Training and assessment for Australian adults with low basic skills (Experts meeting OECD October 2006, OECD headquarters, Paris) Josie Misko

Low basic skills  Term not used in isolation in Australia  Underpinning elements: language, literacy and numeracy  Over-represented in special groups ► Indigenous Australians ► Unemployed, including long-term unemployed ► Non-English speaking background ► Inmates in correctional services

Survey of Adult Literacy: 1996 (15 to 74 year-olds)  Level 1: Very poor (2.6 million) ► locate and identify  Level 2: Poor (3.6 million) ► explain, investigate, select, list, calculate percentage, compare  Level 3: Cope but not always proficient (4.8 milion) ► longer and more complex tests, conditional, compare, extract  Level 4: Good (2.0 million) ► Match and integrate, high level inferences, calculations  Level 5: Very good (300,000) ► Above these levels

Mismatch in perceived and demonstrated LLN  Self-assessed as poor literacy, SAL level 1 (92%)  Self-assessed as poor numeracy, SAS level 1 (79%)  Challenge for: ► accurate recognition ► motivation to seek and access assistance ► awareness of where to go to for assistance ► suitable economic circumstance to participate in learning

Drivers of LLN provision  Commitment to access and equity  Compliance legislation ► OHS ► public liability insurance ► supply chain quality arrangements  Keeping current with new ways of working  Legislative reform (Welfare to Work)  Integration of recently arrived and new migrants

Figure 1 Language, literacy and numeracy programs funded by the federal government Federal government funded language, literacy and numeracy programs: target populations and possible pathways Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) Eligible job seekers and migrants Newly and recently arrived migrants Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program (LLNP) Existing workers Workplace English Language and Literacy Program (WELL) Potential apprentices New Apprenticeship Access Program (NAAP) Employment (full-time, part-time, casual) Further Education and Training Progress into apprenticesh ip programs Further Education and Training

Key national LLN programs  Language Literacy and Numeracy Program (LLNP)  Workplace English Language and Literacy Program (WELL)  Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)  New Apprenticeship Access Programme  [National Reporting System (tool for reporting on outcomes of LLNP & WELL)]  National Adult Literacy Projects: Research

An ageing LLN workforce TAFE NSW Access Division, 2001, Adult literacy and numeracy practices 2001: a national snapshot, NSW Department of Education and Training, Sydney

A feminised and casualised workforce  85% female in 2001  similar in 2004  50% casual, 20% contract, 30% permanent ► affects income and professional status  Berghella, Molenaar & Wyse (NCVER, 2004) ► LLN Specialists, Vocational trainers, volunteer tutors ► 50% of LLN specialists over ten years experience

Participation in professional development TeachersManagers % Informal networks Professional reading Conferences Formal organisational networks Adult Education Resources and Information Services The internet Professional associations Other Total100.0 TAFE NSW Access Division, 2001, Adult literacy and numeracy practices 2001: a national snapshot, NSW Department of Education and Training, Sydney

Topic Preferences & barriers: 2004  Preferences ► teaching practice (specialists) ► understand LLN issues (VET trainers) ► help provide better assistance (Volunteer tutors)  Barriers ► time ► funding ► casualised employment ► remoteness

Structure of programs  Stand alone ► AMEP ► LLNP ► ACE ► other LLN courses  Embedded into qualifications ► VET ► ACE-VET

Embedding LLN into Training Packages  VET & ACE-VET leading to nationally recognised qualifications  Major challenge for VET and LLN practitioners ► mapping needs to LLN competencies in qualification ► developing training and assessment materials ► VET practitioner not expert in LLN ► LLN specialist not expert in VET content

Teaching & assessment  No formal prescription about how teachers will teach or assess ► Student-centred learning & assessment ► Use of multiple techniques ► Recognition of non-curriculum outcomes  ACE : generally no assessment  Process of ‘reasonable adjustment’ ► alter assessment structure but not outcomes  Blurring of boundaries between formative and final assessments and teaching

Commonly used formative assessment techniques % Teacher observations94.9 Portfolio75.0 Self-assessments61.0 Project46.6 Tests46.0 Presentations42.6 Quizzes36.4 Other18.2  TAFE NSW Access Division, 2001, Adult literacy and numeracy practices 2001: a national snapshot, NSW Department of Education and Training, Sydney

Quality assurance  Australian Quality Training Framework standards for RTOs: ► screening students who request or require assistance ► judgements : valid, reliable, flexible and fair ► Competent staff ► Rules of evidence: valid, sufficient, current and authentic ► auditing of providers  moderation and validation of assessments ► nationally (AMEP) ► provider and system-wide quality groups

Continuing challenges  Understanding extent of low literacy  Legislative reform issues  Raising professional status of LLN practitioners  Understanding scope and magnitude of provision  Workforce Replenishment

More information ► National Adult Literacy Projects ► ►