Australian Council for Adult Literacy (ACAL) Conference
The Australian Council for Adult Literacy (ACAL) is holding its annual conference in Darwin on 10 and 11 September 2010. The conference theme is “Hands up… Hands on…” and will focus on how we can make a difference through our work in adult literacy and numeracy.
National Workforce Literacy Project Report
The Ai Group have received funding from DEEWR to conduct a research project to gather details from employers about the precise nature and extent of literacy and numeracy issues in the workplace. The ‘National Workforce Literacy Project’ report concludes the first phase. It can be downloaded here . (23 pages PDF 1.9MB) The second phase involves trialling solutions directly with companies.
Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) Tools
Precision Consultancy have now completed a bank of language, literacy and numeracy assessment tasks written against the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF), funded by the WELL program. The tools cover a range of industry areas and have been trialled and validated by industry experts. They are freely available at
www.precisionconsultancy.com.au/acs_framework
. The site includes a user guide that explains how the tasks can be used. Trainers and assessors who have used them have found them very useful to determine and understand learners’ LLN levels, which provides a basis for addressing LLN needs.
Register for a FREE Workshop to Improve Learner Outcomes in the Construction Industry
Construction and Property Services Industry Skills Council (CPSISC) has been funded by DEEWR’s Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program to offer free practical workshops designed specifically for trainers in the construction industry.
·
Learn how to use the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) to identify learners’ literacy and numeracy levels
·
Apply your learning to two core CPC08 units (CPCCCM1005A Carry out measurements and calculations and CPCCCM2001A Read and interpret plans and specifications)
·
The workshops have been designed as action learning, so that you can take the ACSF learning and put it into practice
·
There will be post-workshop activities available so that you can follow up the workshops by applying what you’ve learnt in your own context
The May-June workshops are now finished. There will be additional workshops held in the 2010-2011 financial year.
Applications for the Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) Practitioner Scholarships Program
This program was included in the ‘Building the Basics Package’ component of the ‘Jobs and Training Compact’, announced in the 2009-10 Federal Budget. Its primary objective is to provide an incentive for individuals to enter the adult LLN practitioner field by supporting them to undertake approved study towards an adult LLN practitioner qualification.
The program is specifically targeted at:
· New entrants (individuals with no prior qualifications as teachers or trainers) who wish to gain an adult LLN qualification and enter the field;
· Vocational trainers wishing to gain an adult LLN specialisation and enter the field; and
· Individuals with prior relevant training (eg generalist teachers) wishing to ‘up-skill’ into an adult LLN specialisation with the intention of entering the field.
Indigenous people are also encouraged to apply within each of these categories.
The first application round under the program is now open. Applications are invited from eligible individuals who are interested in undertaking an approved course of study in adult LLN, commencing in the second half of 2010.
Successful scholarship recipients will receive up to $5,250 toward tuition fees and eligible study expenses.
The program guidelines, a link to the online application form and other relevant information is available from http://www.deewr.gov.au/llnscholarships .
For further information, email llnscholarships@deewr.gov.au or phone (02) 6240 9790.
Applications for Round One of the LLN Practitioner Scholarships Program closed at 5pm AEST on Friday 30 April 2010. Successful applicants will be notified by phone in approximately mid-May 2010.
Round Two will be advertised in September / October 2010, for courses starting in 2011. Interested parties should monitor the LLN Scholarships website, which will be updated when specific dates become available.
New WELL Professional Development Guide for Trainers and Assessors
CPSISC have updated their professional development resource for trainers and assessors in construction and property services. It provides a simple process and basic tools to identify learners who need assistance to develop the core skills required to successfully participate in training.
New thinking about literacy has shown that it is more than just reading and writing. There are in fact five ‘core skills’ of learning, reading, writing, oral communication and numeracy. These skills are essential for people to participate in society. Using the process within this guide, you will be able to identify people who need support, and easily integrate that support into your normal training and assessment processes. The guide also includes a number of case studies within the construction and property services industries to illustrate the steps involved.
Want to get your business 'Up to Speed'?
The Workplace English, Language and Literacy (WELL) program is an Australian government initiative run by the Department of Education, Employment, and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Funding is available for language, literacy and numeracy training integrated with vocational training to help workers meet their employment and training needs. Through the program enterprises can access government funding for the delivery of accredited training.
Do you think about:
·
the language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills that are needed in your workplace
·
the tools and support that your employees have for completing LLN tasks
·
the training needs of your workforce
·
how you could change workplace practices to provide LLN suport for employees
(extracted from Up to Speed - a joint ISC booklet outlining how building LLN skills of employees can have a significant impact on business operations)
Where English language, literacy and numeracy training has been undertaken, enterprises have reported:
·
Better workplace skills
·
More effective communication
·
Increased involvement in training and skill development programmes
·
Improved occupational health and safety; and
·
Increased productivity
How do you apply?
Speak to our Workforce Development Manager , James Latimore on (02) 6253 0002 or email james.latimore@cpsisc.com.au
New NCVER Resource
Indigenous vocational education and training Anyone with an interest in Indigenous issues can access a range of publications that have been organised into themes such as Indigenous participation in VET, identity and culture, and community involvement at the Indigenous Vocational Education and Training website
http://www.indigenousvet.edu.au/
A similar resource on disability research and statistics is currently being developed by NCVER and will be available at the end of 2009.
New quarterly newsletter on WELL and LLNP programs
The first issue of Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program's new quarterly newsletter is hot off the press. 'Doing well with WELL Resources' is circulated to promote WELL resources and innovative projects. Click here to view the latest edition.
The newly released second edition of this quarterly newsletter provides details of a resource for security industry RTOs. 'A question of literacy' is a CD-based audio-visual presentation with accompanying documents and facilitator's guide aimed at supporting trainers. Click here to view information on this resource, along with other resources completed under the Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program and Adult Literacy National Project (ALNP) Innovative projects.
Australian Core Skills Framework
The Australian Government has released the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) which will help to tackle language, literacy and numeracy challenges in adults. Based on the National Reporting System (NRS), the recently developed ACSF is primarily a tool for specialist practitioners to report outcomes of adult English language, literacy and numeracy provision. There is also a summary version that has been developed to assist non-specialist to understand the essentials of performance in the core skills of learning, reading, writing, oral communication and numeracy in different contexts.
To obtain your free copy of the ACSF tool, just call 133 873. To obtain the summary version, send an email with your name, address and the number of copies required to:
adultlit@deewr.gov.au
.
Employers making the most of government funding
A new booklet compiled by all ten of the Industry Skills Councils profiles a range of businesses that have used the WELL training programme to support business initiatives and improve health and safety in the workplace. Call 02 6253 0002 or email
info@cpsisc.com.au
for your copy today.
Where can I get help with language, literacy and numeracy?
Individuals who want to get help with their literacy and numeracy can access information about the nearest LLN provider by calling the Reading Writing Hotline: 1300 6555 06.
What is the Reading Writing Hotline?
The Reading Writing Hotline is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training. The project is managed by TAFE NSW - Access and General Education Curriculum Centre and is Australia's national telephone adult literacy and numeracy referral service.
The hotline can be called at any time. You can also email:
info@literacyline.edu.au
Adult literacy and numeracy wiki
NCVER has released a new wiki aimed at generating and sharing ideas within the adult language, literacy and numeracy
(LLN) community. The resource brings together key messages from the Adult Literacy Research Program (ALRP), a body of research that explores a range of literacy and numeracy topics. It is designed to get you thinking about how you can apply LLN information in your work. Each page of the wiki provides a brief summary of key messages based on a particular theme or topic (e.g., numeracy in the workplace), as well as links to other useful related reports, available through the NCVER VOCED database, or through practical web-based resources. Within each theme, questions are posed that may help you link the research findings to your own work. You can also share some of your own experiences or learning through the provision of a 'comments' box at the end of the pages. Go to
http://www.adultliteracyresource.edu.au
and join in the 'discussion'.
LINKS
State and Territory WELL Co-ordinators
ACT & NSW 02 9298 7281
Northern Territory 08 8936 5162
Queensland 07 3223 1032
South Australia 08 8306 8816
Tasmania 03 6222 9698
Victoria 03 9920 4689
Western Australia 08 9464 4016
National WELL Hotline: 02 6240 7333
WELL Homepage
LiteracyNet – infor mation about adult literacy and
Links to a range of additional programme, professional development, resource and research sites
http://www.deewr.gov.au/Skills/Programs/LitandNum/LiteracyNet/Pages/default.aspx
The Reading Writing Hotline – national adult literacy and numeracy referral service
Phone 1300 6555 06
www.literacyline.edu.au
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs on language, literacy and numeracy are answered at
www.takingthelead.com.au
