August 2014 | VALBEC | Web version

In this Issue

Committee News

1. NCVER conference

2. Industry Skills Fund feedback sought

Fine Print

3. Next issue

Professional Development

4. Feel confident teaching legal information to adult learners in your classroom.

5. 'Literacy: a learning spiral for life' ACAL annual conference hosted by QCAL

Pre-conference Thursday afternoon, 2 October 2014

Full conference sessions details available

Resources

6. Lesson materials - Biosecurity

7. Lesson ideas - Family Farming

8. VALBEC Adult Numeracy Resource to grow - input wanted

Committee News

1. NCVER conference

Committee members Sandra Wolfe and Digna Libra attended NCVER's 'No Frills' Conference which was co-hosted with Holmesglen. Practitioners and researchers shared their research and knowledge on a range of topics at 'No Frills' by presenting, discussing and sharing information about key issues confronting the VET and higher education sectors including:

2. Industry Skills Fund feedback sought

The $476 million Industry Skills Fund is a key element in the Australian Government's National Industry Investment and Competitiveness Agenda and will provide up to 200,000 training places and support services over four years.

The fund will assist Australian industry to access training and support services and develop innovative training solutions so Australia will have the highly skilled workforce it needs to adapt to new business growth opportunities, rapid technological change and market driven structural adjustment.

The fund will commence on 1 January 2015.

The Discussion Paper has been developed to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to submit feedback to the Australian Government on the design and implementation arrangements for the Industry Skills Fund.

Stakeholders are encouraged to provide their feedback online through a digital questionnaire. This should take no longer than 15 minutes.

Fine Print

3. Next issue

Due in your letter box in the next fortnight - Edition 2 will focus on aspects of learning - lifelong and life wide, formal and informal, visual and multimodal. Featured articles from Allie Clemans, Barry Golding, and- from Canada - Susan M. Holloway, will engage and inspire readers.

Professional Development

4. Feel confident teaching legal information to adult learners in your classroom.

Community West invites you to Learning Law in our Land: professional development for Adult ESL teachers, on 11-12 September 2014. Over two days you will learn legal and referral information relevant to your students and how to teach this information in your classroom. Modules include the Australian legal system, police rights, driving and road rules, car accidents and insurance, debts and fines and family violence. You will receive comprehensive lesson plans, classroom activities and referral guides.

Booking: Cristal 8312 2020 or legal@communitywest.org.au

More info (PDF)

5. 'Literacy: a learning spiral for life' ACAL annual conference hosted by QCAL

October 2-4, 2014, Gold Coast

Pre-conference Thursday afternoon, 2 October 2014

'Frameworks: do they inhibit or enhance the literacy spiral?'

What are their purposes? How do they fit together and link to programs? How are literacy and numeracy conceptualised within them and perceived by practitioners? How is the individual learner positioned within the frameworks?

See pre-conference speakers and program

Full conference sessions details available

Over fifty sessions to choose from over two days - embedding literacy and numeracy in VET, teachers as learners, research in literacy, numeracy and learning, teaching practices and experiences, literacy for life .

See full session details

Resources

6. Lesson materials - Biosecurity

Over the past 2 years Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) has been working to raise awareness about water hyacinth within CALD communities and encourage people to report and/or surrender water hyacinth in their possession to the DEPI.

We have developed a number of products to provide important information to these communities and we are now looking to EAL teachers to support us in promoting our messages, particularly to new migrants.

Contact Melissa Semken on 9217-4240 or melissa.semken@depi.vic.gov.au to be sent a package of resources or to arrange a class visit.

Also visit www.depi.vic.gov.au/waterhyacinth for video and pictures.

7. Lesson ideas - Family Farming

VALBEC is observing 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming, as well as celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family and offering some related lesson materials and ideas.

In the seventh of the series, committee member Ann Haynes explores the diversity of family farming (about 500 million world-wide), the issues and limitations of the current approach to family farms and some possibilities for the future.

See Ann's ideas and those from previous months.

8. VALBEC Adult Numeracy Resource to grow - input wanted

VALBEC is expanding the content of their on line Adult Numeracy resource Building Strength with Numeracy with new content focusing on decimals and measurement. Beth Marr will be undertaking this work during the next six months and would appreciate input from current practitioners. If you are teaching numeracy either stand-alone, or integrated with literacy or language, and are interested in assisting, then we would like to hear from you.

There are several ways to have input. You could participate in an advisory group which would discuss priorities and make suggestions at monthly meetings over the next semester. These meetings, in a central Melbourne location, would also provide opportunity for stimulating discussion and networking. Other welcome input includes trialling and providing feedback on new activities as they are developed or emailing advice re your favourite existing activities and any successful extensions you have used.

Interested? Email bethmarr@westnet.com.au