1. Systematic Instruction
Critical to Success in the Workplace
Norine Jaloway Gill
Texas Transition Conference, February 22, 2018

2. Objectives Concept of systematic instruction - what it looks like
How & when is it used
Define the goal: obtain the desired job skill
Use student-centered approaches to your teaching style
What does ‘systematic instruction’ refer to? It is all the learning tools you take into the workplace so that the student is successful.
Parents who are often resistant to supported employment state that one of the reasons is that their son/daughter is not capable of the kind of work that is expected at the XYZ workplace. Can you see their logic? I can… it’s because our old belief system is that you learn a skill by going to school or college, then you go to work where you apply that skill or knowledge.
Supported employment is different. It is built on the “place and train” model which is proven out as an Evidence Based Practice to have the sustainable employment outcomes for people with severe disabilities. We spend a lot of time in the DISCOVERY part of supported employment to ensure that we can make a good JOB MATCH. Part of the JOB ANALYSIS should lead us to understand the elements of the job, including before, during and after job skill performance, that will need additional support, training, modification or accommodation. That’s when our approach to systematic instruction is displayed. Creating a TASK ANALYSIS for specific job skills helps us to keep track of the employees progress toward the desired job skill acquisition.
Once parents (and the student) understand systematic instruction, they begin to understand that it is with this support that their son or daughter can achieve success at a work place that matches their interests and job skills.
Employers, in general, marvel at quality systematic instruction. As a structured and purposeful teaching strategy – employers will often ask if you could help train their other staff! How you respond to that is up to you, but in general, a planned, thoughtful process to training job skills is an employer’s dream. As you create the JOB TASK ANALYSIS you’ll need to ensure you are meeting the employer’s standard – and your training tools will get you there.
Always apply systematic instruction to your desired job skill acquisition… achieve the GOAL. Too often, the process gets in the way of the outcome. If a trainer is working with the supported employment employee only because they are scheduled to be with that person for ‘x’ number of hours per day… but the person has already achieved the job skills, then they need to get out of the way. This leaves other issues to deal with… but those can all be solved. What’s important is that the process doesn’t become more important than the goal.
Finally, the approach that you use must be student-centered, individualized, respectful and sustainable. The job skills trainer sets the model behavior for everyone else in the job site. Believe me, when a coworker asks you “why are you so quiet when you are working with Johnny?” and you respond “that’s how Johnny works best to complete the package – I use simple gestures when needed.” When you are gone, that coworker will mimic your training style to help Johnny if needed – rather than exploding with a barrage of words that could mean little or nothing to Johnny.

3. Who provides ‘systematic instruction’?
What does Job Coach or Job Skill Trainer do?
Does everyone need a job coach/job skill trainer?
The question comes up often: is systematic instruction what a Job Coach does?
Absolutely! And I will tell you why teachers make GREAT job coaches/job skill trainers:
Teachers generally have a systematic, planned approach to teaching any skill… you build on a previous success to achieve the desired job skill
You prepare to move on… you are not planning to be side-by-side with the student throughout the life of the job. So, you find ways that the young adult will continue to be supported at the workplace without your presence.
Teachers can access creative tools, techniques, technology and resources to develop the training and supports needed for the student’s success.
Who needs a job coach/job skill trainer?
Everyone – from time to time… needs help, teaching or training. The difference is that it depends on the student, their job skill sets already in place, the demands of the employer and the employer’s capacity to train.
Some employers will want to be the only trainer at the workplace.
The student may need additional behavioral or social supports that are not generally a part of the workplace training model.
To answer this question well, you will need a good job analysis of the workplace environment – and task analysis of specific job skills that the employee must perform.

4. The Job Task & Systematic Instruction
A Task Analysis breaks the job task down into steps and becomes the basis for systematic training.
Consistent sequence of steps
Allows multiple trainers
Identifies natural cues
Accurate assessment

5. Components of a Task Analysis
Identify the setting, materials & needed supplies
Observe task being performed
Perform the task
List action steps (must result in observable behavior & visible change)
Fine tune & match to learning style
Validate with supervisor (if not already involved)
Identify natural cues for each step
Consider efficiency & eliminate need for judgment

6. How to fold a box Use a regular sheet of paper
Watch YouTube video: How to fold a box with a sheet of paper
Write a task analysis to “fold a box”

8. Common Training Strategies
1. Natural Cues 2. Prompts a. Direct Verbal Prompts b. Indirect Verbal Prompts c. Non-Verbal Prompts 3. Modeling 4. Physical Assistance 5. Reinforcement 6. Self-instruction techniques

9. Natural Cues Movement in the workplace: Buzzers/alarms/switches
Other workers’ movement; routines 
Change in machinery operation 
Supervisor & coworker communication tools 
Verbal   
Posted information or verbal announcements 
Personal calendar with reminders 
Electronic or smart phone 

10. Verbal Prompts Spoken or signed instruction
Useful before, during and after task is demonstrated 
Helpful for teaching order or discrimination tasks 
Not manipulation skills (requires practice) 
Avoid information overload - watch pace 
Caution: employee may attend to trainer instead of task 

11. Indirect Verbal Prompt
Cue 
Meaning 
"Next" 
What's next in the sequence, or move on to the next one. 
"Time" 
Check your time -are you on schedule? 
"Again" or "Repeat" 
Repeat the same action 

12. Nonverbal Prompts & Gestures
Gestures such as pointing and mimicking amotion used in a job task -not appropriate if consumer is visually impaired 
Minimizes employee distraction from task 
Helpful if there are language barriers 
Organize the workspace materials or equipment in a manner that the workflow presents itself without any other prompt. 

13. Nonverbal Prompts & Gestures
Cue 
Meaning 
Point to time clock 
Punch in or out 
Tap wrist watch 
Stay on time, break time or finish up 
Touch safety glasses or point to eyes 
Put on safety glasses 
Point to object & shake head "no" 
Not this one, leave this alone 

14. Modeling A natural teaching approach that simulates the activity
Evokes a mimic response 
Combines demonstration by trainer with simultaneous performance by the employee 
Trainer shows pace and complex manipulations 
Maintains productivity 
The person demonstrating the task must provide accurate information 

15. Side-by-Side Modeling
More difficult for trainer to catch errors 
Not as effective for employees who need close attention 
Caution trainer is not considered an ongoing support for production 
Consider a coworker as the ‘model’ for the employee so that you can coach from a training perspective 

16. Physical Assistance 
Touching or physically guiding the employeethrough some or all steps in the task cycle 
Most effective on manipulation steps and tasks 
Partial Assist 
Hand-over-hand 
Most intrusive of the strategies 

17. Reinforcement Personal Social reward
Recognition that the employee recognizes as positive 
Workplace positive & negative reinforcements 
Paycheck 

18. Self Management Why Teach Self-management?
Assist the person to respond appropriately and independently to changing circumstances in their job. 
Provide tools and insight to assist the person to manage their skill instruction and behavior.
Many individuals with disabilities experience difficulties because they fail to respond appropriately and independently to changing circumstances in their job. 
Individuals with disabilities often rely on their instructors to manage their behavior – they are unable to know what is correctly accomplished.

19. Self Management 
Individualized approach where the worker begins to manage their own behavior. This involves using cues and techniques the worker enjoys and can manage. 
Unobtrusive & Personal 
Flow chart, picture booklet, memory notebook, verbal labels, audio 

20. Complete Job Tasks
Angel is capable of performing a variety of tasks on a daily basis in her position as a lobby attendant at a popular franchise restaurant. After she learned how to perform her job with the assistance of a co-worker mentor, she often had difficulty remembering to complete all necessary job duties. This was especially evident during the restaurant's busiest times, when Angel would forget to do several crucial tasks or leave tasks incomplete. Her supervisor provided her with a company checklist of job duties for her position. Co-workers would sometimes prompt her. However, Angel could not read the checklist, and when co-workers were busy they were not available to prompt her to do the forgotten task, or assist to complete a task.

21. Effective Follow-up and Sustainability
Length of time a strategy is needed
Teaching the person to create their own
Enlisting employer and coworker
Consulting and supporting the family or residential staff to maintain equipment
Find self-advocacy or community groups that focus on retaining employment and mutual supports.

22. Resources
Institute for Community Inclusion WorkSupport Job Accommodation Network