eVALBEC April 2007
This is the electronic newsletter of VALBEC, the Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council, and is sent to about 800 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.
----------------------------------------------
eVALBEC is a little earlier than usual because the first of the month (April) falls in the school break and the conference early bird date is just a few days away.
----------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE OF e-VALBEC:
1. NCVER adult literacy and numeracy research funding demise
2. Living Literacies - 2007 VALBEC Conference, Friday, May 4
3. The new CGEA in focus – pre-conference workshop
4. Pre-conference dinner
5. Membership renewal now OVERDUE
6. ACAL’s Third Literacy Live Online Forum Learning Literacies for the 21st Century with David Warlick
7. Next VALBEC Committee meeting
8. ACAL Conference in New Zealand
9. Fine Print
10. Implementing the ‘New CGEA’
11. Fine Print Archive
12. DIY Housing CGEA Literacy Resource available soon
13. NMIT Conference
14. Subscribe to eVALBEC?
15. Unsubscribe?
16. Contact VALBEC
----------------------------------------------
1. NCVER adult literacy and numeracy research funding demise
VALBEC members may be aware that targeted adult literacy and numeracy research funding through NCVER has been cut. The implications for the ALBE field are wide ranging and both ACAL and VALBEC have sent letters of protest to Andrew Robb, Minister for Vocational and Further Education. COAG has recently cited the needs of adults with low educational skills as part of the agenda for the new wave of reforms to the VET sector. Specifically focussed research funding for adult literacy and numeracy is essential to underpin these reforms. We urge members to write to their local members and the Minister to raise this issue. A copy of the VALBEC letter has been posted on the VALBEC website http://www.valbec.org.au
Read more about this in the ACAL newsletter, Literacy Link March 2007i in the Page 13 article 'Literacy and Numeracy Research funding slashed'. This issue of ‘Literacy Link’ is about to be loaded on the ACAL website http://www.acal.edu.au then choose Publications, then Literacy Link.
----------------------------------------------
2. Living Literacies - 2007 VALBEC Conference,
Friday, May 4 at the William Angliss College, LaTrobe Street, Melbourne.
Registrations are racing along; remember Early Bird fees (financial members only) need to be received by April 10 which falls in Victorian school holidays.
• Registration – online or download a form http://www.valbec.org.au/05/conf07/reg.htm
• ‘Home stay’ Accommodation for the conference
As a 2007 initiative, VALBEC has set up a ‘Homestay’ register to assist members from country and regional areas with free accommodation in Melbourne member’s homes. If you can offer a spare bed or couch in the Melbourne metro area for Thursday May 3 and/or Friday May 4? Contact info@valbec.org.au
Country or regional members are invited to request somewhere to stay and VALBEC will do the rest. Hopefully we will have enough matches to make this work and to make it a feature of conferences in the future. A form is available at http://www.valbec.org.au/05/conf07/accom.htm
----------------------------------------------------
3. The new CGEA in focus – pre-conference workshop
The sessions in this workshop will be practitioner lead and focus on working groups sharing ideas and materials in planning for implementation of the new CGEA.
Thursday May 3, 3.00 - 6.00pm Venue: Victoria University, Footscray Campus, Hoadley Building
The sessions are FREE, but preference is given to VALBEC members. Registration is essential. Numbers are limited to 50. Dinner afterwards at own expense.
The sessions will be practitioner led working groups focusing on particular areas of interest with the new CGEA implementation. • Planning courses • Developing a Learning Plan • Student record keeping • Importing Training Package units
Participants should bring materials to share (10 copies)
Group leaders are Lisa Bartels, VU; Pauline Morrow, Kangan TAFE; Denise Reynolds, NMIT; Dianne Parslow, CAE; and Jacinta Agostinelli, Glenroy Neighbourhood Learning Centre.
More information and pre-conference registration http://www.valbec.org.au/05/conf07/preconf.htm
----------------------------------------------------
4. Pre-conference dinner
Join colleagues for dinner at The Plough Hotel, 333 Barkly St, Footscray, (bistro meals, at own expense), 6.30 – 8.30 pm. We need to know you’re coming so use the conference registration form http://www.valbec.org.au/05/conf07/reg.htm
----------------------------------------------------
5. Membership renewal now OVERDUE
Thanks to those members who have paid their membership.
Notices will be sent out shortly to those recalcitrant members pointing out that they will be losing benefits (and a chance to get the Early Bird or member rate for the conference).
----------------------------------------------------
6. ACAL’s Third Literacy Live Online Forum
Learning Literacies for the 21st Century with David Warlick
Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 11.00 am AEST at your place
We understand it’s in the Easter break for some people – do it from your home computer!
His web site, Landmarks for Schools, serves more than ten-million visits a month with some of the most popular teacher-tools available on the Net. David is also the author of three books on instructional technology and 21st century literacy.
More details will be able from the ACAL web site at http://www.acal.edu.au/
----------------------------------------------------
7. Next VALBEC Committee meeting
Thursday April 19, 6pm - Royal Standard Hotel in William Street West Melbourne
Members are welcome to attend and contribute your ideas.
----------------------------------------------------
8. ACAL Conference in New Zealand
The ACAL Conference for 2007 will be held in Auckland, New Zealand on 28 & 29 September with special pre-conference activities and visits set aside for Thursday 27 September. The Conference is being co-hosted by Workbase, NZ in collaboration with Literacy Aotearoa and the National Association of ESOL Home Tutors. Keep an eye on the ACAL website http://www.acal.edu.au for links to the conference organiser.
A call for presentations and workshops will be made in the next few weeks along with details for early bird registrations.
More details are available through phoning Workbase on 0011+64+9 3613800 or email admin@workbase.org.nz.
----------------------------------------------------
9. Fine Print
The Autumn edition of Fine Print is being prepared right now and will contain
Health Literacy: Socially Situating Community-based Research - Julie Green
Literacy as Translation - Margaret Somerville
Finding the Threads - Maree Keating
Have a Spell - positive approaches to teaching spelling - Bronwen Hickman
Technology info- glossary of new terms - Debbie Soccio
Open Forum on the new CGEA
Qualifications for CGEA Teachers - Di Parslow
A Walk Around the New CGEA - Lynne Matheson
Beside the Whiteboard
Fear and Loafing in Thailand - retiring from Adult Ed to Thailand, on a shoestring - Sam Jackson
Foreign Correspondence - ALBE in Canada
----------------------------------------------------
10. Implementing the ‘New CGEA’
Three workshops will be held to assist providers implement the 'new CGEA'.
These are:
20 April 2007 10.30 - 3.00 Newport Campus, Victoria University
(Please note that due to pressure of numbers only one registration per provider per site can be accepted for this workshop)
21 May 2007 10.30 - 3.00 Kyabram
TBC 10.30 - 3.00 Warragul
For a registration form, please contact Eva.Gjeka@vu.edu.au
----------------------------------------------------
11. Fine Print Archive
You can look back on many of the issues of Fine Print at http://www.valbec.org.au/05/fineprint/fp_arch.html
Thanks to those people who have helped dig out back copies. We have most issues going back to 1987. We also have other boxes, as yet unopened. that might have even further back!
----------------------------------------------------
12. DIY Housing CGEA Literacy Resource available soon
Winner of the Innovation in ACE Learning Award for 2006, DIY Housing will be released at the beginning of May (you may have seen some of it at the 2006 VALBEC Conference). This teacher friendly resource is relevant to the new Certificates in General Education for Adults. DIY Housing provides ten specific sections of work with sample lesson plans and photocopiable worksheets plus a myriad of further activities that can be developed in the topics linking work levels to the CGEA. DIY Gardening and DIY Cooking are planned for later publication.
DIY Housing is likely to be part of a special member offer in the next eVALBEC.
----------------------------------------------------
13. NMIT Conference
The NMIT Faculty of Further Education annual conference will be held on Friday 13 July 2007. The theme for this year is Applied Learning & Employability: Developing Transferable Skills. Expressions of interest to present (1 hour) at the above conference are welcome. Submissions due Friday 20 April 2007.
Contact Rita Hawkins ritah-fs@nmit.vic.edu.au
----------------------------------------------------
14. 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.
----------------------------------------------------
15. Unsubscribe?
Just click this link <mailto:info@valbec.org.au?subject=eVALBEC_Unsubscribe> (no typing required!) and hit Send or, send an e-mail with the word Unsubscribe in the subject.
----------------------------------------------------
16. 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