A big thank you to everyone – especially the presenters – who made the 2025 conference such a success!Program
Sessions, speakers and program are subject to change without notice.
This page will be updated if changes are made.
At a glance Thursday, Sept 4
| Thurday, September 4, 2025 | ||||
| 12-1:00pm | Arrival and lunch | |||
| 1:00pm | Conference opening | |||
| Welcome to Country | ||||
| Keynote: Aunty Geraldine Atkinson, ‘My story, our strength’ | ||||
| Arch Nelson Address: Lyn Wilson, ‘Addressing diverse needs: Rethinking the future of adult literacy education’ | ||||
| 2:30-3:00pm | Afternoon tea (levels 3 and 12) | |||
| 3:10-3:40pm | Group A sessions | A1 | A2 | A3 |
| 3:50-4:20pm | Group B sessions | B1 | B2 | B3 |
| 4:30-5:00pm | Group C sessions | C1 | C2 | C3 |
| 5:15-6:15pm | Networking (ticketed event) | |||
At a glance Friday, Sept 5
| Friday, September 5, 2025 | ||||
| 9:00-10:00am | Housekeeping ‘Literacy in the time of artificial intelligence’ - Prof. Mary Kalantzis and Prof. Bill Cope. |
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| 10:10-10:40am | Group P sessions | P1 | P2 | P3 |
| 10:50-11:20am | Group Q sessions | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
| 11:20-11:55am | Morning tea (levels 3 and 12) | |||
| 11:55-1:15pm | ‘Transformative potential: Innovative approaches to adult numeracy’ - Dr Lorraine Gaunt. | |||
| JSA Update on The Foundation Skills Study - Trevor Gauld | ||||
| 1:15-2:05pm | Lunch (levels 3 and 12) | |||
| 2:05-2:35pm | Group R sessions | R1 | R2 | R3 |
| 2:45-3:15pm | Group S sessions | S2 | S3 | |
| 3:15-3:45pm | Afternoon tea (levels 3 and 12) | |||
| 3:45-4:15pm | Group T sessions | T1 | T2 | T3 |
| 4:20-4:50pm | Group U sessions | U1 | U2 | |
| Safe travel! | ||||
Thursday, Sept 4
12-1:00 pm Lunch (level 12)
Room 1203
1:00 pm Opening
Welcome to Country: Wurundjeri Elder Uncle Perry Wandin
2:30-3:00 pm Afternoon tea – level 12 (only tea/coffee on level 3)
3:10-3:40 pm Group A – Choose one
A1 Life, the Universe and Stories: Supporting a love of reading
Room 303
Christopher Smith, Shared Reading NSW INC
A2 The impact of trauma on learning
Room 1201
Karen Dymke, Thoughtful Works
A3 Bridging the gap: Empowering adult learners through AI literacy education
Room 1203
Dr Katrina Tour, Dr Edwin Creely and Dr Peter Waterhouse, Monash University and Mary Wallace, LWA
3:50-4:20 pm Group B – Choose one
B1 What dualism does for VET: To which tribe do you belong?
Room 1201
Dr Don Zoellner, Charles Darwin University
B2 Missing the mark – how the Adult Literacy and Numeracy Teaching program (ALaNT) is helping LND pedagogy reclaim its place
Room 1203
Gemma Beall and Ros Bauer, TAFE NSW
B3 Unlocking potential: VET success through rural and remote study hubs
Room 303
Leonie Webster and Leonie Keating, Central Queensland University
4:30-5:00 pm Group C – Choose one
C1 “It’s not just you”: Why are we all finding it hard to reach the literacy learners we know are out there?
Room 1203
Vanessa Iles, Reading Writing Hotline
C2 LLND skills training to support local voices and leadership with Aboriginal rangers in the NT
Room 303
Jaemie Page, Batchelor Institute and Bidwern Butj Uni
C3 DIVR Champions Project – Diving into virtual reality for the adult LLN classroom (peer to peer professional development project)
Room 1201
Kathrin Colgan, Head of English Language Centre and Tracey Dyson, International Program Manager, Holmesglen
5:15-6:15 pm Networking event
Room 1203
Join us at the end of our first day, draw breathe, catch up with colleagues and make new connections.
Friday, Sept 5
9:00 am Day 2
Room 1203
Housekeeping
9:10 am Professors Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis, ‘Literacy in the time of artificial intelligence’
10:10-10:40 am Group P – Choose one
P1 Introduction to ProLiteracy’s free resources
Room 1203
Lauren Osowski, ProLiteracy
P2 Literacy and voice: Understanding political participation in a First Nations community-led adult literacy campaign
Room 303
Andoni Laguna Alberdi, The University of Melbourne and Alera Foster, Literacy for Life Foundation
P3 Supporting digital literacy in vocational education
Room 1201
Koula Lykourinos and Chris Tully, Melbourne Polytechnic
10:50-11:20 am Group Q – Choose one
Q1 Lessons learned from the establishment and development of Here 2 Help Literacy and Numeracy Hub
Room 1201
Carol Holden, Here 2 Help (TAFE NSW)
Q2 Upskilling educators, empowering learners: Strengthening adult literacy through dyslexia-friendly and values-based approaches
Room 1203
Annette Tofaeono, Ako Aotearoa – The National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence (Aotearoa, New Zealand)
Q3 Australian Literacy Mediation in Practice: An applied linguistic study
Room 303
Sebastian Blake, University of South Australia
11:20-11:55 am Morning tea – level 12 (only tea/coffee on level 3)
11:55 am-1:15 pm
Room 1203
Dr Lorraine Gaunt, ‘Transformative potential: Innovative approaches to adult numeracy’
Trevor Gauld, JSA Update on The Foundation Skills Study
1:15-2:05 pm Lunch (level 12)
2:05-2:35 pm Group R – Choose one
R1 Profiles, journeys, and outcomes amongst foundation skills learners in the Australian VET system
Room 1201
Dr Angus Hughes, National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER)
R2 Exploring the TAESS00026 Foundation Skills Integration Skill Set – learning from a pilot program with teachers at NMTAFE, Perth, WA
Room 303
Susan Thompson and Athena Tsonis, NMTAFE, Perth WA
R3 Designing tools to support adult numeracy learners: A practical workshop
Room 1203
Dr Lorraine Gaunt, Charles Sturt University
2:45-3:15 pm Group S – Choose one
S2 We, Work, World – Embedding sustainability within our curriculum
Room 1201
John Blake, Eastern College Australia
S3 Why context is the critical starting point in numeracy (& maths)
Room 1203
Dave Tout, ACER, University of Melbourne and Multifangled P/L
3:15-3:45 pm Afternoon tea – level 12 (only tea/coffee on level 3)
3:45-4:15 pm Group T – Choose one
T1 Pathways program supporting complex and diverse needs: A pilot 2024-2025
Room 1203
Cassandra Pattison and Liliana E. Correa, Ace Community Colleges (Lismore)
T2 Building bridges to inclusion and empowerment: Central Regional TAFE’s GATE to lifelong learning
Room 1201
Helen Smith, Central Regional TAFE – Geraldton
T3 Earth Up Holmesglen horticulture program empowering students and growing literacy and numeracy in young adults
Room 303
Sophie Kenny, Holmesglen TAFE
4:20-4:50 pm Group U – Choose one
U1 From reluctant to relaxed and re-engaged: How LLN service managers and tutors are designing programs to reduce educational fear
Room 1203
Amanda Wilson, Volunteer Adult Literacy Tutor
U2 Empowering VET students through LLND skills: A comprehensive approach
Room 1201
Shemyla Khan and Nilima Kawser, MTC Australia
5:00 pm Safe travel!