Created by Leslie Foster

 

Computer Literacy in ABE

This is a sample 13 week curriculum that I have taught for an ABE level 9-12 workforce class. The class did include several students who were in the 6-8 level range, but all activities were possible for all students. Each week can be taught either from a computer literacy emphasis with ABE literacy exercises, or from a ABE literacy emphasis with computer literacy exercises, depending on the overall focus of the class. These classes were two hours in length.

For example: On week six, a computer literacy class would focus on the technical aspects of the Gate’s article and on the technical skills of cut, copy and paste. A literacy class would focus on the grammar and structure of the article, the topic sentence, and logical paragraph sentence flow, then use the computer for review exercises.

 

XYZ CORPORATION COMPUTER LITERACY CLASS

COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH KEYBOARDING

CLASS SYLLABUS

          Week One -                 Class Introductions

                                                            TABE Survey Testing

            Week Two -                Importance of Becoming Computer Literate

                                                            Hardware vs. Software

                                                            The Care of Floppy Discs

                                                            General Rules

                                                            Getting Started - Logging On and Passwords

                                                            The World of Windows

                                                            Running a Software Program

            Week Three -               Cold vs. Warm Boot Review

                                                            Disc Drives

                                                            Program Groups

                                                            ALT-TAB to Review Programs Running

                                                            Typing Practice - How to Edit Typing Mistakes

                                                            System Software vs. Application Software

                                                            Operating Systems

                                                            Communication On and Off the Job (ABE literacy)

           

            Week Four -                The Microsoft Office family

                                                            Introduction to Microsoft Word

                                                            Typing Practice

                                                            Using the Mouse to Edit Mistakes

                                                            Using Spell Check

                                                            How to Save Work, How to Print

            Week Five -                 Good and Bad Filenames

                                                            Typing Practice

                                                            Formatting Documents – Fonts

                                                            Fixing Sentence Fragments (ABE literacy)

                                                            Using Punctuation Correctly (ABE literacy)

                                                            Using the Control Panel

                                                            Customizing Your Desktop

                                                            Screen Savers

            Week Six -                               Review - Question and Answer Time

                                                            Class Discussion - Bill Gates Predicts (reading)

                                                            File Management

                                                            Cut, Copy and Paste

                                                            Finding the Topic Sentence (ABE literacy)

 

            Week Seven -              Continue Discussion of Developments in                                                                                                 Computer Technology

                                                            What is a business letter (ABE literacy)

                                                            Using Wizards to create letters

                                                            How to Draw Using Paintbrush Application

            Week Eight -                Discussion of CD-ROMs

                                                            How to Write Office Memorandums (ABE literacy)

                                                            Using e-mail to Send Memos

            Week Nine -                Introduction to Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet

                                                            Review + - x ¸ Wholes and Decimals (ABE literacy)

            Week Ten -                  Other Uses of Excel Program

                                                            Incorporating Mathematical Formulas into                                                                                  Spreadsheets

                                                            Reviewing the Order of Operations (ABE literacy)

                                                            Making Graphs and Charts

            Week Eleven -                         Practical Application of What You Have Learned

                                                            Harry’s Hot Dog Stand - Word and Excel project

                                                            (ABE reading, writing, math, and logic)

            Week Twelve -                        Review - Question and Answer Time

                                                            Finish Integrated Package

Open Discussion Time on Software Packages

                                                            Tying up "Loose Ends" - Extra Class Time to                                                                             Cover Extra Topics or Subjects Insufficiently                                                                             Covered in Earlier Classes

            Week Thirteen -                       Exit TABE Test

 

Week Six Lesson Plan

Students will open a file, use the move and paste feature in word processing, use the underline feature, save a file, and print a file. Students will also use the File Manager feature to create directories and delete old files.

 

Review - Question and Answer Time from previous week

                        Class Discussion on Magazine Article - Bill Gates Predicts (reading)

File Management: How to use the File Manager to create folders to organize work, plus deleting old documents

Cut, Copy and Paste – have students type from any available materials to practice data entry skills, then use the material to learn how to cut, copy and paste.

                        Finding the Topic Sentence Worksheet (ABE literacy)

As a group, discuss the topic sentences found and any trials or tribulations encountered while moving the sentences.

 

 

CAN YOU FIX THE FRAGMENTS?

 

Look at each line and read it to yourself. Is this a sentence? If not, use the computer to add on any necessary words.

 

He chews only sugarless gum.

Puts her briefcase on her desk.

Everyone who came to the lecture.                                                                               

The atlas is no help.

Air-conditioning uses a great deal of energy.

As the papers blew all over the room.

The minimum wage for part-time workers.

Seeing the price of gold double within a week.

The noise startled everyone.

Taking care not to waste any time.

Only had instant coffee or tea .

Officials elected by the people in the district.

 

 

WHAT COMES FIRST?

Use the copy and paste features of word processing to re-organize the following paragraphs into a more logical order.

 

 

Lamb is a popular source of meat, offering several distinct cuts. Below the lamb chops are rib chops and loin chops. Lamb chops are obtained from the shoulder of the animal. Beneath the chops is the area from which leg of lamb is cut. The final cut, the lamb shank, is useful in making soups and stews.

 

For example, he uses his credit cards to pay for gasoline and groceries. Furthermore, he has credit cards at most major department stores. Ed might find himself in financial trouble from overuse of his credit cards. Rather than use cash, he charges everything he can. Some department stores cards are costing him 20 percent interest.

 

When fire broke out in the social club, the patrons were trapped. Consequently, the mayor moved rapidly to close down all such clubs. The entire club had only one exit, and flames blocked the door. As a result, most of the patrons could not escape. The people's deaths made the city aware of the hazardous conditions of illegal social clubs.