Paper accepted for National Speech Pathology Conference

It was great to get confirmation from the National Speech Pathology conference, I have a paper accepted for the 2014 conference in Melbourne . http://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/spa-news-a-events/2014-national-conference

The paper is "Connections in our Communities. What happens when consumers have non functional literacy?"

It will be great to provide a functional perspective relating to the2013 PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, Australia,) results http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4228.0Main+Features12011-12?OpenDocument and also the latest 2013 PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) results. http://www.acer.edu.au/documents/PISA-2012-In-Brief.pdf

Cathy
cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au
0466 579 855
www.accessseasyenglish.com.au  

PISA results in. What is literacy like for our 15 y.o's?

The latest PISA results have been released.
PISA is a worldwide assessment of  literacy, numeracy and scientific literacy for 15 y.o.  occurring every second year. 15,000 Australian students were included in the latest study.

You will need some great mathematical literacy to interpret all the data, but it is significant.

 Comparisons can be made 

·         between countries;

·         between Australian states;

·         indigenous versus non-indigenous students;

·         English as  a second language and/or migrant versus English as a first language;

·         socio-economic background;

·         private , public , catholic schools;

·         city versus rural versus remote students;

·         girls versus boys.

This year PISA 2013, has made comparisons with PISA 2003.  There has been significant reduction in functional literacy in all areas - literacy, mathematical and scientific compared with 10 years ago.

When looking at the Australian data, there is significant differences between students achieving the highest scores on the PISA and those at the lower ends.  It can equate to up to 3 years or more in schooling and reading levels. 
36% of students fall below "category 2 which defines reading skills as being able to

"locate one or more pieces of information; recognise the main idea in a text; and understand relationships, or construe meaning within a limited part of the text, when the
information is not prominent and the reader must make low-level inferences"

Read the definitions of reading levels used to categorise students results  at p.15 at http://www.acer.edu.au/documents/PISA-2012-In-Brief.pdf

From The Conversation
"The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) director of educational monitoring and research, Sue Thomson - who wrote the Australian chapter of the PISA report - said Australia now has fewer top-performing students, and more at the bottom.
She said the reading results showed Australian students were illiterate in a practical sense.
"It's not saying they're totally illiterate or innumerate,'' she said.
"But they don't necessarily have the skills they need to participate fully in adult life.''
 http://www.news.com.au/national/pisa-report-finds-australian-teenagers-education-worse-than-10-years-ago/story-fncynjr2-1226774541525

Data from Maths and Science literacy are also available.

Read further interpretations and commentary 
at http://www.acer.edu.au/documents/PISA-2012-In-Brief.pdf   
   http://www.acer.edu.au/ozpisa/key-findings/

Where to from here?

Services, organisations and government departments need to be even more aware of the needs of their audience. Students, young adults and adults in the workforce can continue to learn to read.  However, when a student is significantly below functional literacy standards, and yet still needs to be able to make life choices, interrupt health literacy information, financial literacy and other problem solving tasks this is significantly harder.  Implementing a strategy of Easy English will ensure you engage with your audiences more meaningfully.

Cathy
cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au
0466 579 855

PISA results due tomorrow

In The Age today, there is an article describing the PISA test, and information about the results being due out tomorrow.

PISA is a worldwide assessment of 15 y.o. literacy, numeracy,  science etc; moreso in how the students interpret new information not based on information learnt. So in fact it is  problem based learning and interpretation This is an inherent skill required in today’s adult work life.
Look out here in the next days for details about the PISA results.

Link to The Age article at http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/excellence-in-education-the-aim-of-pisa-tests-developer-says-20131129-2yfkq.html  

Cathy
cathy@acesseasyenglish.com.au
0466 579 855

Minister talks at the National Press Club

Mitch Fifield the assistant minster responsible for the NDIS rollout spoke at the National Press Club yesterday.

Read about the short fall in funding which has already occurred in the first quarter in a summary from 'The Age' http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/national-disability-insurance-scheme-faces-5-billion-cost-blowout-20131120-2xvtx.html 

You can watch and listen to his address to the National Press Club at

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-20/national-press-club-senator-mitch-fifield/5105980 

It is also useful to listen to as he does make clear some of the areas which will and will not be funded.  He also emphasises that organisations which previously received funding for research and other services would still receive this. 

Cathy is registered to provide services to clients who have NDIS plans completed, and require specialist services in

·         Complex Communication Needs

·         Mealtime assessments and supports

·         Easy English.

cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au
0466 579 855 

Make a submission: A review of equality before the law

"n July 2013, The Australian Law Reform Commission announced an Inquiry into Commonwealth laws and legal frameworks that deny or diminish the equal recognition of people with disability before the law, and their ability to exercise legal capacity."  ALRC. 2013

 The Issues Paper has just been released "Equality, Capacity and Disability in Commonwealth Laws." Submissions are due by mid December, 2013.

There are Easy English version available of the submission process and the questions being asked in the Issues Paper.

Full version
http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/disability-IP44
Description of how to make a submission and the questions on the issues paper in Easy English.
http://www.alrc.gov.au/about/easy-english

Do you need help making your submission in Easy English?

Contact Cathy

0466 579 855

cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au