Digitability's Social Economy
Digitability's Social Economy uses the best, evidence-based practices for teaching workplace behavior to streamlines social and emotional skill development to teach self-advocacy, social skills, self-regulation and problem solving in the workplace. The Social Economy is supported by Bankability, allowing students a modern banking experience while learning about financial literacy and workplace behavior.
Warm Up
The Warm Up in each lesson begins with learners setting goals for their workplace behavior. Learners will record the income they would like to earn on their "My Income Goals" sheet.
Learners will then activate prior knowledge by answering questions for previously taught concepts or questions about their personal experiences.
Each question in every Digitability lesson begins with the phrase "For a participation dollar,..." This is designed to increase student engagement while also increasing their ability to attend to a given task.
Once an answer is given, the teacher will repeat the answer and reinforce the learner's participation by awarding a dollar and offering verbal reinforcement. Phrases such as "Great job earning a participation dollar!" may be used.
The goal is for learners to be active participants in their work environment so dollars will be awarded whether the correct answer was given the first time, or a learner needed additional prompting.
Additionally, every question will be posed four times to the group. This repetition of language supports comprehension. Learners may receive support through prompting, the use of Image Exchange Cards, or modifying questions to be answered with "yes" or "no."
Lesson Video
Each lesson is anchored in lesson video that will provide viewers the vocabulary and concepts that will be used through the rest of the video. During the lesson videos teachers will use the Social Economy to increase student motivation and time-on-task attendance.
Before each video, teachers will bring attention to the keyword(s) that learners will be listening for while the video plays. The teacher will prompt learners to put their thumb up when they hear their keyword(s).
Each time a learner puts their thumb up when they identify the keyword(s), teachers will award learners a participation dollar. This is efficiently done by writing down learners earnings as they watch the lesson video. Physical dollars do not need to be awarded as the video plays.
Informal Assessment
The Informal Assessment will prompt learners to recall concepts and language from the video.
As learners recall information from the video, they will receive immediate feedback from the teacher and be awarded a participation dollar. The skills being reinforced through social economy include auditory processing, auditory comprehension, as well as expressive and receptive language.
Digitability's differentiated supports will ensure that all learners have the resources they need to successfully participate in the informal assessment.
By tracking dollars throughout the lesson, teachers and staff can easily ensure that all learners are included meaningfully in every lesson.
Online Activity
The Online Activity is designed to shift the communication dynamic in the classroom from being teacher-led to student-driven.
Learners will be asked "For a participation dollar, who would like to lead our team in completing this activity?" and the selected will receive a dollar. The student will then survey their peers to identify what they believe is the correct answer to their activity. After they receive their input from their peers, the student who is leading the activity will select an answer.
When the correct answer is selected, learners will celebrate. If an incorrect answer is selected, the student will receive help and try again until the the badge is unlocked.
Exit Ticket Part 1 & 2
Exit Ticket Part 1: Job Assignment is an opportunity for learners to practice meeting workplace deadlines. Learners will be given an exit ticket and teachers will set a job assignment deadline. A timer can be set so that learners are aware of how much time they have left to complete their assignments.
Exit Ticket Part 2: Workplace Communication again shifts the dynamic from being teacher-led to student-driven. Learners will use the Exit Ticket completed in Part 1 to share with their peers. Learners will not only earn a participation dollar for sharing with their peers but, they will earn additional dollars through the Exit Ticket Rubric.
The Exit Ticket Rubric measures both expressive and receptive language skills. Learners engaging in the feedback portion will be measured on their ability to present and respond to others independently. The score that learners earn will be logged in Bankability in the "Exit Ticket" field when updating payroll. While the ability to earn additional dollars is motivating to learners, teachers will also benefit by having these scores recorded and compiled into your student reports so that IEP progress monitoring is completed without any additional work on the teacher's part.
Wrap Up
For the lesson Wrap Up, the Chief Financial Officer, will read off the total earnings for each student. Doing so, reinforces participation as an appropriate workplace behavior.
The teacher will then prompt learners to discuss what they will do with their earnings. This may include paying bills, purchases rewards, or saving for larger purchases.
Learners will record their earnings on the their "My Income Goals" tracker.
Workplace Connection Activities are included in each Wrap Up. This activity is designed to help learners make the connection between the keyword(s) and workplace. Teachers may give learners deadlines for completion of this activity and assign dollars when these deadlines are met.
Learners will practice self-regulation and adhering to workplace boundaries through Independent Practice. Learners will earn Following Directions Dollars for unlock badges that have been assigned to them. However, learners who work past the assigned badge and unlock badges that have not been assigned will pay a Not Following Directions fine of $1.
Following Wrap Up, teachers or support staff will log earnings for all learners in Bankability from the "Run Payroll" page.
High Impact Strategies & Financial Literacy: Next Steps
Teachers prompt students to write down how much money they have earned this session. Learn more
Immediate Feedback & Positive Reinforcement: Warm-Up
Teachers use the Social Economy to provide Immediate Feedback and Positive Reinforcement of behavior. Learn More
Inclusive Learning: Informal Assessment
Every student has the opportunity to earn Digitability dollars and participate at their own level. Learn More
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