eVALBEC
December 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 eVALBEC:
1. VALBEC Annual Conference 2008
2. 2008 VALBEC Conference Call for Presentations – out next week
3. ALLS Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey
4. Fine Print
5. Another year comes to a close…. Time for thank yous
6. NCVER Research Overview
7. ACE Longitudinal Survey report
8. Member Offer – Series 3 PageTurners
9. Subscribe to eVALBEC?
10. Unsubscribe?
11. Contact VALBEC
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1. VALBEC Annual
Conference 2008
•• Still
Glides The Stream .......... Celebrating 30 years of VALBEC ••
Put these dates in your diary now!!!!
May 15 – pre-conference workshops (afternoon)
May 16 Celebrating 30 years of VALBEC
See next item ....
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2. 2008 VALBEC Conference Call for Presentations – out
next week
Teachers, researchers, program managers, policy
analysts, education and industry consultants working in the field of adult literacy
and numeracy are invited to express an interest in presentation of
• a paper
• a workshop session
• a panel discussion
We are looking for presentations that
• reflect on VALBEC
and ALBE experiences
• demonstrate partnerships
and best practice in ACE
• showcase learner
outcomes
• are interactive
and encourage dialogue
• display innovation
and flexibility in practice or research
• exemplify adult
learning principles in effective practice
• stimulate thought
and discussion on relevant issues, theories and practice
• critique changes
in state and federal government policies and priorities
Next week you’ll be invited to suggest papers and presentations for the
Conference. Watch your inbox.
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3. ALLS Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey
On November 28 the results of the Adult Literacy
and Lifeskills Survey (ALLS) were released in Australia. Check the ABS website for
the survey summary data http://www.abs.gov.au/
ACAL, VALBEC and other state organizations will
be lobbying politicians to raise awareness across governments and in the wider community
of the need to expand funding and provision of language, literacy and numeracy in
Australia.
VALBEC sent this letter to 11 Federal House of Representatives candidates prior to
the election.
Check the ACAL website http://www.acal.edu.au/ and
Literacy Link for more information and how you can become involved.
Dave Tout, ACAL spokesperson, was interviewed 7 times on Wednesday about the ALLS
data and VALBEC Committee member and CAE teacher, Dianne Parslow was interviewed
by Ernie Sigley on 3AW on Thursday to comment on the situation in Victoria. Dianne
was also reported in The Herald Sun. See it at
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22839489-2862,00.html
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4. Fine Print
Fine Print is provided free to members; the next
issue is being printed now.
Contents of Fine Print Summer edition ‘07
• ‘Reflections
on the power of AND: the 2007 International Adult Literacy Conference’
a comprehensive overview of the recent conference by Corinna Ridley
• ‘Partnerships
for social capital outcomes: literacy and the health sector’ by Stephen Black
• ‘An
organic association: the VALBEC history project’ by Beverley Campbell
• Practical
Matters has a musical theme with articles on community and classroom singing by Jane
Coker, Chris Falk and Lyndal Chambers
• Technology
Matters continues with the latest instalment on using Powerpoint – by Debbie
Soccio
• Open Forum
includes Helen Macrae’s opening address to the Women in Adult & Vocational
Education’s national conference and Jacinta Agostinelli’s reflections
on changes to the CGEA
• In What’s
Out There, Robyn Hodge reviews Fancy Footwork, a collection of writing by
adult educators and Debbie Soccio’s review of Read Series Two, a set
of five books for adult literacy and ESL learners.
• In Policy
Update, Liz Davidson examines the ESL Framework reaccreditation due in 2008
• In Foreign
Correspondence Helen Keane writes about teaching ESL in China
• In Beside
the Whiteboard, Dawn Doherty reflects on her teaching years in the corrections system.
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5. Another year comes to a close…. Time for
thank yous
Well here we are in December again and so it is
time to send out some thank yous!!
Thank you to all the members who supported VALBEC this year by paying their fees,
presenting at or attending our professional development program, writing for Fine
Print and keeping in touch through this monthly newsletter.
Thank you to the VALBEC committee for their commitment and tireless activity to make
it all happen – attending the monthly meetings, organizing and attending professional
development activities, representing VALBEC on reference groups, committees and boards,
working on Fine Print and many other things along the way. We have a great team ably
assisted by the multi talented Don MacDowall and thanks to him for keeping us on
track!
Thanks to ACFE for their funding support, liaison and networking opportunities.
Have a wonderful summer break and we look forward to working with you in 2008 – out
thirtieth year.
Lynne Matheson and Ann Haynes
(Editor’s unauthtorised note: The VALBEC committee are volunteers with busy
professional and personal lives who give very generously to something they feel passionate
about – adult literacy. I dips me lid.)
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6. NCVER Research Overview
The latest suite of the popular Adult literacy research
overviews is now available and likely to be of interest to your members. The 2007
suite covers:
* Community adult language, literacy and numeracy provision in Australia: Diverse
approaches
* Creating learning spaces for refugees: The role of multicultural organisations
in Australia
* Provision and development: Exploring employers' views of literacy, numeracy and
employability
* Sudanese refugee learners: Classroom management strategies to address their English
language needs
* Thinking beyond numbers: Learning numeracy for the future workplace
The suite can be downloaded, free of charge, from http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1485.html
Previous year's Research overviews are also available
from the above address.
Further information Anna.Payton@ncver.edu.au
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7.
ACE Longitudinal Survey report
The Final report of this long awaited research study
is now available on the ACFE website.
http://www.acfe.vic.gov.au/abtresearch.htm
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8. Member Offer - Series3 PageTurners
A brand new series of these popular books is now
available!
Series3 PageTurners has 10 new, easy to read stories with entertaining pictures to
aid understanding. This series also has audio CDs to help reading and listening. Suitable
for beginning readers aged 15+.
Published by PRACE- a community education provider.
To order Email to: office@prace.vic.edu.au or
visit the PageTurners website: http://pageturners.prace.vic.edu.au
Or Phone PRACE: (03) 9462 6077
ABN: 93 736 262 050
VALBEC has two sets of Series 3 PageTurners with CDs to give away.
Go to the VALBEC web site www.valbec.org.au and click on the member offer link
If you'd like to go into the draw for a set of 'Series 3 PageTurners' visit our
web site and follow the links to 'member offer'. 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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9. 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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10. 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.
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11. 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