Curriculum and instruction in high-quality IET programs are contextualized and relevant for students’ workforce-related objectives. Resources in this section support curriculum development and instructional strategies, including application and/or integration of the three required elements of IET design (i.e., workforce preparation, workforce training, adult education and literacy activities) and alignment with industry.
The first section of this page provides a listing of core elements of curriculum and instruction development and delivery; it includes non-instructional resources that provide guidance in this process. The second section of this page provides industry- and workplace-specific instructional resources that can be leveraged as you design your IET curriculum.
Non-Instructional Resources
Incorporating Core Components
The resources in Incorporating Core Components support high-quality instruction that integrates the three required elements: adult education and literacy, workforce preparation, and workforce training.
Developing Basic Skills Curriculum for IET
Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy (ISAL), Pennsylvania State University (2017)
The resource provides templates, guidance, and tools that will help practitioners plan, design, and implement the basic skills component of an IET curriculum. The resource is designed to enable Title II providers and their training partners to adapt existing curriculum and/or develop new basic skills curriculum to help adult education students successfully complete occupational skills training and move forward on a career path. The focus of this guide is on curriculum for basic skills training, not occupational skills training.
CALPRO/CASAS IET Webinar: Introduction to Designing a Single Set of Learning Objectives (and Associated Worksheet)
CALPRO (2019)
This webinar recording provides adult basic education professionals an overview of IET through the lens of Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) in California. The video also provides support for the process of creating a single set of learning objectives (SSLO) for IET or IELCE. This resource also includes an associated worksheet to support developing an SSLO.
Minnesota Adult Education Professional Development YouTube Channel
Minnesota Adult Education and ATLAS (2018)
This YouTube channel includes multiple videos focused on IET programming, including IET course and objectives design (with an emphasis on developing a single set of learning objectives) and fostering employer and regional collaboration for adult career pathways.
Writing Quality Integrated Learning Outcomes
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
This resource outlines a collaborative planning process for developing integrated learning outcomes and assessment for an Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) program. While specific to I-BEST, the steps outlined can be applied to the process of developing a single set of learning objectives for IET instruction.
Integrating Curriculum: Lessons for Adult Education from Career and Technical Education
MPR Associates, Inc. (2010)
This report examines integrated curriculum as a strategy that has been implemented in career and technical education programs in high schools and holds promise for preparing students for career advancement and training or postsecondary education.
Wisconsin Roadmap to IET
The Wisconsin Technical College System
The website provides background, guidance, and strategies for creating an IET program, integrating basic skills, and building workforce readiness into curriculum and instruction, along with links to a number of helpful resources for designing curriculum and instruction.
Industry Input
The resources in Industry Input support the knowledge, skills, and credentials required for employment in the sector, as identified by industry and employer experts.
Career Pathways Toolkit: An Enhanced Guide and Workbook for System Development
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Manhattan Strategy Group (2016)
The Career Pathways Toolkit includes writeable worksheets that can help state and program teams develop, maintain, and enhance career pathways systems and programs. Element 3 provides detailed guidance on leveraging industry input in designing IET curriculum.
Authentic Alignment/Credentials
The resources in Authentic Alignment/Credentials support connection to real-world work situations and responsiveness to industry needs.
Future Skills Update and Literature Review
Institute for the Future (2016)
This paper explores the work skills that will be needed in the future and the ways in which educational institutions will need to more fully integrate them into workforce training.
Differing Types of Workplace Credentials
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) (2020)
This video explains the differences between certificates, certifications, degrees, and licenses. Understanding and correctly using workplace credential terminology will enhance communication with students, employers, workforce agencies, and community partners. Connected to this resource is a corresponding How do credentials differ? that also explains the differences between the four types of credentials.
Instructional Resources
The resources within this section can be used to support the development of IET curriculum. While most of these examples are not specifically designed for IET programming, they all provide industry-specific content and/or contextualized skill development aligned with the core components that support quality IET instruction.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing Contextualized Bridge Curriculum
Illinois Community College Board (2013)
This bridge curriculum includes a set of modules that include career awareness and academic skills contextualized to the manufacturing industry. The materials are appropriate for incorporation into an IET program or for supporting a bridge course, and they combine the three core components of IET instruction. The curriculum introduces key concepts and terminology as they are integrated into basic skills instruction.
Manufacturing Bridge Semester 1 Lesson Plans for Reading & Writing
City Colleges of Chicago and Women Employed (2018)
This comprehensive bridge curriculum includes 16 lessons designed to improve the basic reading and writing skills of adult basic education students at the sixth- to eighth-grade literacy level or above. Each lesson incorporates key manufacturing issues that are relevant to their lives and the manufacturing field.
Manufacturing Bridge Semester 2 Lesson Plans for Reading & Writing
City Colleges of Chicago and Women Employed (2018)
This comprehensive bridge curriculum includes 16 lessons designed to improve the basic reading and writing skills of adult secondary education students at the ninth-grade literacy level or above. Each lesson incorporates key manufacturing issues that are relevant to their lives and the manufacturing field.
English for Factory Workers
College of Southern Idaho (2014)
This resource includes instructor and student materials and was designed to improve the language skills of employees in the food processing industry. However, it is applicable across a wide variety of manufacturing industries and is also useful as a general introductory ESL training course. The curriculum includes a needs analysis, pre- and post-tests, and eight ESL modules that focus on improving workplace English communication and understanding.
Health Sciences
Healthcare Contextualized Bridge Curriculum
Illinois Community College Board (2013)
This bridge curriculum includes a set of modules that include career awareness and academic skills contextualized to the healthcare industry. The materials are appropriate for incorporation into an IET program or for supporting a bridge course, and they combine the three core components of IET instruction. The curriculum introduces key concepts and terminology as they are integrated into basic skills instruction.
Healthcare Bridge Semester 1 Lesson Plans for Reading & Writing
City Colleges of Chicago and Women Employed (2017)
This comprehensive bridge curriculum includes 16 lessons designed to improve the basic reading and writing skills of adult basic education students at the sixth- to eighth-grade literacy level or above. Each lesson incorporates key healthcare industry issues that are relevant to their lives and the healthcare field.
Healthcare Bridge Semester 2 Lesson Plans for Reading & Writing
City Colleges of Chicago and Women Employed (2018)
This comprehensive bridge curriculum includes 16 lessons designed to improve the basic reading and writing skills of adult basic education students at the sixth- to eighth-grade literacy level or above. Each lesson incorporates key healthcare industry issues that are relevant to their lives and the healthcare field.
Skills for the Nursing Assistant
USA Learns (2008)
The Skills for the Nursing Assistant course teaches contextualized English and targeted academic skills for students aiming to work in a hospital setting. Learners simultaneously study contextualized English vocabulary and grammar while preparing for academic studies for careers in allied health programs. Students also practice job-related skills, such as how to safely complete all the steps involved in ambulating (walking) a patient. This course is ideal for students with English skills that are high intermediate and above and can help individuals prepare for a career as a Certified Nursing Assistant or for other jobs in health care. Note: The resource is free for learners and instructors but requires creating an account to access the materials and lessons.
Health Careers: A Guide to Finding Entry-Level Jobs in Health Care
Florida Literacy Coalition (2017)
Resource for adult learners interested in exploring the wide range of career opportunities in health care. Written in plain language, the guide is suitable for learners at a fifth-grade reading level or higher as well as for English language learners at an intermediate level or higher. The guide focuses on careers requiring two years or less of training. It can be used as a curriculum or a stand-alone resource for students. In addition to providing job skill and training resources, the guide highlights 30 health occupations in four areas: (1) patient care, (2) imaging and diagnostics, (3) administration and support services, and (4) health information and records.
Reading Skills for Health Care Workers
Southwest Adult Basic Education (2015)
This is a free online career pathway literacy library of reading selections with CNA and general health care content. The resource contains 175 reading selections for intermediate-level readers, all focused on health care–related scenarios and written by licensed language arts/ESL teachers, most with pre-CNA teaching and course development experience. Each selection includes an audio recording playable in three speeds to support fluency development. Each also has printable PDF handouts of reading passages that include comprehension questions and vocabulary development, with an emphasis on content and high-utility academic vocabulary.
Bridge to Healthcare Careers: PreCNA/PCA/CFSS Outline of Lesson Content
Originally created by Brigid Erickson; adapted by Reneé Kostner (May 2021) and Mary Grady-Elsenheimer (January 2022)
This curriculum is designed to prepare adult students for the Minnesota Personal Care Assistant (PCA) and Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) certification exams and to prepare students for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification course to become a resident care assistant at a memory care/assisted living facility.
Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics
Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics (TDL) Contextualized Bridge Curriculum
Illinois Community College Board (2012)
This bridge curriculum includes a set of modules that include career awareness and academic skills contextualized to the transportation, distribution and logistics industry. The materials are appropriate for incorporation into an IET program or for supporting a bridge course, and they combine the three core components of IET instruction. The curriculum introduces key concepts and terminology as they are integrated into basic skills instruction.
Lesson Plans for Reading & Writing in the Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics Career Bridge 1
City Colleges of Chicago and Women Employed (2017)
This comprehensive bridge curriculum includes 16 lessons designed to improve the basic reading and writing skills of adult basic education students at the sixth- to eighth-grade literacy level or above. Each lesson incorporates key TDL issues that are relevant to their lives and the TDL field.
Transportation, Distribution, & Logistics Bridge Semester 2 Lesson Plans for Reading & Writing
City Colleges of Chicago and Women Employed (2019)
This comprehensive bridge curriculum includes 16 lessons designed to improve the basic reading and writing skills of adult secondary education students at the ninth-grade literacy level or above. Each lesson incorporates key TDL issues that are relevant to their lives and the TDL field.
CDL Curriculum (Full Curriculum)
St. Paul (Minnesota) Adult Basic Education (2011)
(Note: This is a DropBox link which may be blocked by your agency/organization.)
The Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) curriculum includes 80 hours of instruction. The materials are appropriate for a bridge course and combine the three core components of IET instruction. The materials focus on preparing students with the knowledge to pass the Minnesota CDL test but can be modified and adapted to reflect current practices in many states. The course includes reading passages, videos, handouts, and student materials with teacher answer keys. This individual course files link includes the activities as individual files and can be used to save, copy, and adapt most of the activities within the curriculum.
Information Technology
IT Bridge Contextualized Curriculum
Illinois Community College Board (2019)
This bridge curriculum includes a set of modules that include career awareness and academic skills contextualized to the information technology industry. The materials are appropriate for incorporation into an IET program or for supporting a bridge course, and they combine the three core components of IET instruction. The curriculum introduces key concepts and terminology as they are integrated into basic skills instruction.
Business
Entrepreneurial Contextualized Bridge Curriculum
Illinois Community College Board (2013)
This bridge curriculum includes a set of modules that include career awareness and academic skills contextualized to concepts of entrepreneurship. The materials are appropriate for incorporation into an IET program or for supporting a bridge course, and they combine the three core components of IET instruction. The curriculum introduces key concepts and terminology as they are integrated into basic skills instruction.
Other Industries
ServSafe Food Safety Class for ABE Learners
Hubbs Center for Adult Basic Education, Minnesota Department of Education and the FastTrack Bridge Project (2010)
This resource supports the teaching of specific education and training content that can be implemented by classroom instructors in the context of a particular career cluster.
Workforce Preparation
Adult Ed Med Contextualized Video Lessons
TCALL @Texas A&M (2021)
This website provides free contextualized video lessons and resources for adult educators and adult students. It includes 20 video lessons in English and 20 in Spanish in the following areas: ESL, workforce/technology, reasoning language arts, and mathematics.
Contextualized Adult Education and Industry
CareerKits: A Comprehensive Career Preparation Teaching Resource for HSE & ESL Learners Reflecting NYS Regional Labor Market Statistics
The City University of New York, CUNY Adult Literacy/HSE Program (2018)
CareerKits is a set of 10 industry-specific curriculum “kits” in the following industries: health care; technology; community and social services; education and childcare; manufacturing; hospitality, recreation, and the arts; food production; retail; construction; and transportation and warehousing. Each kit is designed to help students build the skills necessary to make informed decisions/choices within their intended industry. Career exploration activities are contextualized by integrating reading, writing, research, and math skills. Because each of the kits has the same unit topics, the resource also allows for instructors to deliver workforce readiness instruction in areas such as career planning, educational pathways, and self-awareness to learners interested in careers in different industries. There is also a foundational, multi-sector CareerKit, called “Career Fundamentals,” that introduces students to key questions related to career decision-making.
Get Real Math & Science Videos
NEW Manufacturing Alliance (Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance) (2014)
The Get Real Math & Science videos showcase over 80 core math and science skills needed in manufacturing careers. The videos, all produced at manufacturing companies and featuring manufacturing workers, each have an accompanying lesson plan created by math and science teachers. The lesson plans include the standards covered, key vocabulary, discussion questions, and tips for differentiation and extension. The math and science skills featured range from Level B to Level E College and Career Readiness Skills.
Preparing Workers for 21st Century Employment: Making Sense of Math at Work
Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth, Office of Adult Education (2010)
This resource supports the teaching of specific education and training content that can be implemented by classroom instructors in the context of a particular career cluster.
Preparing Workers for the 21st Century: Written Communication in the Workplace
Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth, Office of Adult Education (2008)
This resource supports the teaching of specific education and training content that can be implemented by classroom instructors in the context of a particular career cluster.