The Adult Literacy Research Program (ALRP) reports cover LLN delivery in a range of vocational, workplace, ACE and community settings by a range of LLN workers. The professional development needs of LLN workers were examined in the Exhibits document that supported the NCVER Breakfast briefings in 2006 (Reading between the lines: summing up adult literacy and numeracy research - Breakfast briefing exhibits). This examination found:

The biggest influence on professional development needs and attitudes is the sector in which the practitioner is located - specialist trainer, vocational trainer or volunteer. Even within the sectors there are significantly different experiences. Language, literacy and numeracy specialist teachers in community organisations, for example, operate under very different conditions from their colleagues employed by major VET providers. Teachers in major capital cities have very different access to professional development opportunities to that of their counterparts in small regional or isolated areas, and employment status has professional development implications for all paid language, literacy and numeracy workers (p.58).

The various professional development needs of the LLN workforce are examined in the table of page 59 of Reading between the lines. The summary table is also reproduced as an attachment to this page (see below).

Several of the ALRP reports (e.g., The professional development requirements of Workplace English Language and Literacy Programme practitioners [Berghella, Molenaar & Wyse 2006] and Current and future professional development needs of the language, literacy and numeracy workforce [Mackay 2006]) raise the issue of what constitutes the appropriate qualifications for an LLN expert. Is this a university based post-graduate qualification? Is this a VET qualification?

Particularly in WELL delivery, is a LLN specialist with adaptive 'workplace' delivery skills or a VET trained workplace trainer with additional LLN content skills best placed to deliver? Although these practitioners perform a multiplicity of roles there is no 'formal' nationally developed or mandated qualification required or systemic national PD programes.

In Current and future professional development needs of the language, literacy and numeracy workforce, Mackay et al. (2006) interviewed key professional development providers who predicted the following professional development needs and issues for their target audience in the next five years:

• upskilling of language, literacy and numeracy teaching practitioners in meeting the needs of disparate groups of learners, with emphasis on learners from equity target groups
• keeping teachers abreast of national and state language, literacy and numeracy policy and curriculum in a constantly changing education and training context
• developing skills in flexible delivery to enable offering a variety of delivery modes and to assist in the development of multiliteracies in language, literacy and numeracy learners
• covering aspects of teaching practice
• updating knowledge of theories of language and learning
• training for leadership and management roles
• taking a cyclic approach to professional development to cater for changes in personnel that will continue to occur due to the retirement of an ageing workforce and the high numbers of part-time and casual employees

Interesting reports in VOCED

A post-graduate qualification for literacy and numeracy teachers in VET, Sharon Templeman 2007.

Specialist teacher qualifications: skills for life, Adult Learning Inspectorate 2007.

Getting the practical teaching element right: a guide for literacy, numeracy and ESOL teacher educators, Helen Casey et al. 2007.

Other useful websites

Australian Council for Adult Literacy (ACAL): Literacy Live and Literacy Link provide information on professional development activities. See also links to the annual ACAL conference at the ACAL website.

Reframing the Future: Reframing the Future is a major workforce development initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments. It assists in building the capacity of the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system to support the implementation of the national training system and the aims of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and its national reform agenda.

LiteracyNet: DEEWR's LiteracyNet site contains key information about Australian adult literacy activity and links to a range of additional programme, professional development, resource, and research sites.