Programme in action
"Literacy is important to us and important to industry"
Richard Handley, Chief Executive of Western Institute of Technology Taranaki (WITT), firmly believes that addressing literacy and numeracy for adults is important for tertiary education institutions and also for industry, particularly in smaller regional communities.
The team heading up embedded literacy and numeracy at WITT, led by Erica O'Riordan and Jan Brown (pictured), has been active in reaching the over 50 staff teaching programmes and courses at levels 1-3 and now programmes at higher levels are also using embedded processes and techniques.
The team runs sustained internal 'clusters' of professional development in the detailed 'nitty gritty' implementation of embedded literacy and numeracy and flexible support is also provided to individuals on an as-is where-is basis. The staff development and flexible learning facilitators are also enrolled to assist.
This has built up a substantial organisational energy and commitment and tutors are saying that in many cases, the focus on literacy and numeracy has rejuvenated their teaching.
In addition, WITT is taking a leadership role with literacy and numeracy in the wider education community in New Plymouth, with invitation extended to other providers and secondary schools to join in with professional development opportunities. Discussions with local influential employers about the business benefits of addressing workplace literacy issues are also high on the WITT agenda.
Richard has highlighted several keys to the WITT literacy and numeracy success story.
First, a clear mandate for the work from the senior leadership team which means that for example, they actively support the work by "dropping in" on cluster meetings, are available for presentations and encourage staff to present at international adult literacy and numeracy conferences. Next, the enthusiastic and highly competent leadership of the literacy and numeracy team and a dedicated teaching staff willing to address the literacy and numeracy challenge. Finally, WITT has the ability to take advantage of the size of the local community and model for the education sector the 'Taranaki can-do' way.