“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.

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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

Professional development news

Lots of PD news this time!

PD within the WA ALaN network

Firstly, within the ALaN network, some of this year’s projects are getting under way with webinars and workshops.

“What’s in a number!” has made a great start with the first webinar already complete. Webinars will be approximately fortnightly until mid 2014. This project is designed to help everyone teaching maths/numeracy to improve their maths skills and gather evidence for the numeracy core unit of the Grad. Cert. (soon to become Grad. Dip.)  of Adult Language Literacy and Numeracy Practice.

“Adult Literacy and Numeracy Professional Development Workshops” at  Kimberley Training Institute have been scheduled and start with “Teaching Numeracy” sessions in late July and August.

The “Digital Literacy in the CGEA” webinar series is underway looking at implications of, and strategies for encompassing, digital literacy/digital texts in CGEA delivery.

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.

New DTWD events management system

DTWD has a new PD calendar system and you will need to create a user registration before you can register to attend DTWD LLN sessions including.

CGEA part 1 on August 22nd

This workshop for new CGEA teachers is designed to help them orient themselves, and their teaching approaches, to teach literacy and numeracy skills to adults. The workshop will focus on finding ways to establish a teaching/learning environment that most closely reflects the way that literacy and numeracy skills are acquired in the real world, by all of us.

CGEA part 2 on 10th and 11th September

This workshop for CGEA teachers is designed to explore the aspects of teaching adult literacy classes that challenge teachers as they attempt to meet the needs of all their students. The workshop will focus on finding ways to establish a teaching/learning environment that most closely reflects the way we all acquire literacy and numeracy skills in the real world.

Department of Education PD

The “Tracks to Two-Way Learning Induction workshop – replacing the ABC of Two Way Learning and  Literacy workshop is on the 15th and 16th of August. Registration details available soon.

Expressions of interest

Expressions of interest are 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