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Australian Council for Adult Literacy
ACAL eNews
November 2013
ACAL eNews is the electronic newsletter of the Australian Council of Adult Literacy (ACAL) and is distributed free to people interested in adult literacy and numeracy. See below for subscription details or to unsubscribe.
In this issue
Christmas ahead!
1. Language Literacy and Numeracy Practitioner Scholarship Program Round 4
2. Excellence in Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice Award
'Literacy: a learning spiral for life' 2014 ACAL conference in Surfers Paradise
4. Sessions from 2013 ACAL Conference: 'Local Practices, Global Contexts'
5. Mathematics pathways for VET students
6. Foundation Skills Assessment Tool
8. TCAL news
Christmas ahead!
Yes, it's nearly here - how many shopping days to go? Not enough for most of us!
Merry Christmas to all our readers and best wishes for a safe and enjoyable break .
On behalf of ACAL I wish you all a very happy Christmas and ACAL looks forward to a productive new year in 2014.
Jenni Anderson, ACAL President
1. Language Literacy and Numeracy Practitioner Scholarship Program Round 4
Applications are now open - 16 November until 11 December 2013
The Australian government Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) Practitioner Scholarships Program seeks to assist in addressing skill shortages in the adult LLN field in Australia by increasing the number of qualified LLN practitioners, particularly in regional areas.
The Program provides a scholarship of up to $5,250 to successful applicants to support them in undertaking approved study toward an adult LLN practitioner qualification commencing in the academic year following the application round.
2. Excellence in Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice Award
Congratulations to Ros Bauer
Northern Territory teacher and ACAL member Ros Bauer has won the national Excellence in Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice Award at the 2013 Australian Training Awards in Perth. Ros was also a presenter at the 2013 ACAL Conference.
The award recognises individuals who have demonstrated outstanding innovation and excellence in the delivery of English language, literacy and numeracy skills in an educational community or workplace context.
3. Professional Development
'Literacy: a learning spiral for life' 2014 ACAL conference in Surfers Paradise
You are invited to the 2014 Australian Council for Adult Literacy conference 'Literacy: a learning spiral for life' to be hosted by the Queensland Council for Adult Literacy, 2-4 October, Gold Coast.
We are using the theme of a spiral as a metaphor for literacy learning. Learners go through a literacy or numeracy learning stage once or many times throughout their lives. While a single stage might have specific characteristics, the way we engage in it is never the same and the differences between stages are never discrete because we are always integrating new information and utilising other resources. We constantly absorb and play with new ideas and adopt new literate and numerate practices, become involved in different ways with family or the community and, move forward or sideways in work settings.
Our conference will focus on the literacy or numeracy learner. How do literacy and numeracy theories and research outcomes inform our practice? How do national or state policies affect the individual learner? How can we ensure that teachers and trainers have the knowledge and skills to meet individual needs?
We shall be inviting some keynote speakers to assist us in thinking about literacy and numeracy learning as people move through different aspects of their lives in a range of different contexts and capacities.
We invite you to participate in the conference by giving a presentation or joining in discussion and networking.
We look forward to seeing you on Queensland's beautiful Gold Coast in October 2014.
Literacy is for life.
Jean Searle and the 2014 ACAL Conference committee
Register your interest and offer suggestions
4. Sessions from 2013 ACAL Conference: 'Local Practices, Global Contexts'
Key note presentations have been added to the web site recently.
See ' Tracing the Global in the Local' by Professor Mary Hamilton and 'Reading the PIAAC Results: what to look out for' by Dr Jeff Evans.
5. Mathematics pathways for VET students
The University of Tasmania is leading an Office of Learning and Teaching Grant, 'Development of mathematics pathways for VET students to articulate to related higher education courses'. Flinders University, University of Notre Dame Australia and James Cook University are partners on this project along with TasTAFE, West Coast Institute and Tropical North Queensland TAFE.
During this first year we are developing pathways for Education (with a focus on primary and early childhood) and Engineering and starting in 2014 we will be developing pathways into Business and Health Sciences. The project will link specific VET qualifications with related HE courses and identifying the gap of maths competencies between the two, then developing resources and/or courses to fill the gap.
All of the resources developed will be available as open education resources and accessed through the project website. The initial two pathways for Education and Engineering are in the final stages of development and we are interested in getting the word out about the project.
The website with the Education pathway and all learning modules will be live in 2014.
6. Foundation Skills Assessment Tool
The Department of Industry is developing an interactive online Foundation Skills Assessment Tool (FSAT) to identify and measure an individual’s foundation skill levels. The tool will be freely available to assist learners, job seekers, trainers, educators and employment services practitioners to assess their own or a client’s foundation skill levels, and identify any gaps in skills and knowledge.
It will use the theoretical underpinnings of the Australian Core Skills Framework (language, literacy and numeracy) and the Core Skills for Work Developmental Framework (employability skills). The Department has contracted the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to develop the FSAT.
An important component of their work will include consultation with key stakeholders in states and territories on the development and potential use of the tool.
7. Editor sought
'Preliminary Reviews Editor' is sought for the Australian Journal of Language and Literacy (AJLL).
In 2014, ALEA will publish Volume 37 of AJLL as well as move to an online submission platform. As submissions are expected to increase, two new editorial positions have been created. Successful applicants will be invited to undertake a twelve (12) month probation with the possibility of extension for a further two (2) year term. Expressions of interests are being sought from accomplished researchers with a signification publication record and extensive review experience.
More from Associate Professor Beryl Exley via email b.exley@qut.edu.au using the subject heading 'AJLL Application'.
8. TCAL news
TCAL congratulates Jenni Anderson, Pauline Morrow, Keiko Yasukawa and Lorraine Sushames on their elected ACAL Management Committee Executive positions in the forthcoming ACAL year. We also congratulate the State CAL representatives for all their input.
Skills Tasmania's Foundation Skills - Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) program is delivering a two stage professional development program 'designed to provide trainers and assessors with the capability, skills and knowledge to understand, deliver and assess foundation skills to their clients... in line with requirements of the TAELLN401A'. This professional development program has proven both popular and timely.
26TEN has hosted the last Coalition of Interest meeting for 2013 on 21 November. The first meeting across member organisations and individuals in 2014 will happen in February 2014.
The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is leading the Mathematics Pathways Project, a nationwide Office of Learning and Teaching Grant.
TCAL is hosting a pre-Christmas celebration for its members on Tuesday 3 December at the New Sydney Hotel on Bathurst Street in Hobart from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. RSVP by Friday 29 November: lizwebster71@telstra.com