Special edition March 2022 | VALBEC | Web version

1. From the President
2. VALBEC Membership
3. Resources

4. Fine Print
5. Unions

Current News

Last chance to submit a presentation proposal for the VALBEC2022 Conference at Angliss Conference Centre, May 20 from 9am - 2.30pm.

Submit presentation proposals here: https://valbec.org.au/SubmitProposalPresent

Closing date: Friday April 1st, 2022 (No joke!)

This year, we are fortunate to have professional photographer Matt Houston at the conference capturing VALBEC’s professional learning movements, shapes and sounds. Matt’s vox pops and photos of the event will be shared with presenters if they choose. This is a valuable opportunity to showcase your professional practice in action!

We invite everyone - members and friends - to propose presentations and share your insights into learnings from covid lockdowns, movements in digital literacy, supporting adult learners into the future and much more.

Now’s the time to connect and reconnect with VALBEC’s professional learning community and enjoy the delicious food and inspiring atmosphere of Angliss Conference Centre, May 20 from 9am-2.30pm

1. From the President

Supporting small, independent, Australian writers and publishers of quality language, literacy, numeracy learning resources is one of the joys of being involved with VALBEC. Local, contextualised learning materials are extremely important. Learners respond to stories and images that reflect their own experiences.

At last year’s 2-day conference we held quick lunchtime ‘Meet the Makers’ sessions with Clare Harris (The Book Next Door), Bernard Miles (English Express), Chris Malakar (Page Turners), and Carmel Davies (Urban Lyrebirds). Due to time constraints, the sessions felt a bit rushed and it’s been in our minds ever since to invite these amazing authors back into the VALBEC Zoom Professional Learning studios for some more relaxed sessions of inspired sharing about all things adult language, literacy, numeracy and digital.

The first “Meet the Makers’ session for 2022 will be on April 6 at 5pm.

Registrations: Meet the Makers 

Join Clare Harris, Bernard Miles and VALBEC newcomer Lauren Piovesan, writer and illustrator of ESLReads. They will talk about their resources, the stories behind writing them and answer questions from the audience.

So SAVE THE DATE (April 6) and join VALBEC for an inspiring, interactive session about ESL books and writing with Clare, Bernard and Lauren. Register here: Meet the Makers

Elizabeth Gunn
Valbec President

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2. Valbec Membership

Join or renew online

Our new website gives members online access to our fantastic member benefits such as webinar recordings, current editions of Fine Print, discounted conference places, eVALBEC newsletter, as well as free registration for VALBEC webinars.  

Organisations can now enrol their staff so that they too can enjoy Valbec member offerings.

Members receive:

• Fine Print three times a year – a high quality journal for discussion and debate about good practice, theory and policy issues. Feedback and contributions are actively sought from members about content and issues.
• eVALBEC – our e-mail communication keeping members informed of professional development activities, general committee activities and more up to date policy changes.
• Discounts for the Annual Conference and other VALBEC statewide professional development.
• Issues-based forums.
• Focus on significant policy issues impacting on the field.
• Free numeracy resources

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3. Resources

Speaking of Englishy Things, Clare Harris’ blog, englishy things is a treasure trove of local teaching and writing materials for migrant learners in Australia. Most recently Clare interviewed Michelle Cowan, author of English for Swimming, a free resource about learning to swim in Australia. What could be more local, more practical and more life affirming than a book about learning to swim?  

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5. Unions

Australian Education Union

Details

National Tertiary Education Union

Details