Adult Basic Skills: development and training of teachers

1. Adult Basic Skills: development and training of teachers • Overview of developments in training and CPD • The National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy • ABSSU and the new subject specifications • Questions and discussion • ESCalate evaluation

2. The pattern of training C&G 9281-5 Fresh Start 1999 Skills for Life 2001 HE providers BSA Core Curriculum 2001 Volunteer Strategy 2002 Diagnostic Assessment 2002 FENTO Subject Specifications + generic 2002 NRDCALN PGCert National MA CPD 2002 NIACE BASIL 2002

3. NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR ADULT LITERACY AND NUMERACY National Research and Development Centre forAdult Literacy and Numeracy(England)

4. NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR ADULT LITERACY AND NUMERACY The new university based national research centre to support Skills for Life isTHE NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR ADULT LITERACY AND NUMERACY • Consortium of: • 4 universities: Nottingham, Sheffield, Lancaster • and the Institute of Education (lead institution) • development and practitioner partners • working with the Basic Skills Agency

5. NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR ADULT LITERACY AND NUMERACY The Mission, Purpose and Values of the Centre Building a new discipline to support Skills for Life through the generation of knowledge and its transformation into practice

6. NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR ADULT LITERACY AND NUMERACY Values The Centre will seek to secure the following in all aspects of its work: • ensure that the learner is at the centre of our work • aim for a world class standard in our research • ensure practitioner involvement in all stages of our work • strive for consortium members to put our findings into practice

7. NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR ADULT LITERACY AND NUMERACY Some research questions What are the economic and social benefits of basic skills for individual adults and for society? • How far can we understand the relationship between childhood literacy and numeracy experience and adult needs? • What impact does participation in basic skills provision have on adult learners’ lives and what does this tell us about motivation and persistence? • How can pedagogy be developed to make basic skills provision more effective for learners? • How can staff development most effectively support adult basic skills provision? • How can learner progress be accurately assessed?

8. NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR ADULT LITERACY AND NUMERACY The Centre’s work is in 4 strands: • Strand A research relating to poverty and social exclusion • Strand B research relating to best practice in teaching and learning • Strand C initial teacher education and continuing professional development (CPD) • Strand D national resource centre and dissemination work

9. NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR ADULT LITERACY AND NUMERACY Strand CTeacher Education and Continuing Professional Development inAdult Basic Skills Professor Alison Wolf, Dr Diana Coben and Dr Norman Lucas

10. NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR ADULT LITERACY AND NUMERACY Background to teacher education and CPD • quality of teaching in FE rated lower than in other curriculum areas • few professional development opportunities • no qualifications framework • qualifications ad hoc and fragmented, endorsed by Awarding Bodies, outside universities; cease to exist from August 2002 • teacher education post-16 in universities (PGCE) not subject-specific • poor career structure - mainly part-time casual workforce • provision in diverse settings – FE Colleges, community, workplace, etc.

11. NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR ADULT LITERACY AND NUMERACY Present transitional phase • Adult Literacy, Numeracy and ESOL Standards • new Adult Literacy, Numeracy, ESOL and Pre-Entry Curricula with associated 3-day teacher training • Access for All guidance on making the curricula accessible • FENTO Generic Teaching Standards leading to QTFE • Subject Specifications at NQF Levels 3 & 4 for ABS teachers • all new teachers to be qualified at Level 4 • Qualifications Criteria for training providers • challenges: shortage of staff with appropriate experience, expertise and qualifications timescale - implementation from September 2002

12. NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR ADULT LITERACY AND NUMERACY Aims of Strand C Initiate a programme of research and development in ITE and CPD to: • provide knowledge • develop a qualifications framework • trial and evaluate ITE and CPD programmes • build on experience and expertise of consortium and Basic Skills Agency • build research capacity through practitioner-researchers working with mentors in research teams • draw on other national and international research including research in other NRDCALN Strands • consult widely in the field at each stage

13. NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR ADULT LITERACY AND NUMERACY Work in progress • planned variation evaluation of university courses leading to teaching qualifications • planned variation evaluation of Masters programmes • longitudinal study of impact of Skills for Life on the work and professional identity of ABS teachers • analysis of evaluation data from 3-day curriculum training • evaluation of teacher education provided outside universities • practitioner-researchers working with mentors in research teams • development of a qualifications framework with clear progression routes

14. Some personal questions • Can we build capacity quickly enough ? • Should FE/Adult teachers have parity with school teachers? • Will the level 3 standards for support teachers have an adverse impact? • Will there be further change when FENTO is dis-established?

15. ESCalate Evaluation • Please complete the evaluation forms now. • Do you want further sessions? • What would you like to see covered? • Is there more interest in the PGCertFE? • Would you be interested in sessions on other qualifications (e.g. MA, taught doctorate, CPD)