Making Connections: teaching in the adult literacy and numeracy classroom Jacquie Widin University of Technology, Sydney

1. Introduction Background to the project: What are the attributes of an effective adult language, literacy and /or numeracy teacher? How do the teachers manage to integrate the vocational education course with the teaching of English? How do the teachers develop a strong group/cohort identity among the learners? What insights can we gain by seeing practices in terms of a post-method pedagogy and the social capital outcomes of teaching?

The Setting The learners The teachers DVD Excerpt 1

‘a thoroughly relational practice’ Noddings (2003: 249) What do we mean by making connections? - connections amongst the learners - connections between the learners and teachers - connections between and within the the classroom and the social world

Post-method pedagogy Kumaravadivelu (2003) describes teaching as a relationship between three dimensions: Particularity Practicality Possibility

Social Capital Outcomes Balatti, Black and Falk (2006) Social Capital derives from: Networks with students Networks with staff Formal class networks

DVD Excerpt 2. Evidence that teaching is a thoroughly relational activity, The teachers are working ‘beyond methods’, Students are accumulating social capital

In conclusion: What can we say about the attributes of an effective teacher?