Assumptions

Given the large number of new Youth Guarantee (YG) programmes submitted to NZQA for approval we are going to see an influx of new tutors involved with teaching in this space. This means that these tutors will be teaching courses that by definition need to be embedded literacy and numeracy (ELN) courses.

These tutors will also need to be familiar with the Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool (LNAAT) so they can diagnose learners’ skill levels and report on progress.

ELN Tutor profile

I’m not sure whether the TEC has given any thought to the kinds of tutors that organisations should be hiring and developing. Probably they have. However, here’s my take on what the ideal tutor profile might look like for a tutor teaching on a level 1 to 3 course with embedded literacy and numeracy content.

For those working outside of New Zealand, the aspects that relate to Maori education can be internationalised to other indigenous, cultural, or multi-cultural contexts.

Tutors should know the demands of the training they are delivering including:

1. The context for their training programme. This includes:

An awareness of current definitions for literacy and numeracy including embedded literacy and numeracy.
An understanding of the bigger picture for course delivery at both national and local levels including an awareness of relevant historical initiatives, issues, and perspectives. This includes in relation to Maori and Iwi perspectives as appropriate.
The reasons for low levels of adult literacy and numeracy in the general population as well as their own learners.
The impact of low adult literacy and numeracy in terms of workplace, economic, and social factors.
Knowing what resources are available for them to use both online, in print, and in terms of specialist organisations.

2. Good teaching and best practice for adult literacy and numeracy. This includes:

Relevant theory with practical application to literacy, numeracy, ESOL, teaching and learning, culture, and context.
A working understanding of how approaches and methods from Maori education can form a framework for literacy and numeracy provision

3. A working understanding of how to map the literacy and numeracy demands of their training or education programme. This includes:

Knowledge of the Learning Progressions for adult literacy and numeracy (or an alternative system for those outside of New Zealand).
Ability to do “best guess” mapping and analysis using the literacy and numeracy progressions in order to identify training demands
Ability to do this mapping at the big picture course level as well as at the micro level for specific training resources, other key texts, tasks, calculations, and vocabulary.

Tutors should be equipped with the tools they need to know and understand their learners including

4. Literacy and numeracy diagnostic tools and process. This includes:

Appropriate tools and processes including, national assessment tools, and contextualised diagnostics.
Knowledge of how to create basic teacher-made literacy and numeracy diagnostics contextualised to the education programme.
A working knowledge of how to interpret diagnostic assessment results.
An understanding of how to work with learners to set learning goals and record these in learning plans.s

Tutors should know what to do to embed, assess, and evaluate literacy and numeracy progress and skills development including

5. Experience in how to embed and deliver literacy and numeracy training. Specifically:

A working understanding of how to plan literacy and numeracy skills development. This includes writing embedded literacy and numeracy learning outcomes, teaching sequences, and resources.
Existing experience delivering embedded literacy and numeracy training in their particular context or vocational training field. This includes using appropriate activities and teaching strategies to deliver explicit embedded literacy and numeracy training.

6. Experience in how to assess and measure literacy and numeracy progress. This includes:

Using different methods for assessing learning including non-traditional means of assessment.
An awareness of how to use formative assessment processes to inform programme objectives, learner needs and goals, as well as learners’ ongoing skill development

7. An ability to evaluate the effectiveness of the education programme they are delivering including:

Identifying changes and improvements
Reflecting critically on planning, teaching strategies, learning activities, teaching delivery, and assessment methods
Reporting to stakeholders