The Crux of the Matter - Training Queensland - Queensland ...

Tip 5: Developing and monitoring professional development on LLN
LLN is an integrated issue in teaching, learning and
assessment. Whilst specialised LLN courses may
not be your RTOs core business, there are some
key initiatives that can assist you to deal with LLN
issues. Following are suggestions that you and / or
your RTO could implement.
• Provide details of how staff can deal with a range
of LLN issues in your staff induction material
e.g. LLN assessment and support services,
professional development options, available
resources, key staff with expertise.
• Invite a guest speaker with LLN expertise to
workshop issues (either a LLN specialist or a
teacher, trainer or assessor who has completed
TAELLN401A).
• Provide opportunities for teachers, trainers and
assessors to share expertise and strategies by
including it as a topic at regular staff meetings.
• Nominate a member of staff or faculty to be an
internal resource for LLN matters.
• Identify, promote and monitor the professional
development options (accredited and nonaccredited)
that are available and offered to staff.
• Collaborate – for example team teaching with a
teacher / trainer and a LLN specialist.
LLN specialists know a great deal about the
acquisition and function of language skills,
developmental issues in learning and learning
difficulties, but cannot know about the intricacies of
every vocational area.
Vocational teachers, trainers and assessors know
their vocational area, Training Packages and courses,
and how that applies in an industry setting, but may
have limited LLN expertise.
In a large RTO these groups may never meet or have
the opportunity to share their experiences and skills
as budgets and organisational structures may divide
them. In a small RTO the two skills sets may need
to be held by the same person, or collaborative
arrangements between RTOs may need to be
established to produce a ‘team’ that collectively has
the necessary vocational and LLN skills.
Moderation is a process where teachers, trainers and
assessors within or across organisations gather to
discuss assessment tools and procedures to ensure
that the principles of fair, flexible, valid, reliable and
sufficient assessment are observed. Moderation
is an excellent activity for quality monitoring and
benchmarking, for professional development and
professional networking. By engaging in or offering
these opportunities you ensure that you and other
teachers, trainers and assessors are not being ‘too
tough’ or ‘too lenient’ about LLN in your / their
practice.
Short, sharp focused sessions about the
appropriateness or otherwise of the LLN demands
in an assessment task or models of effective LLN
training content will assist you and others to solve
practice problems.
A number of useful reports about the way in which
collaborative professional development has
resulted in organisational change relating to LLN
can be found by typing ‘LLN’ into the ‘Search’ box
in the VOCED database.
The Australian Flexible Learning Framework
provides the vocational education and training
system with e-learning skills, professional
development opportunities, products, resources
and support networks. There are a number of
projects showcasing effective LLN strategies.
The Workplace Trainer (literacy and numeracy)
Toolbox provides online professional development
programs and associated resources for teachers,
trainers or assessors supporting learners with
literacy and numeracy needs in the VET sector at
AQF Level II.
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