VET teachers are finding themselves at the forefront of the nation’s adult LLN problem and pondering the seemingly mountainous task looming before them. While there has been money spent on researching the current LLN levels of Australians and on programs to make us aware that the problem exists, there appears to be little to help in really addressing the problem of low literacy of our learners.
It is imperative the VET teaching community develops strategies to share so learners can be effectively assisted. One government report suggested the following:
“Skilled teachers were also cited as a vital factor in improving adult literacy and numeracy, particularly as employees often resist being singled out for special treatment or formal training”.
“Teachers need to work within training programs that allow all employees to build their communication, language, literacy or numeracy skills within the scope of their job, as this approach is often more successful than targeted solutions where individuals are more likely to disengage from the learning process”. https://cit.edu.au/partnerships/industry_connection/2010_june/literacy_and_numeracy_holding_australia_back Accessed 23 April 2014
The challenge now is for VET teachers (and all teachers for that matter) to explore ways to help. One of these is developing strategies that work and sharing them with others. If you have found a strategy, activity or tip that you believe works well, please post it here and we will make sure it is shared with the VET community.
Together, nothing is impossible!
