14 Oct Another diverse and engaging ACAL conference
The Hotline was proud to be a part of this year’s Australian Council of Adult Literacy conference, with a keynote presentation focussing on our current research into outreach engagement strategies for potential literacy learners. It was also great to catch up in person at our resources table with some of our ‘long distance’ contacts. Over 200 people from a wide range of backgrounds attended the conference in Melbourne. Attendees included teachers, managers, government representatives, researchers, librarians, and volunteers.
Keynotes, workshop sessions and the fabulous Arch Nelson address by Lyn Wilson, highlighted some of the key issues, current developments and inspiring programs in the literacy and numeracy field. These wonderful presentations are freely available on the ACAL website for members (another good reason to join). We asked some of the attendees for their impressions.
“Highlights for me were getting to catch up with colleagues from around the country in person. At coffee and meal breaks, the chance to find out about what’s happening on the ground and easily ask questions because the person was just there, was gold. I also loved the session on the very practical approaches taken with literacy and numeracy education for First Nations rangers, beautifully illustrated with photographs. It was honest and inspiring.”
Vanessa NSW
“We WA-ers all greatly enjoyed the conference from a social, professional, teaching and learning, LLND policy update, and advocacy perspective. Last weekend, some of us met up and shared positive ACAL experiences.
The ACAL conference is of significant benefit to us in WA as it allows us to network with and put names to faces of our national colleagues and peers. We have been able to link with people and organisations we didn’t know prior to the conference, and, also, in respect to advocacy matters, national policy drivers and contacts. “
Margy WA
“As a PhD researcher working in regional Tasmania and a recent arrival on the Australian adult literacy scene (having moved from overseas five years ago), I greatly valued the opportunity to broaden my understanding of the adult literacy space in Australia and to make connections with practitioners and researchers working in community-based literacy initiatives. I developed a deeper understanding of the ‘then and now’ of the Australian adult literacy sector and enjoyed hearing from other PhD colleagues about their research journeys. I’m looking forward to building on the connections made at the ACAL conference and sharing the results of the research on family literacy that I’ve been undertaking in partnership with Tasmanian families with researchers and practitioners from the mainland.”
Ingrid Tasmania
“The ACAL conference was an absolute feast of information, research, and wonderful current concepts for those working in the wide and varied literacy and numeracy field. Coupled with a rare and rich networking opportunity it makes the conference worth attending.
The keynote speakers were without doubt an outstanding mix of highly qualified and professional stakeholders who disseminated current analysis of research underway in Australia and internationally. Being aware of trends and leading research is a vital component in the literacy and numeracy spectrum. It’s extremely difficult to speak of the most impactful part of the conference but I would be remiss not to mention the Arch Nelson address presented by the amazing Lyn Wilson. Lyn reflected on her own extraordinary career in the sector and offered a highly experienced viewpoint on how the sector has evolved. She pointed to the importance of a renewed national approach to re-build the literacy/numeracy workforce.”
Kym NSW