Tag Archives: Foundation Skills

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ALaN WA Newsletter September 2013

Welcome to edition 8 of the Adult Literacy and Numeracy Network of Western Australia Newsletter!

Views expressed by contributors to the newsletter are their own and, unless expressly stated, do not reflect the opinions of their employers/organisations.

This contents page links individually to each article enabling you to go immediately to those of your choice. Alternatively, if you go to the main blog link, you can access the articles by scrolling down the page.

We welcome your comments and contributions to our newsletter. If you are an Adult Literacy/Numeracy practitioner in Western Australia or indeed, anywhere in the world, we invite you to subscribe and comment. If you interested in joining the GoogleGroup for our network, please visit our “How to join” page and complete the online form.

Contents

1. Digital Technology is the way to connect with students

Janet McArtney describes how she has used technology based activities to engage her students

2. Invitation to participate in consultation on a Foundation Skills professional standards framework

This is very important for all of us. Part of the consultation is about required qualifications for practitioners! Join one of the group consultations or send your individual feedback.

3. Updates on available PD

PD coming up in the near future

4. Conference information updates

Conferences “near, far and online” coming up in the not too distant future!

5. WA Curriculum update

Re-accreditation activities

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Invitation to participate in consultation on a Foundation Skills professional standards framework

Foundation Skills Workforce Development Project (FSWDP).

Part of this project involves a:

Foundation Skills Professional Standards Framework consultation.

This scoping process is being conducted to explore options for developing professional standards for foundation skills practitioners to strengthen and diversify the identity of the foundation skills field. The timeframe for the consultation is short with responses required by October 11th.

Attached are the

Please read these BEFORE attending a workshop

As part of the FSWDP the Foundation Skills Champions in WA are hosting group workshop sessions to stimulate discussion, provide some collective responses and encourage individual responses and feedback. We invite you to participate in these.

These sessions are as follows:

Date Time Location Facilitator Contact to register
Thursday 26th September 2013 2:30pm – 4:00pm * Online via Blackboard Collaborate Jo HartCath Ralston Jo Hart Josephine.Hart2@dtwd.wa.gov.au
Thursday 3rd October 11:00am – 12:30pm Perth – DTWD Prospect Place(limited places only) Jo Hart “Event360” PD booking systemContact Jo Hart for more info Josephine.Hart2@dtwd.wa.gov.au
Thursday 17th October Please contact Cath Ralston for full details Kimberley Training Institute Cath Ralston Cath Ralston Cath.Ralston@kti.wa.edu.au

NB the 17th October consultation date is beyond the official deadline but has been sanctioned by the Project Consultant

* For the online consultation you will receive information on how to configure your computer for BlackboardCollaborate and a link for joining the session.

It may be possible to host additional consultations for the online and Perth venues if there is a high demand.

 

 

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Foundation Skills Training Package (FSTP) released

The FSTP is now available on TGA – Foundation Skills Training Package

This TP has not yet been implemented here in Western Australia because nominal hours have not yet been assigned. However it is time to assess possible uses for 2014.

The FSTP units are based on very small chunks of the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) so they may be suitable for recognising discrete mathematics or numeracy, literacy and digital literacy skills and knowledge needed in industry contexts.  However, the units might not provide the broad set of generic skills to ascertain level appropriate for entry purposes into other courses, even when packaged together to make a qualification. They are most suitable to support students already in a vocational course.

As identified in the Western Australian consultation that preceded the development of this Training Package:

  • the bank of units are likely to be more more useful in WA than the full  qualifications
  • WA already has support for vocational students in the forms of CAVSS and USIQ so we may use the FSTP less than states that don’t have suitable products for integrated support
  • Teacher expertise is still the most critical need whatever the curriculum product used eg the high level skills to address literacy and numeracy learning needs. These skills include the need to address issues such as identity as a learner and the impact of previous learning failure as well as how to teach the many different sorts of LLN skills. Teachers also need to be able to create an environment that allows students to build on their strengths as they broaden and deepen their skills.

Please share your questions and observations as you dip into the TP, either here for the whole world to see or back in GoogleGroup if you want to discuss it just with members of the ALaN Network.

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Certificate IV qualification for the delivery and assessment of foundation skills – update

Throughout June Innovation & Business Skills Australia (IBSA) conducted a consultation process to scope a proposed certificate IV qualification that would equip VET practitioners with the skills and knowledge to address the foundation skills needs of learners.

 Scoping process and findings

Targeted consultations were held in a number of locations and more than 50 written responses to the scoping discussion paper were received from individuals and organisations representing a wide range of stakeholders.

Key findings from the scoping process were:

  •  widespread acknowledgement of a gap in VET workforce capability, but little support for a new certificate IV qualification as an appropriate workforce development solution
  • many suggestions for a more narrowly focussed product, such as a skill set or qualification stream, to extend the skills and knowledge of vocational practitioners
  • questions about the fitness for purpose of the current TAE certificate IV and diploma qualifications in relation to equipping VET practitioners with the ability to address the foundation skills needs of their learners.

Recommendations for development

Findings from the scoping process were considered by IBSA’s National Project Reference Group (NPRG) at a meeting on 16 July 2012. After considering a number of options, the NPRG recommended that IBSA should:

  • develop a new skill set within the TAE10 Training Package comprising the existing units TAELLN401 and TAELLN501 and new units focused on sourcing specialist expertise and resources, working collaboratively with LLN specialists and effective instructional strategies for building foundation skills within a vocational training context. Units developed for the new skill set will be made available as electives in both the TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and the TAE50111 Diploma of VET providing a developmental pathway between the two qualifications.
  • continue to monitor the fitness for purpose of the TAE40110 and the TAE50111 to ensure that they meet the needs of the VET workforce. The NPRG noted that the structure of both of these qualifications will be changed in 2014 to move current LLN elective units into the core – TAELLN401 into the core of the TAE40110, and TAELLLN501 into the core of the TAE50111.

Development work on the new skill set will be conducted between August and November 2012.

Further information about the project will be added to the IBSA website as the project progresses.

Thanks to all the members of the WA Adult Literacy and Numeracy (ALaN) Network that contributed to this result. This was the most popular topic on the CGEA Network Google Group this year.

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IBSA Foundation Skills projects status update

 

It is all systems go at IBSA on the foundations skills front!

Here is brief status report to help you keep up.

The Foundation Skills Training Package  was released in draft form at the end of April. Feedback is now being considered. Western Australia hosted webinars that were reviewed by the project team so hopefully we should have some impact on improving the next version.  We are expecting a draft of the companion volume in July and the Training Package itself to be complete by September.

Work is proceeding  to implement the unit TAELLN401A as core in Cert IV TAA.  This will mean that all vocational practitioners will be required to demonstrate a basic understanding of a range of ways to meet the literacy, English language and numeracy needs of students seeking vocational qualifications. The skills profile needed for trainers and assessors of this unit

 Scoping of a Certificate IV for delivery/assessment of Foundation Skills has commenced. Feedback is due by 22 June 2012

The discussion paper proposes that this qualifaction is not for specialist literacy practioners but for those in the workforce who require a broader understanding of foundation skills to fulfil their VET sector role. Examples suggested are people writing currciulum and learning resources, those wishing to work better in a team teaching role with a LLN specialist and lead practioners.

Vocational Graduate Certificate and Vocational Graduate Diploma are also being discussed.

To get the full details and more information about what is happening in this area visit  IBSA’s current projects site

 

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IBSA scope new TAE qualification

Certificate IV qualification for the delivery and assessment of foundation skills

IBSA is scoping the development of a Certificate IV qualification for the delivery and assessment of foundation skills. The proposed qualification would form part of the TAE 10 Training Package.

A consultation paper is available on the IBSA website. IBSA welcome group responses to the consultation paper and encourage interested stakeholders to get together with their colleagues to discuss the proposed Certificate.

IBSA has workshop notes and feedback forms available to support this process and can potentially be involved in group discussions via telephone. Contact Anita Roberts anita@ibsa.org.au to access workshop materials.

Responses are due by 22 June 2012.