An accepted view of adult literacy and numeracy practice is that to optimise the benefits of learning, it is best taught in real-life situations that relate to everyday needs. Rosie Wickert and Jenny McGuirk (2005) support the premise that integrated approaches to adult literacy should now be more fully examined and implemented in community contexts following the integration of LLN and employability skills into vocational education and training qualifications.

The integrated or 'built-in' model was researched as far back as 1994 by Robin Sefton, Peter Waterhouse and Rosemary Deakin (Breathing life into training: a model of integrated training, National Automotive Industry Training Board, Melbourne) and was premised on the notion of literacy being socially and culturally determined rather than fixed and finite.

This meant that there was a move away from the 'one size fits all' model of standard English literacy modules for everyone to learn, to a multiplicity of situated literacies which operated in particular workplace contexts and situations. This meant that for each industry and indeed each workplace that there would be varying types of literacies at play at any one time.

The integrated model tends not to distinguish in importance between technical skills and those relating to language, literacy and numeracy. The importance of the language, literacy and numeracy skills are defined within the work role. In his later work, Two dimensional work: adult literacy in call centre and aged care industries, Peter Waterhouse and Crina Virgona (2004) cautioned against an emerging training culture that was limited to company learning agendas and called for attention to broader educational issues beyond the immediate employer interests.

In Integrated approaches to teaching adult literacy in Australia: a snapshot of practice in community services, McKenna and Fitzpatrick (2005) canvassed the practices of experienced VET teachers who offered an integrated approach to LLN. One such teacher commented:

I don't see that the world is divided up into communication skills over here and childcare skills over there. It's all part of the whole thing. They need to be able see it like a circle, start at one point and connect it all together, and then go round and round. It's not just the theory side of it; it's also the work practice side of it (p.38).

Many practitioners used to the stand-alone English language communication modules or curriculum initially found the integrated model challenging and were often unable to 'see' the LLN that had been integrated into VET competencies. Continuous improvement to Training Packages and subsequent professional development over the last eight years has now largely resulted in acceptance that LLN is 'built-in' to Training Packages however there are still contested views about the quality of delivery and proven efficacy of the approach.

Research and experience in the VET sector indicates that unless there is systematic attention paid to the rollout of an integrated approach there is likely to be gaps in implementation. McKenna and Fitzpatrick's research identified a number of key steps that need to be present in order for effective delivery of integrated LLN within a vocational context. These key steps are easily transferable and applicable to community-based programs. These are listed on pages 50-52 of the reports but are also reproduced as an attachment to this page (see below).

Central to McKenna and Fitzpatrick's work is the notion that integrated programs require multi-disciplinary approaches to provision. As McKenna and Fitzpatrick stated in their research:

It would be rare, although not impossible, to find these skills sets in one facilitator; they are more likely to be found in a team of facilitators delivering a mix of training (p.51).

In best practice workplace delivery such as the Commonwealth's Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) Programme or the Western Australian Course in Applied Vocational Study Skills (CAVSS), industry or vocational specialists work alongside LLN specialists. For community-based models this means LLN specialists working with youth workers or health or welfare workers or football coaches or artists or anyone else with the context specific expertise.

The delivery team then need to be able to judge where to 'insert the literacy into training' appropriately. Timing of subtle concurrent learning support combined with directed 'deliberate acts of teaching' is crucial, especially with learners who may have had negative experiences with learning in the past.

This then requires the entire team to develop and then internalise a set of direct instructional activities for facilitating literacy and numeracy development that suit their learner group into their practice.

Australia has led the way with the development of the integrated model. It would be a great shame if we now fell behind in expansion of the model and best practice implementation.

Do we have adequate professional development opportunities and funding models available to support a quality integrated approach?

Interesting reports in VOCED

Developing embedded literacy, language and numeracy: supporting achievement, Jan Eldred 2005.

"You wouldn't expect a maths teacher to teach plastering...": embedding literacy, language and numeracy in post-16 vocational programmes - the impact on learning and achievement, Casey et al, National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy (NRDC) 2006.

Learning for and in the workplace, National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy (NRDC) 2007.

Also see the comprehensive history of LLN provision in Australia including the genesis of the 'built-in not bolted on' model in Integrated approaches to teaching adult literacy in Australia: a snapshot of practice in community services (McKenna & Fitzpatrick 2005, p.14-31).

Two useful websites on LLN in Training Packages

The 3 R's Revisited

Taking the Lead