Expanding Literacies: English Teaching and the New Workplace (SUNY series, Literacy, Culture, and Learning: Theory and Practice)

Expanding Literacies presents eighteen fresh essays that explore how English teaching at both secondary and post-secondary levels can be made more work-relevant. The book shows teachers, administrators, and workplace trainers how to put aside disabling dichotomies of school versus work in favor of preparing students with new skills for new workplaces. Within a theoretical context that encourages development of situated uses of language, the volume identifies ways to reshape traditional English classes so that students are prepared to be successful in work environments that demand teamwork, problem solving, and complex communication skills. Some chapters examine the escalating literacy demands of specific workplaces: manufacturing, health care, chemical and nuclear industries, and high-tech settings. Other chapters examine what we currently do in schools and describe new models and theoretical approaches to better equip students for a changing workplace. The book has a wealth of practical ideas for structuring classrooms, making assignments, and choosing materials that will help students make the transition from school to work.