What are the skill sets in the job description or the project?
Your assessment of the project or of the job training responsibilities is crucial. If at all possible, review the job duties by visiting the site, talking with the supervisor and co-workers, and determining relative amounts of time in which the employee or volunteer will engage in each duty. Discussion with supervisors and co-workers about frequency of specific tasks, duration of tasks, as well as times of day for specific tasks is crucial to assuring a productive work day and a well-designed schedule that will meet supervisor needs and keep the student active.
It is strongly suggested that you devise a clear list of the duties that appear to be within the student’s immediate abilities (can be taught within a few repetitions or practices) vs. duties that will require more training. Consider initially presenting the graphic organizer to show the student the various tasks in the job. Creating this dual list of strengths vs. teachable jobs can assist the success of the project or job match. The list can also be used as a starting point to negotiate the responsibilities that fit the project or supervisor’s needs for a specific quantity and quality of work while also fitting the student.
Look at the general sequence of tasks in the setting. You may be negotiating a part-time job for the student at times that the supervisor needs specific tasks done that are within the student’s present ability. Is it possible to set up several tasks in a routine that can be fairly consistent each day?
After listing the skills in the proposed job description, what are the steps that comprise each skill? How can you break each skill down?
It is often critical to not only observe the skill in that setting but to also go through the steps of the job yourself and list the steps. Listing the steps of a task allows you to identify the potential trouble spots and to develop visual supports that will support student independence. Doing this before expecting the student to perform the skill or task will prevent student, supervisor, and instructor frustration and potential failure.
The instructor may feel like she does not have time to do this. Not doing so leads to failed work experiences. If your goal is positive post-school outcomes, find a way to at least make the task analysis before expecting the student to perform it.
Review the task analysis and assure that the student can perform approximately 80% of the tasks. There may be steps that will be very difficult. Can these problematic steps be carried out by others in the setting? You may need to adjust the sequence to assure that the student produces a high quality and quantity of work according to the standards of the supervisor. If it is a volunteer project, is there more flexibility in what the student will do?
For instance, the student may be involved in a volunteer house-building project. The advantage of this work is the variety of skilled and unskilled options available. You may target only less complex skills at first, such as moving materials, painting, or possibly mixing and pouring concrete. Or the student may be capable of more complex measuring and detail work. Initially, this student may be comfortable with all the steps of written instructions for disconnecting power, obtaining needed tools and materials for 4 outlet installations, completing all installations, obtaining tools and materials for 4 sockets, completing those installations, reporting back to supervisor to turn power on, then using a meter to test output in each socket and outlet. However, his ability to follow a blueprint to run wire as illustrated is not yet an independent skill. Can the supervisor or coach set up markers or cues so that he knows where to run wire and to staple it to joists as laid out? Are there other maintenance tasks that can be added to his responsibilities in order to address the project director’s need for a certain amount of work?
What sub-skill should you target first for the student to initiate? Given what the student can do presently, how will you present the task so that the student can perform steps within his capacity while learning a new step?
In general, after you complete a task analysis of a task or skill, consider how many of the steps the student can perform independently. If the student can perform most (preferably 80%) of the steps without direct assistance, you have a good task for the student in the job. You will want to identify the visual supports that will assist him with the difficult steps as well as the sequence of steps. Generally, teach the steps of the task in sequence to build a routine while prompting the student to use the visual supports that will assist those difficult steps.
