eVALBEC October 2013eVALBEC October 20131. VALBEC Fine Print Commissioning Editor sought
2. 2013 Victorian Learn Local Awards
3. 2013 International Year of Statistics
5. Free Seminar with Professor Mary Hamilton
6. Scoping a Foundation Skills Professional Standards Framework
8. Next edition
9. 'Background Briefing' - ABC Radio National program
10. 'Life Matters' - ABC Radio National program
11. Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies
12. TAE Training Package update
13. Core Skills for Work Developmental Framework
16 .On and off
17. Contact VALBEC
VALBEC invites interested and suitably qualified people to submit expressions of interest.
Fine Print is VALBEC's journal for language and literacy practitioners. It has a high profile as the only Victorian professional journal for the ALBE field and is circulated nationally and internationally. The Commissioning Editor has overall responsibility, in consultation with the Editorial committee, for the planning and commissioning of material, and the production of each edition.
Position description
Winner of the Excellence in Language Literacy and Numeracy Provision Award - Jill Lewis from CAE
Congratulations Jill!
Jill Lewis' highly developed specialist knowledge and skill as a language, literacy and numeracy professional make her work at CAE very diverse.
'The Victorian 2013 Learn Local awards were held at the St Kilda Town Hall. This year they were held in the evening for the first time, and judging by the crowd, it was a successful move. Fiona O'Loughlin emceed the event, and awards were presented by the Minister for Higher Education and Skills, the Hon. Peter Hall.
There were seven awards this year, and once again, the recipients represented regional and urban areas. I was moved to tears more than once, and inspired by every story.
The categories for awards were divided into four distinct groups – learners, practitioners, courses and organisations or businesses. The courses nominated at the awards demonstrated creativity in their development and delivery, which in turn supported learners to build their skills and knowledge in the areas of learning. Learners nominated showed resilience and commitment, and demonstrated lifelong learning. None of this would be possible without the commitment to quality teaching by the practitioners. Organisations and businesses also demonstrated commitment to the sector and to learners by continuing to provide excellent learning centres for our communities.
The audience was varied this year as tickets were sold to the friends and families of nominees or tables were booked by organisations. The social enterprise STREAT catered for the event – a really delicious main and scrumptious dessert! Two Jesuit Community College students and their tutor provided the entertainment mid way with acoustic guitar and singing.
The whole event was very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to going next year.'
Linno Rhodes
VALBEC has adopted the International Year of Statistics as our theme for 2013. Each month a VALBEC committee member will be digging up some fascinating numbers that you may find interesting and potentially useful in classroom activities. This month it's John Radalj.
30 Statistics about Teens and Social Networking
Teen Internet Use
Teen Social Networking Use
What Teens do on Facebook
What Else Happens on Facebook
Parental Concerns and Controls
What Kids Think About Facebook Parental Controls
An eclectic reader, I often read books provided for me (lazy) or suggested by others. I have a pile approximately one metre high next to my bed. From my book tower some I will read, others will be rejected for not engaging my interest. I read every night and enjoy many genres; this is very relaxing and provides a good wind down at the end of a busy day. Currently, I am reading a novel by the author Alistair McCall Smith, The Dog Who came in from the Cold. A terrific author who writes with wit and wonderful expression to portray the English setting of the story. The dog who came in from the cold is Freddy de la hay who is employed as a spy for the English, this story includes the dog's perspective of changing his environment and the people to whom he belongs. The novel also explores the relationships and idiosyncrasies of the characters woven into the story. Best read this year would be All That I Am by Anna Funder. A novel based on the German resistance during World War two, a story not often told but fascinating portrayal of the horror of war and the people who will choose the morally correct path whatever the cost.
John Radalj.
Can't make it to Sydney for the ACAL Conference, but want to hear a Keynote?
Here's your chance. Monash University, VALBEC and Victoria University have combined to invite Professor Mary Hamilton of Lancaster University, UK to speak to LLN Practitioners in Melbourne.
She will speak at a forum at Victoria University Flinders Street Campus, Level 9 on Tuesday 22nd October, 5-7pm.
Mary is one of the Founders of New Literacies; social practices perspective on understanding and researching literacy. The focus of her VALBEC-VU workshop will be defined during the ACAL Conference, so watch this space. You can be sure it will include reflections on the current policy environment in the UK and Australian environments and your opinions and views will matter.
More details Lindee Conway - 0428 135 474, or register here.
Monash University will also offer a lunchtime forum for staff and practitioners on Wednesday 23rd October.
Discussion with consultant
This consultation workshop has been organised by the Australian WELL Practitioners' Network with the project consultant, Louise Wignall, and will provide a stimulating discussion of the issues raised in the consultation paper.
Friday 4 October from 9.30 -12 noon
Cost: Free
NMIT Preston Campus, Conference Centre - Ellen Smiddy Room, 77-91 St Georges Rd, Preston
Christina Kavouri at ChristinaKavouri@nmit.edu.au
• Q&A Forum: Navigating a course in challenging L&D times
An interactive forum with leading L&D professionals from the corporate, community, industry and RTO sectors about current trends and challenges, and their professional and career development implications.
Tuesday 1 October 2013
6.00–7.15pm
Monash Conference Centre, Level 7, Collins Street, Melbourne
• Course briefing: Bachelor of Adult Learning & Development
An information session about the BAL&D degree for L&D professionals wishing to upgrade their qualifications and enhance their career development.
Tuesday 8 October 2013
6.00–7.15pm
Faculty of Education, Room 164, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton
To participate online via Adobe Connect, contact edu-events@monash.edu
In the next edition of Fine Print, out early December, you can expect some good holiday reading. Dave Tout completes his article on international testing and will show how it can teach us about learning and teaching. I've had a sneak preview and know it will make you think.
As the world gets 'smaller' literacy in such faraway places as northern Canada and Finland becomes relevant. Accordingly, Fine Print will feature an article on family literacy in Canada's northern territories, and another on ACE in Finland. We don't normally have Practical, Numeracy and Technology Matters in the one edition but we have a special for you in the December issue! We have also extended the Open Forum dais and are hosting five writers and I know you will enjoy reading about local experiences and opinions. We review some great resources from AMES, APELS and Information Access/City of Kingston easy reading fact sheets.
See the Fine Print archive
Half of all adults in Tasmania cannot read or write properly, and many of their children are following in their footsteps as badly needed school reforms are frustrated.
Functional literacy can be loosely defined as the skills you need to get by in today's world, like being able to read a newspaper and distinguish between the ads and the articles, calculating your change, or understanding your prescription.
Despite not being able to read or write Brian Charity has forged a successful career as a Tasmanian entrepreneur. He's gone to extreme lengths to hide that he cannot read or write.
The OECD is due to release the PIAAC (Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies) report on 8th October containing the data from 24 countries, including Australia. Titled, The OECD Skills Outlook 2013: First Results from the Survey of Adult Skills, it will report on proficiency in several information-processing skills - namely literacy, numeracy and problem solving in technology-rich environments.
PIAAC is an international survey of adult skills in the areas of literacy, numeracy and problem solving.
Thanks to Jan Hagston, Multifangled P/L, member PIAAC Literacy Expert group and Dave Tout, ACER, member PIAAC Numeracy Expert group for this article on PIAAC.
What is PIAAC?
What do the preliminary results tell us?
What don't the results tell us?
Why take part in surveys like PIAAC?
What next?
Those working in LLN should make sure they are familiar with the changes to the TAE Training Package. These relate to
All VET practitioners who do not hold the LLN unit 401A or 411 by June 2014 will be required to comply by June 2015.
Released in August 2013, the Core Skills for Work Developmental Framework (CSfW) describes the non-technical skills, knowledge and understandings that underpin successful participation in work, otherwise known as employability or generic skills. The CSfW provides a common language to help education, training and employment services sectors to address the demand for skills across industries and workplaces.
In addition to the development of the CSfW, a number of resources and tools were also developed that provide examples of how the CSfW can be used across settings and sectors.
The CSfW and associated resources are available online.
'Building Strength with Numeracy' is a collection of activities that builds on and updates elements of the previous resources, as well as including many new, previously unpublished ideas, activities and student practice exercises.
ACFE, ACE, RTO and TAFE managers can post adult literacy, language and numeracy practitioner job ads in eVALBEC. Send your request (50 words limit) to info@valbec.org.au by the 26th of the month.
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eVALBEC is the monthly electronic newsletter of (VALBEC) the Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council.
E-mail: info@valbec.org.au
Postal: Box 861 Springvale South VIC 3172
This is the electronic newsletter of VALBEC, the Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council, and is sent to about 1000 practitioners on the first of each month (other than January). It is also available in the 'News' section of our web site
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