Workplace Skills Rationale
Workplace Skills Standard 1
Workplace Skills Standard 2
Workplace Skills Standard 3
Workplace Skills Standard 4
Workplace Skills Standard 5
Workplace Skills Standard 6
Workplace Skills Standard 7
Workplace Skills Standard 8

Arizona Standards

Workplace Skills Standards
 (Adopted 3/24/97)

Standard 1

Students use principles of effective oral, written and listening communication skills to make decisions and solve workplace problems.

Students know and are able to do the following:

READINESS (Kindergarten)

  • Follow simple directions
  • Relate a personal experience or other information in proper sequence
  • Speak in complete sentences

FOUNDATIONS (Grades 1-3)

  • Describe how the five senses are used in communications
  • Respond to oral presentations by formulating relevant questions and opinions and summarizing accurately 
  • Apply critical listening skills (e.g., listening for content, long-term contexts, emotional meaning, following directions)
  • Listening to an oral presentation, evaluate, and express an opinion orally 
  • Share ideas, opinions and information with a group, choosing vocabulary that communicates their messages clearly, precisely and effectively 
  • Write communications that have a definite audience and clear purpose, are well organized, and use appropriate conjunctions and transition words to tie ideas together 
  • Determine the main idea or essential message of a text

ESSENTIALS (Grades 4-8)

  • Deliver a speech clearly, with expression and in an organized fashion, making eye contact with the audience, and convey the message through non-verbal as well as verbal communications
  • Describe communications practices used with sensory-impaired individuals 
  • Demonstrate correct grammar and punctuation in writing 
  • Respond to oral and written presentations by formulating relevant feedback, expressing opinions, discerning the main idea and distinguishing fact from opinion 
  • Interpret, clarify, and evaluate a presenter's point of view 
  • Speak in a content area (e.g., science, social studies, literature), using vocabulary of the subject accurately; locate and interpret information in documents such as manuals, graphs and schedules 
  • Identify the relevant details and facts of written material 
  • Write formal communications that have a definite audience and clear purpose; contain no gaps, omissions or assumptions which impede comprehension; and follow the proper form whether it be a personal or business letter, message, memo, manual directions or applications

PROFICIENCY (Grades 9-12)

  • Exhibit interviewing skills (e.g., responding effectively to questions; using language that conveys maturity, sensitivity and respect; dressing appropriately; and using appropriate body language)  
  • Respond to verbal and nonverbal messages in ways that demonstrate understanding 
  • Communicate a clear message and respond to listener feedback as needed 
  • Participate in conversation, discussion and/or group presentations using verbal and nonverbal communication with appropriate style and tone for the audience and occasion 
  • Maintain records and information completely and accurately 
  • Create documents (e.g., letters, memos, manuals, graphs, flowcharts, directions, reports, proposals) that are clear; appropriate to the audience, subject matter and purpose; and exhibit the writer's use of correct grammar, spelling and punctuation 
  • Respond to informal and formal speeches using illustrations, statistics, comparisons and analogies to critique the effectiveness of presentations 
  • Synthesize and summarize information from reading material, clearly and succinctly articulating its major points and proposals 
  • Infer or locate the meaning of unknown or technical vocabulary 
  • Judge the accuracy, appropriateness, style and plausibility of reports, proposals and/or theories; and convey information in various specialized fields such as scientific, technical and business in written form appropriate to the audience and effectively edited to reflect a solid knowledge of grammar, mechanics and vocabulary

DISTINCTION (Honors)

  • Deliver a polished or impromptu speech that is organized and well suited to the audience, using effective body language and voice inflection to clarify and defend positions
  • Conduct a thoughtful interview, taking appropriate notes and summarizing the information learned
  • Use clear, concise and cogent language when presenting analytical responses to workplace literature, conveying technical information, and explaining complex concepts and procedures
  • Plan and produce an effective visual technical report or display
  • Draw conclusions and make predictions from technical information and data
  • Identify a problem, conduct research, and summarize the findings and solutions, using sources such as technical journals and government publications to support the original thesis
  • Express and defend their points of view by formulating sound, rational arguments and applying the art of persuasion and debate