Tag Archives: Adult Literacy

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Do you (or your students) Toon?

Introduction

my students are all off-campus and so are using their own computers with widely varying software. Many of my students are also not particularly computer literate so expecting them to use sophisticated features of word processing or presentation packages is not an option. The strategy I adopt for a lot of work with my online students is to use mostly (though not always) online tools. This post is about using one of them – ToonDoo – an online cartoon making tool.

How do we use ToonDoo?

I have been using ToonDoo myself for several years to create occasional texts to engage student attention and to break up heavily text based resources.

Then about 3 years ago I first used it with online students when we created a cartoon together via virtual classroom (Elluminate). Each student was given control of my desktop in turn to add their own “bit” to the cartoon. These students then signed up to ToonDoo and made their own cartoons. I have also shared my use of ToonDoo fairly widely through webinars and associated blog posts.

Recently I have extended the use of ToonDoo with my students as part of my National Vocational E-Learning Strategy project Extraordinary Learning For A Digital Age (ELFADA) funded under the Partnerships for Participation initiative. This was part of a mini-project on digital safety. The students learnt about ToonDoo in a virtual class session through an Application Share demo and together we created a Toon. This was shared through the course blog in a post on visual texts.

The next step was for the students to visit a series of links to cartoons each addressing an aspect of digital safety. They chose some of these to review and evaluate.

Finally the students created their own cartoon choosing a topic from those they had learned about through our work on staying safe online, they then published a blog post with links to their cartoon, or with the cartoon embedded. These are two of the student posts,  Jordan’s looking at scams and some consequences and Meg’s with a warning to take care what you share.

Conclusion

I have found using ToonDoo to be a great engagement tool for students and will continue to use it with my own online students. I also find that ToonDoo is used easily by students across all three levels that I currently teach online. In common with many other online tools it is relatively simple to use – this is a huge bonus for online students who don’t always have a lecturer available for immediate help.

Please use the comments to share your own and your student experiences with ToonDoo or other cartoon making tools. Or if it is new to you let us know if you think you might try this with your own students.

Jo Hart

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CGEA Curriculum changes

CGEA review

CGEA accreditation expires at the end of 2012.  We are now awaiting the results of course concept proposal.

CGEA Version 4 Implementation July

The Adult Literacy and Numeracy Network in WA will hold webinars via Elluminate to share implementation issues in first week of July. There will be an updated assessment overview by that time to allow easy comparison of units in the same stream, including all changes to elements highlighted down to performance criteria level.

This Version change affects the numeracy and Mathematics stream most.

Download the new version from the Training Support Network in Victoria.

WA Implementation

The new Numeracy and Maths Units have now been assigned WA subject index numbers (SIN) and the new course structures are now available on VETinfoNet

Transition

Students enrolled before July 1 2012 are able to complete the numeracy units in which they are enrolled. However RTOs are encouraged to make the revised numeracy units available to students prior to July 1 2012. Students enrolled on or after July 1 2012 must complete the revised numeracy units.

Please comment here as you decide how to respond to changes in this revised curriculum.

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25 years helping with driving licences

Rachael Marriette is now back on the road after completing Karrayili Adult Education Centre’s Driver Education programme. Rachael enrolled in the programme over a year ago to help her pass her theory test, acquire a Learner’s Permit, get professional driving lessons and pass her driving test.

The Driver Education course was delivered under the Certificates in General Education for Adults (Introductory) and gave Rachael the opportunity to slowly work through all the licensing requirements getting the literacy support she needed.

“This course really helped me to work on my licence,” Rachael said. “If I didn’t get help from Karrayili it would’ve taken me longer to do it. It was really good and the teachers made sure I kept going and didn’t give up. I’m happy now that I’ve got my licence back so that I can drive my kids around and use it for my new job.”

Fiztroy Crossing AustraliaKarrayili has been delivering Driver Education for the last 25 years supporting Fitzroy Crossing, town communities and communities of the Fitzroy Valley. For more information contact General Education Coordinator, Emilia Biemmi Beurteaux on 08 9191 5333.

 

First published in ACAL eNews

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ALaN Network Facilitators appointed for 2012

The Department of Training and Workforce Development (DTWD) has once again provided some paid time to support the WA Adult Literacy and Numeracy (ALAN)  Network.  Seven facilitators were appointed for 2012 and they will undertake a range of functions designed to develop our membership and services.

Facilitators will focus on keeping up to date in a particular area (eg Adult literacy, Indigenous education, adult numeracy, online tools, ESL) as well as providing more general assistance to members to help us get the most from our online community.

The 2012 ALaN Network Facilitators are:

Chantal Adams – Kimberley Training Institute

Jo Hart  – C.Y. O’Connor Institute

Matthew Highman  – Polytechnic West

Dani Murray – independent, ex-Centacare Employment and Training

Helen Smith – Durack Institute of Technology

William Griffiths – Great Southern Institute of Technology

Sue Brennan – Central Institute of Technology

You can communicate with this group by responding to this blog or by posing questions on the CGEA Network Google Group (members only).  They will respond as availability allows. Each facilitator brings a unique set of expertise so by posing your question to all of us, you can get information from different perspectives: urban, country, different class types and funding sources, and different backgrounds and experience.

Other members are encouraged to contribute as well – and if you enjoy it, perhaps you would like to nominate yourself for next year’s paid roles.

Submitted by Cheryl Wiltshire, WA ALaN Network Coordinator

 

 

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New feature: In the media

It’s about confidence and trust in teachers

Emma Alberici on ABC TV’s Lateline talks to Pasi Sahlberg, director-general of the Ministry of Education in Helsinki, about why Finland consistently beats most of the rest of the countries in the OECD in maths, reading and literacy at all levels of primary and high school. The secret, according to him, is to be found in Finland’s highly educated teachers.

Teaching in Finland is a respected and prestigious profession, and it’s paid accordingly. Gaining entry to study teaching is extremely competitive, and nearly every teacher in the country has a master’s degree.

Video and transcript at   http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3441913.htm or available as a Vodcast from the ABC website archives.

 

Reporting teacher performance using student scores

20 March 2012

The  article, Teacher Performance Abusers of Statistics,   was written in response to the recent publication of the names of teachers and their “performance scores” by the New York Post (February, 2012).

 

 

 

 

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Conferences! WA, Interstate, or International?

WAALC Conference • 11-12 July, 2012

Central Institute of Technology Perth

At the heart of the matter – identity and trust in adult learning

As the OECD becomes convinced that the best performing education systems are those that strive for equity and quality, Australia continues to put its faith in the power of measurement and accountability to deliver ‘market changes’ that will improve outcomes in all our education sectors. This conference will place people – teachers and learners – at the heart of educational quality.  We want to move away from framing debates around policy imperatives, economic outcomes and abstractions such as ‘core skills’ or ’employability skills’.  We are asking the question: what makes learning work for people?

What causes a person to be able to learn? How do people develop resilience? What does it take to build confidence? What is it that teachers need to know and understand about their adult learners and their learner’s lives? How do differences between the identities of teachers and those of their learners impact on relationships and learning? How can teachers develop relationships with learners that enable them to understand how a person thinks and feels and does things? How will they use this understanding to create environments in which people can more successfully learn?

And what of the people who are teachers? What do teachers need from the system so that they can continue their own learning? What skills and knowledge do beginning teachers need – does initial training provide these? How can teachers use the variety of strengths they find in their students to harness learning energy? How can teachers consciously build social capital in their learning environments as a basis for and outcome of learning? How can teachers get support from their peers?

Develop a proposal now if you have information to share that will renew our focus on the heart of the matter: ways of working that meet the needs of learners and, as a natural result, achieve better outcomes for the wider society as well.

Call for papers closes 24 April 2012

http://www.waalc.org.au/12conf/callforpapers.htm

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ACAL Conference – Joining the Pieces: Literacy and Numeracy – one part of the picture

19-21 Sept • Hobart

The 2012 ACAL conference will explore three key questions about adult literacy and numeracy. These questions are about how we connect, co-operate and create.

Submit a proposal for a session that will:

  • stimulate thought and discussion on relevant issues and practice
  • be interactive and encourage dialogue
  • display innovation and flexibility in practice/research
  • demonstrate effective practice in a range of settings
  • exemplify adult learning principles
  • critique changes in state and federal government policies and priorities
  • communicate developments and findings in research and research practices.

Proposals are due by 12 May, 2012

http://www.tcal.org.au/12conf/index.htm

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VALBEC Annual conference  ‘Read the word, Read the world •  May 25 2012

Venue: William Angliss Conference Centre Melbourne

The program offers plenary sessions and a choice from fourteen workshops. Keynote speaker is Rowena Allen ACFE Chair.

Registrations are now open

http://www.valbec.org.au/2012conf/index.htm

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Australian Council of TESOL Associations International TESOL Conference (ACTA) •  Cairns •  3rd to 5th July 2012

‘TESOL as a Global Trade – Ethics, Equity and Ecology’

http://www.astmanagement.com.au/acta12/

Pre-conference symposium Monday 2 July 2012 at the Cairns Convention Centre

‘Teaching and learning pronunciation: Local and global perspectives on research and practice’

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION CLOSES 20th APRIL 2012

Complete your registration and payment now to be eligible for the Early Bird discount registration.
Registration fees will be increased by $100 after the 20th April.
Registration to the Pronunciation Symposium held on the 2nd July is an
optional extra. Special discounts are offered to those attending the
conference.

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International Conference of Adults Learning Mathematics

The 19th International Conference of Adults Learning Mathematics – A Research Forum (ALM19) is to be held in Auckland, New Zealand, from Tuesday June 26 to Friday June 29 2012.

ALM is an international organisation which brings together practitioners and researchers who are involved in mathematics and numeracy education for adult learners in order to inform policy and practice. Information about the conference, the call for papers and registration are available at: http://literacyandnumeracyforadults.com/Professional-Development/Conferences/2012-ALM19-Conference

 

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ALaN WA Online Newsletter No2 February 2012

Welcome to edition 2 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 subscibe and comment. If you interested in joining the GoogleGroup for our network please visit our “How to join” page and complete the online form.

Lots of dates for your diary in this edition – we hope to have a calendar available soon!

1. Teach Me Grammar!

This highly successful action learning PD program is now available for 2012

2. Supporting the ALaN Network

Becoming a network facilitator

3. Numeracy professional development resource

Take a look at the numeracy/maths of the workplace

4. Fitness & Sports resource

A great review of this resource from Southern Grampians Adult Education

5. CGEA extension to end 2012

6. Entry to General Education (EGE) moderation date

7. WAALC Conference 2012

8. 2012 ACAL conference in Hobart

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Teach Me Grammar!

In the second half of 2011, twelve intrepid language and literacy teachers joined the Teach Me Grammar Project – an action learning project investigating the ins and outs of teaching grammar to various adult learner groups (CaLD, native speakers, ATSI, Deaf).

The aim was to identify the value of teaching grammar and of finding the most productive and effective ways of doing so. The participants attended ten, four-hour PD sessions to learn the grammar themselves (or ‘plug the gaps’ in their grammar knowledge) and to consider and learn about a variety of techniques for teaching it to their own learners.  Between the sessions, the participants were  expected to teach at least some of what they had learned to their own students, and then reflect on the experience through a specially designed blog.

The great success of the project has led to a slightly extended program and a second, more intensive program being organised for 2012. If you are interested in participating (or simply finding out a little more about it) contact Geoff Pearson on 9330 8989.

Teach Me Grammar is an Action Learning Professional Development Program funded by the WA Department of Training and Workforce Development (DTWD) open to all adult literacy and English language teachers working in Western Australia.

Applications for 2012 are open now 

What the 2011 participants said about the Teach Me Grammar (TMG) Program… 

  • “Vastly improved my understanding of grammar.  I came away with not just a better knowledge of grammar but as importantly, a lot less fear, and dare I say a bit of confidence. I look forward to using all I have learnt with my students in the future.”  – Jenni Wieland, Challenger TAFE, Fremantle 
  • “I now firmly believe that grammar [teaching] must be embedded in the material that students are learning and I’m beginning to understand why some of my earlier ‘grammar’ lessons made no impact on students, because they had no context.” – Gillian Pow Chong, Curtin College and CentaCare, Perth 
  • “I have learnt to integrate grammar with reading which helps me see the relevance of teaching the grammar and, I believe, makes it more real for the students.” – Chesson Henshaw, Polytechnic West, Perth 
  • “My ability to teach grammar to my students has improved to the extent that it has become so much easier, in fact exciting, to teach grammar in class.” – Silvano Fasolo, Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison, Kalgoorlie 
  • “TMG opened my mind to a whole new ‘grammar world’.” – Charmaine Marshall, ATA Training, West Perth 
  • “One student missed out an article and preposition.  He wrote “I felt hero.”  I used the terms ‘article’ and ‘preposition’ when discussing his editing with him.  He corrected his mistake very easily. It was really good to be able to use these terms with him and have him know what I was talking about.” – Sharyn Dauti, South Western Institute of Technology, Bunbury 
  • “Although I was a complete beginner, I have gained invaluable skills… [Grammar] is now one of my favourite hobbies!” – Susan Bates, Emmanuel Centre, East Perth 
  • “I have a better understanding of an approach to teaching grammar – the starting points and pathways from the points. I also have great ideas of how to make it fun!” – Nola Cigulev, South Western Institute of Technology, Bunbury 
  • “I found that my delivery including changes as learnt from the course has raised [my students’] motivation and awareness. There has been a marked improvement both in their writing and speaking.” – Seema Mazumdar, Polytechnic West, Balga 
  • “I can make ESL / literacy teaching more interesting, practical and effective by implementing new grammar concepts learned in the TMG Program.” – Maria Bunn, ATA Training, West Perth 
  • “An awesome course that was presented in a fun, enjoyable and informative way [and] modelled excellent learning techniques.” – Diane Vosganoff, WA Institute for Deaf Education, Belmont 

In their Program Exit Surveys, all participants said they would highly recommend the Teach Me Grammar Action Learning Program to other ESL / Literacy Teachers.

 













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Numeracy professional development resource






Do you know the sorts of numeracy and Mathematics needed by your students in the workplace?  A new resource designed by Manufacturing Learning Victoria offers you a way to check your knowledge.


The publication is a free download: Numeracy. A professional development resource for WELL practitioners 


It is a professional development resource designed for Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) practitioners. You can also use it to  support the development and recognition of numeracy training and skills and knowledge consistent with the requirements of the Vocational Graduate Certificate in Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice.












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Fitness & Sports resource






This week, I received the publication: Fitness & Sports A Resource for Literacy Teaching from the Southern Grampians Adult Education.  (NB if you are using Firefox the sidebar links may not work). This is the seventh in a series of learning resources developed for the 2007-2012 version of the CGEA.


Fitness & Sports contains 72 worksheets about sports in eight sections: Netball, Tennis, Cricket, Basketball and four types of “football”. These are developed at 3 different levels so mixed-level classes can share a common topic but do literacy and numeracy activities that develop and extend their current skills.


I am not a big fan of worksheets as the core of adult literacy programs. In my view, Death by Worksheet is as risky as Death by PowerPoint.  However, both worksheets and PowerPoint have a valuable place if not overdone; this resource models how experienced adult literacy practitoners weave them into a diverse program.


As all the worksheets are photocopiable (legally), this is an ideal resource to allow the sports mad student to demonstrate and extend their knowledge while providing evidence of competence against any part of the CGEA needed (including all of the core units and several electives). It also provides a range of ideas for class activities such as guest speakers, debates, and Internet research. A student who is really keen on this topic could complete a substantial chunk of any CGEA certificate using ideas included in this resource.


It cost me $75.00 plus pack and post. Order form here – if it doesn’t open then email sgae@sgae.vic.edu.au for an order form.


Other topics also available from South Grampians Adult Education include DIY Housing and DIY Cooking. See samples here.  These also demonstrate how a topic can be shared across the full range of CGEA certificate levels.


Cheryl Wiltshire


ALaN Network Coordinator