1A
Plumbing for Numeracy!
Debbie Sperandio
How do plumbers use numeracy? What numeracy skills are needed to install a washbasin or dig? Let’s tap into how plumbers use numeracy in their work tasks!
This workshop will explore how numeracy is embedded in work skills using plumbing as a case study. We will discuss a framework, which can be applied to any industry, for unpacking numeracy skills required for typical plumbing tasks. We will explore how we can plan for targeted numeracy skills development for employability.
Debbie Sperandio has spent most of her teaching career teaching LLN skills in industry and has managed and facilitated over 45 WELL (Workplace English and Language) programs in a diverse range of industries, including manufacturing, construction, engineering, aged care, childcare, food processing and community services. This involved identifying and unpacking foundation skills relevant to each industry and workplace and developing workers LLN skills to meet employability needs. Debbie has worked on a range of vocational programs to support the development of foundation skills. Debbie works in the Academic and Learning Skills Support at Chisholm TAFE.
1B
Engaging disadvantaged learners
Cate Thompson
There is global recognition that having a job is one of the most powerful determinants of quality of life. How do we assist our disadvantaged, disengaged learners to move from unemployment and associated disadvantages into employment and positive life options?
This global challenge is one that the ACFE sector have been working to address over decades. It is also a challenge that is gaining increased attention within the European community in the context of social change.
This workshop will share some of the findings from my International Specialised Skills Institute HESG Fellowship undertaken in 2017 to identify key elements and most important factors that contribute to effectiveness in adult learning processes on EU disadvantaged adult learners.
Cate Thompson has worked in numerous roles within the education sector, all of which had a focus on supporting disadvantaged learners to improve life opportunities. She was the Project Manager for the development of the initial A Frame, initiated and managed Victorian Association for Applied Learning and developed several Social Enterprises that gave learners the opportunity to gain employment skills in supported work and learning programs. In 2017 she and her colleague, Karen Dymke, undertook an International Specialised Skills Institute Fellowship focussed on best practice in the European sector of informal learning – engaging disadvantaged learners. She currently works part time as a Community Development practitioner at a Learn Local, where she is involved in developing programs based on both her Australian experience in the field of literacy and pre-accredited learning and her findings from the fellowship.
1C
EAL Teachers as Career Teachers: What can be formally learned and what are the gaps?
Kathrin Colgan
Current funding and curriculum explicitly describes the requirement for EAL teachers to deliver employability skills to learners. However, do EAL teachers need explicit skills to teach employability? There are no standards that exist within teaching standards.
Using the new FSK Teachers Standards and the Australian Teachers Standards we can refer to the Careers Teachers standards and how that reflects in our teaching.
This workshop will explore the question of EAL Teachers as Careers Teachers and expects that there is much to be learned and could apply to EAL teachers such as the ethics, skills and experiences. Would our EAL programs be enhanced by endorsement from the Careers Teachers Industry? What are the gaps we need to fill? Participants can expect to contribute to this practical discussion.
Kathrin Colgan has worked in a range of LLN roles where she has taught Foundation skills to assist EAL and literacy students gain meaningful study pathways or jobs in their chosen careers. Kathrin’s professional efforts were recognised with the 2017 Excellence in Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice Award she received at the Australian Training Awards. She is interested in the journey of the EAL teacher in their career and how constant change can be managed. She is currently an EAL Teacher at Chisholm Institute.
2A
Grappling with the ACSF core skill of Learning
Philippa McLean and Anne Howard
Philippa has been working with the ‘Yes, I Can’ program in NSW to translate the ACSF Learning skill to pick up developments that students have made as a critical area of progress. She is developing an observation sheet that explains each Performance Feature with examples of what the skill looks like in practice. These observation sheets will be developed for different contexts, such as a large TAFE or a small community provider. Participants in this workshop will be engaged in exploring the ACSF core skill of Learning and relating it to different learner cohorts to test drive how the observation sheet may be applied and adapted.
Philippa McLean has extensive and successful experience in the VET sector, with particular expertise in adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy LLN. In recent years Philippa’s prime focus has been on the delivery of professional development and project work for the adult LLN sector at a state-wide and national level. Philippa has worked on national projects developing exemplar LLN assessment tools and delivery resources. Philippa also undertakes independent validation of LLN assessment tools and processes. Philippa was the project manager and key writer for the development of the Australian Core Skills Framework, ACSF (Commonwealth of Australia 2012) and the ACSF Pre Level 1 (Commonwealth of Australia 2017).
Anne Howard has many years of experience in the VET sector and in the SEE and AMEP Programs. Anne has expertise in the pre-training assessment area and was co-lead of the team that conducted, analysed and acted on the pre-training assessment for the VET areas. Anne worked as a Subject Matter Expert on the ACSF team at ACER, developing the online Foundation Skills Assessment Tool (FSAT) as well as various projects for Escalier McLean. Anne currently works at Victoria University Polytechnic as the manager of English and Foundation Courses (Western Melbourne English Program).
2B
Swipe, tap and type! Digital literacy for beginner adult EAL Learners
Hayley Black
‘Technology Afternoons’ support adult EAL learners to develop their digital literacy skills, and to use technology as a platform for EAL learning at Carringbush Adult Education. The team-teaching model also enables teachers to collaboratively develop their teaching skills for digital literacy learning. This workshop will provide an overview of the program model, demonstrate teaching strategies and show examples of websites, apps and resources. It will also be an opportunity for teachers to share their own strategies and digital resources that have assisted their learners.
Hayley Black is an EAL teacher with a secondary school EAL and Media teaching background. Her Masters of TESOL project focussed on digital literacy for beginner adult EAL learners.
2C
Transitions – exploring, teaching and learning strategies for the gig economy
Rhonda Pelletier and Karen Manwaring
Much of the work of teaching requires educators to read the classroom environment to work out how students use their language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills to complete their work and to engage with their fellow learners. Then follows the work of matching the learning to the criteria to record and report on the training. With shifting priorities and changing demands how do educators keep pace?
In this workshop participants will explore ways of recognising and working with LLN skills that students will need to work in Industry 4.0. Working from what we know now, how can we be ready to draw on resources offered by real workspaces, work methods, resources and technology? At the end of this workshop you will have ideas to approach planning, research, design, delivery and assessment of LLN skills for emerging workplaces.
Rhonda Pelletier has a breadth of experience teaching in youth and adult education for second language speakers including teaching overseas, in WELL programs and now in ELICOS. Her knowledge and skills in analysing learning environments and designing programs for learners developed through coordinating or managing programs.
Karen Manwaring has worked as a teacher, co-ordinator and project manager in Learn Local, TAFE and Higher Education settings. She co-ordinated Ready for Change with Port Melbourne and St Kilda Neighbourhood Centres, a mentoring project for learners returning to education and employment. Karen teaches in the Learning Skills Unit at Melbourne Polytechnic and is a technical writer of online VET content at RMIT. She also teaches creative writing to public housing residents in St Kilda as part of the Our Voices project with Port Melbourne Neighbourhood Centre.