Communication and literacy skills are a top priority for most schools and districts, typically written into the strategic plan as key performance indicators and often under the umbrella of college and career readiness. Many schools and districts are establishing their profile of a graduate with communication and literacy listed together or separate as measures of success. In some cases, students have to demonstrate that they met a standard for graduation, tracked by seals, badges, certifications, and credentials. 

On top of communication and literacy skills, many districts are moving to an academy or pathway model where students take coursework related to a career field of interest–in either career and technical programs or traditional academic sequencing. There are a number of benefits to creating and tracking career pathways, and one important outcome is that students learn the industry-based language in their selected focus area. Just like the importance of academic vocabulary, students can acquire industry-based vocabulary in the context of how it’s used in the field. In this blog, we outline a few ways that schools can be intentional about industry-based language and literacy rather than leaving it to chance or assuming it will happen on its own. 

Industry-Based Reading and Writing

In courses and advisory periods, students who have selected career interests or enrolled in pathways can be directed to explore related careers and the skills necessary to be successful within them. This is a good place to start in terms of becoming familiar with the language used in a field. Along with readings and resources, students can be prompted to set goals, write journal entries, and reflect on their findings. They should use the industry-based vocabulary that they’re learning from the materials so that they become more fluent in the words, phrases, and technical jargon that people in that field use at work. For example, a student who is reading about what a nurse practitioner does from day-to-day will come across words such as acute and chronic. As these words are used in the context of the field, students should be assigned activities where they also use the words both verbally in presentation and written through journals and reflection. The more the students use the language, the more they become “expert” in it, as Dr. Sandra Adams puts it in her work on industry-based fluency. 

Guest Speakers

Inviting guest speakers into the school or classroom and doing so based on students’ particular career interests is a great way for them to listen to what people do at work in that field. Guest speakers offer a wide range of benefits that all students gain when they get to hear from an industry professional, but when that professional is in a specific role that is aligned to a group of students’ interests (collected through surveys and assessments), they can also be prompted to listen for the use of industry-based vocabulary. Doing activities with the words and phrases that they collect is a way to build their vocabulary and understanding of the technical language that they’ll need to use in the future–possibly during a work-based learning placement but in other cases like job interviews, internships, and college programs. For example, students who are studying in a legal pathway or interested in careers in law, might be invited to an event where the guest speaker is a former judge. Listening to how, when, and why the judge uses certain words and phrases helps students gain a better understanding of how people in that career field describe their work and the necessary language that goes with it.   

Virtual and Simulated Practice

With new and emerging technologies, students can actually experience briefings, simulations, industry-related projects, and more as they either prepare for on-site placements or gain experience through virtual internships with real industry partners. Online modules typically promote the use of work-based vocabulary as students learn to read and understand industry language and even company-specific terms and expressions. When students are given problems to solve, reports to write, and presentations to make, they become much more articulate and expressive in their field of study. For example, a student or group of students might be presented with an industry-based problem, sourced from a real company, and asked to create a solution. In whatever format they present their solution, communication and the use of industry language should be one of the criteria for success. When students know upfront that this is one of the learning intentions, they can be sure to include the most relevant words and phrases from the field.  

Immersion Experiences

One of the most important culminating experiences for students when it comes to college and career readiness is to actually spend time on the job through work-based learning, internships, and other placements. Just like any other language immersion program, these opportunities provide students with the space and time to practice what they’ve learned in their pathway, including the use of the associated industry-based language. These experiences often set students apart when applying for college in related degree programs and when applying to jobs either right out of high school or after college graduation. Adding the experiences to a portfolio or resume and writing about them in college essays makes a big difference in terms of demonstrating the skills they acquired and their ability to talk-the-talk rather than just aspiring to do so in the future. 

If you want to see a platform that is helping students with the items discussed above, including career exploration, event scheduling, virtual internships, and more, schedule a demo with your state’s representative at Maia today. Let us know what you’re most interested in hearing about.