National Literacy, Numeracy & Functional Skills Conference Over 100 Delegates Confirmed!
A National Literacy & Numeracy Conference to be held in Birmingham City Centre on 21 March has over 100 Further Education Specialists already confirmed to attend.
The conference will look to address the issues surrounding literacy and numeracy in Further Education ahead of government changes.
This one-day conference will focus on the current challenges facing teachers of literacy, numeracy, Functional English and Functional Maths and will give providers an opportunity to share ideas and practice in order to respond to this challenge.
Commenting on the attendance figures Jon Collis, Director, National Training Resources explains;
“We are very pleased with the level of confirmed attendances for this year’s conference. The event promises to be a must for any FE teachers and trainers. Where might the economy be in terms of productivity, growth, employment and international success if the students, apprentices and their FE teachers & trainers were able to direct their energy and enthusiasm into the actual vocational knowledge and skills needed for their future employment?
“It is more difficult, especially with mathematics, to inculcate understanding in these post-16 learners, many of whom seem to have been “put off” the subject when they were younger. Their teaching needs a different methodology and focus. Yet those who teach them are often required to obtain diploma level qualifications to deliver what is, essentially, a recovery programme for previous failures. Would the investment be better applied years earlier?”
The Government has recently announced that apprenticeship frameworks must include Maths and English achievement equivalent to a level 2 GCSE in English and Mathematics. Where this has not been achieved at school, the burden will fall on the wider Further Education sector. Functional Skills will replace Key Skills in August/September 2012.
Comments Pip Kings - Institute of Education on the effectiveness of the conference;
“For anyone wanting to assess the implications of the government’s recent policy announcements (New Challenges, New Chances) regarding the former Skills for Life strategy, this conference is a must. The timing is critical as further education makes the transition from literacy and numeracy to English and mathematics. What is the impact on curriculum planning, and on teaching and learning?”
Starting with pre-school activities, through primary school and then secondary school there are over 10 formative years to instil the basics of English and Mathematics. Those should be the easy years - but often a student or apprentice at age 16, tackling their first proper vocational or pre-vocational course, has to be part of a huge recovery programme for Literacy and/or Numeracy.
In some cases this is the main barrier to personal development and success.
The Conference will look at three major reports published recently, including Alison Wolf’s Review of Vocational Education; Tim Boswell’s Work on adult literacy, Society and Lifelong Literacy, and Carole Vorderman led report A world-class mathematics education for all our young people
The conference will set the scene with input from respected professionals in the field, focusing on policy, delivery and research findings. There will be a choice of four workshops in the morning. The afternoon will feature two further addresses, followed by a repeat of the workshop set, giving delegates the chance to benefit from others’ experiences. Attendance at this conference will provide excellent opportunities to network and share best practice.
Notes:
Press passes for any journalists interested in attending the conference are available, provided that details of attendance are given in advance. Press wishing to attend should email: Julie.walters@national-training.co.uk ; joanne.allman@national-training.co.uk
The Conference will be held on 21 March, 2012 at:
Aston Business School
Aston University
Aston Triangle
Birmingham
B4 7E T
For more information and to book visit:: http://www.national-training.com/events/conferences/literacy-numeracy/index.php
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