NSW Adult Literacy & Numeracy Council
The professional body for adult literacy and numeracy in NSW
SESSION 1 – KEYNOTE
"Learner Activism and Generative Curriculum"
Professor Erik Jacobson, Montclair University, USA
Professor Jacobson was the lead author of Creating Authentic Materials and Activities for the Adult Literacy Classroom: A Handbook for Practitioners, a resource published in 2003 that reflects pedagogical principles that resonate with what many of us have held onto here in Australia. He has continued to publish in the area of adult basic education since, including Adult basic education in the age of new literacies (2012). At the conference he will reflect on his work on authentic materials and activities in the current context of adult literacy.
SESSION 2 - WORKSHOP
"Addressing the empowerment and social justice agenda of adult numeracy education"
Mahn Cooper, Nicole Levesque, Tiara Priscalia, Elaine Rateb, Sasha Saunders, Lia Weitzel and Keiko Yasukawa
ABSTRACT:
People encounter numeracy demands across their lifespan in all domains of their life. Not being able to meet these demands can limit their response to situations and participation in society. On the other hand, being able to respond confidently and critically can be empowering and expand their understanding of issues in their life and community. There is, therefore, an empowerment and social justice agenda attached to numeracy education.
In this workshop, UTS student teachers studying the adult literacy and numeracy stream of the TESOL and Applied Linguistics course will share outlines of a unit of work that they developed in their subject Numeracy for Lifelong & Lifewide Learning. Their brief was to outline a unit of work that would support both the learners’ critical understanding of a controversial social issue and develop their critical numeracy.
Participants will be invited to give feedback on the student teachers’ work and also to share their approaches to teaching numeracy for empowerment and social justice in their adult education classrooms.
BIOS:
Mahn Cooper is a recent graduate of the Graduate Diploma in TESOL and Applied Linguistics at UTS. They have worked in the Petersham TAFE youth-at-risk programs since 2021. Mahn approaches foundational literacies from a social-practice lens - making 'invisible' literacies more visible to their students and building upon their strengths.
Nicole Levesque has recently started working with the Literacy Department at TAFE Randwick as a numeracy and support teacher. She is also currently in the process of completing the Master of TESOL and Applied Linguistics at UTS.
Tiara Priscalia is studying Master of TESOL and Applied Linguistics at UTS, specialising in adult literacy and numeracy. She is passionate about learning to teach adults numeracy and aspires to teach adult numeracy in the future.
Elaine Rateb has lived and worked in several European and Asian countries over the last decade. During this time, she’s become particularly interested in the influences of culture on literacy and numeracy practices, how this impacts students’ learning and ultimately their settlement integration and employment. She applied this in empowering a class of refugees to take action when public transport issues hindered class attendance.
Sasha Saunders is an English language teacher in Sydney. She is completing her Graduate Diploma in TESOL and Applied Linguistics at the University of Technology Sydney. She loves teaching and always aims to engage and empower her students.
Lia Weitzel has a passion for adult numeracy and has recently finished a Graduate Diploma, specialising in adult literacy and numeracy teaching with the TESOL program at UTS. She has also worked for the Literacy For Life Foundation for 5 years, supporting Aboriginal communities to run grassroots, community-led adult literacy campaigns.
SESSION 3 – WORKSHOP
"PD for Adult LLN Teachers"
Ros Bauer and Deb Joyce
ABSTRACT:
Creating authentic materials and activities that relate to our learners’ professional practice was at the forefront in the development of the TAFE Statement in Adult Literacy Numeracy Teaching (ALaNT); including best practice methodology, focussing on learner centred pedagogy. The delivery has also harnessed the funds of knowledge of the cohort, all employed as teachers or Education Support Officers, to refine and improve the course during the pilot to better meet the needs for subsequent learners. Hear from graduating students about how ALaNT has better informed their practice and brought authenticity to their teaching so that their teaching and assessment is shaped with the learner at its heart.
BIOS:
Ros Bauer is a TAFE Head Teacher, Career Pathways Aboriginal Languages and Employability Skills. Her current role is the delivery of the TAFE Statement in Adult Literacy Numeracy Teaching, for TAFE NSW staff. Ros is a board member of Adult Learning Australia, committee member of the Reading Writing Hotline and inaugural winner of the Excellence in LLN Practice.
Deb Joyce is a TAFE Team Leader, Career Pathways Aboriginal Language and Employability Skills. Her role is to oversee Head Teachers who manage a wide range of courses in the disciplines of Adult LLN, ESOL. Deb has over 25 years' experience in teaching LLND and English language classes in a diverse range of settings, including regional communities and corrections.
SESSION 4 – PAPER
Current Projects from the Sydney Health Literacy Lab
i."Introduction to the Health Literacy Editor: Demonstration, evaluation, and its place in the age of AI"
Julie Ayre
ABSTRACT:
Complex health information is a critical source of inequity in our communities. Despite repeated policy directives to provide health information that is easy for people to understand, we continue to see little change in this area. To address this issue, the Sydney Health Literacy Lab developed the Health Literacy Editor. This is an easy-to-use online plain language tool that helps people apply health literacy guidelines to written health information by giving objective, real-time feedback on the complexity of words and sentences. This presentation will provide a demonstration of the Health Literacy Editor and describe how it has been evaluated to date.
ii. Maternal Health Literacy in the Parenting+ Program"
Matilda McLean
ABSTRACT:
Low parental health literacy is linked to less engagement in preventative health care and poorer child health outcomes. Despite this, very few health literacy interventions exist for new parents, and none are systematically implemented within health systems across Australia. This study aimed to co-design and evaluate a health literacy intervention for parents, with a focus on effectiveness and implementation outcomes. It is an extension/adaptation of the TAFE NSW health literacy skills training program delivered at Meadowbank TAFE approx. 5 years ago.
BIOS:
Dr Ayre is an early career postdoctoral researcher, awarded the highly competitive National Health and Medical Research Council Emerging Leader Research Fellow (2023-2027). Her research focuses on using digital technology to support health literacy initiatives, including development and dissemination of easy-to-understand written health information. Most recently she has developed and evaluated the Health Literacy Editor, an online tool that gives objective feedback on the complexity of health information. She has a strong track record, with more than 50 publications including qualitative, quantitative and co-design methods. Dr Ayre sits on the Scientific Advisory Team for the upcoming Australian Government’s National Health Literacy Strategy.
Matilda McLean is a Research Assistant at the Sydney Health Literacy Lab and Psycho-Oncology Co-operative Research Group, in the School of Public Health and School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health and Faculty of Science, at The University of Sydney.
SESSION 5 - PAPER
"The Authentic Learning Space: Up close (how close?) and personal (how personal?)"
Sally George
ABSTRACT:
The role of our physical bodies in teaching is not diminished. There is still a place for authenticity, contextuality, immediacy and relevant learning when there is one teacher sitting next to one or a group of students. The material and content may be AI but face-to-face and even side-by-side will continue to be a way students’ complete courses and learn. This workshop will bring together examples and practical tips on the best places to stand and sit in a classroom or learning space, what LLND teachers have learnt about teaching next to adult learners and how to 'sell it' as an important part of adult education and training.
This workshop will involve discussion of teachers' experiences of learner support in vocational classroom and in classrooms where they have taught by sitting beside or next to students. Teachers will be asked what learning spacing they think is successful and what issues they have experienced around where they sit or stand in classrooms.
BIO:
Sally George has been a LLND teacher at TAFE for 19 years. She has an interest in exploring how teachers and learners use non-verbal communication to build trust and develop learning.
SESSION 6 – WORKSHOP
"Building Your School Community"
Georgie Cole and Michael Hill
ABSTRACT:
Humanitarian and migrant parents or family members of children at school face significant challenges in participating in the school community, through low LLND skills and limited understanding of the Australian education system. In 2024, Navitas Skilled Futures (NSF), in collaboration with a local primary school in South West Sydney, developed and piloted a bespoke 10-module course, "You and your Child's School" to foster greater participation in the local school community. The materials, targeting development of LLND skills and key content knowledge, include digital and hard copy student workbooks with links to interactive multimedia activities, and extensive teacher notes. Care was taken to create a resource that is sufficiently generic to allow effective delivery across school sectors, states and territories. In this presentation, participants will engage with the materials and workshop ways to scaffold, extend and consolidate the lesson to meet individual learner needs.
BIOS:
Georgie Cole has been working in adult language and literacy since 1987, in variety of contexts – AMEP, SEE, Foundation Skills for Your Future, and adult community education. She is the Teaching and Learning Curriculum Lead at Navitas Skilled Futures, Sydney and is on the Executive Committee of the NSW ALNC.
Michael Hill has been working in language and literacy education for over 20 years, in Australia and internationally. As a teacher / trainer and learning designer Michael has participated in the creation of numerous resources and programs to meet bespoke learner needs within language and literacy classrooms.
SESSION 7 – WORKSHOP
"Developing authentic reading and writing resources using news sources"
Pauline Norfolk
ABSTRACT:
This workshop will identify the stages in developing relevant reading resources using authentic texts as a foundation for teaching low-literacy learners. Pauline's approach to resource development presents grammar through content. Learners are introduced to English grammar embedded in authentic text and through the enjoyment of reading.
Using resources from the community and news, Pauline will demonstrate how she adapts texts to an abridged version that allows reading for interest through a flow of language, suitable to the level of the reader in a 'readable' way. She will explain how she incorporates activities for shared and independent learning. Pauline will discuss the development of vocabulary and the reinforcement of spelling as an integral part of the reading and in turn, writing development.
BIO:
Pauline Norfolk has been teaching remedial education for 46 years, 39 of which have been dedicated to adult literacy. She has also taught middle-school children and teenagers with low literacy and maladjusted school refusers. She currently works at TAFE NSW as an LLN teacher and vocational support in Nursing, Aged Care, and Bachelor of Early Education and Care.
SESSION 8 – WORKSHOP
"Effective Utilisation of Technology in a Language Learning Context"
Noah Dean and Michael Hunt
ABSTRACT:
New and emerging technology is often not ready for market and hasn't reached its full potential. Rushing to incorporate new methods for the sake of being innovative does not always lead to good results and we must ask ourselves as educators "Just because we can, does it mean we should?"
This will focus on usage of AI chatbots, augmented reality, virtual reality and language learning apps in a language learning context. New and emerging technology presents a wide range of exciting new opportunities for educators and their students. While innovating, adapting, and overcoming challenges of the past in more efficient ways is a goal we should strive for, it is essential that educators do not rush into new ideas that are not as utile as they are new.
Through our tried and tested methods as a leading Adult Education Provider, and our trialling of new technology, MTC have made observations on how to best use new technology effectively in the classroom, and would like to share these findings, make recommendations, and seek feedback from our peers.
BIOS:
Noah Dean is MTC Australia’s National SEE and CTA Manager. His responsibility in this role is to ensure the ongoing delivery of quality LLND and pre-employment training to learners across the country (Face-to-face in NSW and ACT. Online for all other states and territories). Prior to working in a managerial role with MTC, he was employed as a Trainer and Assessor. He has a keen interest in second language acquisition and IS planning to conduct research in this field via the Industry Researcher PhD stream in the near future.
Michael Hunt has been a Skills for Education and Employment trainer and Career Transition Assistance Facilitator for over 10 years, specialising in digital literacy. He assists customers from various cultural backgrounds to improve their confidence and competence in basic computer skills so that they can improve their opportunities in the job market. One of his main objectives is to help individuals overcome their fears of living in the digital world.
SESSION 9 – PANEL
"Authentic Experiences: Creating space for future LLN teachers"
Irma Djaya, Stan Chukwueke, Janet Dyne, Bill Shipway, Edbert Sim, and Dr Keiko Yasukawa
ABSTRACT:
The LLN industry is facing a major teacher shortage - with an increasingly aging workforce and difficulty in attracting trained and qualified teachers.
Within the post-graduate TESOL and Applied Linguistics program at UTS, student teachers undertake two practicum programs. In recent times, practicum placements have been difficult to find, largely due to a move away from the 'traditional literacy class' style. Teachers in industry are increasingly involved in digital/computer classes, Individual Programs, vocational learner support, youth programs and off-site training, and make the case that it is difficult to accommodate student teachers. However, it is necessary to expose our future teachers to authentic teaching experiences within this industry.
In this panel discussion, you will hear from UTS student teachers about their practicum experiences and from co-operating teachers on how they have incorporated practicum students in 'non-traditional' LLN teaching contexts. UTS TESOL practicum co-ordinator, Dr Keiko Yasukawa will unpack how requirements of the program can be adjusted for placement in 'non-traditional' teaching environments.
There will also be an opportunity for Q&A from participants.
BIOS:
Dr Keiko Yasukawa is the UTS TESOL practicum co-ordinator and is the main lecturer on the Teaching Adult Literacy and Numeracy course, which has a practicum assessment component.
Edbert Sim, Bill Shipway and Stan Chukwueke have undertaken practicum placements as part of their post-graduate courses at UTS.
Janet Dyne is an experienced TAFE NSW LLN teacher who has mentored numerous student teachers over the years.
Panel moderator Irma Djaya has participated in the UTS Practicum program as a co-operating teacher at TAFE NSW and micro-teaching tutor in the Teaching Adult Literacy and Numeracy course.
SESSION 10 – PLENARY
"Neurodiversity"
Dave Brebner
BIO:
Dave Brebner is a Career Development Practitioner, Adult Educator, Keynote Speaker, Presenter and Author. He is a successful teacher, career coach, husband, and father of 6, who was told by a prominent professor at a young age that I would not achieve much for his future - and would most definitely never work in the public eye. Why? Because he had an unknown condition, which we now know as Tourette Syndrome.
Dave says: as a motivating Career Development practitioner and engaging speaker and presenter, with a lived experience of walking some very difficult pathways, I now provide clear direction and support for others on their journey. My difficulty has turned out to be a gift as I have achieved far more by not fitting into the standard plan. I know from experience that everybody has something to contribute.
I am now driven to support others who can’t see a way forward, in their life and career challenges. I absolutely thrive on helping people establish their vocational calling. Being able to clarify a personal vision and knock down those obstacles are just the first steps to leading a new, or ongoing, fulfilling career journey.
For me, the hardships of growing up through my teenage years, with an undiagnosed and largely unstudied condition were debilitating. I was a person who was not going to fit the mould of a standard high school education without difficulty.
And the best thing ... I proved the medical advice wrong! I have since achieved an electrical trade qualification, Master’s Degree in Education and Career Development, Master’s Degree in Educational Neuroscience, and Bachelor of Education in Adult Vocational and Workplace Training. As well as being a full time Teacher for TAFE NSW, I regularly present motivational talks to groups about Careers - as the kid who was told he would never achieve anything, much less be in the public eye.
SESSION 11 - WORKSHOP
"The Creative Arts in Adult Literacy, why bother?"
Estelle Rozinski
ABSTRACT:
A fun filled experiential and interactive workshop bringing laughter and kinaesthetic learning back into the classroom.
Based on the ‘Dear Data’ project by artists Giorgia Lupi and Stephane Posavec, workshop participants will work individually or in pairs on a postcard that documents an aspect of their week or an element of their lives; an activity that can be extended into literacy and numeracy activities in a dynamic learner-centred classroom. environment. At the session end, we will look at how this activity can enhance different elements of students’ learning and memory. All materials provided.
BIO:
Estelle Rozinski has worked in Adult Literacy for most of her professional life. She is passionate about ABE methodology which recognises and builds on students’ prior knowledge and expertise. Rozinski also believes for real learning to occur the classroom must be a safe and engaging space.
Rozinski is also a practicing visual artist and curator. Her curatorial practice reflects a commitment to a broader community past and present; always aiming to facilitate greater awareness, knowledge and understanding.
SESSION 12 – WORKSHOP
"Literacy and Social Change"
Ros Bauer and Inge Kral
ABSTRACT:
Adult literacy policy and pedagogy in Australia tends to take an employment-oriented approach to literacy. In remote Indigenous communities, literacy and learning policy and program initiatives are often short-lived, yielding few long-term results. Against a backdrop of shifting national, state and territory adult literacy policy initiatives, we use two case studies from remote Indigenous Australia to explore a range of learning pathways and programs that are open to Indigenous Australians in their communities. We describe how these communities have enabled opportunities for learning which have been the catalyst for social change and effective social enterprise initiatives. Our case studies show how literacy is embedded in programs and activities that are meaningful to individuals and communities.
These best practice models highlight what can be achieved with the provision of locally meaningful programs and activities that facilitate literacy, learning and social change. Here literacy has lifelong, lifewide traction, yet these initiatives sit outside government policy and program frameworks. Government policy and programs have much to learn from the successful approaches to adult learning and literacy in the remote Indigenous context outlined here. Changes in the adult literacy and learning policy landscape signal an important step in the recognition of the value of community-based literacy programs and an emerging narrative that values informal learning alongside an employment-oriented approach to functional literacy.
BIOS:
Ros Bauer is an adult literacy practitioner who has worked for more than twenty years on workplace literacy projects, classroom teaching, program design, course development and mentoring. Her adult literacy work in central Australia led to her winning the Excellence in Adult Language Literacy Numeracy Practice award at the Australian Training Awards; and subsequent Australian Executive Fellowship. She has published in several journals, is a board member of Adult Learning Australia, committee member of the National Reading Writing and on the panel of the First Nations Expert Reference Group. She is currently delivering adult literacy teacher training in TAFE NSW.
Inge Kral is a linguistic anthropologist with more than thirty years’ experience as an educator and researcher in Indigenous Australia, Malaysia and Timor Leste. Her research focuses on adult literacy, youth and digital literacies, early childhood learning, Indigenous languages and language documentation, Indigenous education and language policy. Inge has recently researched the bilingual illustrated literature produced at the Strelley Aboriginal community school in Western Australia. She has published widely and a 2020 publication https://uwap.uwa.edu.au/products/in-the-time-of-their-lives is an account of changing language practices and the verbal arts of Western Desert Indigenous Australians. She is currently affiliated with The Australian National University.