Tag Archives: maths

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Collaborative Numeracy program Take 2

Beth Marr will be returning to Western Australia in late February to start a second set of workshops developing teacher’s skills to apply collaborative learning techniques to adults learning numeracy.

The 2014 pilot program will form the basis for  a series of videos.   Whether you need to refresh your skills and re-visit the concepts, or start learning about the ideas from scratch, the videos will allow you to do this in your own time and place. Sorry, but 2015 program participants will not get the chance to be in a video!

I would love to hear from anyone who has tried some of the models of activity that Beth taught us last year – you can comment here publicly so the whole world can see if they wish or, if you prefer,  in our membership-only ALaN Network Google Group.

More of Beth’s work is available at “Building Strength With Numeracy” on the VALBEC website.

Let me know if you missed out on a place in the program. There are still a couple of spots available.

 

Cheryl Wiltshire

ALaN Network WA

 

 

 

 

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PD coming up from December 2014

Teach Me Grammar 2015

Teach Me Grammar is available again for next year if you are interested in Teach Me Grammar checkout the GoogleGroup or visit Teach Me Grammar Program 2015 to get more information and the application form.

Collaborative numeracy: working together to build numeracy skills in adults

Collaborative numeracy: working together to build numeracy skills in adults is a program of  professional development for teaching numeracy to adults and young people in vocational training  and other adult learning contexts. For more information on this and application forms see the article that follows this one.

Applications need to be in by 5pm Monday 19th January 2015

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The Collaborative Numeracy Workshops

Collaborative Numeracy

In 2014 Beth Marr delivered a series of extended workshops for adult numeracy teachers in Western Australia. This very successful program will be offered again in 2015. You are encouraged to apply, but numbers are strictly limited. Applications will be assessed once the application period closes on 19th January 2015.

See Collaborative Numeracy 2015 information for applicants for more information and download the Application Collaborative Numeracy 2015

The program consists of three workshops, each of a day and a half, scheduled for February, March and April. You are required to attend all three of the workshops.

Previous participants have said:

“ It was pure luxury to be able to explore and experience cooperative logic.”

“Every single thing we did was useful. It extended my thinking, knowledge and strategies. Loved it.”

“Making sense of algebra.”

“Hands on is a much more interesting and engaging way to include students with different abilities.”

“Making learning social.”

 Margaret McHugh

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PD coming up and continuing April 2014

PD within the WA ALaN network

The face-to-face Collaborative Numeracy workshops with Beth Marr are continuing on 14-15 May. Beth is also delivering an in house program for Centacare during April and plans are under way for another two day workshop soon.

The “What’s in a number!” project continues and is due to finish in May. Checkout the recent posts on “Estimation”  then on  “Percentages”   and the most recent on “Exponents” and catch up with any others you have missed. Don’t forget to check out the comments and feedback and add your own!

Other PD

Coming up from IBSA/Velg are “Foundation Skills Workshops for VET Practitioners”  the Perth one is on June 4th – NOTE that the target audience for these is NOT LLN/Foundation Skills specialists but VET practitioners. However they may be relevant for others in your organisation. As we already use CAVSS here in WA to support vocational learners through team teaching, these workshops which have a focus on identifying foundation skills in units and then using the Foundation Skills (FSK) Training Package are perhaps less relevant to our VET practitioners than they would be elsewhere.

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Updates on available PD

PD within the WA ALaN network

This year’s projects are under way with webinars and workshops.

“What’s in a number!” is having a re-launch and looking for further input on what YOU want from the project.

“Adult Literacy and Numeracy Professional Development Workshops” at  Kimberley Training Institute are continuing through September, October and November with sessions focussing on the TAELLN401A, and on grammar (strategies for teaching, and enhancing business writing skills).

The “Digital Literacy in the CGEA” webinar series is now finished but the session recordings can be accessed via the GoogleGroup and thence the GoogleDrive.

For more information, or to become a participant in any of these, visit the network GoogleGroup (if you aren’t a member see this page on how to join) and check out the posts.

DTWD events management system

The DTWD PD calendar system is where you will need to go and create a user registration before you can register to attend DTWD LLN or other DTWD sessions.

Expressions of interest

Expressions of interest are still being sought from those interested in attending any of the following:

  • Face-to-face numeracy workshops with Beth Marr – coming up soon
  • CAVSS training later this year
  • Teach Me Grammar in 2014

Please send a separate email for each one of the above that you are interested in attending to literacy@dtwd.wa.gov.au

Also watch out for more information on the GoogleGroup

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“What’s In A Number?” – about the project

Are you thinking of collecting evidence for the Voc. Grad. Cert. in Adult Language Literacy and Numeracy practice (TAE70111)?  This Numeracy 2013 mini project funded by the Department of Training and Workforce Development may help you gather evidence towards “Analyse and apply adult numeracy teaching practices” (TAELLN702A) – a core unit in the Certificate. The project will also give you opportunities to strengthen and affirm your own skills in numeracy and maths. This might be particularly helpful for you if your focus has been mainly on teaching literacy because the Certificate requires an ability to address numeracy as well as literacy.

numbers_1_200

If you have you ever looked at a number and wanted to run away screaming or been filled with dread at words like BODMAS or rational numbers? If you know students who have those fears? There is some good news: this professional development project is aimed at eliminating, or at least reducing, your number stress and helping you reduce your students’ terror as well as collecting evidence towards  TAELLN702A. We have had our first webinar but there is still plenty of time for you to get involved because the project runs for almost a year.

The activities will be built around your needs. There will be plenty of chances to ask about any areas of numeracy and mathematics that puzzle you, as well as opportunities to practice delivering your new-found learning to your peers in a positive and supportive atmosphere.

All your questions will be welcomed. It does not matter if the question is as basic as “What is a number?” or as advanced as “How do you derive the differential of this function from first principles?”, though it is perhaps unlikely that people will want to go that far advanced.

Watch out for “What’s In A Number?” posts on the ALaN Google Group for discussions and information about webinars and participation activities.

Phil Hart

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ALaN WA Newsletter May 2013

Welcome to edition 6 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. Joining the conversation!

Commenting on discussion forums and blogs is a great way for you and your students to share your ideas and opinions.

2. CGEA is now re-accredited until 2018!

CGEA is newly re-accredited here are links for curricula downloads and links for finding National and State numbers.

3. CGEA network files.

A reminder and update for ALaN Network GoogleGroup members on accessing the shared documents

4. Literacy for empowerment?

The WA Adult Literacy Council Conference is coming up soon – find out about this year’s theme as well as checking the dates for your diary

5. Does texting help or hinder children’s spelling skills?

A great piece to make you think – and we hope you will add your comments and opinions too!

6. New online numeracy resources

Exciting new resource from VALBEC – checkout this review!

7. Foundation Skills Training Package (FSTP) released.

The FSTP has now been released and can be downloaded – discussion will continue!

8. Lino.it for learning!

An online sticky note tool that is easy for students to learn and use, as well as being fun and enabling them to write for an authentic audience.

 

 

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New online numeracy resources

‘Building Strength with Numeracy’ revises and improves on the iconic numeracy resources ‘Strength in Numbers’ and ‘Breaking the Maths Barrier’, and other ‘tried and true’ numeracy teaching resources developed by Beth Marr and other experienced numeracy teachers.

The new resource is a collection of activities that builds on and updates elements of the previous resources, as well as including many new, previously unpublished ideas, activities and student practice exercises.

The resource is accessible online for teachers to use in a range of settings. The activities and practice sheets span a range of levels and subject areas with some suggestions regarding links and sequencing. However, as with the previous resources, it is not intended to cover the whole of any particular curriculum or course.

It is intended that teachers select content relevant to the needs of their learners and integrate it into their own teaching plans in conjunction with other materials. For this reason it has been presented to enable users to download separate activities, single practice sheets or whole sections, as required. The resource is a work in progress in that not all sections of previous resources have yet been included. Hopefully these will be added in the future.

Thanks to VALBEC  for providing us this free resource based on all of the great work that Australians have produced about adult numeracy.

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Conference updates

WAALC Conference • 11-12 July, 2012

Central Institute of Technology Perth

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

Program now released.

Limited funding is still available for travel to the conference. See the DTWD Adult Literacy Sponsorship Program on VETinfoNet for application forms.  Applications close 18/06/2012

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

19-21 Sept • Hobart

Program will be available soon.

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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’

A number of Western Australians are presenting at this conference on research connected to Two-Way Literacy and Learning.

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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 and registration are available at: http://literacyandnumeracyforadults.com/Professional-Development/Conferences/2012-ALM19-Conference