Tools & Tips for Job Coaching: Sara Murphy TransCen, Inc./WorkLink December 3, 2013
Dec 26, 2015
Tools & Tips for Job Coaching:
Sara MurphyTransCen, Inc./WorkLink
December 3, 2013
Learn to use positive instructional techniques,
error-free learning and systematic instruction to teach
Learn effective methods for teaching complex tasks and employability skills.
Session Objectives
Tryn American Conservatory TheatreAdministrative Assistant
Phillips, Spallas & AngstadtFile/Office Clerk
Simon
Alan Kaiser Permanente,Patient Transporter
ExploratoriumShipping & Receiving ClerkRobert
Quality Training Leads to Quality
Jobs
Must be strategic about what we teach.Must be systematic about how we
teach.
“Dump and Run”“Place and Pray”
NOT the way.
Requires a solid understanding of the employer’s needs
and the specific job tasks Focuses on essential, marketable skills Includes both hard and soft skills Facilitates independence and friendships Encourages co-worker involvement and natural supports Is flexible and responsive Advocates and supports both the student and the
employer Monitors progress and uses data to make decisions
regarding level of instruction, accomodations and supports9
Good Job Coaching:
Believe in your interns and set the “bar” high Don’t pre-judge intern’s abilities Identify employer’s needs & expectations Do the tasks- develop an understanding of the
job tasks and learn the lingo Structure tasks, standardize processes Determine a teaching strategy Be “accountable” and demonstrate
effectiveness of training and intern’s progress (collect/share data)
Job Coaching 101
Be Strategic
Profile students (Where will they be most successful?) Set employment goals and develop a plan to get there Use work-based experiences to:
Explore different ideas Build marketable skills Build stamina/speed
Focus on essential, entry-level skills Individualize placements based on person-centered plans Be accountable, use hard data to demonstrate outcomes
Employment
Learning Continuum for More Complex Jobs
People with I/DD
AverageJoe
Time
Ski
lls M
ast
ere
d
6-9 Months
On-boarding and orienting new employee can cost $7,000 to $10,000
We must offer students opportunities to develop
marketable, complex skills.
Are your worksites teaching critical, essential skills?
Technical skills
Computers & other business equipment Clerical skills Reading, writing and arithmetic Industry specific skills & knowledge
Not a “deal breaker”, most employers are willing to train, and expect to when hiring a new employee
Skills to TeachHard Skills:
“85% of employers surveyed said “soft skills”, not technical skills, are the critical factor in job success”
Stanford Research Institute
Soft Skills (Sand Box) Skills
Manners/sharing/caring about others Independence/initiative Endurance/stamina Organization & time management Work ethic and motivation (attitude) Problem-solving skills Use T-charts help define behaviors
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Teaching Complex Skills
Focus on careers, not just jobs.
Teaching complex skills to individuals with significant disabilities requires
a standardized, systematic approach.
Systematic Teaching
Preparing to Teach Environmental
Analysis Identify skills we need
to teach (curriculum) Job Analysis Task Design/ Standard
Work Task Analysis (specific
to the learner)
Teaching Delivering and fading
assistance Identifying and
teaching to cues Utilizing
reinforcement Assessing progress Addressing difficult
steps
Talk to employers Look at support roles and entry-level jobs for
today’s labor market “Standing in the Circle”
Thoughtful, intense observation Identify “value adding tasks/activities” that occur What’s working? What’s not?
Look for transferable, marketable skills
Identifying What to Teach
Generalizing skills Managing time & prioritizing
responsibilities Making judgments Taking initiative Solving problems Communicating & interacting Limited focus/concentration or physical
stamina Performance issues (Speed or Quality)
Potential Performance Issues
Set the “bar” high Don’t pre-judge employee’s abilities Identify employer’s expectations &
performance goals Do the job-determine best way to approach the
task Standardize the process Determine a teaching strategy for your specific
learner
Where to Start
Be consistent (e.g. language, process) Positive instructional strategies (cue + reinforce) “Error Free Learning” builds self-confidence Look at the job from the employee’s perspective Be careful not to create cue-dependence
“Rowing the Boat”- a continuous motion Fade support
Emphasize/highlight natural cues Facilitate natural supports Teach problem-solving
Teaching New Skills
Work with co-workers to determine the best way to
get the outcomes needed Develop a step by step “system”, a process to start
with– it may change Make sure tools and supplies are available and well
organized Accommodate employee’s needs, but do not
prejudge abilities (teach first, adapt second)
Standardize the Job Task
Teaching is an active/reactive process Providing additional cues as needed to
enable a correct response/Reinforce Cues selected based on learner preference:
Verbal Written Modeling Physical prompts/gestures
Delivering Assistance
“Cheerleading” is one of the most valuable
tool for building new skills• Be discreet and appropriate for the setting• Don’t over do it/change it up• Individualize for learner• Fade to whatever level will be available naturally• If supervision is limited, create a method for
learner to get feedback and praise• Checklist/book
Positive Reinforcement
Take your cue from the learner; learner
performance (learning style) will guide you.
When providing assistance: Make the learner think Give minimal cue needed to get correct answer-
fade as learner gains skills Anticipate and avoid errors Don’t forget to reinforce good performance “Tie” your assistance to the naturally occurring
cues
How much? When?
Approach will differ between learners who
are “early” in learning and “later” in learning
When error occurs “early” –interrupt as soon as possible (neutral and non-punishing); provide cue for step and assistance as needed to complete correctly
When error occurs “late” – see if learner self-corrects (reinforce this); If not, give small cue (i.e. “what comes next?”, “oops.”)
When An Error Occurs
Track Progress, Collect Data
# of Packets Completed:
Monday IIII
Tuesday IIII III
Wednesday IIII
Thursday IIII IIIIFriday IIII
Weekly total: 30
12/3
0/18
99
9/2/
1907
5/2/
1915
1/2/
1923
9/2/
1930
5/2/
1938
1/2/
1946
9/2/
1953
5/2/
1961
1/2/
1969
9/2/
1976
5/2/
1984
1/2/
1992
9/2/
1999
5/2/
2007
0%20%40%60%80%
100%
Intern: AllisonObjective: Wipes down 15 Exam
rooms in Family Medicine
Room
s c
leaned
Keep it simple and relevant
Difficult Steps: When steps in task are repeatedly
incorrect; learner is making little or no progress Consider changes in task design to facilitate
learning and performance (more than one way to skin a cat)
Assess cause of difficulty (using data collected) Create opportunities for practicing difficult parts Increase reinforcement if it is a behavioral issue Use Chaining or Scaffolding (Task Analysis)
Strategies for Difficulties
It’s Still Not Working
For complex or difficult skills, Divide and Conquer
Task Analysis
Starts with a task analysis Assess current skills (baseline performance) Determine instructional strategy (chaining vs.
whole task, language and prompts) Prompt fade hierarchy (cues) Reinforcement Build in or fade to natural/available supports &
reinforcements
Systematic Instruction
Task Analysis
Creates a consistent, systematic approach for learner
Documents progress/level of instruction Determines where additional training or assistance
is needed Determines where accommodations may be helpful
Filing A/P for the SF/MOMASF MOMA Date 2/6 2/8 2/1
12/13 2/20
Accurately types labels for files DV + + + +Creates file if three or more invoices DV IDV R + +Creates file for blue forms (employees) DV IDV R + +
Places checks in date order (newest on top) DV DV DV IDV RIn miscellaneous files, places checks in ABC order DV M DV IDV R
Able to file folders into proper spot in drawer + + + + +Files checks correctly (person-last name, Business-1st letter) DV IDV R + +
Able to file according to fiscal year (July 1st-June 30th) DV DV DV IDV IDV
Files checks carefully-1 at a time + + R + +Quality checks name before putting in check file + R + + +
Removes misplaced checks and refiles DV DV DV IDV IDV
Able to pull checks requested by accountants M DV + + +
Level of Independence 25% 33%
66%
66% 83%
Prompt/Cue: P= PhysicalDV=Direct verbalIDV=lndirect verbalM= ModelG=GesturalR=Reinforced after performed+= completed independently
Task Analysis
Tying Shoes
Develops a common language for teaching What is the best way? What is considered a “step”? Should be observable- Can everyone agree that the
action has occurred? Person-specific, hard to do w/o learner in mind
large chunks vs. small aspects physical steps (i.e. “crosses strings”) vs. cognitive steps
(i.e. “ties knot”) left handed vs. right handed
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Task Analysis /Tying Shoes
Doesn’t work- try a new way
“Bunny ears” vs. around the thumb Accommodate where needed
Velcro straps or elastic laces Track progress
Specific, useful information Create an easy to use format
Teaching Shoe Tying
High tech
Software adaptations, voice activated input, screen readers, scanners, Braille notetakers, hearing enhancement devices
Low tech Picture checklists, “placemats”, counting jigs, self-
monitoring graphs, colored dots, step stools, simplified labels, pipe-insulation, non-slip pads, in-boxes and trays
No tech Re-organizing schedule/task/workspace, job sharing,
longer more frequent breaks, different approaches
Accommodations can be:
Reflect the business environment Be unobtrusive Ultimately assist the employee to work
efficiently and effectively Maximize independence, minimize need for
supervision Improve work outcomes and quality
Have employee’s approval Have them help in developing plans/jigs
Supports and Accommodations Must:
Simple Solutions
Let’s give this a go.
A.T. preps at Specialty’s CafeIssues: She is very social person.Frequently leaves post to
go and talk with co-workers.
Over or under-filling “set-up” bins
What would you do?
Created appropriate opportunities to talk to managers, and moved her into middle of kitchen (where the action
was).
Nick, stock clerk for Niketown
Issue:Work speed, folding
pants too slowly. Stops frequently.
What would you do?
Work Pace is too slow: Self-monitoring Production Graph
Bob, filing for Clear Channel
Issue:Any company with more than three invoices, needs an individual file created. Robert continues to put invoices for these companies in the A to Z “miscellaneous” files.
What would you do?
Alphabetize the Miscellaneous files, and paper
clip invoices for companies together. Proved to be too time consuming
Correction- tag all invoices filed, correct mistakes Each day Robert pulls one “Miscellaneous” file to
audit. Starts with “A” works through to “Z”. All files are
“cleaned” once a month Colored paperclip is attached to the file to mark his
place
Managing the Miscellaneous:
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Jeff, Materials Management at Kaiser Permanente
Issues: Can’t count accurately
beyond 10 and losses track when interrupted or distracted
“Fill it when it’s low” = overfilling gowns in exam rooms
Assembling medical kits- not accurate, missing items
What would you do?
Can’t count/collate accurately or quickly: Take the counting/judgment out.
Jig for packaging 30 syringes for a hospital pharmacy
Piece of duct tape on the wall
“Fill it no higher than this”
“Placemat”
Idris at Fitness Center
Issues:Forgetting, skipping or
rushing through jobsUsing the wrong
cleaner for mirrors and sanitizing
What would you do?
Checklists for forgetting tasks or inefficient process:
Also uses it to communicate with managers
Anna at the GAP
Issue:Needed to sort/bundle bras
by size and cup. She could not accurately use “imaginary grid” method other workers used
What would you do?
Broke task into two steps and created sorting bins/cards for 1) size & 2) cup
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Step 2:32
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36
40
A
B
C
D
DD
Step 1:
Fading Support
Working yourself out of the picture
Start when task is being performed well (data-based,
depends on accuracy level needed ) Do not hover (step away from the learner) Don’t just leave, hide and observe Self-Monitoring system? Teach problem-solving Encourage natural supports/emphasis natural cues Reinforce “Independence” and quality work Build strong lines of communication, create an easy
method for managers/co-workers to monitor performance
Fading Instruction & Support
Include employer/supervisors in training on
Day 1 Encourage conversations between employee
and co-workers Teach Employee to “offer assistance” Have Employee take breaks, attend birthday
parties, eat lunch with co-workers Do not “hover”
Building Natural Supports
Learn to Listen, ask for complaints “Under-promise” and “Over-deliver” Include co-workers in training process, but be
considerate of employer’s time Establish solid lines of communication Clarify job responsibilities and performance goals Provide resources and information on disability if
needed or appropriate Share ideas & your plans to support the employee Establish high expectations and assist the employer to
address any/all situations
Supporting the Employer
Learn to listen Silk ties- admit mistakes, “over” fix Any significant issue- respond immediately.
How you handle this will make or break your connection with that employer.
Ask for complaints If it’s not working, be the first to say it
Customer Service is Critical
For More Information, Contact:
Sara MurphyTransCen, Inc./WorkLink Program
785 Market Street, Suite 670San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) [email protected]
www.transcen.org/worklink