eVALBEC September 2007
This is the electronic newsletter of VALBEC, the Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council, and is sent to about 850 practitioners on the first of each month (other than January). It is also available in the ‘News’ section of our web site http://www.valbec.org.au
Disclaimer: The activities, goods and services mentioned in eVALBEC are not endorsed by VALBEC in any way. People should make their own judgment about the suitability of each item.
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IN THIS ISSUE OF e-VALBEC:
1. A community of practice – reflections on two years together  - Twilight Forum
2. Making Links – successful models for enhanced practice – Spring Forum
3. NCVER research priorities
4. Next Fine Print
5. Implementation Guide for the new CGEA
6. WELL NOW – 2007: A National WELL Practitioners’ Conference
7. New WELL resources  from Swinburne TAFE (and Member Offer)
8. Teaching learners from highly oral cultural backgrounds
9. Understand the writing system and phonics  
10. CAE Workshop: The 2007 CGEA - a detailed look at all aspects of the new CGEA
11. Office desks need a good home
12. Subscribe to eVALBEC?
13. Unsubscribe?
14. Contact VALBEC
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1. A community of practice – reflections on two years together
Twilight forum for Adult Learner’s Week
Date: Tuesday September 4, 6.30 for 7.00 – 8.30
Venue: North Fitzroy Star Hotel, 32-36 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North ( Near the corner of Newry Street)
Refreshments: platters of dips and breads, purchase own drinks
Cost: Free (but booking is essential; RSVP info@valbec.org.au by September 3)
At this Twilight Forum, the authors of Fancy Footwork: adult educators thinking on their feet invite you to consider what makes a community of practice. They will discuss what elements contribute to sustaining and expanding a group that leads to an outcome such as a book. Part of the attraction of this group was that it functioned independently of institutions and organizations, although membership of VALBEC was a common thread.
The experience of this group will act as a starting point to invite participants to share their own ideas, insights and experiences of communities of practice. There will be opportunity for dialogue on different ways of forming and sustaining communities of practice.
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2. Making Links – successful models for enhanced practice
VALBEC Spring Forum
Date: Friday September 28, 9.30am-3.30pm
Venue: The Clarion on Canterbury, 326 - 330 Canterbury Road Forest Hill  
Morning tea and lunch included
Fee:
VALBEC members with an individual membership FREE
VALBEC Institutional members $33
Non- members - $55
Registration: Online at http://www.valbec.org.au/07SpForum/07SpFProg.htm
*Numbers limited so please register to info@valbec.org.au before Friday September 21st
VALBEC is delighted to be staging our annual Spring Forum in the eastern suburbs but with the shift comes extra costs hence the fee. However the day will be filled with interaction and new learnings with applications to a range of teaching and learning settings.
Program
Integrating New Literacies Into Classroom Practice - Upper Yarra Community House
This is an L&N Innovative DEST funded project. Teachers and students have come together in an action research project to explore the home literacies of youth and to create a teacher resource that both informs teachers and provides activities that engage young students. It has been an enlightening journey! SMS, Games and Website activities have been trialled with an underpinning critical literacy perspective. We are in the fourth stage of our project of creating the web site. We will present our website under construction, share the experiences of learning how youth use the new literacies and explore activities that have been created.
Community Wide Study Circle Orientation Workshop - Dr Mark Brophy.
Dr Mark Brophy, is a Fulbright Scholar who has worked in the education and training sector for over 22 years in universities, TAFE institutions, industry associations and the government. Mark has recently returned from a study tour in the US visiting the Study Circles Resource Centre which has assisted over 400 communities across 43 states with hundreds and sometimes thousands of participants.
Community Wide Study Circle Orientation Workshop ( Part One)
The Workshop will consist of an introduction to study circles. Study Circles are a type of community dialogue process that can help people explore complex issues, make some decisions and begin to take action. Study circles don’t advocate a particular solution. Instead, they welcome many points of view around a shared concern.
From engaging and empowering disadvantaged learners to building community capacity, the study circle is a unique alternative that promises controversial and exciting opportunities.
Over lunch Literacy Live link to Auckland
During lunch participants will be able to listen to one of the keynote addresses at the ACAL Conference live from Auckland. Heidi Spruck Wrigley, is currently a non-resident fellow with the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. where she focuses on immigrant integration and policy issues related to adult ESL, employment and family literacy.
Community Wide Study Circle Orientation Workshop (Part Two)
Part Two of the Workshop will consist of:
• Participation in a sample study circle, where members will share their personal knowledge and experiences of teaching and learning.
• Discussion on ways that community wide study circle programs circles are utilised in the US and Bangladesh.
• An overview of how to plan for community wide study circle programs.
The Workshop will demonstrate how the study circle model could be applied to addressing issues in a range of settings with different learner groups. This session will build on the collaborative model of working on common issues around the new CGEA implementation that was successful in the pre- conference workshops in May.
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3. NCVER research priorities
We would like to advise you that NCVER, of behalf of the Australian Government and state and territory governments have advertised a funding round seeking the services of research centres or consortia to provide a three year program of research aligned with one or more of the five national research priorities.
The five major national research priority areas governing the vocational education and training (VET) sector for 2007 - 2010 are:
1. Growing the labour supply
2. Motivating individuals to participate in VET
3. Sustaining a skills base through apprenticeships and traineeships
4. Enhancing the productive capacity of enterprises
5. Enabling VET providers to compete effectively
For more information  http://www.ncver.edu.au/newsevents/tenders.html
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4. Next Fine Print
Only members receive Fine Print. The next issue contains
Fancy Footwork: what does it say to you? - by Delia Bradshaw
There's a blind dog in my classroom... by Margaret Kelly
Working From Strengths: venturing towards strength based adult education - by Crina Virgona and Peter Waterhouse
Second Life - can VCAL and vocational education learning outcomes be achieved in the virtual world 'Second Life'? - by Glenda McPherson
CGEA Implementation - a VALBEC evening forum - by Lisa Bartels and Pauline Morrow
A Postgraduate Qualification for Literacy and Numeracy Teachers in VET - by Sharon Templeman
Implementing the new CGEA - by Lynne Fitzpatrick and Liz Davidson
Literacy Face to Face - a review by Sarah Deasey
The latest NCVER Adult Literacy and Numeracy Research - by Michelle Circelli
The VALBEC Conference Report - by Lynn Matheson
Where Are They Now - an interview with Nick Oliver - by Lynne Matheson
B is for Belfast - by Beverley Campbell
(Want to receive Fine Print? Join VALBEC at http://www.valbec.org.au/05/memb.html
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5. Implementation Guide for the new CGEA
Now available on the Training Support Network site, this updated guide is a PDF file offering support for implementation of the CGEA courses. It has been written with both teachers and managers in mind. This Version 3 replaces earlier versions distributed at CMM professional development sessions.
To download a copy:
  1. http://trainingsupport.otte.vic.gov.au/default.cfm?menu=1
  2. Choose Teacher Networks from left hand side menu
  3. Select Service Industries -General Studies and Further Education
  4. Download CGEA Implementation Guide
For any further enquiries about Version 2 of the new CGEA or the Implementation Guide, please contact the CMM General Studies and Further Education 9919 8327 or 9919 8375
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6. WELL NOW – 2007: A National Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) Practitioners’ Conference
Date: Thursday 18th October and Friday 19th October, 2007
Venue: Treacy Conference Centre, Melbourne, Australia
A first national conference for WELL Practitioners in response to recommendations from the NCVER Research report ‘The professional Development  requirements for WELL Practitioners’ providing an opportunity to enhance relationships with other WELL Practitioners, share knowledge and improve service delivery.
This conference will reflect on the diversity of WELL practitioners across Australia focusing on the enhancement of relationships for the effective exchange of information and practice whilst addressing the professional development needs of practitioners nationally. We will explore the need to bring together learning from a diversity of fields and experiences so that we can continually respond and adapt to the challenges in delivering effective workplace communications skills.
For more information contact Sue at (03) 9889 0233 or email mesab@mesab.com.au
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7. New WELL resources  from Swinburne TAFE – Member Offer
“Straight to the point”  - an interactive CD which develops basic map reading skills using real-life scenarios.
“Working Words in Aged Care”   - a pocket-sized, vocabulary handbook which includes common words, abbreviations and space for new words and definitions.
More details of each publication at our member offer page.
Contact Tuku Bandopadhayay on 9210 1170  Download  an order form at: http://www.tafe.swin.edu.au/socsci/access/workplaceskill/wsaresources.html
Member Offer
Swinburne TAFE have generously provided some of these materials as part of our member offer for this month.
If you'd like to go into the draw for a copy of 'Straight to the point' or a copy of 'Working Words in Aged Care', visit our web site and follow the links to 'member offer'. One per person, you must be a member and if you have a preference, let us know. Follow the links from http://www.valbec.org.au/
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8. Teaching learners from highly oral cultural backgrounds
NCVER has just published a 'Good practice guide' on teaching learners from highly oral cultural backgrounds. In recent years, many new arrivals to Australia through the Humanitarian Migration Program have been refugees from African countries. Their indigenous languages, like many other indigenous languages, do not have a written form. This guide provides a set of 'good practice' strategies for designing effective English language, literacy and numeracy programs for all adult learners from highly oral cultural backgrounds.
The guide can be downloaded from http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1804.html
Queries? Amy Mellow on 08 8230 8420 or amy.mellow@ncver.edu.au, or  Colleen Young, Manager, Marketing Services on 08 8230 8496.
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9. Understand the writing system and phonics
http://www.ozreadandspell.com.au  To understand the writing system and phonics, and clear confusions. 30-minute cartoon-graphics video and other resources free to copy what you want to DVD. For self-help take-home repeat viewing. Unsuitable for groups. DVD  version 11 from http://www.globallanguage.com.au and http://www.languagecentre.iinet.com.au .
Unique and original. Feedback welcome. CreativeCommons copyright.  Val Yule. vyule@labyrinth.net.au.
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10. CAE Workshop: The 2007 CGEA - a detailed look at all aspects of the new CGEA
Friday 21st September 2007
This workshop will look in detail at the newly reaccredited Certificates in General Education for Adults (CGEA), in particular:
·         The format and language of the document
·         The overall course structure
·         A selection of units of competency and how they are written
·         The new core units: Develop a Learning Plan and Complete a Project
·         Planning the delivery and structure of a CGEA program.
The workshop is aimed at practitioners who have little, or no, knowledge of the 2007 CGEA.
Presenters: Philippa Mclean, Dianne Parslow & Dave Tout
Where: CAE, 253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Time: 9.30am till 3.30pm
Cost: $210.00
Lunch included.  For further details please email projects@cae.edu.au
Enrolments: Use Course Code PAQ89801 Download an enrolment form at http://www.saalt.com.au/documents/CaeEnrolmentForm2007.pdf  Payment: please refer to enrolment form
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11. Office desks need a good home
10 desks in excellent condition - dimensions 1200 l x 700 d x 700 h, with side component 500 d x 900 l, cream or grey colour, available for $30 each ono. See items at http://greencollect.org/reuse/browse.php?type=2
Folders and binders, over 300, free to that anyone who can use them.
Please contact me for more information or to claim, and distribute this through your networks.
Nick Ray
0500 868 498
nick.ray@greencollect.org
Green Collect's reUSE program aims to reduce waste, encourage reuse and support community groups with limited resources.
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12. Subscribe to eVALBEC?
Click this link <mailto:info@valbec.org.au?subject=eVALBEC_Subscribe> and we’ll put you on the list to receive this monthly enewsletter.
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14. Contact VALBEC
eVALBEC is the monthly electronic newsletter of (VALBEC) the Victorian Adult Literacy  and Basic Education Council.
E-mail: info@valbec.org.au
Web: http://www.valbec.org.au
Postal: Box 861 Springvale South VIC 3172
Ph: 03 9546 6892
Fax: 03 9546 0421