Language, Literacy and Numeracy
Reviewed: January 2008
This page has been kept for reference.
It will no longer be updated by ICVET.
Language, literacy and numeracy skills underlie almost all areas of work to some extent. From the factory floor to the highest level of management, language, literacy and numeracy skills influence the performance of workplace tasks.
Research has indicated that many adult Australians do not have the language, literacy and numeracy skills they need to effectively participate in vocational training and workplace communication. The increasing importance of ‘generic’ or ‘employability’ skills such as teamwork, communication and problem solving in the workplace highlights the need for underpinning language, literacy and numeracy skills.
The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) Standard 6 for Registered Training Organisations (2005) includes a requirement for a Registered Training Organisation to provide clear information to its clients about the detail of the language, literacy and numeracy assistance available.
What is meant by Language, Literacy and Numeracy?
In everyday workplace tasks it is common for a person to use and respond to spoken and written language and use numeracy skills at the same time, all within a cultural context, which needs to be interpreted and responded to appropriately.
Although you will sometimes find the terms ‘language, literacy and numeracy’ used together they are not interchangeable or always linked. There will be situations in which maybe only one of these skills is the focus of the training, eg calculation skills for mixing chemicals.
Language, literacy and numeracy skills are integrated into the units of competence in all Industry Training Packages. In some instances, where they are central to workplace performance, they are discrete units of competence, whilst in other instances, where they are part of a task, they are integrated in units of competence in the performance criteria, range of variables or evidence guide.
Websites
TAFE NSW Access and General Education
This site is a public gateway to the resources
available to teachers and assessors involved in the provision of vocational
literacy and workplace communication skills training. Browse the ‘Industry
Links’ and ‘Learning
Resources’ for resources relevant to your needs.
TAFE NSW teachers can also browse resources at the Access and General Education Curriculum Centre Intranet.
Literacynet - resources
All the latest adult literacy and numeracy resources, research, professional development (PD), and funding information are now accessible via the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training's new-look literacynet web site. This redeveloped site provides links to: the Commonwealth Government's three major language, literacy and numeracy support programs; key national PD and general tools and resources; and a listing of resources developed with ANTA and DEEWR funds.
Australian Council for Adult Literacy (ACAL)
This newsletter, published by the Australian Council for Adult Literacy (ACAL) focuses on issues regarding adult English language, literacy and numeracy practice and policy. You can join and receive a print copy or register for the online edition.
SAALT - Supporting Adult and Applied Learning & Teaching
SAALT focuses on supporting professionals delivering both adult and applied learning and teaching programs in the post-compulsory sectors - (ACE and community providers, schools, TAFEs and private RTOs)
Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL)
The main aim of the WELL Programme is to provide funding to organisations to train workers in English language, literacy and numeracy skills.>
Frequently asked questions about language, literacy and numeracy in the Australian Quality Training Framework
This is a comprehensive and valuable complementary resource to the Standards for Registered Training Organisations and Evidence Guide for Registered Training Organisations and Auditors. It provides information on how language, literacy and numeracy fit into the delivery of quality training and assessment.
In addition to answers to 33 FAQs the resource also contains links to over 40 additional language, literacy and numeracy resources via hotlinks.
Publications
Australian Language and Literacy Council (ALLC) & National Board of Employment, Education and Training (NBEET) 1996, Literacy at work: incorporating English language and literacies competencies into industry/enterprise standards.
This report was commissioned by the National Board of Employment, Education
and Training to investigate practical approaches to
the incorporation of English language and literacy competencies within
industry standards. Available as a PDF (3.8
MB, 125 pages).
LUKIN, A & Ross, L 2002, The Numeracy Handbook, NSW AMES Department of Education and Training Sydney
The Numeracy Handbook is a practical guide for teachers of numeracy and literacy. It considers issues in defining and teaching numeracy in the workplace, how to design a course and a unit of work, plus numeracy skills and strands.
It includes suggestions for activities at three different levels of difficulty, professional development activities for teachers of numeracy and literacy and a detailed section on resources.
An order form is available from the NSW AMES site.
Adult Literacy and Numeracy Australian Research Consortium 2002, Workplace Communication – Making Language, Literacy and Numeracy in Training Packages work, Languages Australia Ltd, Melbourne
This publication offers practical insights from workplace language literacy and numeracy practitioners in Australia and shows, through a series of case studies, ways in which some organisations are addressing the issues of workplace communication through Training Packages.
Adult Literacy and Numeracy Australian Research Consortium 2002, Learning
for Life - the Role of Adult Literacy and Numeracy in Lifelong Learning
and Socio-economic Well-being
This executive summary provides an overview of a national research program. Its aim was to integrate new research (empirical research, reviews of literature and discussion documents) with an analysis of past provision and practice in order to provide a body of evidence for future policy development in the adult literacy and numeracy field.
O’GRADY, C with Honeywill, S 2003, Acknowledging Diversity in Assessment Practices, NSW AMES Department of Education and Training, Sydney
This publication focuses on strategies for providing fair workplace assessment for all employees. It aims to assist trainers and assessors involved with plan, conduct and review assessment in ensuring fair assessment practices.
An order form is available from the NSW AMES site.
CORBETT, D 2003, Communication Skills for Workplace Assessors NSW AMES, DET Sydney
Originally designed as a professional development resource for workplace assessors/trainers this publication raises awareness of language and literacy issues related to Plan, Conduct and Review Assessment from the BSZ 98 Training Package. While there is a new Training Package for workplace assessors and trainers, the issues and examples here are still relevant and current.
The resource contains worksheets that can be photocopied for assessor training sessions.
An order form is available from the NSW AMES site.