1. ACAL Conference Darwin

A great diversity of sessions

The Arch Nelson Address

The Arch Nelson Address ‘To be or not to be … literate: A personal story’ will given by Heather D’Antoine, Menzies School of Health Research.

Literacy is an essential aspect of our everyday lives and it is embedded in just about everything we do.  Being literate is something that many of us take for granted. I do! For many Aboriginal people, being able to read and write is not something taken for granted. As an Aboriginal person, I see this playing out, to some degree in my own family. Some of my ancestors could read and some couldn’t.  Thanks to them, I have been literate most of my life and I enjoy the benefits of being literate. But for my young relatives, I worry about it. My Arch Nelson address is a personal story about literacy in my family, an Aboriginal family, throughout the generations.

2. Resources

What resources are needed? ....... have your say!

This 5 minute survey is to ascertain what resources people use to support adult literacy learners and where there are gaps in the availability of, or access to resources.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/litconnect

Survey closes September 30

This survey is for all people who support adults improving their literacy skills, such as teachers, tutors, trainers, volunteers, librarians etc. For the purposes of this survey, literacy skills may include English as an Additional Language (EAL) and numeracy, and hence will be referred to as adult language, literacy and numeracy (adult LLN).

To thank you for your time you can put your name into a draw to win
Prize 1 – Book pack from the State Library of Victoria
Prize 2 - $50 Readings voucher courtesy of City Library of Melbourne

The information collected by this survey will be used by the ‘Adult Literacy Connect’, (a group of Adult LLN teachers and librarians, led by VALBEC - Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council) to ascertain needs of practitioners and how to address any identified gaps.

Please pass this survey link onto relevant people and encourage everyone to have their say about Adult LLN Resources!

Letters for Literacy

The 8th of September is the 51st International Literacy Day.

VALBEC invites adult LLN teachers and students to celebrate International Literacy Day with an old-style hand writing letter activity.

Although emails and other online methods are now used to communicate with politicians, letters are still considered a highly effective way to get messages across to elected officials.

We are encouraging both teachers and students to show our politicians that we think adult literacy is an important social and political issue in Australia.

Resource Gems - create, play and share learning games for free with Kahoot!

This month's contribution comes from Committee member Rhonda Raisbeck.

Kahoot! Makes learning fun for any subject matter. You can create, play and share learning games for free. It uses technology in a simple, fun manner.

Use it in LLN classes:

• as a warmer to focus students on what was learned last session,

• to find out where students are at now,

• to practise something learned in your current lesson,

• as part of your evaluation at the end of a session.

What do you need?

• A teacher computer that all students can see.

• The students’ own device – smart phone, tablet, lap top – connected to the internet. (BYO device). Students can share a device in a cooperative environment.

Go to: https://kahoot.com/

Then: Learn How it Works – to learn how simple it is to make up your own quizzes.

Essentially you can create multiple choice quizzes in minutes – spelling, grammar, vocabulary, content, times tables, equations, cloze activities, shapes, fractions, comprehension, famous buildings, …

You can upload pictures and video too. Then you save your quiz on the site. You can go back in and edit your quiz at any time. Teachers have been known to create a Kahoot! in their coffee break – it does not take long when you become familiar with the site.

Students log in at: https://kahoot.it They type in the code shown on the teacher computer- different for each time the teacher logs in.

They answer the questions on their own device by choosing / pressing the correct colour / shape. The teacher screen shows who has logged on and the running tally for the students. Lots of fun and a bit of competition. Sign up today and start creating.

'Building Strength with Numeracy'

'Building Strength with Numeracy' provides practical, tested resources for teachers to use in a range of settings and made accessible online.

Each section of each topic is a PDF allowing immediate downloading, printing and use by teachers and students.

The first six topics are provided as a free download for all numeracy practitioners.

** The topics 'Decimals and 'Measurement' are free to VALBEC members and available for a small charge for non-members.

3. Fine Print

September 2017 edition

Fine Print Edition #3 provides some essential reading on LLN teaching practice and research. The feature article, ‘Utilising research in everyday practice: a rationale and guideline for practitioners’ by John Benseman, throws down the challenge to find ways to achieve a research-informed approach in our sector.

How do you articulate your teaching practice and the methodologies that underpin your approach? How do you ensure that your teaching is truly learner-centred? Here is a challenge to respond to Benseman’s article and write about actual classroom teaching practice and begin a dialogue.

Send your contributions to info@valbec.org.au

Fine Print Editor sought

VALBEC and the Fine Print Editorial Committee are seeking an experienced LLN professional with Editing and Journal production skills to apply for the role of Commissioning Editor of Fine Print for 2018.

For more information please see the full statement of roles and responsibilities or email / phone Sarah Deasey (sarahd@cnlc.org.au 0401 765 415) or Linno Rhodes (linno.rhodes@oae.vic.edu.au 0402 673 992).

4. CGEA reaccreditation

The Certificates in General Education for Adults (CGEA) are currently undergoing reaccreditation.

The first phase of the reaccreditation process focuses on consultation with key stakeholders.  CGEA practitioners are invited to provide feedback on the CGEA curriculum. Below is a link to an online survey which closes on September 8th.

Please circulate this link to your wider networks. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/96DQBWM

Or feedback can be forwarded to the Curriculum Maintenance Manager(CMM) General Studies and Further Education: nadia.casarotto@vu.edu.au or cheryl.bartolo@vu.edu.au

5. Awards

Victorian Learn Local Awards finalists

The Victorian Learn Local Awards recognise the inspirational efforts of learners, practitioners and training providers in the Learn Local education and training network.

The finalists for the 2017 Victorian Learn Local Awards have been announced.  Congratulations to all of the successful learners, practitioners and organisations.

This year’s winners will be announced at a presentation dinner which will take place on the evening of Thursday 31 August 2017 at the Malvern Town Hall.

Excellence in Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice - Australian Training Awards

Congratulations to Kathrin Colgan, Chisholm Institute for reaching finalist status in the Excellence in Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice category of the Australian Training Awards.

Kathrin was one of a team from Chisholm who spoke at the 2017 VALBEC Conference and she is also presenting at the 2017 ACAL Conference.

Kathrin has been teaching LLN for 20 years through VET in industry, language and literacy classrooms and remotely. She says ‘I have recently been interested in and working with LLN industry projects, curriculum projects for indigenous groups, and using digital solutions to address problems and complications for LLN teachers of multigroups. I am passionate about the LLN student, but equally of the LLN professional’.

Kathrin added. 'The wonderful thing about the VET sector is that allows so many opportunities for students and teachers.'

Winners are announced in November 2017.

6. Adult Learners' Week 2017

Adult Learners' Week is a UNESCO initiative supported in Australia by the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training and coordinated by Adult Learning Australia. Adult Learners' Week runs from 1–8 September and incorporates International Literacy Day, which is celebrated annually on September 8.

7. Experienced co-ordinator sought

Experienced LLN, AMEP / SEE coordinator sought for a newly developing role within Olympic Adult Education - a community-based Adult Education RTO and Neighbourhood House.

Closing date September 22 – Hours negotiable between 3-5 days per week.

Pay and conditions as per NHACE, Level 7 Year 3 Coordinator

Please phone Linno Rhodes on 9450 2665 or send CV to – linno.rhodes@oae.vic.edu.au 

8. VALBEC Facebook page

'Follow, Like, and Share' VALBEC on Facebook@valbec.org.au