Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to initiate, research, design and develop resources to support adult language, literacy and numeracy learning.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to adult language, literacy and numeracy practitioners initiating, developing and evaluating teaching and learning resources with broad applicability to the vocational education and training (VET) sector.

These include:

• national Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program resources
• resources to support implementation of adult language, literacy and numeracy courses or policies
• resources to facilitate development of adult language, literacy and numeracy skills by priority learner groups.

Adult language, literacy and numeracy resources may take a variety of forms, such as materials for practitioners; learner guides; participant resources; and assessment materials, including RPL.

They may include e-learning resources, such as computer-based learning resources, simulations, interactive CDs and DVDs, and m-learning using mobile telephone communication.

This unit does not include the technical skills required to develop e-learning and m-learning resources.

Practitioners developing materials to support learning at the local level are also advised to consider TAADES502B Design and develop learning resources.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Confirm need for language, literacy and numeracy resource

1.1. Identify possible need  for language, literacy and numeracy resource

1.2. Research the language, literacy and numeracy skills and learning strategies to be developed in the resource

1.3. Evaluate  existing resources for language, literacy and numeracy skills

1.4. Evaluate whether existing resources reflect current language , literacy and numeracy research and theoretical understandings of good practice 

1.5. Evaluate existing resources for accessibility 

1.6. Identify opportunities for contextualising existing resources

2. Establish support for resource development

2.1. Design broad format  of resource

2.2. Locate and access funding sources 

2.3. Identify suitable stakeholders for a representative consultative group 

2.4. Develop effective relationships with relevant experts 

2.5. Refine project brief  in consultation with stakeholders and relevant experts

2.6. Prepare project plan  for sign-off by the representative consultative group

3. Design the adult language, literacy and numeracy resource

3.1. Produce summary of desirable features of resource

3.2. Consider range of design features  appropriate to audience

3.3. Agree on best design options with key stakeholders

3.4. Ensure processes comply with relevant policy, legislation, codes of practice and national standards

4. Develop the adult language, literacy and numeracy resource

4.1. Select content appropriate to project brief

4.2. Develop activities to ensure coverage of skills and knowledge

4.3. Reflect theoretical understandings  of adult language, literacy and numeracy skill development in the choice and sequencing of content

4.4. Align language, literacy and numeracy content to recognised frameworks to ensure consistent interpretation and delivery

4.5. Seek and review feedback on the resource from a wide range of sources and incorporate feedback as appropriate

5. Evaluate the resource

5.1. Review design and development process against appropriate evaluation criteria 

5.2. Review final product against the brief to ensure it meets all requirements

5.3. Identify a mechanism for ongoing monitoring and responses to feedback

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communication skills to:

• facilitate discussions to encourage sharing of strategies and exploration of different solutions to problems
• listen for detail
• maintain professional networks
• negotiate project brief and resource content
• seek, give and respond to feedback and suggestions

• initiative, enterprise and creativity to:

• develop appropriate resources and materials
• think critically about teaching resources

• learning skills to:

• maintain currency and relevance of knowledge
• reflect on and improve own professional practice

• literacy skills to:

• adjust writing styles for different audiences and audience levels
• sequence material logically and transparently
• structure and weight content appropriately
• use an appropriate style

• numeracy skills to integrate numeracy into resource development
• planning and organising skills to:

• identify appropriate members of representative consultative group
• monitor and evaluate progress of resource development
• plan a sequence of activities consistent with learning resource development

• problem-solving skills to identify and address specific difficulties in resource development
• research and analysis skills to:

• ask questions
• determine appropriateness of feedback
• find content and relevant information
• identify areas for resource development

• self-management skills to comply with requirements, codes of practice and organisational policies and procedures
• teamwork skills to work collaboratively with colleagues and other experts
• technology skills to:

• use software packages to support design
• use software to facilitate consultations

Required knowledge 

• adult learning principles and practices as they apply to resource development
• adult language, literacy and numeracy skill development
• instructional design for adult language, literacy and numeracy learners, such as:

• adjusting language, layout, design features to suit appropriate level for learners
• demonstrating cultural awareness in relation to content
• using genres
• appealing to a range of learning styles and strategies
• planning, analysing, developing, synthesising and evaluating content of planned resources

• relevant policy, legislation, codes of practice and national standards, including commonwealth and state or territory legislation, for example:

• anti-discrimination, including equal opportunity, racial vilification and disability discrimination
• copyright and privacy laws relating to electronic technology
• duty of care under common law
• industry and workplace requirements
• plagiarism
• workplace relations

• theoretical models and teaching approaches to adult language, literacy and numeracy skills
• VET system, including:

• Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF)
• Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
• Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF)
• key bodies
• relationship of adult language, literacy and numeracy to the Australian VET context
• training and assessment processes
• Training Packages and accredited courses

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the ability to:

• design a project brief and plan agreed by stakeholders, including rationale for the project and research undertaken
• develop a draft of the resource, including rationale for choice of content and design features
• evaluate and use feedback from consultations
• produce a final version of the resource
• evaluate the process and product.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• the opportunity to initiate, develop and evaluate resource
• access to colleagues to support development
• access to resources to support development.

Assessment must also ensure the use of culturally appropriate processes, and techniques appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

Method of assessment 

A range of appropriate assessment methods should be used to determine competency. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• evaluation of a portfolio of evidence
• questioning to establish required knowledge
• third-party reports.

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• TAELLN801A Analyse policy and formulate strategic language, literacy and numeracy response.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Identifying need  for resource may include consideration of:

• consequences of implementation of new language, literacy and numeracy policies or programs
• implications of language, literacy and numeracy policy shifts
• need for support to implement social or economic policy with language, literacy and numeracy implications
• intended learner group, including learner profiles and characteristics
• level of language, literacy and numeracy skill described using national frameworks
• relationship with VET frameworks.

Evaluating  may include:

• analysing language, literacy and numeracy skills developed in the resource
• analysing extent to which language, literacy and numeracy underpinning skills are identified in a vocationally-oriented resource
• identifying gaps in available resources related to language, literacy and numeracy skill development
• examining the suitability of existing resources for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.

Evaluating resources for reflection of current language , literacy and numeracy research and theoretical understandings of good practice  may include:

• current language, literacy and numeracy research into good practice to:

• improve access to training for culturally and linguistically diverse adults
• improve outcomes from language, literacy and numeracy training
• support and extend existing vocational training
• support community need for language, literacy and numeracy support
• support and extend language, literacy and numeracy training in workplaces

• accessing research available from National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) or National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy (NRDC).

Evaluating resources for accessibility  may include:

• analysing language, literacy and numeracy skill levels required to access the resource, aligned to national frameworks, such as the ACSF
• evaluating:

• text type
• structure
• language
• format.

Broad format  may include:

• audiovisual
• electronic
• print-based.

Access to funding sources  may include consideration of:

• consultation requirements
• costs involved in process of securing funding, such as researching and writing a competitive tender proposal
• guidelines from potential funding bodies
• level of funding in relation to estimated resource costs
• parameters of funding
• reporting requirements
• timelines
• type of resource.

Representative consultative group  may include:

• wide representation of stakeholders, such as:

• associated industry or community organisations
• professional associations
• representatives from states and territories
• representatives of the funding body
• subject matter experts
• training organisations.

Relevant experts  may include:

• e-learning designers
• web developers
• audio designers.

Refining the project brief  may include:

• definition of audience in relation to language, literacy and numeracy goals
• definition of purpose, outcome and impact in terms of language, literacy and numeracy skills to be developed aligned to recognised language, literacy and numeracy frameworks
• detailed costing
• information on project personnel and capacity to deliver project
• timeline.

Project plan  may include:

• consultation strategy
• evaluation strategy to ensure product meets the needs of intended users
• potential risks and strategies to avert risk
• staged timeline with activities defined at each stage of development, including meetings and responsibilities of project consultative group
• strategy to communicate information about the project to the adult literacy and numeracy community.

Design features  may include:

• by what means the learner is engaged by the resource
• features of layout, including font, white space and colour
• if electronic text: ease of navigation, inclusion of audio, inclusion of video, signposting and internal links
• if for independent access: level of instructions, ease of accessing materials, sequencing, layout features and links
• mix of text-based information and visual information
• opportunities for collaborative learning
• practical activity-based content
• reading level of text, including:

• genre
• grammatical structures
• verb tenses
• active or passive voice;
• use of abbreviation, idiom and jargon

• sequencing of material to reflect adult literacy and numeracy skill development
• sources of further information and further reading.

Ways in which theoretical understandings  of skill development may be reflected in the content include:

• decisions about the suitability of particular delivery options to meet learner group needs, such as the suitability of materials for a particular group of learners
• inclusion of a 'how to' guide to assist practitioners in using the resource
• extent of support a particular learner might need to succeed with materials
• level of difficulty of:

• reading materials
• particular writing tasks
• particular numeracy tasks

• adult language, literacy and numeracy strategies and activities
• order in which new material may be introduced.

Evaluation criteria  may include:

• extent to which finished resource met the language, literacy and numeracy needs of the learner group
• progress of the project.

Unit sector 

Competency field 

Language, literacy and numeracy practice

Co-requisite units