LITERACY FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS!

NOTES FOR FACILITATORS

The Literacy for Business Success! manual has two goals:

1. To introduce basic principles for starting and running a small business through discussion, group activities and language learning.
2. To introduce, practice and apply English language vocabulary, phrases and skills needed to run a small

Local Church leaders can use this manual as a one-time, stand-alone resource or as a preparation for  the Church’s comprehensive Self-

Reliance program. While participants can benefit from individual  study, the full potential of this program requires participation within a group.

Groups of individuals with interest in running a business and desire to improve English skills are invited to participate.

In addition to gaining greater proficiency in business vocabulary and phrases, participants will learn to:

• Make and keep commitments
• Create and use a personal budget
• Start savings
• Identify a product or service they intend to sell and
• Become familiar with basic business principles

It is helpful but not necessary to follow the book in order. Use pieces of the curriculum that meet your individual or group needs. Work at your participant pace: As needed, spend one day, one week, or one month on each unit.

Facilitators can make this workbook available to all participants or make copies of the pages they wish to discuss.

Above all, encourage discussion. Allow participants to learn from one another. Some group members may have extensive prior business experience, and others have none, but everyone’s perspective should

be valued. Group members learn and grow through discussion.

Small business owners are problem solvers. They plan for the future.

These are skills that can  be valuable as a business owner, as an employee, as a community member or as a family member.

Starting a business is not about getting rich quickly. It takes hard work, risk, creativity, and dedication.

UNIT 1 You Can Become Self–Reliant……………………………………….2

UNIT 2 Your Budget — Less Expense & More Income ……………….8

UNIT 3 Start Saving………………………………………………………………..14

UNIT 4  Your Path — Job, Business and School…………………………20

UNIT 5 You Can Start a Business……………………………………………..24

UNIT 6 Product………………………………………………………………………28

UNIT 7 Plan……………………………………………………………………………32

UNIT 8 Price…………………………………………………………………………..36

UNIT 9 Paperwork…………………………………………………………………..42

UNIT 10 Promotion…………………………………………………………………48

UNIT 11 Process………………………………………………………………………52

UNIT 12 Be Part of a Self–Reliance Group…………………………………56

Resources……………………………………………………………………………….60

My Progress Journal                                              64

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Read aloud and discuss:

NYREE’S STORY

Nyree felt worried and alone. Her husband left her. She needed to pay school fees for her two daughters, but didn’t know if she had enough money for food, rent and other bills. She didn’t have a job or a business. She hadn’t finished school.

Nyree joined a self–reliance group at Church, and they helped her feel hope. She understood that  she could learn skills to help her family become self–reliant.

With her group she set short– term and long–term goals to earn more money and help her children be strong.

KEY WORDS AND SENTENCES

WORDS

Discuss what these words mean to you:

The terms listed below are words from Nyree’s story.

SENTENCES

Read aloud and complete the sentences below:

Nyree felt                                       and                                         . Her husband                                                                                 .

She  needs money for                                                                                     .

She set                                  and                                goals so she can become                                           .

I can join a self–reliance                                         .

In a self–reliance group I can learn to                                                       . If I had more money, I could                                                                             .

Look again at the list of words above. Write and read aloud two sentences using at least two of these words in each sentence:

LET’S TALK ABOUT NYREE

Read aloud and discuss these questions:

What happened to Nyree? How did she feel?

How did her self–reliance group help her? What does it mean to be self–reliant?

What is a goal?

What was one of Nyree’s goals?

How do you think goals could help Nyree become self–reliant?

LET’S TALK ABOUT YOU

Read aloud and discuss these questions:

Have you ever had an experience where you felt like Nyree?

How could making goals help you?

What are some ways you could increase your income?

Would you like to join a self–reliance group?

Name one or two of your long–term goals.

YOUR STEPS TO BECOME SELF–RELIANT

Read aloud and discuss.

Have you ever climbed a long staircase like the one in this picture? Where?

Would it be possible to go from the bottom to the top in one step?

How can you get to the top?

Like climbing this staircase, big goals like self–reliance, your own business or strong English skills can’t be reached all at once. You reach success one step at a time. We call successes at the top long– term goals and smaller steps to reach these goals are short–term commitments.

Can you reach your long–term goals without short–term commitments?

Do you think increasing your income will be easy?

Why is each step important?

As a step in your journey to self–reliance each session you’ll have assignments to do at home. These will be your weekly short–term commitments.

IMPORTANT IDEAS AND SKILLS

Read aloud and complete these ideas:

1. YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CAN BECOME SELF– RELIANT

The Lord wants you to be self–reliant, and He will bless you as you strive to support your family. As you work through this course, you can learn skills and ideas to increase income and make your family stronger.

2.   BECOME PART OF A SELF– RELIANCE GROUP

Through the Church, you can join a Self–Reliance Group. In this group, you’ll get together with friends and neighbors to learn and help each other.

3.   MAKE AND KEEP COMMITMENTS

 What are some commitments you’ll need to make and keep to become self–reliant?

4.   LEARN SKILLS TO INCREASE YOUR INCOME

 What skill could you learn that might help you increase income? How could a Self–Reliance Group help you learn these skills.

LET’S GO DO IT!

Go to the My Progress Journal on page 64 and apply what you’ve learned. Each session, we’ll present homework assignments for the coming week. Complete these commitments at home and share with the group next time.

YOUR COMMITMENT

1. I will write and say two more sentences using words from the list on page
2. I will write and tell someone else one of my long–term

NOTES

• Did you complete last week’s commitment to write two sentences and one of your long–term goals in the My Progress Journal at the end of this manual?
• Take 5 minutes for students to read aloud one of their sentences and to discuss their long–term

Read aloud and discuss:

DIYAN’S STORY

On monday Diyan thought he had more than enough money to pay the family’s rent. By the end of the week when it was time to pay, he only had half the cash needed.

“I’m afraid about my future. Every month I think I can pay the bills, but I end up running out of money. I don’t know what to do.”

His friend showed him how he could develop a budget to plan and keep track of his finances. With a budget he found ways to control his expenses, increase income and start saving money.

KEY WORDS AND SENTENCES

WORDS

Discuss what these words mean to you: 

SENTENCES

Read aloud and complete the sentences below:

Diyan had only half the cash needed to pay                                 . Diyan was afraid about his                                              .

Every month he ended up                                               .

A budget helped him                                                        expenses. A budget helped him                                                            income.

A budget helped  him start                                              .

If I increase my income, I can                                                                      .

Look again at the list of words above. Write and read aloud two sentences using  at least two of these words in each sentence:

LET’S TALK ABOUT DIYAN

Read aloud and discuss these questions:

 What happened to Diyan?

How did he feel?

What is a budget?

How did a budget help him?

How could he increase his income?

LET’S TALK ABOUT YOU

Read aloud and discuss these questions:

Have you ever had an experience when you felt like Diyan?

How could a budget help you?

What are some ways you could control your expenses?

What are some ways you could increase your income?

What can you do to start saving?

IMPORTANT IDEAS AND SKILLS

MAKE A BUDGET

Read aloud and complete this activity:

Under the word “PLAN” on the “Total Income” write the money amount you expect to get during the coming month. Now look below for things that you will need money for. These are your expenses.

Write all your expenses. For example, by the word “Food,” write what you’ll need to spend on food. Do the same for the other expense lines. Now add all expense amounts and write the total on the line “Total Expenses.” Look again at the “Total Income” line. If income and expense amounts are not the same, you’ll want to see if you can spend less or increase income to adjust the numbers.

DIYAN’ S BUDGET

Read aloud and complete this activity:

During the weeks to come, keep track of your budget to see if your actual expenses and income match what you wrote. By learning how you really spend your money, you can start to control your expenses.

YOUR BUDGET

LET’S GO DO IT!

Read Aloud and Discuss These Questions:

• Do your expenses match your income?
• Look at your budget. Will you have enough income to cover expenses?
• If you could increase income, what additional expenses would you cover?
• How much money do you think you need to support your family?
• What skills could you learn that might help you increase your income?
• How do you think a Self- Reliance Group could help you learn these skills?

Here’s your homework assignment for the coming week. Complete these commitments at home in the My Progress Journal at the end of this manual and share with the group next time.

YOUR COMMITMENT

1. I will write two more sentences using words from the list on page 9.
2. Following the form on page 12, I will write a simple budget and make sure my expenses match my income.

NOTES

REPORT: Take five or ten minutes to have participants share how they completed their weekly commitment from last week’s session and then read Ruth’s story:

FACILITATOR NOTE: Read this brief story, ask the questions and write down important words and sentences from participants’ discussion. Based on the reading levels of participants in your group choose and apply activities for your group.

RUTH’S STORY

READ

Ruth wants to start a small business, but she needs a product to sell. She knows how to make many things that people would buy.

She likes to cook meals and treats, make games that kids play and catch fish. There are also many services Ruth can provide and sell. She can clean cars and fix bikes. She can watch kids.

Ruth also likes to greet people in the streets who could pay for what she sells.

DISCUSS

• What products or services could Ruth sell?
• Which of these do you think would be best for her business?
• Why?
• What products could you sell?

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LESSONS FROM THE STORY

WORDS, SOUNDS AND LETTERS FROM RUTH’S STORY

What other words can you think of that have these sounds? Use the workspace at the end of this unit to write down your answers.

Other Key Words to Discuss– products services

ACTIVITIES FOR BEGINNING READERS

Write a sentence using four words from the story. (Example: “There is a need to sell a good product.”) Write new words using letter sounds from Ruth’s story.

Share your sentences with the group. As a group, compose and write several sentences using words with the letter sounds above.

ACTIVITIES FOR ADVANCED READERS

Discuss Ruth’s story. Write participants’ words and sentences on the board. With these words and ideas, create new sentences, paragraphs or stories.

Write a paragraph with sentences using words from Ruth’s story. As a group compose sentences about how to choose a product for your business.

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MORE ACTIVITIES

TAKE A WORD WALK OR READING RIDE

Reading and writing is memorable if you can experience it in your daily world.

Word Walk – On your own or with your group walk on a street with many signs. In your notebook write 10 to 20 words you see on signs or elsewhere. Discuss what you saw and read aloud the words with your group.

Reading Ride – On your own or with the group ride a car or bus, and write down 20 new words you see on signs, license plates or elsewhere as you travel. Discuss what you saw and then read aloud sentences you compose using all the words you wrote.

A variation of these activities is to write down words that name or describe things or behaviors you see (such as children playing, a gas station, an argument, a customer shopping). In this exercise, you have to come up with the word and spelling without seeing it written on a sign.

MAKE YOUR LITERACY OUTING A BUSINESS TOUR.

Most signs you’ll see on a Word Walk or Reading Ride belong to businesses. To complete the task of selecting your product, discovering the prices your competitors charge or learning how others promote their products, you’ll need to visit businesses. Reading words on signs can double as a field trip to help you start or improve your business.

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WORDS AND IDEAS YOU WANT TO PRACTICE AND REMEMBER

YOUR WEEKLY COMMITMENT: Practice writing new words learned in this unit and write a sentence or paragraph about your ideas for a product or service you can sell.

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