Part 2:

1. Brainstorm with participants the work-related tasks that would involve using Essential Skills. The facilitator should create a chart similar to the one below.

   Skills	Tasks
   Reading Text
   Document Use
   Numeracy
   Writing
   Oral Communication
   Working with Others
   Continuous Learning
   Thinking Skills
   Computer Use

2. The facilitator can record task examples next to the related skills. I would suggest using a different coloured marker or chalk when recording to show the difference between tasks and skills. Compare participants’ responses to the task examples given for these skills in the responses to the Identifying Essential Skills for Work Chart (on the next page). If responses are similar, use the handout as is for the next part of the activity. If responses are too different, you may want to adapt this handout using the blank chart provided and/or create your own.
3. Participants will then complete their own Identifying Essential Skills for Work chart based on their own experiences and examples. Some of these may be the same as the tasks that were already recorded.
4. When participants have completed their chart, instruct them to review the tasks in each skill area. Put a check under “yes”, if they have already acquired these tasks. Put a check under “no”, if the task is yet to be developed under that skill.
5. For every task that was checked with a “yes”, participants will need to give an example of when, where, and how they used this.
6. After participants have completed their Identifying Essential Skills for Work chart, instruct them to now review their charts to focus on three tasks that require more effort or learning.
7. Ask participants to use the Learning More Essential Skills Chart (see handout) to develop their own plan for when and how these tasks can be learned.
8. Facilitators may want to include a follow-up to this activity to check the participants’ progress.