March 2017

The topic of phone etiquette is presented in this month’s unit titled, “Who’s Calling?” The unit provides lessons and activities focusing on phone manners and uses. Activities from the Transition Passport: Daily Living/Using the Phone are incorporated. As we assist our young adults in the transition from school to work, it is necessary that they receive training in phone etiquette. Knowing how to make a call, how to answer the phone, and how to use appropriate phone manners are important components to phone etiquette. This unit will provide our young adults with the tools needed to learn how to appropriately use a phone for communication and to gain information.

The unit stories help young adults learn the importance of phone manners and how a phone is used for personal calls and service-related situations. In the first story, two housemates are working together to solve phone issues. They understand the need for using manners during phone calls and the need for taking messages. In the second story, two housemates have a problem. They need to decide who to call for help and how to find the phone number. Their phone is used as a tool to help solve their problems.

Regular monthly lessons are provided which offer the opportunity to practice the skills needed to know how to use a phone and the manners that should be used. Phone usage is addressed in banking and budgeting where phone related bills are paid. Daily living skills involved in cooking are part of a regular monthly lesson offering five recipes where our young adults can practice appropriate manners and etiquette while cooking and eating. Social and communication skills are the focus of lessons presenting daily social trivia scenarios offering more opportunity for our young adults to practice skills needed to make good choices related to phone usage and manners.

Employment continues to be a regular focus for several lessons each month. Lessons include exploring different jobs, reading job ads, completing job applications and practicing interview skills. Simple, realistic scenarios address job skills and interactions at work.