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

Tip 9: Identifying LLN skills of the learner
When a person participates in on-the-job training,
signs up for an apprenticeship, or enrols in a
vocational course, it is useful for you to have an
indication of whether they have the underpinning
LLN skills to engage in, and successfully complete
the training. However, there is no single measure
of LLN that can denote competency in a particular
situation. An adult may be perfectly literate in one
situation but struggle to communicate in another.
Adults display a wide variety of skills that reflect
their life experiences. LLN skills should only be
assessed in relation to the context of their use.
Working out the LLN skills of a learner requires some
form of appraisal, not necessarily formal or test
based. Deciding on the purpose for the appraisal will
assist you to choose the most suitable options.
Effective working relationships are essential.
Whether you are a teacher, trainer or assessor, a LLN
specialists, a manager or learning support officer,
working together will provide the best outcome for
the learner.
If the identification of the LLN skills level of the
learner is:
• for a formal purpose such as identifying prerequisite
skills for entry into a course or for
‘sign-off’ of competence for licensing or regulatory
purposes then a test or exam may be required.
You should seek guidance from Training Package
assessment guidelines and course accreditation
documentation
Using written tests
For some Training Package qualifications and
accredited courses there are specific entry
requirements.
This may result in the use of entrance tests or
pre-course tests that are designed to ‘weed out’
candidates that do not have the required LLN
underpinning skills to fulfil safety requirements
for ‘on-the-job’ training or to complete a training
program.
There are generic commercial literacy tests on the
market. However, many of these are directed at
schools, and are used to test the developmental
language learning of children.
Generic ‘one size fits all’ LLN identification
tools to assign ‘language and literacy levels’
are meaningless unless the results are linked to
the learner’s specific training and assessment
objectives.
Written tests cannot duplicate the complex
conditions in which LLN takes place in the
workplace. They are however an economical method
and when carefully constructed and delivered can
provide you with valuable information.
Where an appraisal of the learner’s LLN skills is
conducted in VET it should be made in relation to
the LLN content of either an accredited course or a
Training Package qualification.
• to check learner progress against required
standards and to identify any LLN weaknesses or
‘skill gaps’ that may need to be developed then
informal interview or project based assessments
can be made. You will need to judge this on an
ongoing basis as part of the teaching and learning
cycle
• to provide an assessment pathway to a
qualification (RPL), or assessment of current
competency then you will need to consider
combinations of formal and informal assessment.
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