EARLY BIRD Registration Open Now for 2023 Conference

Register Now - NSWALNC in-person Annual Conference Teaching adult literacy and numeracy: more than skills, Friday 8 December 2023

EARLY BIRD CLOSES 22 September

 

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 Technology Sydney)

Learning from Country: place-literacies for connecting, truth-telling and healing.

 

Date: Friday 8 December

Venue: Aerial Function Centre, University of Technology Sydney

Register: https://www.trybooking.com/CKDOA

CALL for WORKSHOP and PAPER PROPOSALS FOR NSWALNC Conference 2023

         Teaching adult literacy and numeracy: more than skills, 

In-person Conference, Friday 8 December 

 

Do you have some good practical ideas or research to share?

The NSW Adult Literacy and Numeracy Council invites submissions of abstracts for consideration for inclusion in the 2023 conference programme. 

 

Abstracts are invited for presentations and workshops on topics related to our Conference theme of “Teaching adult literacy and numeracy: more than skills”. This conference is a forum for exploring spaces and approaches to expand the scope of literacy and numeracy programs to enable students to gain personally meaningful educational outcomes through program participation. Invitations are extended for workshops and research presentations that deepen our collective understanding of what we can do to deliver more than instrumental skills to adult learners.

 

·       Presentation sessions will be 40 minutes.

·       Presenters may choose to organise a group of related papers as a themed session.

·       Notification of decision on submitted abstracts will be sent by 15 September, 2023.

·       Presenters can register for the Conference at the discounted Presenter’s rate

 

Abstracts should be submitted by email nswalnc@gmail.com by Friday 1 September 2023 

NSWALNC Conference 2023 Keynote Speakers to include Professor Uta Papen

Teaching adult literacy and numeracy: more than skills,  In-person Conference, Friday 8 December 

Our keynote speakers include Professor Uta Papen (Lancaster University, UK) whose extensive work over many years in literacy studies includes her book Adult literacy as social practice: more than skills (Routledge).

 

NSW Adult Literacy and Numeracy Council AGM - 5.30 pm 22 June 2023 via Zoom

The NSWALNC will hold the Annual General Meeting online on 5.30 pm Thursday 22 June. The 2023-24 Executive will be elected at the AGM. All are welcome.

NSWALNC Conference 2023 – Teaching adult literacy and numeracy: more than skills, In-person, Friday 8 December

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.

 

This conference is a forum for exploring spaces and approaches to expand the scope of literacy and numeracy programs to enable students to gain personally meaningful educational outcomes through program participation. Invitations are extended for workshops and research presentations that deepen our collective understanding of what we can do to deliver more than instrumental skills to adult learners.

 

Call for Papers and Presentations will be out soon. Registration opens in July.

NSWALNC Webinar – 27 April 2023 - The Referendum on the Voice to Parliament: Exploring the role of adult educators in engaging students in the debate

The NSWALNC held a webinar on Thursday 27 April on “The Referendum on the Voice to Parliament: Exploring the role of adult educators in engaging students in the debate”. The webinar was an opportunity for adult literacy and numeracy teachers to discuss, share and debate how we can support our learners' engagement with the Referendum on the Voice to Parliament. While recognising curriculum and assessment pressures that all teachers face, as adult educators we also have an obligation to create spaces to teach our learners the knowledge and skills they need to exercise their citizenship responsibility to be engaged in this important issue.

Date: Thursday  27 April 2023

Video: https://youtu.be/5EREdr-yDWE

Cost: NSWALNC 2023 Members Free; Non-Members $20.00