Building Basics: ESOL Toolkit for General Construction, Landscaping, Painting, and Plumbing
Every day more and more multilingual speakers enter the construction trades in the United States. They are employed by contracting companies to work as general laborers, landscapers, painters, and plumbers. Many of them are hired at the entry level but, unfortunately, face barriers when it comes to promotion due to the need for communication skills in English, especially in the area of construction and landscaping. Although general English can be acquired in the adult ESOL classes offered at local programs, most classes do not offer lessons that directly incorporate the vocabulary and knowledge base specific to jobs related to the contracting business.
The curriculum Building Basics: ESOL Toolkit for General Construction, Landscaping, Painting, and Plumbing was created by the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center to address this need. The project was funded by the English Literacy/Civics Education program administered locally by the Office of Adult Education and Literacy of the Virginia Department of Education.
Full Introduction & Project Overview
General Construction
- Lesson 1 – Measurements and Dimensions
- Lesson 2 – Heavy Equipment
- Lesson 3 – Work Schedules
- Lesson 4 – Worker Rights
Landscaping
- Lesson 1 – Trees and Shrubs
- Lesson 2 – Lawn Care
- Lesson 3 – Walkways
- Lesson 4 – My Yard
Painting
- Lesson 1 – Choosing Your Colors
- Lesson 2 – Choosing the Right Paint
- Lesson 3 – Buyer Paint
- Lesson 4 – Preparing to Paint
- Lesson 5 – Painting Safety
Plumbing
- Lesson 1 – Help! Call the Plumber
- Lesson 2 – A Plumber’s Tools
- Lesson 3 – A Plumber’s Career
- Lesson 4 – Plumbing System Plan
- Lesson 5 – Pipe Fittings and Parts