e-WAALC
News is the electronic
newsletter of the Western Australian Adult Literacy Council. The WAALC
Executive Committee prepares and sends e-WAALC
News to members five times
a year. We welcome your comments,
suggestions, and contributions to the newsletter.
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In this issue of e-WAALC News
1) WAALC
2011 Conference
2) WAALC to celebrate 25 years
3) Big Book of Literacies
Training (BLT)
4) New National Foundation Skills Strategy
5) Literacy and Numeracy Studies Journal
6) ACSF projects
7) Industry Training Councils become WELL
brokers
8) ACAL
Conference Literacy on the Map: Common Visions, Different Paths
9) Taking The Lead:
Service Skills
10) Vocational Education and Training Workforce
Draft Report for Comment
11) Foundation
Skills in products for the 21st century
12) Inviting
new members
13) Issues?
Contributions?
14) Contacts’
update
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1. WAALC 2011
Conference
Planning
is underway for our state conference in July. The focus will be on Foundation
Skills, what these include, and the new initiatives underway to give new
impetus to the development in the vocational education and training sector in
Australia.
We
will be once again seeking funds from Lotteries West to assist with travel and
registration of volunteers and workers in not-for-profit community
organisations.
More
information very soon!
Joan
Campbell, WAALC Chairperson
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2. WAALC to celebrate
25 years
WAALC was incorporated on 1st December
1986. We are planning an event to mark the 25th anniversary of this
date later this year. Please let us know if you have photos or video footage of
a WAALC event. We would also like photos of the different types of literacy
programs offered over the years. Call
Joan Campbell on 0419937656 or email gitika1@optusnet.com.au
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3. Big Book of Literacies Training (BLT)
The ‘Big Book of Literacies Training
(BLT)’ has been suggested as a useful resource. See this and more at Adult Literacies Online Resources
http://www.aloscotland.com/alo/325.html
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4. New National Foundation Skills Strategy
The Federal Government has signalled
the development of a new National Foundation Skills Strategy
in their 2010 budget. ACAL is formulating a position to submit to DEEWR.
Stephen Black and Keiko Yasukawa have contributed their article Time for
National Renewal: Australian adult literacy and numeracy as 'foundation skills'
published in Literacy and Numeracy Studies to stimulate discussion. You
are invited to give feedback and comments http://www.acal.edu.au/cms/nationalrenewal.html
before 10 February.
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5. Literacy and Numeracy Studies Journal
Literacy and Numeracy Studies: An international
journal in the education and training of adults
is published by the Centre for Language and Literacy, University of Technology,
Sydney. http://www.education.uts.edu.au/lns/subscribe.html
For a free subscription – just follow the prompts.
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6. ACSF projects
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace
Relations (DEEWR) has contracted the original ACSF writing team to undertake
two projects – (i) a minor revision of the ACSF (ii)
development of an ACSF pre level 1 supplementary document. If you have any
comments or suggestions that you would like considered by the team, please
forward them by 18 March 2011 to Philippa McLean: philippa47@bigpond.com
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7.
Industry Training Councils become
WELL brokers
Under
the Australian Government’s $119.2 million Foundation Skills Package, the
Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) Program has expanded. $15.7
million over four years has been committed for approximately 9,500 additional
WELL training places from 1 July 2010. As part of this commitment, funding has
also been made available to Industry Skills Councils (ISCs)
to undertake WELL brokerage activities that connect employers with these
additional places.
Following
a competitive funding process, six ISCs have been
selected by DEEWR to liaise and work collaboratively with employers, registered
training organisations (RTOs) and Indigenous organisations to actively promote the WELL Program, and to
develop new WELL training projects. The six ISCs
selected for WELL brokerage activities in 2010/2011 are Community
Services and Health, Construction
and Property Services, EE-Oz
Training Standards, Transport
and Logistics, Forestworks
and SkillsDMC.
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8. ACAL Conference Literacy on the Map: Common
Visions, Different Paths
A Call for papers has been issued seeking
presentations for the 34th ACAL Conference hosted by VALBEC (Conference Tue
27 to Wed 28 Sept 2011, Pre-conference forum Mon 26 Sept 2011 at Victoria
University City Flinders Campus
More details at http://www.valbec.org.au/2011conf/call.htm
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9. Taking The Lead: Service Skills
In April 2010, Taking
the Lead was launched by Service Skills Australia as a one-stop shop for
information and advice on developing core language, literacy and numeracy (LLN)
skills in the service industries. The site provides information to help RTOs
and employers, including online PD for trainers and assessors, case studies
showing how employers and employees benefit from training that supports and
develops LLN skills, LLN tips giving comprehensive advice on how to improve
LLN; a searchable resource directory of LLN resources, and the latest news and
events on LLN training services and funding opportunities. http://www.takingthelead.com.au/
The site also offers interesting reviews of
international publications such as How much do educational outcomes matter in OECD
countries? This
report shows that cognitive skills can account for growth differences within
the OECD, whereas a range of economic institutions and quantitative measures of
tertiary education cannot.
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10. Vocational Education and Training Workforce Draft Report for Comment
The Australian Government Productivity
Commission has released a draft
research
report on the Vocational Education and Training Workforce
It was released on 30 November 2010 for
comment. The document makes reference to Language, Literacy and Numeracy and
Foundation Skills a number of times. Written comments should reach the
Commission by Monday 28 February 2011.
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11. Foundation Skills in VET Products for the 21st Century
A report, Foundation Skills in VET Products for the 21st Century, has been prepared for the National Quality
Council (NQC). The report comments on the design of Training Packages in
relation to the effective delivery of Foundation Skills but also addresses some
of the issues around both practice and systems that would need to be addressed
to ensure that Foundation Skills are effectively delivered. See http://www.nqc.tvetaustralia.com.au/nqc_publications
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12. Inviting new members
Who do you know that might be interested
in WAALC activities? Forward this newsletter to colleagues who you think should
be a member of WAALC. Or perhaps invite a prospective member to attend events
like our conference and AGM to meet other members. We encourage all adult
literacy and numeracy practitioners in WA to join WAALC now and be part of the
renewed national action to have literacy embedded in adult learning at all
levels.
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13. Issues? Contributions?
WAALC seeks to represent all adult
educators who deliver adult literacy and numeracy programs in Western
Australia. Let us know if there are issues that you think WAALC should take
action on, or news to include in future newsletters. Vacancies, projects, new
resources for sale or requests for input into decision making are all sought.
We would like to profile the work of
members in each issue. If you are
willing to write a short article telling us a little about an interesting
element of your adult literacy role, please let us know.
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14. ‘Contacts’ update
Let us know if your address changes. If
you don't want to receive this newsletter or wish to suspend it while you are
away on leave, please email the WAALC secretary at info@waalc.org.au
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e-WAALC News is the monthly electronic newsletter of (WAALC) the Western Australian
Adult Literacy Council.
Web: www.waalc.org.au E-mail: info@waalc.org.au
Postal:
WAALC, PO Box 313, Northbridge Post Shop WA 6865