Research

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Research

Integrated approaches to teaching adult literacy in Australia: A snapshot of practice in community services

Practice in English language and literacy instruction has broadened and deepened over recent decades, as has the conceptual base underpinning emerging practice. In Australia this change has resulted in the growth of 'integrated training', in which the acquisition of literacy skills are 'built in' to the broader skills development, and where literacy learning is placed in authentic and real-life settings. Integrated approaches continue to develop in response to the reforms of the National Training Framework, in which language, literacy and numeracy has become more explicitly described in training packages, and delivery options have become more flexible.

The aim of this project was to examine and document the integrated approach to delivering language, literacy and numeracy skills in the community services industry. This study combines an overview of the Australian literature tracking the influences leading to the 'building in' of language, literacy and numeracy to vocational training, with some observations of practices in three training sites in this industry in Victoria, through interviews with trainers/facilitators at the case study sites and analysis of teaching processes using the 'video stimulus recall' methodology, a methodology previously used in educational contexts where participants are replayed the videotape after the lesson to assist discussion about the events recorded.

The research project addressed the following key questions:

How is literacy conceptualised in practice by registered training organisations and personnel in the VET system?

What literacy practices are developed in an integrated approach?

What teaching and learning strategies are employed?

What are the key factors that might describe the 'integrated model' of adult literacy delivery?

Observations at three training sites in Victoria suggest that a generalist vocational facilitator is equipped to deliver an integrated approach, provided they have a framework for conceptualising linguistic practices in the workplace context and within the training package, and can facilitate strategies and activities to develop critical workplace communication. The specialist language, literacy and numeracy teacher needs to have a sound knowledge of the requirements of the specific industry and workplaces, as well as of the relevant industry competencies to understand the reading, writing, oral communication and numeracy skills required by learners in their programs.

Despite some challenges with understanding training packages, practitioners on the whole were able to demonstrate great flexibility in response to training packages and a remarkable consistency of instructional strategies to enhance the language, literacy and numeracy skills of students.

These strategies were situated in workplace practices and were activity-oriented. Facilitators recognised the central role of communication across the whole qualification and clustered areas of knowledge and skills to develop their curriculum. However, restrictive funding models that do not provide for specialist professional development leave registered training organisations to make commercial decisions about levels of support required by learners.

The literature review and the case studies demonstrated that the following features are central to successful integrated approaches to language, literacy and numeracy teaching within vocational programs:

using a constructivist approach, which acknowledges that learning is affected by the context in which it is taught, as well as by students' beliefs and attitudes

developing an explicit model of language appropriate to the context of the industry

using a multi-disciplinary approach to teaching

providing a framework for describing language, literacy and numeracy

conducting an analysis of the specific training package and workplace context

ensuring there is capacity to identify critical points of intervention

considering the needs of learners.