eVALBEC
May 2008
This
is the electronic newsletter of VALBEC, the Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education
Council, and is sent to about 850 practitioners on the first of each month (other
than January). It is also available in the ‘News’ section of our web
site http://www.valbec.org.au
Disclaimer: The activities, goods and services mentioned in eVALBEC are not
endorsed by VALBEC in any way. People should make their own judgment about the suitability
of each item.
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IN THIS ISSUE OF eVALBEC:
1. VALBEC night of nights – event of the year • 30
years of VALBEC Celebration Dinner
2. VALBEC Annual Conference 2008 • Still glides the stream VALBEC
conference 2008
3. Annual General Meeting & Twilight Forum
4. Fine Print Editor position
5. Help us with our special Summer 2008 Edition of Fine Print “Celebrating
ALBE Students and their Writing”
6. Invitation to join FP editorial committee
7. ACAL online PD sessions via the Literacy Live
8. Skills Reform Discussion Paper released
9. Member offer - new resource CD
10. Call for Writings from ABE Practitioners (especially teachers)
11. The Centre for Literacy (Canada) Summer Institute 2008: ESL and Literacy, June,
2008
12. National Institute for Literacy
13. Educators and Trainers Network Administrator
14. CAE workshops
15. Adult literacy, numeracy and ESL teachers required at CAE
16. On the lighter side
17. Subscribe to eVALBEC?
18. Unsubscribe?
19. Contact VALBEC
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1. VALBEC night of nights – event of the year
Tables are filling fast – have you bought
your ticket yet?
Don’t miss out on this special occasion for all the people who have been associated
with VALBEC over three decades to come together and celebrate.
30 years of VALBEC Celebration Dinner
Thursday May 15, 2008
7.00 – 11.00 pm
RACV Club Restaurant, 501 Bourke St Melbourne
Cost $75 – three course meal with drinks at bar prices
Details http://www.valbec.org.au/conf08/dinner.htm
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2. VALBEC Annual Conference 2008
William Angliss conference centre, corner La Trobe
and King Sts, Melbourne
Pre-conference workshops FULL
Thursday May 15 , 3.00 – 5.30pm
Still glides the stream VALBEC conference
2008
Friday May 16 8.30am -4.30pm
Some sessions are already full so make sure you check the website for current
program information.
More http://www.valbec.org.au/conf08/reg.htm
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3. Annual General Meeting & Twilight Forum
Members please note that the meeting will be held
on Thursday June 19 at 7.00pm
(venue to be confirmed) All positions on the committee will be open for election.
Please consider nominating, attending or encouraging others to join.
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4. Fine Print Editor position
Sadly we have accepted Karen Manwaring’s resignation
as Fine Print Commissioning Editor due to her increased workload completing her book
for publication in 2009.
The Winter edition of Fine Print will be her last after a tenure of over two years.
We will miss her passion and enthusiasm and thank her for her professional approach
and expertise.
Expressions of Interest are called for the position of Fine Print Commissioning Editor
for immediate start. We are looking for a person with writing, editing and publishing
skills as well as knowledge of the adult literacy, numeracy and basic education fields.
Contact Sarah Deasey 93477072 or Lynne Matheson 92691376 for more information or
info@valbec.org.au for a role statement.
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5. Help us with our special Summer 2008 Edition of
Fine Print
“Celebrating ALBE Students and their Writing”
We want to celebrate the work of adult literacy
students by publishing their writing. We want to build a picture of the diverse learning
contexts, the life experiences, and the goals and thoughts of our learners.
We also want to highlight teaching approaches to writing by publishing short reflections
from teachers.
Talk to your students about the reason for this edition, ask them to write
a reflective piece and contribute a brief reflection of your own on how you approach
the teaching of writing, preferably with reference to the students writing piece
submitted. We would like to hear how you inspire your students, and how
you facilitate the writing process.
Deadline September 28, 2008
More details and guidelines http://www.valbec.org.au/studentwriting.htm
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6. Invitation to join FP editorial committee
Fine Print is the highly regarded journal of VALBEC
and relies on input from many volunteer authors as well as an editorial committee.
Vacancies exist at the moment on the editorial committee. If you’re interested
in finding out more, please contact Lynne Matheson on lynnematheson@optusnet.com.au
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7. ACAL (Australian Council for Adult Literacy) offers
online PD sessions via the Literacy Live
Next Literacy Live: Wednesday 7 May (8.00pm AEST) • Free and at your own
computer
"Everything you wanted to know about mobile
learning but were afraid to ask"
Caryl Oliver
Many of us have heard the term mobile learning.
But do we really know what it means or can encompass? In this session participants
will have the opportunity to understand what mobile learning is all about and to
gain some insight into how people are using mobile learning in the educational sector.
Caryl will explain some of the issues and give participants strategies to have-a-go
at getting going…
In this session Caryl will share some examples of mobile learning activities (with
plenty of time for questions and having fun.)
More at http://www.acal.edu.au/litlive.htm
Remember, you must register.
RSVP to info@acal.edu.au and we’ll send you the password.
Tuesday 13 May 8:30pm (AEST) • Free and at your own computer
"Less Teaching and More Learning: Promising
Practices in Adult Literacy"
Dr Heide Spruck Wrigley, New Mexico, USA (International
Guest Speaker)
This session will present findings from several
studies in adult literacy with a special emphasis on adult English language learners.
We will present and discuss examples from the field that illustrate what works for
teachers and learners and highlight those practices that match up with recent research
results. Examples will include activities that engage learners and connect the classroom
with language and literacy use in students’ lives. Video and audio will be
used to illustrate multi-modal teaching, designed to deepen learning.
More at http://www.acal.edu.au/litlive.htm
Remember, you must register.
RSVP to info@acal.edu.au and we’ll send you the password.
Tuesday 3 June 8:00pm (AEST) • Free and at your own computer
"The VALBEC History Project"
Beverley Campbell
Find out more about Literacy Live and using the
virtual meeting room at http://www.acal.edu.au/litlive.htm
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8. Skills Reform
Discussion Paper released
The Brumby Government wants to encourage more Victorians
to take up training for the first time and also encourage others to upgrade their
qualifications. The jobs of the future will be more competitive and will require
higher levels of skills. To meet these future workforce needs we need to remove current
barriers to training and engage industry, business and individuals in more training.
To achieve these goals, reforms have been proposed to the vocational education and
training (VET) system. The discussion paper Securing our future economic prosperity outlines
proposed reforms of the vocational education and training (VET) system based on the
following four objectives:
• A boost in the numbers of individuals and businesses accessing training,
leading to a big increase in the skills of Victoria’s workforce;
• A VET system that engages more effectively with individuals and businesses
and is easier to navigate;
• A VET system that is more responsive and flexible to the changing skill needs
of businesses and individuals; and
• Creating a stronger culture of lifelong learning.
Download the paper and see how to make a submission at http://www.otte.vic.gov.au/skillsreform.asp
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9. Member offer - new resource CD
‘Creating the Connections’ is
a new resource CD to guide and support teachers through the process of using digital
storytelling with students. Suitable for students studying the CGEA and CSWE, tasks
and handouts develop oral and written communication skills, as well as ICT, project
planning and employability skills. These are built up over a series of ten sessions
during which students work together to create digital stories about their local community.
The resource kit was developed by AMES, in conjunction with Goulburn Ovens TAFE,
on behalf of the National Training System and funded under the Adult Literacy National
Project. More info at http://www.ames.net.au/shop/createconnections/
Explore the resource at a VALBEC pre-Conference workshop with Lynda Achren and
Barb Cockroft on Thursday 15th May.
VALBEC has 20 copies of Creating the Connections to give away. To be in the running
for the free copy, go to http://www.valbec.org.au then ‘Member
Offer’ on the right-hand side, complete and send the form by May 10, we'll
draw names (you must be a member) and AMES will send 20 lucky people a copy of the
resource.
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10. Call for Writings from ABE Practitioners (especially
teachers)
Empowering Women through Literacy: Views from
Experience
Edited by Mev Miller, Ed.D. and Kathleen King, Ed.D.
Practitioners working in adult basic/literacy education -- classroom teachers, educators,
tutors, administrators, and researchers — are invited to make a proposal for
what they’d like to contribute to a book of writings and artwork by adult
basic education teachers/educators addressing women’s literacy issues.
Topics Explored: Barriers and Challenges to Discussing Women's Issues in Literacy
Classes or Addressing Them in Programs; Experiences
Empowering Women in Literacy; Contextual Approaches for Empowering Women in Literacy
Deadline for Proposals: May 30, 2008
Details: http://www.litwomen.org/educators/newbook.html
Women's Perspectives #3 is now available
This issue focuses on Women & Money. Details: http://www.litwomen.org/perspectives.html
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11. The Centre for Literacy (Canada)
Summer Institute 2008: ESL and Literacy
June 26 - 28, 2008
Recent studies acknowledge that many second-language
learners, including some who lack mother tongue literacy, enroll in adult literacy
programs. The 2008 Summer Institute will bring together participants to meet with
organizations and individuals who have done the early research. We will explore the
implications of what we know for practice and policy, and propose strategies to bridge
the traditional gap between ESL and literacy providers.
http://www.centreforliteracy.qc.ca/whatsnew/sli2008/index.htm
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12. National Institute for Literacy
A useful web address. Here is the URL for subscribing
to the list: http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Englishlanguage and
participating in the discussion on adult ESL reading (or just lurking for that matter)
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13. Educators and Trainers Network Administrator
The Financial Literacy Foundation (Department of
Treasury) has just distributed the April newsletter. To see it and subscribe to future
issues, go http://www.understandingmoney.gov.au/ Click
on Educators and then Network.
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14. CAE workshops
13th June CGEA revisited
Having survived the first semester, this day will
give practitioners the opportunity to revisit the new CGEA and gain ideas and strategies
by working with colleagues on the planning, delivery and assessment of the CGEA.
Come along to some facilitated sharing and moderation sessions. A great chance to
share, contribute and learn from colleagues.
23rd July Numeracy for all
Teaching and Learning for VCAL, CGEA & Middle years
Feel alone and unsure about how to teach numeracy and maths in VCAL or the CGEA or
in the middle years? New to teaching numeracy and maths and don’t feel confident
about how to teach it in an applied way or how to teach the underpinning maths skills?
Don’t know where to go for resources or help? Do you need some help and want
to find some new ideas?
To enrol go to http://www.saalt.com.au/profdev.html
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15. Adult literacy, numeracy and ESL teachers required
at CAE
CAE is seeking expressions of interest from qualified
adult education teachers interested in doing emergency teaching in 2008. Teachers
may be required for CGEA literacy, numeracy, science, computing or ESL Frameworks. Day
and evening classes. Located in CBD. Submit Expressions of interest with
CV to access@cae.edu.au.
More details http://www.cae.edu.au then ‘Employment’.
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16. On the lighter side
The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again
asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting
or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners.
Read them carefully. Each is an artificial word with only one letter altered
from a real word. Some are terrifically innovative.
1. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize
it was your money to start with.
2. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
3. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people, that stops bright ideas
from penetrating. The Bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking
down in the near future.
4. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially
impotent for an indefinite period of time.
5. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
6. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't
get it.
7. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
8. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.
9. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
10. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes,
right? And then like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
11. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only
things that are good for you.
12. Glibido: All talk and no action
13. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at
you rapidly.
14. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally
walked through a spider web.
15. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom
at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
16. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're
eating.
And, the pick of the lot.
17. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
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19. Contact VALBEC
eVALBEC is the monthly electronic newsletter of
(VALBEC) the Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council.
E-mail: info@valbec.org.au
Web: http://www.valbec.org.au
Postal: Box 861 Springvale South VIC 3172
Ph: 03 9546 6892
Fax: 03 9546 0421