Valbec

A VALBEC (Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council) Professional Learning session.

Adapt-learning from the learners and colleagues to improve teaching – one educator’s story presented by Lindee Conway.

In this webinar, Lindee will talk about the joy of discussing great teaching ideas with colleagues – and how their ideas make her classes better. She’ll also talk about learning from the adult learners in class. Three examples will be offered:
• Digital – when the class went so, so wrong
• Literacy – learning from a colleague’s purposeful ideas
• Numeracy – How Lindee watched and learnt, fast!

Lindee Conway has been involved in adult learning and teaching– lucky for her! She never gets tired of talking to educators. Her sessions for teachers are inclusive and realistic.

We look forward to seeing you there.
VALBEC PL Forums Team

Who: Lindee Conway
When: Wednesday 24th June 2026 5:15pm - 6:15pm AEST
Where: Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free; non-Members $10
Registration: https://valbec.org.au/event-6727049

Registrations are still open!

Join us for the 2026 VALBEC Conference – Reflecting on the Past, Shaping the Future on Friday 15 May at William Angliss Institute, (555 La Trobe Street, Melbourne).

Explore a full day of 45-minute practical sessions led by LLND practitioners from across the sector—covering VET, Learn Local, numeracy, digital literacy, inclusion, and more. Conference Program: https://valbec.org.au/2026-Conference-Program

• Classroom-ready strategies you can use immediately
• Digital literacy & creative AI approaches
• Numeracy teaching that works in real contexts
• Pathways, co-teaching & embedded support
• Keynote by Jo Medlin

Connect with colleagues, share ideas, and be inspired.

Register now and be part of the conversation!
https://valbec.org.au/event-6611044

Join us at the VALBEC 2026 Conference for a dynamic day of ideas, collaboration, and inspiration across the adult education sector.

Under the theme Reflecting on the Past, Shaping the Future, the conference will explore how adult literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy have evolved—and what must change to support today’s learners, workplaces, and communities. Expect practical workshops, innovative teaching approaches, and research-informed sessions focused on equity, participation, and real-world impact.

✨ Keynote announced: Jo Medlin, President of Australian Council for Adult Literacy, will present How Do You Spell Potential?—a powerful reflection on the language, history, and future of adult literacy in Australia.

More details on presentations and submissions coming soon—stay tuned!

Registrations open - https://valbec.org.au/event-6611044

A VALBEC (Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council) Professional Learning session presented by Janet Claringbold

Mountain District Women’s Co-operative – 50 years of adult community education

From its beginnings as “The Co-op” to now Mountain District Learning Centre, MDLC has remained committed to empowering women and supporting all learners to build literacy and continue their education.

As a Learn Local and RTO, MDLC offers CGEA, adult literacy, and English programs—creating safe, supportive pathways for those re-engaging with learning, including young people facing social anxiety.

Despite changes in the sector, one thing remains the same: the need for accessible, inclusive education. MDLC continues to help people rebuild confidence, develop skills, and move forward in work and life.

Janet Claringbold has led Mountain District Learning Centre for 15 years, driving a strong commitment to inclusive, community-based education.

With qualifications in Community Development and Community Organisational Management, Janet champions innovative learning pathways that support people who are disengaged or marginalised to reconnect with education and opportunity.

Who: Janet Claringbold
When: Wednesday April 29, from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Where: Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free; non-Members $10
Registration: https://valbec.org.au/event-6644205

We look forward to seeing you there.
VALBEC PL Forums Team

A gentle reminder:

VALBEC presents:
Webinar 2: Moving Adult Numeracy Forward: Manufacturing and Construction Industries
By Tina Berghella and Dave Tout
In the second of two webinars in this series, Tina and Dave will share insights from their analysis of workplace practices using real industry materials from the manufacturing, construction and landscaping sectors.

The session introduces two new workplace numeracy resources developed for Learn Locals to support learners aiming to work in industries with high numeracy demands (typically ACSF Level 3 or above). These resources explore how maths is embedded in everyday workplace tasks, how it maps to the ACSF, and what critical maths skills are needed to work effectively and safely.
Tina and Dave will outline how the resources are structured, highlight key messages, and show how teachers can use them to help learners bridge common numeracy gaps.

Tina Berghella is Director of Oggi Consulting and a highly respected VET researcher with a strong background in manufacturing, project management and workplace numeracy. She has led and contributed to major LLN projects, including the recent CGEA review, and is widely published in adult numeracy.

Dave Tout is one of Australia’s leading numeracy specialists, with over 50 years’ experience across adult education, schools, TAFEs, community education, universities and workplaces. A co-author of the ACSF, Dave has extensive experience in research, curriculum, assessment and professional development, and is currently Chair of the Numeracy Expert Group for the OECD’s PIAAC program.

When: Thursday, 5th March 2026, 5.30-6.30 pm AEST
Where: Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free; non-Members $10

Registration: [[https://valbec.org.au/event-6543121]

VALBEC presents:
Webinar 2: Moving Adult Numeracy Forward: Manufacturing and Construction Industries
By Tina Berghella and Dave Tout

In the second of two webinars in this series, Tina and Dave will share insights from their analysis of workplace practices using real industry materials from the manufacturing, construction and landscaping sectors.

The session introduces two new workplace numeracy resources developed for Learn Locals to support learners aiming to work in industries with high numeracy demands (typically ACSF Level 3 or above). These resources explore how maths is embedded in everyday workplace tasks, how it maps to the ACSF, and what critical maths skills are needed to work effectively and safely.
Tina and Dave will outline how the resources are structured, highlight key messages, and show how teachers can use them to help learners bridge common numeracy gaps.

Tina Berghella is Director of Oggi Consulting and a highly respected VET researcher with a strong background in manufacturing, project management and workplace numeracy. She has led and contributed to major LLN projects, including the recent CGEA review, and is widely published in adult numeracy.

Dave Tout is one of Australia’s leading numeracy specialists, with over 50 years’ experience across adult education, schools, TAFEs, community education, universities and workplaces. A co-author of the ACSF, Dave has extensive experience in research, curriculum, assessment and professional development, and is currently Chair of the Numeracy Expert Group for the OECD’s PIAAC program.

When: Thursday, 5th March 2026, 5.30-6.30 pm AEST
Where: Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free; non-Members $10
Registration: https://valbec.org.au/event-6543121

A Professional Learning session presented by VALBEC (Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council)

Moving Adult Numeracy Forward: Care and Support Industries
By Tina Berghella and Dave Tout

Two new workplace numeracy resources have been recently developed for Learn Locals to use to support learners who are interested in working in different industries where the numeracy and maths demands are quite substantial and require a minimum of Level 3 or above.

We know maths skills are an issue in the general population, and these new resources look at how and what maths is embedded across these areas of work and what critical maths knowledge and skills underpin being able to work effectively and safely in these areas. The resources include a set of snapshots spread across the industry areas that illustrate the range and types of maths used, and how these map to the ACSF. Based on the snapshots, the associated teacher guides analyse and describe the underpinning knowledge, skills and strategies needed to enter these workforces, including the problem-solving skills and the underpinning language, literacy and maths skills. The required maths skills are then either linked to existing numeracy teaching and learning materials, or provide new materials, that teachers can use to work with their learners to help bridge the numeracy gaps many adults have.
In this, the first webinar of two, Tina and Dave will share with participants what they discovered in their analysis of workplace practices of the case-studies based on some sample industry materials and texts. They will then run through how the resource is constructed, what the key messages are, and how it can be used with learners. This first webinar looks at examples from across some care and support industries.

Stay tuned for the the second webinar of two in the series, on Thursday 5th March. Tina and Dave will share with participants what they discovered in their analysis of workplace practices of a set of case-studies based on sample industry materials and texts from manufacturing, construction and landscaping industries. This is based on two new workplace numeracy resources that have been recently developed for Learn Locals to use to support learners who are interested in working in different industries where the numeracy and maths demands are quite substantial and require a minimum of Level 3 or above.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Valbec PL Forums Team

Who: Tina Berghella and Dave Tout
When: Tuesday, 11th February, 2026, 5.30-6.30 pm AEST
Where: Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free; non-Members $10 payable online

Registration : https://valbec.org.au/event-6522879

Tina Berghella is the Director of Oggi Consulting, a business established in 1998 to provide high-quality vocational education and training consulting services. She has a background in manufacturing and project management and is an experienced VET researcher. Tina has worked on a range of LLN projects, including the recent CGEA review, and has a particular interest in workplace numeracy. Her numeracy-related publications include Numeracy by Measure, Numeracy in Focus, Numeracy in Practice, and the NCVER report Seeking the N in LLN.

Dave Tout is an experienced adult and youth LLN educator with a strong passion for making mathematics relevant, engaging and enjoyable for all learners. He is recognised as one of Australia’s leading numeracy educator with a strong passion for making mathematics relevant, engaging and enjoyable for all learners. He is recognised as one of Australia’s leading numeracy specialists, with over 50 years’ experience working across schools, TAFEs, community providers, universities, national education bodies and workplaces.


Valbec acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government.