Web version ACAL

December 2014


In this issue

1. President's Report

Diary date

2015 ACAL Conference

Resources

2. Tertiary education: a quick guide to key internet links

3. Postcolonial Directions in Education - Special Issue: Adult Literacy and Adult Education


1. President's Report

Welcome to the ACAL's final newsletter for 2014. Hopefully, you get some rest time to read it.

ACAL thanks you all for your support throughout 2014. If you have any suggestions for key issues that ACAL could consider addressing in its 2015 work plan please forward your ideas to info@acal.edu.au by the end of 2014.

Best wishes for a happy and blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Jenni Anderson

President

Diary Date

2015 ACAL Conference - September 24 and 25 at the Adelaide Zoo

Adult language, literacy and numeracy educators and learners need the resilience to adjust to the evolving economic, social and political climate. This means being bold, adaptable, flexible, courageous and willing to take risks.

A major risk for educators is the range of external pressures which threaten the continued provision of quality programs. The risk for learners is not reaching their full potential. For the preservation of quality programs all stakeholders must be influenced by current research, maintain professional standards, advocate, and engage learners in order for the sector to evolve and maintain relevance.

Subscribe to the SACAL email List for updates leading up to the Conference

Resources

2. Tertiary education: a quick guide to key internet links

Carol Ey, Jonathon Guppy, Parliamentary Library

This Quick Guide provides key internet links to information about general tertiary education resources, higher education, vocational education and training (VET), international students, adult and community education, and international organisations.

More

3. Postcolonial Directions in Education - Special Issue: Adult Literacy and Adult Education

Guest Editors: Bob Boughton and Deborah Durnan

Both Bob and Deborah will be well known to regular conference goers as they've presented at ACAL and state conferences about their work based on Cuba's Yo, Si Puedo model for mass adult literacy campaigns and it's application in some Australian Indigenous communities.

More

4. ACAL webinar - 'A remote solution to strengthening workforce capacity in LLN'

This was held on November 28 but you can view it again on the ACAL YouTube channel.

See the webinar

What was the program Ros mentioned?

More on the SkillSet

The webinar covered the benefits of engaging with the TAESS00009 Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice Skillset.

Free downloadable IBSA Implementation guide for the Skillset

Professional development

5. Master of Education (International) - global learning ethos with hands-on opportunities

Learning options have never been more accessible or more exciting. The Master of Education (International) at Charles Darwin University combines a global learning ethos with hands-on opportunities to apply theory and practice across areas of research such as wellbeing and sustainability, identity language and culture, digital futures and ways of knowing. Online and summer semester fast track options, internship placements with national or overseas partners and a thesis option to build your research capacity. Join educators at the International Graduate Centre of Education at CDU and kickstart your career change now.

More or email igce@cdu.edu.au  

6. Webinar: How do the L, L and N in LLN intersect? Some connections between language, literacy and numeracy

10 Dec 2014, 2:00pm - 3:30pm

This presentation will look at some issues related to the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy, especially at the relationship between these two core skills. How does numeracy relate to literacy and vice versa? And where does language fit in, especially within numeracy? What are some of the key issues arising from this that impact on teaching literacy and especially numeracy?

More

7. Free feedback on learner's core skills - participate in trials of the new Foundation Skills Assessment Tool (FSAT)

ACER is developing the free and comprehensive Foundation Skills Assessment Tool (FSAT) for the Department of Industry. Trials of FSAT have now commenced. We have received many expressions of interest in participating in the FSAT trials, however, we still need more learners to undertake the trial assessments. And we have just released new skill areas including Listening and Learning and some Core Skill for Work. The trials will continue for a few more months, and providers receive reports of their learner's performance.

More

Conferences and call for papers

8. WAALC 2015 Conference - Call for papers

'Great expectations: literacy, the individual and the economy'

April 15 and 16, 2015

Improving adults' reading, writing and maths skills is commonly understood to offer individuals a way out of poverty and a more healthy life. Education improves a person's life chances and life choices and at the same time enriches the pool of human capital available to the economy.

Our theme for debate at this conference is:

  • to what extent does human capital rationale deliver what it promises, and for whom?

  • who is left out?

  • what damage is done to teaching and learning institutions and practices as a consequence, and

  • how are teachers and learners responding to change?

Closes December 15, 2014

More

9. VALBEC 2015 Conference - Call for presentations

'Streams of potential: what lies beneath'

Friday May 15, 2015

The 2015 VALBEC conference seeks to encourage exploration of the sometimes hidden elements that inform delivery of language, literacy and numeracy in a wide a range of contexts: community, workplace, accredited and pre-accredited programs.

  • How are the new voices in analysing the goals and processes of language, literacy and numeracy delivery reframing the professional persona of the LLN teacher?

  • How are teachers designing courses in ever changing contexts and conditions?

  • How are teachers and programs recruiting, retaining and reconnecting students from diverse backgrounds?

  • How are teachers negotiating with the differing needs of students while maintaining the standards of funding requirements?

  • How can the Language, Literacy and Numeracy field continue to tap into the potential of its workforce to bring to the surface learning that is transformative?

Closes February 18, 2015

More

10. ACER National Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Conference - Call for papers

ACER invites contributions for the 4th National Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Conference (NALLNAC) on the theme of 'Equipping for the future: Assess, train, learn'. Taking place in Adelaide on 14 and 15 May 2015, the conference addresses key issues surrounding adult and youth literacy and numeracy assessment, teaching and learning. Interested presenters working in adult LLN and foundation skills across all areas of vocational education and training are invited to submit a conference presentation or workshop addressing key issues arising from your teaching and assessment practices, contexts, issues or research.

The call is open until 12 December 2014.

More

Your input

11. National Foundation Skills Strategy Project

Please remember to complete the NCVER survey . The survey is open until 19 December and only takes about 10-20 minutes to complete.

'Stories from the Field' gathered by the National Foundation Skills Strategy Project will be used to gain a clearer understanding of the range of credentials, experience and professional development approaches that contribute to the professional identity of practitioners delivering language, literacy and numeracy and foundation skills in Australia today. So please tell your story.

Flyer

Activity questions handout

12. LLN in Australia LinkedIn Group

Join this open LinkedIn group and discuss LLN issues.

This is an ACAL and ALA joint initiative and gives you an opportunity to be informed or discuss current research, forums, or issues.

Try it (no cost, no commitment).