical thinking, if-then thinking, etc.
- Knowledge of problem, inquiry and project-based learning
- Knowledge of feedback and intervention strategies in group activities
- Knowledge of question strategies and Bloom’s Taxonomy
- Knowledge of problem-solving instructional techniques, academic research on teaching problem-solving, and problem-solving teaching and learning materials
Competency 3.7Uses instructional strategies to improve participants’ adaptability skills
Performance Indicators
- Uses adaptability training models to guide instruction
- Uses frameworks to teach participants how to manage goals and time
- Provides instruction on adaptive thinking strategies to build resilience and positivity in the face of change
- Provides constructive feedback to encourage adaptability
- Encourages a growth mindset by praising and commenting on participants’ efforts and processes rather than qualities or traits that reinforce a fixed mindset
- Encourages participants to see errors and mistakes as growth opportunities rather than setbacks or failures
- Uses interventions to improve participants’ ability to focus, minimize distractions and regulate emotions
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of adaptability training models: e.g., experiential variety, strategic information provision and frame-changing guidance, error management training, and perspective taking
- Knowledge of goal-setting approaches and frameworks: e.g., SMART, BSQ, BHAG, backward goals, one-word goal setting, golden circle, etc.
- Knowledge of approaches to time management: e.g., Kanban, Pomodoro, time blocking, Getting Things Done (GTD), Bullet Journal, 1-3-5 List, Parkinson’s Law of Time Management, etc.
- Knowledge of adaptive thinking strategies: e.g., reframing (finding the “silver lining”), replacing (finding something to replace a loss) and reinventing (finding new ways to do things)
- Knowledge of constructive feedback techniques: e.g., providing comments instead of marks and having participants use feedback to make changes to their work
- Knowledge of growth mindset and self-directed learning
- Knowledge of the research on personality trait change
- Knowledge of psychological interventions: e.g., mindfulness, acceptance, appraisal/perspective taking-based approaches, box breathing, etc.
- Knowledge of adaptability instructional techniques, academic research on teaching adaptability, and adaptability teaching and learning materials
Competency 3.8Uses instructional strategies to improve participants’ communication skills
Performance Indicators
- Provides instruction on strategies to reduce public-speaking anxiety
- Provides instruction on techniques to improve active listening skills
- Provides instruction on intercultural communication skills
- Incorporates role-play and simulation-based communication tasks
- Presents expert and peer models of successful communication performance
- Provides instruction on non-verbal aspects of communication
- Creates learning tasks that require participants to consider their own and others’ perspectives, biases, purposes and intentions
- Provides instruction on adapting communication approaches to different contexts depending on the needs, preferences, interests, abilities, cultures and relationships with training partners
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of public-speaking anxiety and strategies to reduce it: e.g., relaxation techniques, cognitive reappraisal techniques and training to improve public-speaking skills to boost confidence
- Knowledge of active listening techniques: e.g., paraphrasing, verbalizing emotions, summarizing, clarifying, encouraging/prompting and asking questions
- Knowledge of intercultural communication skills
- Knowledge of action methods to enhance role-play in problem-based learning: e.g., warmups, role-creation, doubling, role-reversal and sharing
- Knowledge of non-verbal aspects of communication: e.g., tone of voice, facial expression, body language, etc.
- Knowledge of the role of conscious and unconscious bias in communication
- Knowledge of communication instructional techniques, academic research on teaching communication, and communication teaching and learning materials
Competency 3.9Uses instructional strategies to improve participants’ digital skills
Performance Indicators
- Provides instruction on the technical “how to” of digital tasks and the contextual “when” and “why” to foster participant transfer of learning to new digital technologies
- Differentiates instruction and curriculum to address participants’ different learning needs and starting points
- Addresses the needs of participants with low confidence in their digital skills
- Provides instruction on basic functions and terminology of digital devices
- Provides instruction on strategies for navigating digital content through the use of features and structures
- Provides instruction on strategies to evaluate the relevance and reliability of digital information
- Provides instruction on digital safety, storage, privacy, protection and ethics
- Supports participants with learning differences and disabilities to access assistive technologies
Supporting Knowledge
- Knowledge of current and emerging technologies and digital skills: e.g., digital and mobile applications, online communication and social media platforms, learning management systems, etc.
- Knowledge of differentiated instruction methods: e.g., flexible learning groups, choice in learning tasks, varied content presentation, differently leveled materials, etc.
- Ability to empathize and support participants who are displaying anxious, struggling or challenging behaviours: e.g., through the provision of one-to-one support, positive feedback, appropriate staging of difficulty, early direct instruction to ensure participants succeed and build confidence, a welcoming learning climate with adequate resources, a sense of community amongst participants, etc.
- Knowledge of assistive technologies for participants with learning differences and disabilities: e.g., screen readers, screen magnifiers, text-to-speech software, etc.
- Knowledge of digital skills instructional techniques, academic research on teaching digital skills, and digital skills teaching and learning materials