Identifying the LLN skills in a unit of competency
Some Industry Skills Councils have gone through the process of mapping individual units of competency to the ACSF levels. However, any trainer can identify which LLN skills are embedded in a particular competency by reading through the content and analysing it from the perspective of the ACSF.
The link below is an excerpt from a competency with the relevant LLN skills shown in call-out balloons.
MSAENV272B: Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices
You can see that some of the LLN skills embedded in these performance criteria are more obvious than others. Sometimes particular skills are hidden, and only become evident when you think about how that task would be performed. In these instances, you can look for 'trigger words' to help find the skills that apply. The table below shows some examples of trigger words and phrases that tend to indicate particular skills.
| LLN skills | Trigger words |
|---|---|
| Reading | interpret from written documents, follow written procedures |
| Writing | record, complete records, report |
| Oral communication | discuss, explain, report verbally |
| Numeracy | estimate, measure, calculate |
Assigning performance levels to LLN skills
Once you have identified the LLN skills embedded in a competency or job role, you should think about the tasks involved and decide which ones make the highest demands on a learner's LLN skills.
This will allow you to establish the most difficult task for each of the four skills in terms of the LLN performance level required to carry it out competently.
The ACSF document will be your main reference source for determining the performance levels that apply. However, you should still check your decisions with others, such as the learners themselves, their workplace supervisor or another trainer.
The link below will take you to a table showing the most difficult tasks selected from the performance criteria we analysed on the previous page for the unit MSAENV272B, together with their respective ACSF levels.
LLN performance levels for a unit of competency
Determining current performance levels in a group
We talked earlier about the two main types of core skills assessment that can be used to determine the performance levels of learners - diagnostic assessment and indicative assessment.
The link below will take you to a simple example of an indicative assessment that any trainer can carry out with a group of learners prior to delivering a training program. Although it only provides an informal assessment of ACSF levels, it is quick to implement and non-threatening to individual participants.
One of its main advantages is that you can administer it while you're getting to know the learners during an introductory session. You can also update it at any time as you get to know the group better or as the mix of students change.
The indicative 'LLN observation checklist' linked above is loosely based on a template published in the following document on pages 59 to 63 (produced by the Queensland VET Development Centre, 2011):
The Crux of the Matter: Language, Literacy and Numeracy and Vocational Education and Training
Using formal LLN assessment tools
Although the 'LLN observation checklist' shown in the link above is a good starting point for getting a handle on the group's LLN skills, it won't give you the whole picture. It's common for some people to overestimate their abilities, while others may be reluctant to declare any deficits they might have.
Although the 'LLN observation checklist' shown above is a good starting point for getting a handle on the group's LLN skills, it won't give you the whole picture. It's common for some people to overestimate their abilities, while others may be reluctant to declare any deficits they might have.
However, if you think that particular learners may need special assistance right from the outset, you can use an assessment tool in one or more of the LLN skills to identify the levels more precisely among individuals.
For example, in the sample 'LLN observation checklist' above, the trainer has found that several learners will need some degree of support to complete the level 2 Writing exercises, and that one person may require specialist assistance. In these instances when you think you might have to call in a specialist, it's a good idea to use a formal assessment tool for that skill.
If you do decide to take this extra step, make sure you choose an assessment tool that contains industry-specific content and is relevant to the learners. This will let you administer the test as a normal classroom exercise, without having to draw too much attention to its diagnostic purpose.