This article reports on an Australian project involving preschool and kindergarten children learning about 'giving' and the environment. Teachers designed learning modules based on the Learning by Design framework, which views pedagogies as knowledge processes, and conducted action research to explore the impact of learning about 'giving' on…

Information Literacy (IL) competencies are defined as "the ability to locate, evaluate, and use information effectively" and are considered essential for students in their academic lives and future careers (ALA, 1989). IL plays an important role in developing critical thinking and problem solving skills, and improving academic…

This kit explores Australia's National Training Framework, training packages, industry standards and assessment, and the implications of these changes for language, literacy, and numeracy practitioners. Four sections in Part 1 present a series of answers to four frequently asked questions about training packages posed by practitioners in…

The main objective of this Handbook is to build the capacities of facilitators and other literacy and non-formal education personnel to promote learning and development at the community level. It aims at developing their skills and knowledge in literacy training, while sensitising them to issues that are at the very heart of adult literacy and…

This curriculum guide for Certificates in English Language Literacies (CELL) advocates "apprenticed" learning and assessment. At no stage is the learner expected to work alone, though it is expected and desired that learners eventually consolidate more skills and become more independent. This curriculum is designed so that the learner…

This volume is a professional development resource for early childhood educators, especially designed for those working with children from language backgrounds other than English. This resource is designed to fill a gap in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) education that has neglected the professional development needs of teachers of preschool…

This guide offers suggestions for developing learning materials for self-instruction by adults. It is based on methods used in the Bristol (England) Open Learning Centre. The guide covers the following topics: (1) using open (self-instructional) materials with basic education students; (2) supplying support for instructional materials; (3)…

This information sheet describes Numeracy and Mathematics, one of four streams or subject areas offered in the Certificates in General Education for Adults (CGEA) in Australia. The learning outcomes are organized into four different categories or domains according to different purposes and functions of using mathematics: numeracy for practical…

This kit is designed to help trainers and assessors understand the importance of workplace communication in training packages. Section 1 explains what trainers and assessors need to know about communication skills, and how to use the kit. Section 2 provides an overview of training packages. It describes the endorsed parts of the package, which…

This course aims to give experienced practitioners additional knowledge and skill in relation to the following: changing contexts of national policy and delivery practices in adult literacy and basic education; current theories, issues, and concerns informing practice in the field; and their own practice in light of these reviews. It is intended…

This information sheet describes Reading and Writing, one of four streams or subject areas offered in the Certificates in General Education for Adults (CGEA) in Australia. The stream is organized around the four main social contexts in which individuals function within society: family and social life, workplace and institutional settings,…

This information sheet describes Oral Communication, one of four streams or subject areas offered in the Certificates in General Education for Adults (CGEA) in Australia. The stream is organized around some purposes for which oral language is used in social life: active listening, practical purposes, and problem solving and exploring issues. Each…

This module is the first of five integrated professional development modules for adult literacy and basic education (ALBE) personnel. This module is in the form of a 6-hour workshop, the purpose of which is to develop the participants' competence to conduct initial assessment, placement, and referral of ALBE students. An overview consists of these…

This professional development program is designed to improve the understanding of Australian personnel working in adult literacy and basic education (ALBE) of the range of approaches and methods used to achieve different evaluation purposes. It is an adaptation of "A Guide to Program Evaluation" (included here), a detailed guide for…

This module is the fourth of five integrated professional development modules for adult literacy and basic education (ALBE) personnel. This module is in the form of a 6-hour workshop, the purposes of which are to develop further the practitioners' knowledge of the theoretical basis of teaching literacy in ALBE programs, to provide a supportive…