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General Information

All students can participate in EL Civics instruction and assessment. However, only ESL students in WIOA II EL Civics education programs can earn payment points for passing COAAP assessments. ABE, ASE, and CTE students can earn CAEP Immigrant Integration Indicator (I3) outcome for CAEP but not payment points for WIOA II. Please see Successful Implementation of COAAPs for CAEP Agencies for a crosswalk for ABE/ASE/CTE student placement into ESL COAAP instructional levels.
Civic Objective#: 37 Program Year: 2025-2026
Civic Objective: Identify and demonstrate qualities of an effective employee in the American workplace in order to get a job, keep a job or get a better job.
TOPSpro Form #: 377C AAP #: 37.7
Assessment Type: Written

Level Range
From: Beginning Low To: Advanced

Language and Literacy Objectives

Language and literacy objectives with an asterisk (*) are suitable for beginning low level students.
1 *Identify qualities expected of a good employee in students’ countries.
2 *Identify qualities expected of a good employee in the U.S.
3 Identify and/or discuss U.S. workplace communications styles (e.g. employee to employer, employee to customer, employee to employee; white collar versus blue collar, etc.)
4 *Identify and discuss the differences in workplace behavior and communication in students’ countries and the U.S.
5 Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate workplace communication.
7 *Identify and practice polite workplace communication.
8 *Read and write work-related messages.
10 Compare and contrast U.S. workplace cultural expectations with those of other cultures.

Additional Assessment Plan Tasks

Task: 1

Description: Write a Work Memo or Email
Using a prompt (visual for BL-BH, written for IL-A), student (BH-A) will write a memo about a work-related situation using correct memo or email form.
Memo should include 5 elements such as:
• To
• From
• Re: (Regarding:)
• Date
• Message

Email Format should include 4 elements such as:

• Appropriate subject
• Salutation
• Closing
• Sender's contact information such as name, address, email address and phone number

Examples of work-related situations (BH-A):
• Work not finished because computers are down
• Client telephones with request
• Meeting scheduled for 2:00 p.m. is changed to 3:30 p.m.
• Project will be delayed
• Request time off

Student (BL) will fill in a memo or email template or cloze activity (see formats described above). (Grammar will not be assessed.)

Examples of work-related situations (BL):
• Call in sick
• Machine broken
• Need supplies
• Daily routine (on break, out to lunch, etc.)

Points Possible:13Level:Beginning High - Advanced
Scoring Rubric Points
Content
BH-A Addresses all parts of the task adequately. Some ideas may not be well stated. May require minimal inference. 8
BH-A Addresses the task minimally but relation to the task is evident. May be unfocused or unclear. May require a substantial degree of inference. -OR- Cloze Task (BL): 80% or more of the task is complete and correct. 6
Cloze Task (BL): 60% or more of the task is complete and correct. 4
Nothing written or content is incomprehensible or inappropriate. 0
Grammar, Structure and Mechanics
Some errors in grammar, structure, spelling, capitalization, or punctuation that do not distract the reader. 3
Many errors in grammar, structure, spelling, capitalization, or punctuation that may require the reader to infer meaning. 2
Errors make the writing difficult to understand even with inference. 0
Format, Neatness and Legibility
Memo: —Uses standard memo format including 5 items: message, date, from, to, and Re: (regarding). —OR— Email: —Uses standard email format including 4 items: an appropriate subject, salutation, closing, writer's contact information such as name, address, email address and phone number. 2
Memo: —Uses standard memo format including 4 items: message, date, from, to, and/or Re: (regarding). —OR— Email: —Uses standard email format including 3 items: an appropriate subject, salutation, and writer's contact information such as name, address, email address and phone number. -OR- Cloze: Activity is neat and legible. Spelling errors do not interfere with meaning. 1
Memo: Not in standard memo format —OR— Email: Not in standard email format-OR- Cloze: Errors interfere with meaning. 0

Task: 2

Description: Identify and Compare U.S. Work Expectations

Content A (10 points possible)
Given a level-appropriate situation (e.g. a written scenario, a video or a series of pictures), student will label (BL-BH) or list (IL-A) up to 10 “good employee” behaviors (e.g. BL = 5, BH = 7, IL-A =10) that are (or are not) being demonstrated.
Examples of behaviors:
• Arriving on time
• Working with others
• Clarifying understanding
• Asking questions about tasks
• Following directions
• Showing initiative
• Meeting goals
• Completing work on time
• Making suggestions
• Volunteering for difficult jobs
• Managing time efficiently

Content B (4 items, 8 points possible)
Student (IL-A) will compare U.S. work expectations to those of another culture by answering 4 questions, such as:
1. What qualities are expected in the U.S. workplace, but not in another culture?
2. What qualities are not expected in the U.S. workplace but are expected in another culture?
3. What U.S. work expectations are the most difficult for you? Explain.
4. What is one problem that might be caused by an employee not understanding workplace expectations? Give a specific example.

Points Possible:18Level:Beginning Low - Advanced
Scoring Rubric Points
Content A
Response is correct and comprehensible. 1
Response is incorrect or incomprehensible or there is no response. 0
Content B
Statement is appropriate, clear, complete, and has correct content. There may be errors but they do not interfere with meaning. 2
Statement is appropriate and has correct content. It may be partially complete. There may be errors that interfere with meaning, but the statement can be understood with inference. 1
Statement is inappropriate, incomprehensible, or incorrect, or there is no statement. 0

Rating Scale/Passing Scores

Total Points Possible: 31
Advanced: 27
Intermediate High: 23
Intermediate Low: 19
Beginning High: 14
Beginning Low: 8
View Civic Obj & AAP List