4 STEPS TO TAKING THE LEAD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TRAINERS AND ASSESSORS 2014

Transcription

1 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TRAINERS AND ASSESSORS 2014

2 Level 10, 171 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia GPO Box 4194, Sydney NSW 2001 Australia P F E info@serviceskills.com.au serviceskills.com.au

3 This professional development (PD) resource draws on, and then extends upon, the tips and information you will find on the Foundation Skills section of our website, serviceskills.com.au. About this PD All vocational education and training (VET) in Australia is regulated under either the Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations (SNR) or the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF). Among other things, this regulation sets the standards for trainers and assessors working in registered training organisations (RTOs). 4 Steps to Taking the Lead is just that: four steps that you vocational trainers and assessors can take to meet those prescribed standards. We know that a person s language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills lay the foundation to successful outcomes in training and assessment and at work. And so 4 Steps to Taking the Lead will also help improve your practice in identifying and supporting LLN skill development. The PD program supports and extends on the service offered by our website. It mostly reflects the structure of a skill set in the TAE Training and Education Training Package: TAESS00009 Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice. This skill set is made up of three units of competency: TAELLN411 Address adult language, literacy and numeracy skills, TAELLN412 Access resources and support to address foundation skills in vocational practice, and TAELLN413 Integrate foundation skills into vocational training delivery. Working through the 4 Steps to Taking the Lead PD program will help you build your skills in identifying and addressing LLN issues in your practice. Step 4 of the PD program suggests evidence that you may collect along the way, which you will also be able to use if you are seeking accreditation for any of the units in the TAESS00009 skill set. The suggested evidence is indicative however, and you should confirm required evidence requirements with your own registered training organisation. 1

4 Contents About this PD... 1 Contents... 2 What is in this resource... 3 Before you start... 5 As you work through this Four Step PD... 6 Now Take the Four Steps... 8 Step 1: Become familiar with key terms and concepts... 9 Steps 2, 3 and 4: to Taking the Lead...11 Topic 1: Identify LLN skill requirements in training specifications...14 Topic 2: Identify LLN skill requirements essential to workplace performance...18 Topic 3: Determine the LLN skills of your learner group...21 Topic 4: Select and use resources and strategies to address LLN requirements...25 Topic 5: Access and use specialist LLN support where required...31 Topic 6: Monitor learning and assessment evaluation...34 Appendix...36 Evidence Gathering Matrix for TAESS00009 Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice Skill Set...36 Key Term Checklist...41 Key Term Checklist...41 Finding Foundation Skills in Units of Competency...43 Identifying LLN Skills Needed in the Workplace...44 Core Skill Observation Checklist...47 Information About My Learners' LLN Checklist...48 Core Skill Checklist...49 Sample Assessment Tool...50 Balancing the LLN Triangle...51 Assessment Applicability Sheet

5 What is in this resource There are four steps suggested to help you build your ability to support learner language, literacy and numeracy skill development. Step 1 asks you to look at a number of resources, tips and practical examples to explore the key terms and concepts used in the TAESS00009 Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice skill set. Step 2 explores the key knowledge concepts that underpin the skill set through a series of key questions, again suggesting resources, tips and practical examples that can help deepen your understanding in the area and provide you with a context. Step 3 allows you to apply what you have learnt in the previous steps in a realistic context to build your practical skills. Step 4 identifies evidence that you can consider collecting if you are seeking accreditation for any of the units of competency in TAESS There are many acronyms in vocational education and training, including some that we will use in this resource. For a comprehensive list of those acronyms, go to the Glossary of VET. Terms and acronyms that we use in 4 Steps to Taking the Lead have been provided here for your convenience. Terms and acronyms used in 4 Steps to Taking the Lead Acronym ACSF AQTF COAG CSfW ISC LLN NVR PD RTO SSA SCOTESE SNR SOP TAE Meaning Australian Core Skills Framework, often also referred to as one of the two foundation skills frameworks Australian Quality Training Framework, a framework no longer applicable nationally (see also NVR below) for overview information on the AQTF, go to ivet.com.au/a/184.html. Council of Australian Governments Core Skills for Work framework, often also referred to as one of the two foundation skills frameworks Industry Skills Council Language, literacy and numeracy National VET Regulator (not used in all states, see also AQTF above) Professional development Registered training organisation Service Skills Australia The former COAG Standing Council on Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, now replaced by the COAG Industry and Skills Council Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations Standard operating procedure Training and Education Training Package 3

6 TAESS00009 TGA VET WELL WHS Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice skill set Training.gov.au Vocational education and training The Australian government s now defunct Workplace English Language and Literacy program Workplace health and safety 4

7 Before you start Before you start working through 4 Steps to Taking the Lead, you will need to: Consider this question Have you ever attended any LLN training or PD, such as any Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) training or state-based courses? If so, make a list and gather evidence for your evidence portfolio. Find a mentor Find a mentor or critical friend with whom you can discuss issues that arise out of your investigation of this material (an RTO could help you do this). This person could be someone with LLN specialist qualifications or experience, or at the very least someone who is interested in and has experience of dealing with LLN issues in vocational training and assessment. 5

8 As you work through this 4 Step PD As a trainer and assessor, you can use 4 Steps to Taking the Lead and the other resources on our website to get up to speed in identifying and addressing LLN in your teaching and assessment practice. As you work through this PD program you will find relevant resources, links, information and practical tips. The structure of 4 Steps to Taking the Lead reflects the structure of the units of competency in the TAESS0009 skill set. 1 By drawing together examples of the skills and knowledge in action through an evidence portfolio, you can seek accreditation for those units if you choose. The evidence you gather may also be used to provide credit towards the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. An Evidence Gathering Matrix for TAESS00009 has been provided in the Appendix as part of this 4 Steps to Taking the Lead PD program. Be aware though that completing the PD and being deemed competent in the skill set units will not make you a qualified specialist LLN practitioner. Despite this, the skill set is an appropriate professional development option with an accredited outcome. Working through this PD program will help you explore some of the knowledge concepts in the skill set, as well as practise identifying how you could apply those concepts to your own training and assessment practice. As a result you will have a better understanding of the relevance of LLN skills to your specific vocational area. You will also develop personal strategies for more effectively providing LLN skill development support in the planning, delivery and assessment of your training program. At the same time you could gather information and practical evidence. 4 Steps to Taking the Lead will: 1. Build your LLN capacity by helping you develop the skills and knowledge to: o identify the foundation skill demands of training and assessment in vocational programs o analyse the complexity of foundation skills required for workplace competence o interpret profiles of your learner group using validated tools and other resources o understand the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF), and its implications for designing and delivering vocational training and assessment o identify when you need to involve an expert in your program o communicate with foundation skills experts about the vocational and foundation skill learning needs of your learners o access suitable resources that you can use in your program o use instructional strategies that support a wide range of learners o continue to develop your professional practice in addressing foundation skills in vocational contexts. 2. Help you gather evidence of skills and knowledge to support accreditation for the units of competency in TAESS00009 Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice Skill Set. 2 The units in that skill set address the skills and knowledge you must have to integrate foundation or core skills into your own vocational practice. The skill set encourages you to draw on the expertise of relevant professionals (who include specialist LLN practitioners) as required, and to access relevant support resources. 1 Service Skills Australia acknowledges IBSA s generosity in providing information from the TAESS00009 Skill Set User Guide for inclusion in 4 Steps to Taking the Lead. Download the user guide. 2 TAELLN411 Address adult language, literacy and numeracy skills, TAELLN412 Access resources and support to address foundation skills in vocational practice, and TAELLN413 Integrate foundation skills into vocational training delivery. 6

9 Working through the steps in this resource As you work through the steps in this resource you will be referred to information sources, including websites, videos and tips. This information will help build your knowledge and provide you with a range of resources that you can use in your training and assessment practice. We strongly recommend that you create somewhere to store this material, as it will help you build a resources portfolio a practical ongoing resource to support your practice, which you can customise and extend on. The resources portfolio will also be useful evidence should you wish to seek accreditation for the units: TAELLN411 Address adult language, literacy and numeracy skills 3 TAELLN412 Access resources and support to address foundation skills in vocational practice TAELLN413 Integrate foundation skills into vocational training delivery. Building your skills in supporting learner LLN skill needs is only possible, however, if you not only investigate the knowledge components of the PD resource but also use them to develop your own tools and then apply them to your practice. A piece of advice: Try things out, have a think, and document what works best for you. 3 This unit is to be a core unit in the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. Together, the three units form the TAE skill set TAESS00009 Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice. 7

10 Now Take the 4 Steps Step 1: Become familiar with key terms and concepts Step 2: Answer key questions Step 3: Apply learning to your practice Step 4: Gather evidence for a portfolio 4 Steps to Taking the Lead is built around key terms and concepts (Step 1) and answers to key questions (Step 2), as well as a range of suggested ways to apply what you learn to your practice (Step 3). The first three steps will help you build your ability to identify and support your learners language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skill development; the final step to gather evidence that you have done this. In working through the four steps you will: become familiar with key terms and concepts Step 1 explore sources of information to answer some key questions Step 2 examine your training and assessment practice through applying what you learn when answering the key questions Step 3 gather evidence for accreditation if you wish Step 4 8

11 Step 1: Become familiar with key terms and concepts This step will help you explore some of the key terms and concepts relating to the non-technical skills that a learner needs to have in order to succeed in training and assessment and at work. Key terms you will see: language, literacy and numeracy foundations skills core skills The non-technical skills needed for work, vocational training and participation in the community are described in a number of ways: language, literacy and numeracy, foundation skills and core skills. All three of these terms are used in VET, sometimes interchangeably. This resource will try to help you understand the difference between them, and what they mean to you in your practice. The diagram below describes how these non-technical skills are represented in VET policy and in this PD program. 4 Steps to Taking the Lead looks at how trainers and assessors can support developing and applying these non-technical skills. The unit TAELLN411A Address adult language, literacy and numeracy skills has a focus on the language, literacy and numeracy skills to be addressed in training. These skills underpin all vocational skills and are central to all communication and learning. Reflecting policy changes in VET over the past years, the units TAELLN412 and TAELLN413 use two additional terms foundation skills and core skills. Because these three different terms are used in the various resources you will be looking at as part of this PD it is important that you understand that they are different, but still connected, to each other. Exploring that relationship is what this 4 Steps to Taking the Lead PD program is all about! Language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) LLN is an acronym often used in quite an informal way to describe what is actually a complex set of skills. L, L and N each describes a sophisticated set of concepts. Over to you: For an introduction to the topic of LLN read the LLN Tips for Industry document in our resources section. For an introduction to the relationship between literacy and learning watch: Literacy is like Velcro For an introduction to LLN in the workplace watch: What are LLN Skills? Foundation skills Foundation skills is a relatively new term and so you may see these skills represented in training products in varying ways. The National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults defines foundation skills as the combination of: 9

12 English language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) listening, speaking, reading, writing, digital literacy and use of mathematical ideas; and employability skills, such as collaboration, problem solving, self-management, learning and information and communication technology (ICT) skills required for participation in modern workplaces and contemporary life. Foundation skills development includes both skills acquisition and the critical application of these skills in multiple environments for multiple purposes. Foundation skills are fundamental to participation in the workplace, the community and in adult education and training. - SCOTESE, 2012 National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults, p2 In our training packages, foundation skills describe those core skills described by the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) learning, numeracy, oral communication, reading and writing as well as the employment skills of problem-solving, initiative and enterprise, teamwork, planning and organising, selfmanagement and technology. Core skills The Australian Core Skills Framework (ASCF) provides a consistent national approach to describing the core skills of learning, numeracy, oral communication, reading and writing across five levels of complexity. The ACSF provides a common language for talking about these skills with others. It can be used to describe the skill levels in diverse personal, community, work, and education and training contexts. Over to you: There are many free, government-funded tools to help you learn about the ACSF and how to use it. What is the Australian Core Skills Framework? - A video giving a brief overview of the ACSF and the five core skills. Foundation Skills ACSF Skills Check - A tool to help workplaces assess the levels of employees' core skills against the ACSF. The tool can be used in a range of workplaces, but has particular relevance to the community services and health industry. ACSF WELL Training Kit - A suite of resources to help develop core skills in the workplace without the need for a language, literacy and numeracy expert. What has language, literacy and numeracy got to do with your role as a vocational trainer and assessor? Any registered training organisation must comply with a set of government standards which, among other things, seek to make sure that learners are given the support they need to successfully complete a training program. Your organisation will have a range of ways of providing that support, including using LLN specialists. However, there are still some things that you can take account of and apply in your vocational practice which would reasonably be considered part of your role as a vocational trainer and assessor. Apply the learning To see trainers and assessors discussing their views on the importance of identifying and supporting learners LLN needs, watch this video Key Term Checklist Before you move on to Step 2 of this PD program, go through the Key Term Checklist in the appendix to make sure that you are familiar with the key terms that you will build on in this PD program. The column on the right of the checklist has been provided so that you can make notes about particular information you have read or watched in Step 1 that is relevant to your practice. Continue to add to the checklist and complete the right column as you progress through the 4 Steps to Taking the Lead PD program. 10

13 Steps 2, 3 and 4: to Taking the Lead Begin the PD: choose a topic to improve your practice There are six key topics explored in Steps 2, 3 and 4: Topic 1 Identify LLN skill requirements in training specifications Topic 2 Identify LLN skill requirements essential to workplace performance Topic 3 Determine the LLN skills of the learner group Topic 4 Select and use resources and strategies to address LLN requirements Topic 5 Access and use specialist LLN support where required Topic 6 Monitor learning and assessment evaluation Answer key questions 4 Steps to Taking the Lead is built around key questions. Each key question is aimed at building your ability to identify and support your learners language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills. It will take you through suggested resources, tips and practical examples that can help deepen your understanding of how to improve your practice in supporting learners LLN skill needs, and ends by linking the question to evidence requirements of the TAESS00009 skill set. In working through the four steps in this resource you will: look at a number of resources, tips and practical examples to explore the key terms and concepts used in the TAESS00009 Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice skill set explore the key knowledge topics that underpin the TAESS00009 skill set through a series of key questions that can help deepen your understanding in the area and provide you with a context apply what you have learnt in the previous steps in a realistic context to build your practical skills identify evidence that you can consider collecting if you are seeking accreditation for any of the units of competency in TAESS00009 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Working through each of the following questions in this resource will improve your training and assessment practice as well as provide you with considerable evidence towards the skill set TAESS00009 Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice. Overview of Key Questions in 4 Steps to Taking the Lead' 1. Can I unpack the LLN skill requirements in training specifications? How do I identify the foundation skills in the training specification? 2. What is the connection between the LLN skills I have identified in the units and the way these skills are used in the workplace? How do I interpret the level of identified LLN skills using frameworks and other sources of information? 3. What information does my RTO give me about the LLN skills of my learner group? How can I determine the LLN skills of my learner group? How do I create my own appropriate LLN assessments? 4. What resources can I use to support my learners LLN skill development? What adjustments do I need to make to my own practice? What are some learning support strategies I can use in training delivery to build LLN skills? How can I customise learning materials to support LLN requirements? How can I customise assessment tools to cater for learners LLN skills? 5. How do I access specialist language, literacy and numeracy support in my practice, if required? How can I facilitate specialist LLN support for my learner? 11

14 6. How can I monitor the delivery of the required foundation skills? How do I continue to improve my professional practice? Building your capacity to support foundation skill development With so much happening at a national level around foundation skills, the importance of having trainers who can respond where appropriate to learners foundation skill support needs has been recognised through the development of a new skill set, Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice. Skill sets are defined as single units of competency, or combinations of units of competency, from an endorsed training package which link to a licensing or regulatory requirement or a defined industry need. TAESS00009 Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice Skill Set The skill set is made up of the following three units of competency designed to build practitioners capacity to address the foundation skill development needs of learners in their vocational practice: TAELLN411 Address adult language, literacy and numeracy skills TAELLN412 Access resources and support to address foundation skills in vocational practice TAELLN413 Integrate foundation skills into vocational training delivery. TAELLN412 and TAELLN413 are newly developed for the skill set, while TAELLN411 replaces and is equivalent to TAELLN401A (which has been available as an elective in TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and formed the basis of the previous PD material available on this website). TAELLN411 is to become a core unit in the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. Differences between TAELLN411 and its predecessor TAELLN401A TAELLN411 Has a focus on the more practical skills in understanding and working with the LLN content of your vocational area. Introduces the use of validated tools to identify the LLN skill requirements of vocational contexts and the learner group, rather than expect a detailed knowledge of the ACSF to identify skill needs at an individual diagnostic level. TAELLN401A Focused on knowledge of language, literacy and numeracy and the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF), with an emphasis on assessing individual learner s LLN skills. 12

15 TAESS00009 Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice Skill Set: Overview Unit code Unit title Unit content TAELLN411 TAELLN412 TAELLN413 Address adult language, literacy and numeracy skills Access resources and support to address foundation skills in vocational practice Integrate foundation skills into vocational training delivery Skills and knowledge a vocational trainer or assessor needs to: identify the language, literacy and numeracy skill requirements of training and the work environment use resources and strategies that meet the needs of the learner group. Skills and knowledge a vocational trainer or assessor needs to: access resources, including collaboration with foundation skills specialists integrate foundation skills into a vocational training program. Skills and knowledge a vocational trainer or assessor needs to: identify the foundation skills requirements within a vocational training specification that are critical to vocational competence plan, design and address identified foundation skills using integrated approaches. 13

16 Topic 1: Identify LLN skill requirements in training specifications Ask yourself Q1.1 Can I 'unpack' the LLN skill requirements in training specifications? Identifying and unpacking language, literacy and numeracy skill requirements in training specifications can be done in a number of ways. The design of the training specification will influence the method that you use. This 4 Steps to Taking the Lead PD program focuses on training product aligned to the Standards for Training Packages (released by the National Skills Standards Council in 2012). Training Packages vary in the way that LLN skills are defined and represented. Units of competency that comply with the Standards for Training Package support specific reference to those foundation skills essential to performance in both the unit s performance criteria and its purpose-built Foundation Skills section. When describing those foundation skills that are not explicit in the performance criteria of a unit but that are nonetheless essential to performance, we include them in the Foundation Skills section of a unit of competency. As may be seen in the examples below, we conveys the level of demand of the foundation skill requirement through unit-specific descriptions. Training Packages endorsed before 2013 describe language, literacy and numeracy and employability skills in the Required Skills section of the unit and Employability Skills Statements in each qualification. Some examples of how we describes LLN skill requirements in its units: SITXWHS301 Identify hazards, assess and control safety risks Numeracy skills to score risks and calculate an overall risk level for an identified hazard SIRXWHS101 Apply safe work practices Numeracy skills to estimate weights, size, quantities and mixtures Foundation skills at a practical level Everyone uses foundation skills every day for a variety of personal, social and work purposes. Skills like planning and organising, working in teams, and increasingly the use of technology, underpin most vocational activities. Different tasks and contexts call for different types of learning, listening, speaking, reading, writing and numeracy skills, so people need to continually develop and adapt these skills to suit new situations. These are not skills that are just learned once at school and then forgotten; nor are they skills that transfer automatically from one context to another. Every learner in vocational education and training (VET) is presented with new foundation skill challenges that are particular to the industry they are training for. We know that without adequate foundation skills, individuals often struggle to demonstrate their competence in their vocational skills, either during the learning program or once in employment. As a vocational practitioner your role is to help learners to develop and demonstrate their vocational skills and knowledge. Foundation skills are essential to that, and so you also need to help learners to adapt and use their foundation skills to meet the demands of vocational training and of the workplace. 14

17 Foundation skills in the work context In fast-moving technological societies like Australia, foundation skills are becoming increasingly complex. Employers and managers often see the impact of foundation skill levels on workforce safety, compliance and productivity. Foundation skills at a policy level The importance of foundation skills in vocational practice is reflected in the policy environment. VET policy requires that all VET trainers and assessors address foundation skills as part of their routine practice. Building the capacity of the education and training workforces to deliver foundation skills is included as a national priority area in the National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults (SCOTESE, 2012). Industry Skills Councils (ISCs) have released a joint response to the LLN challenge, No More Excuses, which called for the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) to 'establish an overarching blueprint for action on LLN in Australia '. No More Excuses is available in the resources section of our website. The design model on which the current Standards for Training Packages are based built a stone-alone Foundation Skills section; calling for those skills to be the principal focus of this section and so where there are significant foundation skill demands evident in the performance criteria, refer to them explicitly in this section. Use these resources Watch the video segment: How do I know what Language, Literacy and Numeracy skills are required on the job? Read the Finding Foundation Skills in Units of Competency tool in the appendix. Read Tip 7: How can I unpack a unit of competency to find the LLN demands? in LLN Tips for Trainers and Assessors which is available in our resources section. Access the LLN Trigger Words tool 4 which is available in our resources section. Access the Trigger Words in Action tool, which is available in our resources section, that looks at the way the Trigger Words tool has been used to identify foundation skills in SIFCBGM003 Clean and maintain public conveniences and amenities.5 Apply the learning Download a unit of your choice from training.gov.au Read the foundation skills section in the unit of competency to see the foundation skills that are identified there as essential to the outcomes of that unit. You will note that LLN skills are frequently the main focus of this section. Use the LLN Trigger Words tool to identify words in the performance criteria of that unit of competency that relate to the explicit reading, writing, speaking and listening, and numeracy skill demands. Circle the trigger words in the performance criteria of the unit that you have chosen. Using the LLN Trigger Words tool, add more trigger words to the list if you identify additional words that suggest LLN activity. For example, the word convert is not on the Trigger Words list, but if you found this word in the unit you are examining, you could add it to the numeracy column of the list. 4 The LLN Trigger Words tool is reproduced here with permission. It is adapted from the original support guide tool. 5 SIFCBGM003 Clean and maintain public conveniences and amenities is a unit from SIF Funeral Services Training Package. 15

18 Gather evidence For evidence, you will need to examine a cluster of units that are relevant to your vocational delivery and provide documentation that shows that you have identified the key LLN skill requirements (reading, writing, speaking and listening and numeracy) in the units of competency. This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN411 use tools to identify the LLN skill requirements (reading, writing, speaking, listening and numeracy) of the training specification and/or assessment process relevant to vocational delivery Ask yourself Q 1.2 How do I identify the foundation skills in the training specification? In Step 1 of this PD program you examined the key terms language, literacy and numeracy, foundation skills and core skills. You will have noticed the close relationship between core skills and the employment skills that are considered to be part of a person s foundation skills. Language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills underpin many vocational skills without them an individual cannot demonstrate vocational competence. For example, the oral communication skills of speaking and listening are critical in a number of broader employment skill concepts, such as teamwork or problem solving all of which are critical to the provision of effective customer service, as illustrated below. LLN skills in units of competency are mostly now described in the foundation skills section of the unit. You may remember from Q 1.1 that when Service Skills Australia refers to foundation skills in its units of competency, it is referring to language, literacy and numeracy as well as employment skills. Foundation skills in a unit are not a separate set of unrelated skills. They involve the practical application of the LLN skills in a particular vocational setting and are linked to getting the work done. Use the resources Watch Video 5: How do I identify foundation skills in my Training Package? Apply the learning Download a cluster of unis of your choice from training.gov.au. Make sure that the units you choose are linked in some way that is meaningful to your practice. Identify the foundation skill requirements of the units. It is important that you learn to make some informed judgements about how those skills described as essential in the unit might apply every day in the workplace. We will look at this in Topic 2. 16

19 Gather evidence For evidence you will need to provide documentation that shows that you identified the key foundation skill content in a cluster of units and are able to discuss how these skills relate to vocational competence. The ability to identify the foundation skills that are essential to vocational competencies forms part of the knowledge evidence in all of the TAESS00009 skill set units, but is a particular focus in TAELLN413 Integrate foundation skills into training delivery. This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN412 This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN413 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN413 describe techniques for identifying foundation skills content that is central to vocational competence identify the foundation skills content in a training specification and its relationship to workplace competence explain how to identify foundation skills content within a training specification in a relevant vocational area 17

20 Topic 2: Identify LLN skill requirements essential to workplace performance Ask yourself Q 2.1 What is the connection between the LLN skills I have identified in the units and the way these skills are used in the workplace? The language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills that a learner will need to use on the job depend greatly on the job role itself and the workplace the person is in. When you identify a particular LLN skill essential to the performance standard described in a unit of competency (either by referring to the unit s Foundation Skills section or by identifying trigger words in its performance criteria), it is critical that you think about what this skill might look like on the job. Many units might call for the use of workplace documentation for example which clearly requires both reading and writing. Some required responses to workplace documentation may be as simple as ticking a check box, while others may require detailed explanations of processes or reports of incidents. Some workplaces have individualised forms and documents reflecting their own corporate style, and workers would be used to using those documents every day. Others may require workers to deal with a variety of different documents from other companies and so these workers will be confronted with documents that are less familiar. This sort of variation applies to all the LLN and employment skills used in the workplace. Some customer service jobs may involve a high degree of verbal communication, either over the phone or over the counter. Others may require accurate numeracy skills to track stock numbers, or to budget and calculate multiple portions. For you to decide the type and level of skill required, you will need to not only interpret the training specification, but at the same time apply your knowledge of the industry and work environment. Bearing the relationship between the demands of the job role and the demands of the workplace in mind, your training and assessment materials should as much as possible include samples of current workplace documentation and procedures. Keeping up-to-date with workplace communication and collecting examples of workplace documentation will help ensure that you are taking account of the real workplace LLN tasks that your learners need to be able to do. Use these resources Read Tip 1: How does LLN relate to employment skills? In the LLN Tips for Trainers and Assessors, available in the resources section of this website. Review the list of documents in Identifying LLN Skills Needed in the Workplace, available in the appendix, to get an idea of the range of LLN skills your learner will need. Apply the learning Examine the unit cluster analysis you did in Q 1.2 of this PD program Identify the workplace documents that are relevant to your practice and list them in the proforma checklist provided for you in Identifying LLN Skills Needed in the Workplace. Document the types of LLN and employment skills that are required for that unit cluster, focusing on two skills in particular 18

21 Gather evidence For evidence, you will need to examine a cluster of units that are relevant to your vocational delivery and consider which of the identified foundation skills in the unit are essential to workplace performance. This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN411 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN412 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN413 specify the critical LLN skills essential to workplace performance in an identified industry or sector describe the foundation skills that are essential to workplace competence in a particular vocational context, focusing on at least two of the core skills (learning, reading, writing, oral communication, numeracy) list the foundation skills that are essential to workplace competence in a particular vocational context Ask yourself Q 2.2 How do I interpret the level of identified LLN skills using frameworks and other sources of information? You can use validated tools to interpret levels of identified LLN skills. The main validated tool used to measure and describe core skill performance levels in Australia is the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). Knowing the structure and language of the ACSF will help you to talk about your learners skill levels, as well as the complexity of a unit s identified core skills and how they link to a specific vocational task. Many vocational tasks will require core skills to be performed at a certain level of complexity. The required level of complexity depends on the vocational skill to be developed in the unit of competency. For example, report writing is a common task required across industry. But some reports are quite simple and may just need a tick in a box or a one- or two-word response (this would be considered ACSF level 1). Other reports may need such things as full sentences or linking report sections and so they would be more complex and call for a higher level of writing skills (this would be considered ACSF level 3). Use these resources Read the section on the ACSF on IBSA's website. Watch the Community Services and Health ISC video explaining the link between writing a report in a required format and how this is mapped to the ACSF. (Note: This video example is from another vocational area but its messages about matching the complexity of a particular workplace task to the performance level and features of the ACSF are transferable to service industry contexts). Find information about where you can obtain professional development on the ACSF, either within or external to your organisation. Apply the learning Decide on two of the skills you identified as being critical in your analysis of core skills in Topic 1. Use the information you got when examining the resources above to identify the ACSF level of those two core skills. Once you are familiar with the ACSF, complete the Core Skill Observation Checklist in the appendix for the core skills you have chosen. Discuss your process with an LLN specialist or someone with a comprehensive knowledge of the ACSF. Do they agree with your estimate of complexity? 19

22 Gather evidence For evidence you will need to examine two core skills that you consider critical to the units you have analysed and then identify the ACSF levels of those skills, seeking feedback on your decision about the levels from someone who knows the ACSF well. This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN413 This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN413 This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN413 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN413 identify and access specialist input required to support own vocational practice use the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) to interpret the level of LLN skills required for vocational competence in the training program use the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) to interpret the level of LLN skills required for vocational competence in the training program describe components of the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) relevant to analysing training and assessment materials, and explain how to use them when planning and implementing training 20

23 Topic 3: Determine the LLN skills of your learner group Gathering information about the LLN skills of your learners can be done in a number of ways and depends on the size, capacity and policy of your RTO. Your RTO will gather information about learners, which you could review, or you can use an LLN indicator tool yourself to gather information. As you can see in the table below, there are a number of reasons why it is a good idea to identify your learners LLN skill capabilities. Advantages for your learners Identifying learner LLN skill levels will help you track if your learners are: developing the required skills for the workplace following your instructions able to complete assessments. Implications for your practice Identifying learner LLN skill levels will help you consider the vocational content of your training program, ensuring that: planned methods and activities are suitable for learner skill levels the demands of the training program are not above the level of LLN skill required for vocational competence in the workplace. Additional learner LLN support Knowing that someone may be having difficulty with the LLN skill demands of your training program allows you to identify the need for additional learner support, which could be: support you can give yourself accessing additional specialist support (depending on the resources you have available to you) if you think the learner is in danger of failing or dropping out. Ask yourself Q 3.1 What information does my RTO give me about the LLN skills of my learner group? Pre-enrolment testing Some RTOs require learners to complete an LLN assessment as part of the enrolment process. If your RTO does this, then it is worth you discussing with your RTO how you could receive that information about the members of your intended learner group in a format that is useful to you. Here is an example of how you might use that information: Your RTO s LLN assessment might show you that there are a number of people entering your course who have performed at a low level with calculations. From your analysis of the foundation skill demands of the Training Package units you will be delivering, you know that learners will need to have a good grasp of calculations around time, money and quantity. By finding out about learners skills before they begin your course, you are able to build in more direct instructional support of key calculation concepts. You will also be able to monitor those learners having difficulty and possibly seek specialist support for those at risk of not succeeding in the course because of their numeracy skills. English language tests In Australia we have a number of formal tests and indicators that are used to determine a learner s English language competence if they are from a non-english speaking background. These tests are administered and interpreted by language specialists. If you have new arrivals in your training program, they may have had a test of this kind to enter your course. 21

24 You could seek out the assistance of a specialist practitioner to explain to you what these test scores mean and the implications for vocational training. Use these resources Watch Video 7: Identifying learners' foundation skills gaps. Read SNR 5 and SNR 6 of the Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations. Find out about the LLN assessment that learners in your RTO may undertake as part of the enrolment process. Apply the learning Complete a checklist based on your consideration of the information made available to you by your RTO. The checklist proforma in the appendix, Information about My Learners' LLN, can help you with this. Gather evidence For evidence, you will need to gather information about the LLN skills of your learner group. This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN411 use various sources to gather information on the current LLN skills of a learner group Ask yourself Q 3.2 How can I determine the LLN skills of my learner group? A generic LLN pre-enrolment test will only give a partial picture of someone s LLN skills and capacity. Because the results of such assessments may be generic, they may not give you a sense of how well your learners might cope with the specific LLN demands of your course. You may not have access to much information about your learners LLN skills at enrolment stage. Perhaps the information you have been given is not in a useful form. So you may need to carry out your own process to get information about the current LLN skills of your learner group. As part of an introduction to your training program you could use a Skills Check tool, based on the LLN skill demands of one or more units that make up your course content. Asking learners to tell you what they know or need to learn can give you a sense of the general level of LLN skills in a group. From that, you can then build in the required support when teaching key concepts. Assessments that are matched to the LLN skill demands of the vocational area you are working in are far more accurate than traditional, generic skill tests such as a learner calculating a series of maths sums. Drawing the content for an assessment tool from the vocational area in which you are working will give you a useful indicator of your learners reading, writing and numeracy skills, but remember that new entrants are not likely to have a high level of industry knowledge! Use these resources Look at the LLN Trigger Words in Action again, particularly the circled trigger words in SIFCBGM003 Clean and maintain public conveniences and amenities. The unit requires oral communication to confirm work requirements, writing skills to complete cleaning schedules, reading skills to interpret workplace policies and procedures, and numeracy skills to mix chemicals. Look at the Core Skill Checklist in the appendix. This is a short indicator tool based on the core skills needed in SIFCBGM003 Clean and maintain public conveniences and amenities. This is the type of tool you could give to learners as a self-assessment. Look at the ACSF mapping information in the Cleaning Core Skills Checklist and note the way in which each of the core skills has been given an ACSF level (based on the level descriptions in the Core Skill Observation Checklist. You would not necessarily give this mapping checklist to learners, but rather use it to make sure that the training program you design is pitched at an appropriate level. 22

25 Apply the learning Look at the Core Skill Observation Checklist you completed in Q2.2 and build a Core Skill Checklist of your own that will help you see if your learners have the skills needed. Examine each skill and assign it a level using the levels in the Core Skill Observation Checklist or by using the ACSF directly (depending on your familiarity with the ACSF, you may need to do this with a colleague). Gather evidence For evidence, you will need to identify a range of ways of identifying the LLN skills of your learner group. This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN411 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN413 use various sources to gather information on the current LLN skills of a learner group describe components of the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) relevant to analysing training and assessment materials, and explain how to use them when planning and implementing training (partial) Ask yourself Q 3.3 How do I create my own appropriate LLN assessments? Any LLN assessment that you create should be appropriate to both the identified LLN requirements of the training program you are delivering and the requirements of your learner group. Common methods used by assessors to gather evidence about learner LLN levels include: answers to questions training records work records samples of work observations demonstrations simulations and role plays. It is important that you make sure that the assessment method you use does not place unnecessary demands on learners asking them to demonstrate literacy skills that are not really needed on the job or in training. For example, asking a learner to provide a written summary of how to do some practical task can often assess their literacy skills more than their ability to do the task. You need to be aware that some assessment methods may require higher-level LLN skills than your learners may have. For example, multiple choice questions are a test of language skills in the first instance, and secondly a test of underpinning knowledge. You may be choosing multiple choice because it is easy for you to mark but is it a fair, valid and reliable source of assessment if candidates do not have the LLN skills to cope with it? If you want to use multiple choice as an assessment method then you should check that your learners understand how multiple choice works, and give them plenty of practice before applying it as a formal assessment tool. Once you identify the LLN requirements of the vocational training specifications relevant to your training and decide the level of ACSF performance needed in the workplace you can design your own assessment tools that are relevant to the vocational unit and the skills of the learners. Someone in your organisation with a comprehensive working knowledge of assessment tools can be used to validate those tools. This means that tools and tasks, like Australian Core Skill Framework (ACSF) assessment tasks, can be developed by you and your colleagues and then internally validated. 23

26 Use these resources SIFCBGM003 Clean and maintain public conveniences and amenities requires that learners can prepare cleaning agents based on dilution ratios recommended by manufacturer. Imagine that you gave your group of learners the Core Skill Checklist and found that most of them have indicated they need help with ratios and dilutions. Look at the Sample assessment tool provided in the appendix see how you can use the tasks that learners would need to do as part of their training in an assessment Consider how you could use concepts from this paper-based material in practical activities? Apply the learning Using the information in the Core Skill Observation Checklist you completed in Q 2.2 and the Core Skill Checklist you developed in Q 3.2, choose a core skill that you want to assess within a vocational context. Create an assessment tool that assesses the core skill in context and is linked directly to your vocational context and training package unit. Review this paper-based assessment and design a practical demonstration-based assessment as an alternative way of checking your learners core skill competence. Gather evidence For evidence you will need to have rated the complexity of the LLN in your own Core Skill Checklist indicator tool against the levels of the ACSF. In a group with other candidates undertaking TAELLN411 discuss your tool design and ACSF analysis. Get someone with expertise in the ACSF to validate your tool for accuracy. This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN411 select, use and review at least two assessment strategies that cater for the identified LLN needs of the learner group 24

27 Topic 4: Select and use resources and strategies to address LLN requirements Ask yourself Q 4.1 What resources can I use to support my learners' LLN skill development? Training and assessment resources A large number of PD and training resources listed in the resources section of our website are available for you to download free and use. While not all resources will be relevant to your practice, many provide a model that can be used to create your own resources. Use these resources For examples of how you can integrate support for LLN skill development into your vocational delivery, take a look at the three free Model for Integrated Foundation Skills Support in Training documents in our Resources List. Review government-funded core skill assessment tools that cover a range of industry examples. Each task in this set of validated tools includes a summary of the ACSF skills covered, notes about content coverage and contextualisation, instructions for the assessor, and a mapping of the ACSF skill indicator and domains of communication covered in the task. Apply the learning Review the above resources and identify those that could be used directly or customised to a service industry context. Foundation Skills Training Package resources Use these resources Review the resources available on a wide range of topics relating to the TAESS00009 skill set and the FSK Foundation Skills Training Package on the IBSA FSK Resources and Links page. Consider how the FSK Foundation Skills Training Package could be used in your delivery to provider learners with greater LLN support. Take a look at the three free Model for Integrated Foundation Skills Support in Training resources on this website for examples of how FSK Foundation Skills Training Package units can be integrated with our training package content and think about how you might use the MIFFS model to inform your own practice. Apply the learning Review the above resources and identify how you could use them in your practice. Access to specialist LLN support services Resources can mean both the support services available to you in the form of PD and the support services available to your learners should they require additional assistance to develop their LLN skills in a vocational context. Availability of these resources will differ according to your registered training organisation (RTO) and state or territory funding arrangements. It is important that you identify your RTO s organisational operating procedures for securing suitable resources and specialist input. Your mentor should be able to assist you in identifying key resources. Use these resources Watch the video on workforce capacity and capability to help you decide what PD might help build your professional practice and how best to use it. Watch the video on collaborating with LLN practitioners to find out about models of successful vocational and LLN specialist co-delivery. Applying the learning Identify the full range of LLN support resources available to you in your organisation. 25

28 Gather evidence For evidence you will need to select and use a range of resources that identify strategies that can help you address the LLN support requirements of your learners. This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN411 This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN412 identify available sources of support to address at least two of the identified LLN skill needs of the learner group access and use appropriate resources with learners to address at least two of the core skills (learning, reading, writing, oral communication, numeracy) document successful training and assessment practices and resources Ask yourself Q 4.2 What adjustments do I need to make to my own practice? When planning and delivering training it is important to be aware of the need to balance the demands of the training with the existing skills of learners and the skills required to do the job. Remember when you are developing your training or assessment plan, try to make its LLN demand consistent with the LLN demand of the units of competency that you are using. Do not make the LLN content of your learning or assessment harder than it needs to be, and make sure to use real examples of workplace documents. If you need to build challenging LLN content into your programs and you know that some learners may not have the LLN skills to meet that challenge, then make sure that you provide skill building support. Provide plenty of practical examples for them to use as models, and allow plenty of time for practice in a nonthreatening learning environment. It is important to note that taking the lead in supporting learner LLN skill development is not primarily about identifying or isolating those individual learners who are not good with literacy and numeracy. Rather, the point is for you to recognise how individuals might struggle to cope with the demands of the course they are doing and demonstrate the LLN skill requirements of the workplace, and for you to do something about it. Use these resources Watch How can I adjust my delivery on the IBSA Building Strong Foundations website. Watch Choose, customise and develop learning and assessment materials from the What Works for LLN website. Read Tip 3 Which learners might need additional LLN support? and Tip 4 What difficulties with training may employees have? in LLN Tips for Industry. Gather evidence For evidence you will need the filled-in Balancing the LLN Triangle sheet in the appendix, listing the three concepts or changes you have made/will make to your practice. You will also need to show that you have considered how you might monitor your capacity to implement these changes and what you might need to improve on. This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN411 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN411 This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN412 determine areas for improvement of own practice explain techniques for evaluating own training and assessment practice document successful training and assessment practices and resources 26

29 analyse training plans to identify where foundation skills will need to be addressed in training and assessment for at least two of the core skills (learning, reading, writing, oral communication, numeracy) This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN413 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN413 check that the integrated strategies are addressing foundation skills requirements and make necessary adjustments to practice explain the techniques used for evaluating own training and assessment practice Ask yourself Q 4.3 What are some learning support strategies I can use in training delivery to build LLN skills? You may noticed that your learners do not have the LLN skills they need to cope with work or training. There are plenty of simple techniques you can use to help develop learners LLN skills. Use these resources Watch the videos from the What Works for LLN website under the heading 'Practical LLN tips for trainers and assessors' on developing your learners five core skills. Download a copy of Now Read This! from our online resources list. Read the training support strategies in Grassroots Strategies from our online resources list. Download a copy of the free Model for Integrated Foundation Skill Support and examine the ways in which training material has been developed to cover the foundation skill content from units from a range of Training Packages. Note that where possible the training material is based on samples of real workplace documentation. Apply the learning Choose three examples of LLN content from a unit of competency of your choice. For example, a specific document that needs to be read, a calculation that needs to be performed, or a procedure that needs to be followed. Draw from the content of the resources listed above and the answers you supplied in Q 4.2 and identify how you could use the useful training support strategies that you identified in your practice. In collaboration with LLN practitioners and other VET colleagues design a short training sequence covering at least two core skills from the ACSF, which integrates instructional strategies that match the requirements of the training specification, learner group and vocational delivery context. You can extend this activity to delivering a planned training sequence to a group of vocational learners and also to choosing two additional core skills. 27

30 Gather evidence For evidence you will need the short training sequence that you have designed that shows how you integrated strategies to support the development of the core skills you had identified. This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN411 This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN413 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN413 evidence of your capacity to select, use and reviewed at least two instructional strategies that directly address the identified LLN needs of the learner group collaborate with specialist LLN practitioners and other vocational education and training (VET) colleagues to plan a training sequence (covering at least two core skills from the ACSF) which integrates instructional strategies that match the requirements of the training deliver the planned training sequence to a group of vocational learners describe at least two instructional strategies that address at least two foundation skills in vocational training Ask yourself Q 4.4 How can I customise learning materials to support LLN requirements? You may regularly use a set of existing learning materials tied to a particular training package or unit of competency. But does a one-size fits all' approach always suit? After filling out the Balancing the LLN Triangle in Q4.2 you may have noticed that some of your current training materials are not really suited to the needs of your learner group. This question will help you assess whether learning materials are suitable for a particular learner group, and if not, how you could customise them, build some instructional strategies around them, or access alternative material. Example of when to customise learning materials 6 Bev was preparing to deliver units from the Retail Services Training Package to a number of Access Apprenticeship participants who were looking for a traineeship. One of the things that had attracted her to this casual teaching job was that her employer was supplying the program learning materials. Having picked up the workbooks from the office and taken them home, Bev could see that they required the learner to do a lot of reading about customer service and workplace health and safety, and that they included a lot of technical industry-specific language. At the end of each long passage of reading, there was also a lot of space left for learners to write short answers to a series of questions. From the information Bev had been given on her prospective learners, she knew that they were a mix of early school leavers and long-term unemployed and so she felt really nervous about the reading and writing requirements of these workbooks. Experienced in her field, she also thought that as an introduction to working in retail they looked pretty boring. She had a strong hunch that the workbooks would not be suitable. So instead of just using them, Bev extracted key information about customer service from the workbooks and developed a vocational vocabulary tool and a simple set of true or false questions that suited her learner group. She then supplemented the workbook content with some background work on listening to customer requests that she presented by showing YouTube clips and following up with role plays. Vocational vocabulary attached to a new job or area of study can be daunting for learners, especially those whose first language is not English. 6 This example extends on a sample story from the TAESS00009 skill set user guide. 28

31 If learners need to understand particular vocational vocabulary, you can help them by giving them a list of key words and supporting this list through visual aids. One of the most useful LLN support tools when you are training is a digital camera and a printer. You can make things such as standard operating procedures (SOPs), equipment manuals or workplace health and safety (WHS) procedure books used in the workplace more accessible by adding visuals. Another thing to remember is that when learners are using an LLN skill that they learned at school in a workplace context for the first time, they may need some help from you to understand how to transfer the underpinning knowledge from one application to another. You can develop simple learning support tools for them to use that will help with the practical application of an LLN skill in a workplace context. Use these resources Watch Adjusting learning materials on the IBSA Building Strong Foundations website. Download and use the Universal Design Principles checklist developed by the Queensland VET Development Centre. Read Demystify Technical Language. Apply the learning Choose at least two learning resources that you have used in your training delivery in the past. Make a list of key vocational vocabulary used in these resources and consider how you might use this list to support your training delivery. Adjust these resources to meet the LLN needs of your learner group using the resources you have reviewed above. Use the adjusted materials with a group and gather feedback from the learners about how well they understood the concepts being delivered (see also Topic 6). Gather evidence For evidence you will need to have selected two learning resources you have used in training delivery and adjusted them to address LLN requirements. In adjusting them, think about your learner group and where they could struggle with the demands of the material. This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN411 customise and use at least two learning resources to address LLN requirements This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN412 access and use appropriate resources with learners to address at least two of the core skills (learning, reading, writing, oral communication, numeracy) Ask yourself Q 4.5 How can I customise assessment tools to cater for learners' LLN skills? Assessment tasks need to be designed so that they accurately assess competence. To be fair, valid, reliable and flexible, they must allow the candidate to demonstrate the skills required. The assessment task should only require the same level of LLN skills as the unit of competency. If LLN skills are not part of what is being assessed, the LLN skills required by the assessment method should not become a barrier to the candidate being able to demonstrate competence in the unit. Where the LLN skills ARE being assessed, then adequate training should be provided to support the learner to develop the required LLN skills. Making sure that you use formative assessment as well as singular summative assessment events is a way you can track progress in smaller increments. 29

32 After filling in the Balancing the LLN Triangle in Q 4.2 you may have identified that not all of your assessment methods are suitable and may need to be adjusted. It is important that this adjustment is done so that the assessment is still valid. Use these resources Download Designing assessment tools for quality outcomes in VET from our resources list. It is a tool developed by the Western Australian Department of Education and Training to help trainers and assessors design assessment tools. Review the video and supporting text about Adjusting Assessment on the IBSA Building Strong Foundations website. Read the following tips for trainers and assessors on this website: Why do I need to consider LLN issues in training and assessment? and How can I develop skills in dealing with language, literacy and/or numeracy in training? in our LLN Tips for Trainers and Assessors resource. Access the Assessment Applicability Sheet in the appendix. Access the Assessment Validation Tool from the IBSA Adjusting Assessment page you visited above. Apply the learning Examine the three training sequences you developed in Q 4.3 Decide which assessment methods are best suited to assessing these training sequences. Write up an assessment tool for each of the three training sequences. Get your assessment tools checked by an LLN specialist. Gather evidence For evidence you will need a filled-in Assessment Applicability Sheet and three appropriate assessment tools for the training sequences. You will also need to have filled in the Assessment Validation Tool, making sure you have evidence of having collaborated with an LLN specialist. This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN411 select, use and review at least two assessment strategies that cater for the identified LLN needs of the learner group 30

33 Topic 5: Access and use specialist LLN support where required There are two reasons to access specialist LLN support. Ask yourself Firstly, as part of your ongoing professional development you may benefit from collaborating with an LLN specialist who can assist you in the review of your training and assessment program or answer questions arising from your practice. This is addressed in Q 5.1. Secondly, LLN specialist services may provide your vocational learners with tutorial assistance to complete their training. This is addressed in Q 5.2. Q 5.1 How do I access specialist language, literacy and numeracy support in my practice, if required? There is no one way to work with an LLN specialist. Collaboration can happen in different ways and will depend on the size and resources of your training organisation. It should be noted that all registered training organisations (RTOs) are required to have resources available to meet the needs of learners. Examples of ways this is currently being done by RTOs across Australia include: using the services of in-house LLN specialists who take part in such things as mentoring, team teaching, joint planning and/or individual support; with services ranging from providing advice on resources to a shared classroom experience where the LLN specialist and VET practitioner are equal partners in training and assessment partnerships with another RTO or specialist consultant who offer LLN specialist services combined with familiarity with the particular workplace requirements practitioner online and face-to-face networks moderation meetings to discuss issues, strategies and resources guest speakers with LLN expertise workshopping issues with VET practitioners regular staff meetings at which expertise and strategies are shared accredited and non-accredited professional development options a member of staff or faculty providing an internal resource for LLN matters. Use these resources Before you start using the suggested resources below, you should find an LLN mentor who can: help you with many of the practical activities arising from this 4 Steps to Taking the Lead PD review your answers to Balancing the LLN Triangle that you completed earlier in this PD at Q 4.2 Review your responses to the Apply the learning sections in Topic 4. Watch the following videos from the What Works for LLN and training and professional development videos o When is specialist LLN support needed? o How VET and LLN practitioners work together o Team teaching. Download The Crux of the Matter 7 and read Tip 5 from that resource Developing and monitoring professional development on LLN (on p23). Apply the learning Depending on the size and scope of your organisation there will be different options available to you if you are seeking to access and use specialist LLN support. The options can be informal opportunities (such as membership of a local assessor network) or more formal ones (such as having the evidence from this PD resource formally assessed and credentialed against TAELLN411). 7 The Crux of the Matter material is copyright the State of Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts,

34 If you are a vocational trainer and assessor, you could contact the specific department or person in your RTO who is there to provide LLN support. But sometimes in RTOs there are not established processes for dealing across departments, and so you may need to work through your supervisor or manager in order to get help navigating organisational policies, protocols and guidelines. After considering the content of the Use these resources section above, the minimum amount of information you should be able to find out is: the formal mechanisms that exist for you to access assistance about LLN issues from within your organisation the formal mechanisms that exist for you to access assistance on LLN issues from sources outside your organisation formal and informal professional development opportunities that are available to you as a trainer and assessor opportunities to work in collaboration with an LLN specialist. Gather evidence For evidence you will need to have explored suitable options in your organisation for accessing assistance about LLN issues, either through your own PD or through an internal or external LLN specialist. In accessing that assistance, think about how you could maximise opportunities in your practice for collaborating with the LLN specialist. This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN411 This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN412 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN412 identify sources of resources, strategies and LLN support available in own training organisation and procedures for accessing them identify and access specialist input required to support own vocational practice explain the organisational operating procedures for securing suitable resources and specialist input Ask yourself Q 5.2 How can I facilitate specialist LLN support for my learner? Often learners are asked to self-disclose learning difficulties on enrolment, but this does not always identify all those learners who need specific additional help. There can be considerable stigma in identifying oneself as having LLN issues. Once you have carried out some assessment activity you will often identify learners who demonstrate difficulty with some of the tasks you are setting. It is important that in your interactions with learners you consider the cultural and social sensitivities at play in any communication you may have with an individual about their LLN skills. Pointing out deficits in front of others can be demoralising and create issues of losing face with peers. It is critical that confidentiality is maintained at all times. As you will have gathered, there is more to helping learners than handing them over to LLN specialists to deal with the issue. The entire point of this PD program is that you build your ability to deal with many LLN issues in training and assessment, by drawing on your own skills and tools. However sometimes you will find that the interventions you are making are still not having an impact on a learner s skills and that they may need additional help. By developing a working knowledge of the language used in the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) it will become far easier for you to talk to others about the core skill requirements of your course and the particular difficulties that individual learners may be having. 32

35 Sometimes language such as easy or difficult is used to describe a core skill task. The problem with this is personal interpretation. What is easy for one person may have a greater level of difficulty for another. But if both people are talking about what is required at ACSF level 2 in reading for example, they are guaranteed to be talking about the same thing. By using the language of the ACSF to describe the complexity of core skills you are addressing in your training program you will be able to communicate more easily with any LLN specialists involved in providing support directly to learners. Use these resources Read the following tip in our LLN Tips for Industry resource: Which learners might need additional LLN support? Consider the foundation skill demands of the training specification you unpacked in Topic 1. Think about the characteristics of your learners and whether it is likely, somewhat likely or highly likely that a proportion of your learners may have LLN difficulties of some kind. Apply the learning Identify the models of support available in your organisation. o Are there opportunities for team teaching? o Are there opportunities for learners to get one-on-one LLN support? Describe ways in which LLN skills can be a barrier. o With your mentor or as part of a PD activity, discuss: o the way cultural and social sensitivities can be taken into account when communicating with individuals who are identified as requiring LLN support o the pros and cons of segregated approaches to providing LLN support, compared to integrated approaches. Document the services available to your Gather evidence For evidence you will need to have identified and documented the support models available in your organisation for providing support to learners LLN skill development. This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN411 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN411 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN412 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN413 identify available sources of support to address at least two of the identified LLN skill needs of the learner group identify cultural and social sensitivities relevant to communicating with individuals who are identified as requiring LLN support describe ways in which foundation skills can be a barrier to the development of specific vocational competencies outline sources of professional development focused on foundation skills delivery 33

36 Topic 6: Monitor learning and assessment evaluation Ask yourself Q 6.1 How can I monitor the delivery of the required foundation skills? Your learners are involved in vocational training because they want to develop the skills and knowledge needed to complete their course of training, gain a credential and then apply their skills in a workplace. So any monitoring and feedback should focus on the impact of the explicit teaching of language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) or foundation skills on the achievement of the learner s vocational competence. You can seek feedback directly from your learner group or individual learners by involving them directly in monitoring their own LLN and foundation skill development and progress. Building learner confidence in their own LLN and foundation skills and their capacity to apply them successfully in a vocational context can be an important part of developing their skills and preparing them well for the workplace. By asking learners to be active participants in their own skill development you support their capacity to actively transfer skills from one context to another. Use these resources Download and read Part 4 Are we there yet? in "From the ground up" Addressing core skills in the Agrifood Industry Review the Core Skills Checklist that you developed in Topic 4: Apply the learning Use the models in the resources you have reviewed to develop a similar checklist for your learners. Use the responses to check if you have successfully integrated LLN support into your practice and identify adjustments that you need to make to your program. Gather evidence For evidence you will need to have documented and explained the connection between your explicit teaching of LLN or foundation skills and the achievement of the learner s vocational competence. You could use the Addressing core skills in the Agrifood industry inventory referred to above for evidence of your capacity to customise a resource. This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN411 This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN412 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN412 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN413 explain techniques for evaluating own training and assessment practice access and use appropriate resources with learners to address at least two of the core skills (learning, reading, writing, oral communication, numeracy) outline techniques used to evaluate approaches and seek feedback explain techniques for evaluating own training and assessment practice 34

37 Ask yourself Q 6.2 How do I continue to improve my professional practice? Student satisfaction, course completion rates, and direct feedback from industry are all ways that you can check if you are meeting learner needs and producing competent graduates who are ready for the workplace. Another strategy is keeping a personal record of resources and instructional strategies that were useful or not useful. Participating in formal and informal assessment and moderation and undertaking professional development like this PD program will help build continuous improvement into your practice. Use these resources Review all of the practical activities, resources and notes you have gathered as part of this 4 Steps to Taking the Lead. Apply the learning Review the notes you made in the Balancing the LLN Triangle sheet in Topic 1 and identify gaps that you now need to follow up on. Make a series of notes on issues to follow up in PD, questions to ask of your mentor, and areas for your own improvement. Decide if you have enough evidence of having applied the skills and knowledge outlined in this PD program to your practice to seek formal recognition for any of the units in the TAESS00009 skill set. Gather evidence For evidence you will need to have sought out PD activities that will support you building the required skills and knowledge around addressing LLN skill needs in your practice. This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN411 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN411 This covers the performance evidence in TAELLN413 This covers the knowledge evidence in TAELLN413 determine areas for improvement of own practice explain techniques for evaluating own training and assessment practice participate in at least two professional development activities with a focus on improving planning and delivery of integrated foundation skills delivery outline sources of professional development focused on foundation skills delivery 35

38 Appendix Evidence Gathering Matrix for TAESS00009 Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Practice Skill Set The Evidence Gathering Matrix below shows how performance evidence (PE) and knowledge evidence (KE) from each of the three units in the Address Foundation Skills in Vocational Training Skill Set relate to the topics in this PD program. The 4 Steps to Taking the Lead PD question relating to each piece of evidence has been included in brackets at evidence point end. Evidence Gathering Matrix for TAESS00009 (X the box if you have evidence of the practical skill or knowledge concept) Topic X TAELLN411 TAELLN412 TAELLN413 Practical skills Access professional development determine areas for improvement of own practice (PE) (Q 4.2, Q 6.1) participate in at least two professional development activities with a foundation skills focus (PE) (Q 6.2) participate in at least two professional development activities with a focus on improving planning and delivery of integrated foundation skills delivery (PE) (Q 6.1) outline sources of professional development focussed on foundation skills delivery (KE)(Q 5.2) Access resources and support identify sources of resources, strategies and LLN support available in own training organisation and procedures for accessing them (KE) (Q 5.1, Q 5.2) explain the organisational operating procedures for securing suitable resources and specialist input (KE)(Q 5.1) Analyse vocational practice analyse training plans to identify where foundation skills will need to be addressed in training and assessment for at least two of the core skills (learning, reading, writing, oral communication, numeracy) (PE) (Q 4.2) 36

39 Evidence Gathering Matrix for TAESS00009 (X the box if you have evidence of the practical skill or knowledge concept) Topic X TAELLN411 TAELLN412 TAELLN413 Collaborate with foundation skills specialists use advice from specialist LLN practitioners to inform practice (PE) (Q 5.1) identify available sources of support to address at least two of the identified LLN skill needs of the learner group (PE)(Q 4.1) identify and access specialist input required to support own vocational practice (PE)(Q 4.1, Q 6.1) Customise learning materials customise and use at least two learning resources to address LLN requirements (PE) (Q 4.4) access and use appropriate resources with learners to address at least two of the core skills (learning, reading, writing, oral communication, numeracy) (PE) (Q 4.1, Q 6.1) Develop learner profiles use various sources to gather information on the current LLN skills of a learner group (PE)(Q 3.1, Q 3.2) analyse sources of information to create a foundation skills profile of the learner group (PE)(Q 3.1, Q 3.2) Develop training sequences collaborate with specialist LLN practitioners and other vocational education and training (VET) colleagues to plan a training sequence (covering at least two core skills from the ACSF) which integrates instructional strategies that match the requirements of the training specification, learner group and vocational delivery context (PE) (Q 4.3) deliver the planned training sequence to a group of vocational learners (PE) (Q 4.3) 37

40 Evidence Gathering Matrix for TAESS00009 (X the box if you have evidence of the practical skill or knowledge concept) Topic X TAELLN411 TAELLN412 TAELLN413 Identify foundation skills in training specifications use tools to identify the LLN skill requirements (reading, writing, speaking, listening and numeracy) of the training specification and/or assessment process relevant to vocational delivery (PE)(Q 1.1) analyse a training specification to identify key areas where foundation skills are critical to vocational competence (PE)(Q 1.1, Q 1.2) identify the foundation skills content in a training specification and its relationship to workplace competence (PE) (Q 1.2) explain how to identify foundation skills content within a training specification in a relevant vocational area (KE) (Q 1.2) Monitor and evaluate practice explain techniques for evaluating own training and assessment practice (KE) (Q 4.2, Q 6.1) document successful training and assessment practices and resources (PE) (Q 4.1, Q 4.2) outline techniques used to evaluate approaches and seek feedback (KE)(Q 6.1) check that the integrated strategies are addressing foundation skills requirements and make necessary adjustments to practice (PE) (Q 4.2) explain the techniques used for evaluating own training and assessment practice (KE) (Q 4.2, Q 6.1) Select, use and review assessment strategies select, use and review at least two assessment strategies that cater for the identified LLN needs of the learner group (PE)(Q 3.3, Q 4.5) Knowledge concepts Australian Core Skills Framework explain the use of tools that analyse training specifications and learner profiles, which must include the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) (Q 2.2, Q 3.2) *The 4 Steps to Taking the Lead PD does not include information on the use of the Core Skills for Work (CSfW) tool use the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) to interpret the level of LLN skills required for vocational competence in the training program (PE)(Q 2.2) describe components of the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) relevant to analysing training and assessment materials, 38

41 Evidence Gathering Matrix for TAESS00009 (X the box if you have evidence of the practical skill or knowledge concept) Topic X TAELLN411 TAELLN412 TAELLN413 and explain how to use them when planning and implementing training (KE) (Q 2.2, Q 3.2) Barriers to learning describe ways in which foundation skills can be a barrier to the development of specific vocational competencies (KE) (Q 5.2) *The 4 Steps to Taking the Lead PD does not include information on the use of the Core Skills for Work tool Cultural and social considerations identify cultural and social sensitivities relevant to communicating with individuals who are identified as requiring LLN support (KE) (Q 5.2) Instructional strategies that address foundation skills in vocational training select, use and review at least two instructional strategies that directly address the identified LLN needs of the learner group (PE) (Q 4.3) plan and implement instructional strategies and assessments that integrate foundation skills, in collaboration with vocational and foundation skills practitioners (PE) (Q 4.2, Q 4.3) describe range of resources and strategies that facilitate successful integration of foundation skills into vocational practice (KE)(Q 4.1) identify at least two instructional strategies that are suitable for the foundation skills requirements of the learner group (covering at least two core skills from the ACSF) (PE)(Q 4.3) describe at least two instructional strategies that address at least two foundation skills in vocational training (KE)(Q 4.2) Language, literacy and numeracy and foundation skills in a workplace context specify the critical LLN skills essential to workplace performance in an identified industry or sector (KE) (Q 2.1) describe techniques for identifying foundation skills content that is central to vocational competence (KE) (Q 1.2) list the foundation skills that are essential to workplace competence in a particular vocational context (KE) (Q 2.1) 39

42 Evidence Gathering Matrix for TAESS00009 (X the box if you have evidence of the practical skill or knowledge concept) Topic X TAELLN411 TAELLN412 TAELLN413 describe the foundation skills that are essential to workplace competence in a particular vocational context, focussing on at least two of the core skills (learning, reading, writing, oral communication, numeracy) (KE) (Q 2.1) 40

43 Key Term Checklist This checklist will help you work through the various resources suggested in the 4 Steps to Taking the Lead so that you become familiar with the key terms that you will need to build on in this PD program. You can make notes about particular information you have read or watched that is relevant to your practice in the column on the right. Continue to complete the right column as you work through 4 Steps to Taking the Lead. Key Term Checklist Resource Checked? (X) Information relevant to your practice Introduction to LLN: Taking the Lead Tip Sheet:What s language, literacy and numeracy? Relationship between literacy and learning:literacy is like Velcro LLN in the workplace: What are LLN Skills? LLN in the workplace: Literacy is Everyone's Business! Back 2 Basics introductory fact sheet on foundation skills. What are foundations skills? and Why are foundation skills important? videos on the IBSABuilding Strong Foundations website. Case study videos showing how important foundation skills are in the workplace: Joseph (business owner) Judith (training manager) Brenton (employee). What is the Australian Core Skills Framework? video overview of the ACSF and the five core skills. Foundation Skills ACSF Skills Check a tool to help workplaces assess the levels of employees core skills against the ACSF. ACSF WELL Training Kit Resources to support core skill development in the workplace. Key term: Language, literacy and numeracy Key term: Foundation skills Key term: Core skills Relationship of LLN to your role 41

44 Key Term Checklist Resource Checked? (X) Information relevant to your practice Video of trainers and assessors discussing their views on identifying and supporting learners LLN needs. 42

45 Finding Foundation Skills in Units of Competency To help learners, employers, trainers and assessors identify the nature and scope of the foundation skill demands of a performance standard, units of competency have a Foundation Skills section. As may be seen below, the section describes those language, literacy, numeracy (LLN) and employment skills that are essential to performance but are not explicit in the performance criteria of the unit. Unit code and title Application This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to. Unit sector ELEMENTS PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOUNDATION SKILLS This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance and not explicit in the performance criteria. The unit s foundation skill requirements will be represented in this unit of competency section embedded in a vocational context, and so you will not need to be an LLN specialist to deliver or assess the skills described. The items listed in the unit s Foundation Skills section drill down into the task that has been described in one or more performance criteria. They will clearly specify the nature and scope of the skill needed to perform that task. Skill requirements in this section are expressed so that they can be assessed within the context of the vocational task for which they are needed. Example: PERFORMANCE CRITERION 3.1 Clean, disinfect or sterilise instruments and equipment. FOUNDATION SKILLS Numeracy skills to calculate solution ratio for disinfecting instruments and equipment. Using the foundation skill example above, if candidates can prepare a solution mixing the right ratio and explain how they arrived at that ratio, then they can be deemed to have the required numeracy skill for that unit. 43

46 Identifying LLN Skills Needed in the Workplace Source a selection of current, relevant documents. 8 Using current and relevant documents in your training program will help make the training real for your learners, as well as help identify where and how their language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills may be needed in the workplace. To help you consider which documents might be relevant to your training program, look at the list below that sets out a range of possible workplace documents from a range of jobs in the service industries. Type of document Induction and HR: Company briefs Individual or collective employment agreements Induction handbooks or health and safety manuals Job descriptions Leave forms Pay slips Shift timetables Staff newsletters Work area: Data collection processes, including online Equipment manuals Evacuation procedures Floor plans Forms (order forms, etc.) Packaging and labels Policies and procedures, including standard operating procedures Product information Safety data sheets Signs (work area, machines and equipment) Stock control documents Tables, charts and graphs Work instructions, including online 8 First adapted with permission from Training Needs Analysis in-house document, Workbase New Zealand. Revised in the updated version of the 4 Steps to Taking the Lead. 44

47 Type of document Other: Material on noticeboards Team briefs or minutes Training material As you can see from the proforma checklist below, you can use the list above as a checklist when collecting documents to make sure you cover the workplace documentation you may need in your training program. Sometimes it is not possible to collect all this material. Try for the ten most commonly used documents (e.g. forms, standard operating procedures, stock inventories, point of sale documents, employment agreements, induction material, and health and safety material). Add other relevant documents you come across to the checklist. After the documents have been collected, go through them with an enterprise contact to make sure they are current and suitable. Remove documents from the list that are not relevant to your training program. Workplace Document Checklist Proforma Type of document Yes Where I will use it in my training Induction and HR: Company briefs Individual or collective employment agreements Induction handbooks or health and safety manuals Job descriptions Leave forms Pay slips Shift timetables Staff newsletters Work area: Data collection processes, including online Equipment manuals Evacuation procedures Floor plans 45

48 Workplace Document Checklist Proforma Type of document Yes Where I will use it in my training Forms (order forms, etc.) Packaging and labels Policies and procedures, including standard operating procedures Product information Safety data sheets Signs (work area, machines and equipment) Stock control documents Tables, charts and graphs Work instructions, including online Other: Material on noticeboards Team briefs or minutes Training material 46

49 Core Skill Observation Checklist Using cleaning products is a major part of your job. It forms part of the unit SIFCBGM003 Clean and maintain public conveniences and amenities. The unit requires you to: interpret manufacturer guidelines to determine required chemical strengths for cleaning agents according to work requirements prepare cleaning agents based on dilution ratios recommended by manufacturer. Mixing up the correct amount of product in the right way can reduce waste and make sure that the product you are using is effective. The information you need to do this is often found on a product label or in a chart. The skills listed in the table below will help you prepare cleaning products efficiently. They will also help you check in deliveries, leave notes for colleagues or clients, and read notes left for you. Look at the left column in the table below and tick the skills: you feel confident about now you can do with a bit of help that you need to learn. Skills for cleaning 9 Can do now Can do with help Need to learn Find information on a label and use it to follow instructions Understand millilitres and litres Use buckets to measure liquids Measure liquids accurately in millilitres Understand and use ratios to dilute cleaning products Use a dilution chart Convert between millilitres and litres Check in deliveries correctly Write short notes to other people and read notes left for you Ask clear questions to determine work requirements 9 This table is adapted from Cleaning Module

50 Information About My Learners' LLN Checklist There is a range of information that your registered training organisation can give you about the LLN skills of your learner group. Use the checklist below to help you collect that information and decide what it can tell you about your learners LLN skills. There are spaces in the checklist so that you can add your own questions and comments. Checklist: Information About My Learners LLN Type of tool Questions to ask yourself Implications for your practice Pre-enrolment assessment Does my RTO do a pre-enrolment assessment? Is that information made available to me? If so, how? English language tests Does my RTO use the results of English language tests to place learners? Who is available in my RTO to discuss what the implications for training might be? Other sources of information What other tests, assessment assistance, tools or advice do I have access to in my RTO? How do I use this information? 48

51 Core Skill Checklist Once you are familiar with the ACSF, you can allocate a level to each skill and make notes about how you will support skill development in your training program. You can use this exercise as an opportunity to discuss your table with an LLN specialist or someone with a comprehensive knowledge of the ACSF to see if they agree with your estimate of the ACSF level and your proposed approach to supporting core skill development. An example of this checklist is provided over page. The example is based on the core skills identified in the LLN Trigger Words in Action table relating to the unit of competency SIFCBGM003 Clean and maintain public conveniences and amenities. Core Skill Checklist Skills for ACSF core skill ACSF level Notes 49

52 Sample Assessment Tool Assume you are delivering the unit of competency SIFCBGM003 Clean and maintain public conveniences and amenities. You know that as part of the unit learners will need to show that they can prepare cleaning agents based on dilution ratios recommended by the manufacturer. You want to see if any of your learners will struggle with the numeracy demands associated with that task and so you build an assessment tool that will both explain the key concepts around dilution ratios, and also show you which learners may need additional support. 50

53 Balancing the LLN Triangle Things to consider when addressing LLN issues in your training and assessment practice A If the training specification describes a certain level of reading, writing, speaking and listening, or numeracy that a person needs to have on the job, and your learner does not yet have that required level of skill, then your training program should help them develop the required level and allow for lots of practice of the skill within the required context. B Your training program should include as much content from the real workplace as possible it is important that you know details about the workplace and about which language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills are required. For example, which vocational words are used? Which procedures need to be read? Which forms need to be completed? Which reports need to be written? Include plenty of practice in using these documents in your training program. C Analyse whether the level of LLN required in your training program is higher than the skills of the learners. Include appropriate and diverse delivery strategies in your training to support learners. You may need to adjust aspects of your training. For example, replace PowerPoint slides that require a lot of reading with a slide presentation containing a range of images, followed by a group discussion and note taking exercise to distill key points. Many learners will absorb information more effectively through listening or observing rather than reading. Alternatively some learners may struggle when delivery is mostly verbal, so consider a range of learner styles when developing your training plans. Think about all three sides of the triangle above in relation to your training and assessment practice. Answer the questions below. LEARNER: Thinking about what I know about the LLN skills of my learners, what are three changes I will now make?