NSW Adult Literacy & Numeracy Council

The professional body for adult literacy and numeracy in NSW

NSWALNC Annual Conference

Teaching adult literacy and numeracy: more than skills

Friday 8 December 2023

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Literacy and numeracy are lifelong and life-wide resources for engaging in social practices in the home, community and work. In recent decades, government policies in many countries in the Anglosphere have narrowed the focus of adult literacy and numeracy programs to employability skills training, and a competency-based training (CBT) model with tightly defined outcomes within accredited training. This reduces both the scope of programs and teachers’ and students’ agency to tailor the programs according to the students’ needs, interests and aspirations.

From research and our experiences, we know that many adults want more than ‘basic skills’ when they attend adult literacy and numeracy classes. Often their needs and goals include reducing a sense of social alienation, building self-confidence and esteem to participate in learning and in the community, learning about contemporary economic, civic and social issues and exploring new purpose and goals in life.

The conference will feature two keynote speakers:

Dr Uta Papen(Lancaster University)
“More than skills– was it just a dream? What role does the concept of adult literacy as social practice play in adult literacy policy and practice today?”

Dr Katrina Thorpe(University of New South Wales)
Learning from Country: place-literacies for connecting, truth-telling and healing.

VENUE

Aerial Function Centre, University of Technology Sydney,

Level 7, 235 Jones St, Ultimo.

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Hosted in partnership with the

School of International Studies and Education,
University of Technology Sydney