Riverside Instructors Share Job Readiness Expertise

By Rod Granger 

Riverside instructors Vicki Hale and Elizabeth Sprenger recently shared their expertise and experience on the importance of teaching job readiness to immigrant students through professional development workshops.

Vicki’s presentation at the 47th Annual NYC ABE/ESOL Conference, “The Grammar of Job Readiness for Multi-Levels,” focused on language and communication skills, emphasizing how educators can “teach and reframe grammar without rules but with job readiness tools” throughout the learning process, including experiences, skills, resumes, cover letters, and interviews.

A packed house for Riverside instructor Vicki's training at NYC ABE/ESOL Conference.

Participants worked at a series of learning stations, with each practicing job-related exercises such as writing job-ready sentences and creating diamante poems, seven-line unrhymed poems written in the shape of a diamond, which Vicki says can help students identify and prepare for career goals.

Elizabeth’s “Hit the Ground Running: Work Readiness for Beginners” took place at The Coalition on Adult Basic Education’s 2026 National Conference in Indianapolis in April. 

The focus was on teaching total beginners in learning English and included suggestions on what types of lesson plans and related materials could be most effective, and exercises introducing networking; the importance of asking questions; resume writing and filling out applications; and taking practice interviews.

Elizabeth also discussed the importance of having “soft” skills, which include punctuality, formal vs. informal language, body language and small talk, as well as “hard” skills, such as active listening, confirming/clarifying instructions, and digital literacy, including email and work-related apps.

For many Riverside participants, job readiness is not just about career advancement — it is about immediate economic stability and building long-term opportunity.

“The reality is that our participants must work, so while they are improving their English, digital and job skills, they must find survival jobs,” says Elizabeth. “Our Workforce Development team and Case Managers provide support while exploring pathways to training programs, more skilled employment, and ‘dream jobs.’”