Literacy friendly organisation and integrating literacy

In Ireland, over 500,000 adults have unmet literacy, numeracy and digital literacy needs. This means many will find it difficult to get information about the courses you offer or lack the confidence to apply for one. If they are on a course, the learners will have different strengths and needs in the particular language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy used in the centre and course. This can also affect their confidence and motivation to complete a course.

Taking a ‘whole-organisation’ literacy friendly approach can help you ensure all learners can take part in your courses. Join the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) for a two-hour session on
• Using a ‘literacy friendly’ approach

Being aware and removing literacy related barriers facing learners will help make your centre more inclusive and accessible to all learners. This includes using Plain English in your written communications.
• Integrating literacy

How to make your courses more effective for all learners, including those who have the subject-related knowledge and skills but experience difficulties with aspects of the course-related literacy, numeracy and digital literacy.

You will learn the practical steps you can take to ensure that your education and training programmes are inclusive and do not exclude anyone because of the literacy and numeracy demands of the course.

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, including teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors and those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.

Facilitation: This event will be facilitated by the NALA Team

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

Clear Writing for Developing Programmes and Assessment (Plain English)
This session will show how the NALA plain English guidelines https://www.nala.ie/publications/a-plain-english-checklist-for-documents/ can help you to keep your written message clear, concise and effective.

The interactive workshop will look at best practice and use authentic examples from FET programmes and FET assessment instruments.

This is an interactive session. Participants are asked to be ready to ask and answer lots of questions to reflect on how we communicate with our learners.

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, including teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors and those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.

Facilitation: This session will be facilitated by Sean Driver, Plain English Editor and Trainer in the National Adult Literacy Agency. With over 5 years-experience training thousands of people across the public and private sectors, Sean works to empower people to put the needs of their readers first. Clients include Citizens Information, ETBs, SOLAS, QQI and many others.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

Clear Writing for Developing Programmes and Assessment (Plain English)
This session will show how the NALA plain English guidelines https://www.nala.ie/publications/a-plain-english-checklist-for-documents/ can help you to keep your written message clear, concise and effective.

The interactive workshop will look at best practice and use authentic examples from FET programmes and FET assessment instruments.

This is an interactive session. Participants are asked to be ready to ask and answer lots of questions to reflect on how we communicate with our learners.

The target audience for this event is: All FET staff members, including teachers, tutors, trainers, instructors and those in a co-ordination and/or quality assurance role.

Facilitation: This session will be facilitated by Sean Driver, Plain English Editor and Trainer in the National Adult Literacy Agency. With over 5 years-experience training thousands of people across the public and private sectors, Sean works to empower people to put the needs of their readers first. Clients include Citizens Information, ETBs, SOLAS, QQI and many others.

This is a repeat of a session run in November 2023

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.

This session will provide an evidence-based overview of key findings and learnings from an interim review of the ESOL QQI Level 1 and 2 Special Purpose Awards that were developed by Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB) on behalf of the ETB sector. Drawing on sector-wide feedback from ESOL co-ordinators, ESOL tutors and External Authenticators (EAs), this session will highlight key milestones and successes in the rollout of these awards. Suggested improvements aimed at strengthening consistent programme implementation and learner outcomes will be discussed and feedback sought from participants via small discussion groups.

This session aims to provide a solutions-focused space for ESOL stakeholders to connect and provide feedback on the key findings and draft recommendations of the interim review, while focusing on the impact on their day-to-day co-ordination and teaching practices. This will help ensure the ESOL Level 1 and 2 awards remain responsive to evolving learner needs.  

Target audience is: ESOL tutors and co-ordinators, Adult Literacy tutors, Adult Literacy Organisers, Quality Assurance staff.

Facilitator:
Michael Donohoe is the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), Research and Evaluation Officer with Cavan and Monaghan ETB’s Quality Assurance and Enhancement Service (QAES). Prior to this, Michael worked as an Adult Literacy Organiser, Refugee Resettlement Programme Coordinator, ESOL Co-ordinator and ESOL tutor with Cavan and Monaghan ETB (CMETB) and Cavan VEC. Michael also worked as an ESOL tutor with Co. Meath VEC in Mosney Accommodation Centre. Michael led the development of sectoral guidelines and toolkit for the Initial and Ongoing Assessment of English Language Competency of Migrant Learners in Further Education and Training which were launched by SOLAS in 2021.

Michael was a member of the QQI working group that developed new broad standards for foreign languages at National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) Levels 1 to 4. As a member of CMETB’s QAES Michael provides subject matter and quality assurance and enhancement support to CMETB’s subject matter experts working on the developing of ESOL and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) awards at Levels 1 to 5.

Topics covered: 
This 90 minute online session gives Further Education staff a clear, plain language introduction to Adult Literacy for Life (ALL). Participants will learn:
• Why the ALL strategy exists
• The challenges it responds to
• What it aims to change
• How literacy, numeracy and digital skills shape people’s opportunities in work, education and everyday life

Claire O’Boyle and Ceinwen Fergus will share examples of successful projects funded through the Collaboration and Innovation Fund and explain how Regional Literacy Coordinators and Regional Adult Literacy Coalitions support this work locally. Participants will leave knowing who to contact in their region and nationally, along with practical ways FET staff can connect their everyday work to ALL.

Target audience is:
All FET staff

Facilitators:

Claire O’Boyle – Sectoral Lead, Numeracy, Adult Literacy for Life
Claire works at national level to strengthen adult numeracy as part of the Adult Literacy for Life strategy. She works with ETBs, community organisations and national partners to highlight the growing need for numeracy skills in an increasingly digital society, and to identify and promote effective approaches to improving numeracy.

Ceinwen Fergus – Regional Literacy Coordinator, Cavan and Monaghan
As one of Ireland’s Regional Literacy Coordinators, Ceinwen brings local services and organisations together to make literacy support easier to access. She also raises awareness of literacy issues and helps organisations work well with adults who have unmet literacy needs.

Claire and Ceinwen both have extensive experience working in Further Education in a range of roles, including teaching and coordination.