Workplace Soft Skills Scenario Cards SEND

40 workplace soft skills scenario cards for SEND students aged 14 to 22: “What would you do?” job situations with A, B, C choices and an answer key.

People lose jobs over soft skills far more often than over the job itself. Turning up late without a word, arguing with feedback, getting pulled into gossip, freezing with an upset customer. These are the moments that trip up new workers, and many of our students have never had a safe place to think them through. These cards give them that place.

Each card describes a short, real-life work situation and gives three answer choices, so every student can take part, including students who find open questions hard. The answer key doesn’t just give the letter. It explains why the best choice is best, which is where the real learning happens.

What’s inside (15 A4 pages):

• 40 scenario cards in 5 skill sets of 8: On Time + Reliable, Instructions + Feedback, Teamwork, Customer Service, and Problem Solving
• A, B, C answer choices on every card
• Recording sheet for all 40 cards
• 2-page answer key with a plain reason for every answer
• Role-play page with a peer checklist
• Soft skills self-check (12 skills rated 1 to 4) with space to set a goal
• Teacher page with quick-start steps and tips

Ways to use them:

• One set a week as a lesson starter
• Small-group or independent task (print on card, cut, and laminate)
• Cover the choices with a sticky note first, let students give their own answer, then compare
• Run the matching set before a work experience placement or supported internship
• Pull a few cards to act out, then use the role-play checklist

Good to know:

• Plain language and short sentences, written for students working at a range of levels
• Everyday workplaces: shops, cafés, kitchens, hotels, and stockrooms
• Fits employment and Preparing for Adulthood targets in a support plan (EHCP, IEP, or similar). The recording sheet doubles as a quick accuracy check for progress.
• Country neutral: no laws or agency names, so it works wherever your students are
• All names and workplaces are made up

Who it’s for: SEND and special education teachers, post-16 and college tutors, careers leads, job coaches, and transition staff.

Made by a working transition coordinator with 20+ years in special education. These are the situations I see students struggle with on real placements.