Adults Learning English and Maths: reflecting on policy, research and practice

Date:	9 Oct 2012
Venue:	London: UCU, Carlow Street, Camden, London NW1 7LH
Ref:	C3095A/1012
Fee:	£99 - full fee £60 - NIACE, UCU and RaPAL members' fee £45 - reduced fee for part-time practitioners
Contact:	NIACE Events Team (events@niace.org.uk) Tel: 0116 204 2833
Apply:	Apply Online is now closed for this event

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[Background] [Aims] [Outcomes] [Audience] [Programme] [Event Information] [Application Conditions]

Background

The Skills for Life Survey 2011 shows that approximately one in six of the adult population still have difficulty with aspects of reading and writing and around one in four of the adult population struggle with the basics of maths. This seriously disadvantages adults as parents, workers and citizens. Changes are afoot but change brings challenges.

Some teachers will welcome initiatives such as the introduction of Functional Skills, the development of a unit based curriculum for those with the greatest need and the pilots to measure distance travelled for some learners. Many practitioners recognise the need to reflect critically on the implications of these initiatives, as well as broader issues raised by current policy and research. This conference will encourage dialogue between practitioners, leading academic researchers and policy makers in order to explore the best ways of making the curriculum and accreditation work responsively for learners.

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Aims

This conference aims to reflect on recent policy, research and practice about what works (and what doesn't) for adult learners in English and maths.

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Outcomes

By the end of this event you will have:

increased your knowledge of policy, research and practice
examined recent research about adult literacy and numeracy learning
reflected on your own practice and identified ideas and resources to use with learners
[Final-Report-ROWA-RaPAL-79.pdf]

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Audience

Managers and practitioners delivering Functional Skills English and maths; Researchers and academics interested in literacy and numeracy; Employers, employer organisations, unions and ULRs involved in workplace literacy and numeracy programmes.

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Programme

10:00	Arrival, registration and networking (tea/coffee available)
10:30	Welcome and introduction to the day UCU - Dan Taubman NIACE - Carol Taylor RaPAL - Amy Burgess
10:45	Keynote Address 1: Imagining Literacy during the Skills for Life era Professor Mary Hamilton, Lancaster University [Mary.Hamilton.pdf]
11:00	Keynote Address 2: Measuring Adult Literacies in Scotland - the "Scottish Survey of Adult Literacies" and its consequences Professor Lyn Tett, University of Edinburgh and University of Huddersfield [Lyn Tett]
11:15	Keynote Address 3: Skills for Life - Ten years on Dr. Susan Pember OBE, Director: FE and Skills Investment, BIS
11:30	Coffee
11:45	Panel debate Reflecting on policy, research and practice Chaired by Carol Taylor, Director for Development and Research, NIACE
12:30	Lunch
13:15	Workshops - Session 1 [Workshops-Session-1] 1.1 Brass tacks - union involvement in English and Maths learning Judith Swift, Union Development Manager, unionlearn An overview of the policy and practice that have framed the development of union learning programmes for English and Maths. Supporting research, including a case study of successful practice, will be presented. Attendees will be invited to contribute their experience and comment on key questions that will inform further development of union learning in the context of new challenges, both in policy and practice. 1.2 The changing context of literacy, numeracy and EXOL teacher education Helen Casey, Executive Director, NRDC An overview of recent changes and developments in LLN teacher education and a chance to discuss the implications for practice and for the quality of the learner experience. [Helen Casey] 1.3 I love Maths! Getting Adults to engage with maths: what's the way forward? This workshop explores how we can begin to challenge attitudes to maths and persuade a new group of people to be positive about maths, support maths learners and encourage more adults to take up maths learning. It will share findings from current NIACE projects to train Maths Champions in workplaces and community settings and Maths Mentors in prisons and be an opportunity for lively discussion and ideas. 1.4 Reading for Pleasure: creating a virtuous circle Genevieve Clarke, Programme Manager, The Reading Agency This workshop will showcase a range of approaches to weaving reading for pleasure into curriculum delivery for learners from Entry Level to Level 2. Working in cross-sector groups, delegates will be asked to discuss how they could use these practical ideas while considering issues such as resources, relevance and progression.
14:15 14:25	Movement to Session 2 Workshops - session 2 [Workshop-Session-2] (tea and coffee available) 2.1 Numeracy Support for Nurses - exploring a social practice approach Bob Read, Training and Development Adviser, Association of Colleges in the Eastern Region (ACER) and Iain Keenan, University of Essex This workshop aims to review the project activities we have undertaken in the last eighteen months at the University of Essex in promoting a social practice approach to study skills support, particularly with numeracy, for students on pre-registration nursing degree programmes. [Bob Read] 2.2 Recording examples of good practice in adult basic education provision - a user-led approach Pauline Nugent, Oral History and Archive Project Coordinator, Pecket Learning Community Pecket Learning Community is a user led voluntary organisation - run by and for people who have difficulties with reading, writing and/or numbers. The workshop will look at the progress we are making with our user-led oral history and archive project. We are developing records of our work using multimedia - including a website which hosts our digital archive, an oral history of our organisation and hopefully an audio version of this record. 2.3 Identifying key issues for teacher educators on LLN programmes Vera Hutchinson, Professional Development Manager Irene Schwab, Course Leader: PGCE, Adult Literacy and ESOL Institute of Education, University of London This workshop will include a short presentation on a new combined and integrated literacy and ESOL PGCE programme, and opportunities for discussion on issues raised. 2.4 BBC Skillswise - new resources to support Functional Skills Michael Rumbelow, Producer, Karen Gregory, Oonagh Jaquest BBC Skillswise A preview of new videoclip-based resources including the new Reading for Pleasure topic, tasters of other new online resources for adults in development by Skillswise and BBC Learning and a discussion about what kind of resources work best and why, and what new online resources BBC Skillswise can develop in future to support the teaching and learning of functional skills.
15:25 15.30	Movement to AGM meeting room for RaPAL members Close of conference. (RaPAL AGM meeting for members until 16:30)

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Event Information

Arrival and registration are at 10.00am for a 10:30am start. The event will end at 3:30pm
Event fee per person: £99 full fee; £60 UCU, NIACE & RaPAL members' fee; £45 reduced fee for part-time practitioners (includes sandwich lunch, tea/coffee)
NB: NIACE does not charge VAT on conference or course fees
Only online application forms with the payments section completed will be processed.
NB: If you wish us to invoice your employer we require a copy of the Purchase Order before the form is processed
Places will be allocated in order of receipt of completed online application forms (one online application form per person)
Video cameras may be in use at this event. If you do not wish to be photographed or appear on the video outputs please indicate this on the application form and make yourself known at registration
Participants should be prepared to take their own notes as there will not be handouts for all sessions
If you have not received an e-mail confirming your attendance and joining instructions 4 working days before the event please contact: events@niace.org.uk

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Application Conditions

Event date: Tuesday 9 October 2012
Closing date: Thursday 27 September 2012
Cancellations are non-refundable
The full fee is payable prior to the event
Substitutions are to be advised 5 working days prior to the event
A 15 working days notice period is required for provision of electronic note-takers, sign language interpreters and transcription to Braille
Places are to be reserved online - scroll up and click on Apply Now
Reservations by telephone cannot be accepted
Application forms are individually acknowledged by e-mail. Joining instructions, including map and directions, will be e-mailed out one week before the event
NIACE reserves the right to reject applicants who are not from the target audience list.

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