Are you stumped for ideas on how you can incorporate career education into your classroom? Through my personal experience, I have discovered that it is very easy to connect career-related activities to an ELA curriculum. In addition, it is relevant to each student and a great way for them to explore their interests during middle and high school.
1. HOLD MOCK INTERVIEWS WITH YOUR STUDENTS
In English class, speaking is one skill that should be explored. Believe it or not, students tend to take this activity quite seriously. After reviewing what a 'good' and 'bad' interview might look like, using this Mock Interview Activity, I can begin completing interviews with my students. Sometimes, if you have enough classroom support, you can complete these in a separate room (so it feels more like an actual interview!)
2. EXPLORE INTERESTS THROUGH WRITING PROMPTS
Nobody understands time like a teacher. There is only so much time that we can spend on certain things, so the more efficiently we can plan things, the better! For those teachers who may be short on time, but want to incorporate career exploration into their classroom, try using career-related bell-ringers to start your day! You could do this once a week, daily for a few weeks, or even sporadically throughout a semester.
In situations where I was short on time, I used these Bell-Ringer Career Exploration Prompts with my students. You can either project the prompts on a SmartBoard for students, print out the prompts in a journal-style format, or use the prompts in stations (if you would like to keep your students moving!) They are a win-win for students and English teachers. Students will have an opportunity to think critically about their interests and potential career choices and teachers can evaluate writing skills and teamwork.
3. LEARN MORE ABOUT POSSIBLE CAREERS THROUGH DISCUSSION
An easy way to get your students thinking about what types of jobs or careers that are both best-suited to them and readily available, are through the use of discussion prompts. You can prompt your students by sharing these 10 questions with them and seeing where the discussion takes them!
- What would be the worst type of job?
- What would be the best type of job?
- What are your strengths?
- What are you weaknesses?
- What is the difference between a salary and a commission?
- What types of jobs or careers have salaries?
- What is your most valuable skill or talent?
- What are your short-term goals?
- What are your long-term goals?
- If you could have any job in the world, what would it be and why?
4. EXPLORE INTERESTS THROUGH RESEARCH
I created this one-page Dream Job Worksheet, so that you can begin exploring careers in your classroom TODAY! This print-and-go activity is an effective way to begin some preliminary research on a job or career of interest.
The 14 questions on the worksheet will prompt students to select any job or career, so that they can begin to formulate whether or not that job is a suitable fit for them or not.
This is an easy way to incorporate career exploration into your English Language Arts classroom. Click HERE to access your copy!
5. GET INTERACTIVE WITH CAREER-RELATED CONTENT
One of my favorite ways to incorporate career exploration into my ELA classroom is using this Career Exploration Bingo Activity. Students can explore some fun, new careers (some that they may have never even known existed!)
I am hoping that you found some useful ways to incorporate career exploration into your classroom. It's never too early or too late to do so!
Here is another great resource to take a look at:
