Soft Skills

Active Listening

Active listening is defined as “The act of mindfully hearing and attempting to comprehend the meaning of words spoken by another in a conversation or speech.”

We follow the ABCs of active listening, teach strategies to enhance our active listening skills, as well as complete activities that allow students to practice and develop this skill. After completing the program, our students are more mindful about actively listening to others when having a conversation.

Communication

Throughout our programs students develop, practice, and improve their written and spoken communication skills. Students complete numerous activities pertaining to communication as well as practice their skills by collaborating and participating in class, group, and partner discussions.

Students also practice their communication skills outside of class through writing emails and participating in our discussion forum in CASTEP, our online classroom portal.

Critical Thinking

“Critical thinking is that mode of thinking — about any subject, content, or problem — in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and reconstructing it.” Throughout our programs students will complete numerous tasks and assignments that get them to think outside of the box and put their critical thinking skills to use.
Our philosophy encourages students to reflect on their thinking process, which in turn enhances their critical thinking skills.

Effective Feedback

In our programs we teach students the difference between evaluation, advice, and feedback as well as teach them the appropriate ways to provide effective, critical, and complementary feedback. Students move past the evaluation and/or advice giving stages of providing feedback and learn to think critically about their own work and their peers’ work.

Throughout our programs students will be challenged with different tasks and assignments that will help develop their professional and technical skills. Students will practice problem solving as well as learn strategies and effective methods of overcoming obstacles related to real world scenarios.

Teamwork

Throughout our programs students will participate in numerous team building activities, as well as collaborate in groups and work as a class to solve problems, complete assignments, and understand the concepts that we teach.

Team building activities enhance our classroom communities because students learn about one another, build relationships, and get to know their Program Leader(s). Teamwork is a valuable skill to have as our world moves to more collaboration based professional environments.

Professional Skills

Typing

Through the use of typing programs, such as Typing.com, students are able to develop and / or improve their typing skills in a technical way. To ensure that students meet the goal of increasing their words per minute and their accuracy, students are assigned the appropriate level of lessons that match their typing ability upon entrance into the program.

We do this by assigning each student to take a typing test at the beginning of the program. At the end of the program, students are tested again to show growth in their typing skills (words per minute and accuracy).

Writing Professional Emails

Our program puts emphasis on the importance of professionalism. Composing professional level emails is a skill that we consider vital in our programs when students communicate with their Program Leader, other SELECT Programs students and staff, and those in the community.

In our Starter Programs, students learn the basics of Gmail along with email etiquette for composing professional communication. The students’ skills are developed and improved in our programs through consistent use of email.

Word Processing

Word processing is the means of creating and editing a document using a word processor like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. We teach word processing to create professional documents such as resumes or formal business letters.

Word processing is vital in the professional world, so it is important that our students have a firm grasp of the skill to create well organized and styled documents. Our lessons on word processing are also cross curricular because they overlap with our lessons on resume building and typing.

Presentation Creation

Presentation skills are a main focus within our programs as we teach students how to create professional presentations. Students in our programs have the opportunity to create presentations individually and collaboratively with other students.

Presentation creation focuses on providing students with guidelines to create cohesive, professional, and concise visual presentations to help aid them as they present information to an audience. Students learn through presentation creation that visual presentations are a tool to guide their audience to understand their message by outlining important information or providing examples.

Our students use different software such as Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides to demonstrate their mastery of the presentation software and the skill of creating presentations.

How To Present A Presentation

Presentation skills are a main focus within our programs as we teach students how to deliver professional presentations. Students in our programs have the opportunity to present individually and collaboratively with other students.

Presenting presentations focuses on how students deliver their presentation in front of an audience with the help of a visual aid, such as a slideshow presentation or project demonstration. We teach students how to master skills such as volume control, audience engagement, professional speech, and appropriate attire for presenting.

Since the COVID-19 Pandemic, we have also added information on how to give virtual presentations using a video conferencing software like Google Meet or Zoom. Students learn how to adapt their message to speak in front of an online audience.

Spreadsheet and Data Management

Students in our programs learn how to use Spreadsheet and Database software to organize, manipulate, and gather information from a variety of data sources. Whether students will use data in a professional or personal setting, data surrounds us; especially in the age of technology.

Knowing the basic formulas to organize and display data in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets is important as students complete certain projects in the program and as they enter the workforce. More advanced students will learn how to organize and manipulate data using database software like MySQL or Microsoft Access.

Resume Building

Students who participate in our programs learn high level soft, professional, and technology skills that will impact them for the rest of their lives. We want students to come away from our programs with the confidence and satisfaction that they have mastered the skills in our programs and be able to apply what they have learned when they enter the workforce.

To help them reflect on their learning and the skills they have developed or improved on, we teach resumé building so they can see their skills, experience, and accomplishments on paper. We also teach them how to develop resumés that are organized and advertise who they are to potential employers.

Interviews

Applying for jobs is an intimidating process for many people who are just entering the workforce. At SELECT Programs, we break down the interview process piece-by-piece by providing strategies and techniques for the students to use during an interview. We have them participate in mock interviews with fellow students and the SELECT Programs staff.

Project Management

Throughout our programs, students participate in three major learning components: instruction, analysis, and application. During the application phase, students complete a variety of individual or collaborative projects that demonstrate their mastery of the skill or concept.

Students have to meet deadlines, communicate with team members, and accomplish milestones to complete projects in a timely manner. Students may be required to use our combination learning and project management system, CASTEP, for bigger projects throughout the program.

Financial Literacy

Students in our Starter Program will learn skills related to financial literacy, also known as money management. Students will learn different vocabulary related to financial literacy; along with skills like how to write a check, how to balance a checkbook, and how to budget money.

Students will learn financial literacy skills through a project based learning Classroom Economy or be presented with real world scenarios where they can demonstrate their mastery of these different skills.

Technology Tracks

3D Modeling

Using animation or computer aided design (CAD) software, students will be able to design and create 3D models for the screen or the real world.

Audio and Video Production

Using different software and technologies, students will learn the art and science of photography, videography, and audio recording and production.

Graphic Design

Using a range of graphic design software, students will create compositions that target a specific audience and purpose through various mediums. Students will use the elements of design, principles of design, and typography rules to aid their design process.

Mapping

Using different mapping software students will have the opportunity to explore the world around them and develop maps to display different types of data.

Website Development and Design

Using HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and other programming languages; students will learn the basics of website development and design as well as the importance of following web standards for accessibility and enhancing user experience.