Session
Week 8: writing a personal statement for an application form
Time
4 hours
Session Objectives
By the end of the session learners will be able to:
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Draw upon past experiences and interactions to provide
positive examples of behaviour for personal statements;
List personal qualities beneficial for work;
List skills beneficial for work;
List a minimum of 4 questions that may be asked within a
personal statement;
Use proof-reading techniques to check personal
statement.
Assessment methods
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1:1 support/facilitation during group work/individual
work;
Targeted questioning, open and closed questioning,
lower and higher order questioning;
Observation and monitoring of learners during
activities;
Completed personal statement;
Proof-read personal statement.
Previous knowledge assumed
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All learners have completed an initial and diagnostic skills assessment with support from a literacy and numeracy
specialist.
Within this session plan ‘Wk 7: Workplace Responsibilities’ is referred to. It may be useful, but not mandatory, to complete
the ‘Workplace Responsibilities’ session prior to completing this one
Time
Activity
Differentiation
Resources
10 mins
Starter activity: ‘If I could have a job it would be….’
Factor in varying hearing and
speech abilities. May require
activity adaptations.
Chairs
Play ‘The sun shines on….’ Making the statement be
about ideal jobs.
5 mins
Share session objectives
30 mins
Activity 1: Inspirational story / stimulating scenario
Flipchart/projector/white baord
Whole group activity, reading and
discussing one person.
Options: Images of person, written
scenario, computers and internet access
1
30 mins
Either read out, or challenge learners to research a
successful person. Focus should be on what the
person did as a lead up to success i.e. supporting
siblings, paper round, youth groups, volunteering etc.
This activity should lead into the next.
Small group activity
Individualise by getting learners to
look at different scenarios
Flipchart and pens
Activity 2: Life experiences
Pairs or individual
Vary level of support according to
learner/group needs
Large flipchart paper
Coloured pens
‘Get Hired’ Employability Handbook p38 –
42
Whole group activity
Small group activity
Pairs
Support in how to use a dictionary
Vary example personal
statements
Paper and pens
Dictionary / internet dictionary
Examples of laminated enlarged personal
statements.
Small group activity
Flipchart paper
Ask learners to create a spidergram of all experiences
they have had e.g. work placements, school, clubs,
homelife, activities, sports, etc. Use questions in ‘Get
Hired’ Employability Handbook p38 – 42 as a prompt
to aid facilitation whilst carrying out activity.
Around the outside of the page get learners to write
down all the people they have interacted with in their
lifetime. This can be done: pictorially or written.
Highlight that all these experiences and interactions
can be used as positive examples within a personal
statement.
Highlight that as long as the experience/interaction is
drawing out what an employer wants to hear, then it
does not matter whether the experience is in a
workplace, school or voluntary setting.
Could use this activity as an opportunity to put
commonly used words on a ‘word wall’ or in ‘personal
dictionaries’ to reinforce new vocabulary and spelling.
10 mins
Activity 3: Personal quality and skill definitions
Look at definitions of personal qualities and skills in a
large group. In pairs, ask learners to read model
personal statements and underline qualities and skills
they find. Use different colour pens. This will lead into
the next task.
Use worksheet Qualities and Skills to support activity.
20 mins
Activity 4: Personal qualities and skills
Worksheet: Qualities and Skills
2
In small groups get learners to come up with as many
of each as possible, share responses to create 2 long
lists. These can be drawn upon when writing personal
statements. Use ‘Get Hired’ Employability Handbook
p38 for a list of transferable skills as a guide.
20 mins
Activity 5: Search common themes in personal
statements/job applications
Use internet or pre-collated application forms to
identify typical questions applicants are asked to
respond to. Another option is to use questions in ‘Get
Hired’ Employability Handbook p63 – 66.
90 mins
Activity 6: Write personal statement section of an
application form
Learners to write their personal statements, using
themes gathered from previous activity.
Remind learners to draw upon life experiences as well
as personal qualities and skills gathered in previous
activities. If they have carried out session on ‘wk 7:
workplace responsibilities’ then it can be used as a
additional guide.
Whole group activity
Pairs
Vary support according to
learner/group needs
Pens and paper
Computer option
Vary 1:1 support according to
learner needs
Whole group activity
Small group activity
Pairs
Individually
Use computer
Pre-prepared applications
Pre-prepare questions
Internet
Computer option
Collated application forms
‘Get Hired’ Employability Handbook p63 –
66.
1:1 support
Buddying according to abilities
Use a pre-written example to
support individuals
Offer direction on how to use a
thesaurus and dictionary
Length of activity, factor in
additional activities for faster
paced learners
Printer
Life experience sheets
Personal quality sheet
Skills sheet
Build in appropriate worksheets
for individual learners:
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30 mins
Activity 7: Proof-reading
Better spelling
Spelling and letters
I and e
Able and ible
Words most commonly
misspelt
- Words that end in ly
- Capital letters
- Question marks
Use worksheets with individuals
‘Get Hired’ Employability Handbook p38
Lined paper
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Pencil and rubber
Pen and correction fluid
Use any of the following worksheets that
you feel are appropriate for either the group
or individuals
- Better spelling
- Spelling and letters
- I and e
- Able and ible
- Words most commonly misspelt
- Words that end in ly
- Capital letters
- Question marks
Dictionary
3
or group to cement learning
Review proof-reading techniques i.e. Reading slowly,
reading aloud, checking punctuation, read text from
right to left, ask another team member to proof-read
for you. Learners proof-read personal statements.
Worksheets:
Checking writing work for mistakes
Proof reading a letter
If appropriate, set up a supportive environment and
discuss the benefits and potential downsides to proofreading others team members’ personal statements. If
learning culture is set suitably then ask learners to pair
up and proof-read peers’ personal statements.
Alternatively practise proof-reading sample personal
statements with errors to find.
15 mins
Activity 8: Review
Different coloured pens
Pencils
Sample personal statements
Whole group activity
Small group activity
1. Use one word to describe how you feel about
writing a personal statement.
2. Look the word up in the thesaurus and ask
learners to come up with an alternative word
with a similar meaning.
3. What specific LLN have you used during this
session? e.g. spelling, punctuation, grammar,
formal writing, proof-reading etc.
Thesaurus
Paper
Flipchart
Thesaurus
Development work
Further reading and resources:
 http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/delivery_partners_for_team/literacy_languagenumeracy/literacy_and_language.aspx
 ‘Get Hired’ Employability Handbook
 www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
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Reference: Ofqual (September 2011) Functional Skills Criteria for English and Maths: Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3, Level 1 and Level 2.
http://ofqual.gov.uk/how-we-regulate/regulatory-requirements/functional-skills/.
English skills
By:
Speaking, listening and communication
 use of appropriate language for informal
and formal discussions
Maths skills
By:
ICT skills
By:
 use search engines to research topics
 utilise spell check in Microsoft Word
 word process personal statement
 open and save files
4
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understand what is being said by asking
for clarification
contributing own ideas and suggestions
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print
Reading
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read from a variety of sources
using a variety of reading strategies to
obtain information
read in detail
practise proof reading techniques
use a dictionary and thesaurus
read technical terms and specialist
vocabulary
Writing
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plan writing
take notes
sequence writing in a logical order
write clearly, including an appropriate
level of detail
use appropriate language
spell key words and specialist words
correctly
use correct grammar and punctuation
use clear handwriting
5