The process will identify the background skills and knowledge, such as life/work/education background, first language background, literacy and numeracy skills and the current and future contexts for language, literacy and numeracy skills and knowledge such as for workplace, home/community and/or further education of potential course participants.

Before interviewing some of the parents who have expressed interest in joining the program, Delia, the coordinator, has looked at some of the texts used by the school to communicate with parents and worked out the learning outcomes for the course. She has roughly plotted these on to the NRS identifying the indicators of competence in reading, writing, oral communication and numeracy. She will use these materials with her usual interview questions and self assessment process to select suitable students.

Two young women who regularly attend the centre for playgroup have shown interest in the course.

Mary’s story

Mary and Delia chatted about schools and how things had changed since they were there. In the course of this discussion Delia was able to get details about Mary’s education background and her aspirations for herself and her children and to assess Mary’s Oral Communication. Delia produced the school brochure to check some of the details about enrolments and to see what special programs the school was offering that might be of interest to Mary and her children. They then discussed some of the enrolment procedures including when the form had to be in and if there were any fees that had to be paid. Delia used these texts to assess Mary’s reading. The school has a second hand uniform exchange. The women looked at the catalogue to select the uniform and to check that the right sizes were available and that the items were in fact cheaper than new ones. Delia used this exercise to assess Mary’s Numeracy. Delia made a cup of coffee for them both allowing Mary time to fill in a draft school enrolment form. Delia had filled in the form for Mary’s first child but Mary wanted to do it this time. She wanted Delia to check it over before she dropped it at the school. This provided a writing task for Delia to assess her writing. Delia was very supportive during the process giving Mary positive feedback.

After Mary had collected the other child from the playgroup Delia went to the office and wrote up her notes.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTRE

Kira was born in Greece but came to Australia as a teenager. She attended an English Language Centre when she first arrived at an Australian school, however, she left early to work in the family business before marrying. She now has two children attending the primary school. She is very ambitious for her children and wants to assist them as much as she can.

Kira and her mother in law meet with Delia to discuss the program. Kira’s mother in law has lived in Australia for thirty years and speaks good English. She acts as an interlocutor between Delia and Kira providing most of the background information about the family. Kira is able to recognise some words and information from the brochure with support from Delia and her mother in law. She indicates through her mother in law that she understands the purpose of the document and guesses quite a bit of its content. Kira is able to fill out parts of the enrolment form. She discusses the uniform catalogue with her mother in law and they make shrewd selections saving money on the purchase of the uniform .

COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTRE