Train your trainers and assessors on LLN skills
As a vocational education and training (VET) provider, it is important to ensure that your trainers and assessors have the language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills required to effectively teach students. This includes being able to read and write at an appropriate level, understand and use mathematical concepts, and communicate clearly.
If your trainers and assessors don't have strong LLN skills, it can impact negatively their ability to teach effectively. This in turn can lead to poor student outcomes and a high rate of attrition. Good LLN skills are especially important when teaching students who may have difficulty understanding complex material.
Good LLN skills enable trainers and assessors to:
- effectively communicate with students
- understand and convey course content
- provide clear and concise instructions
- assess student progress and achievement accurately.
Without good LLN skills, trainers and assessors may struggle to fulfil their roles effectively. This can lead to frustration for both the trainer/assessor and the students, as well as decreased motivation and engagement in learning. In some cases, it can even result in students failing to complete their courses or achieving lower grades than they otherwise might have done.
There are a number of ways to train your trainers and assessors on LLN skills. You could:
Offer in-house training on LLN skills
Provide them with ongoing training and development opportunities on LLN skills. This could include workshops, webinars or eLearning modules. This will give them the opportunity to brush up on their existing skills and learn new techniques for teaching effectively.
Conduct regular assessments of their LLN skills. This could be done through tests or observations.
This will help you to identify any areas where they need improvement and put in place strategies to address these.
Provide external training for your trainers and assessors on LLN skills
Use different types of resources
Make sure that your trainers and assessors are comfortable using different types of resources, such as texts, videos and visuals. This will help them to more easily explain concepts to their students.
Use online resources to train your trainers and assessors on LLN skills.
One-on-one coaching or mentoring
Encourage your trainers and assessors to seek help from LLN specialists if they need it. This could be in the form of one-on-one coaching or mentoring.
Finally, it is important to create a learning environment that is supportive of LLN needs. This means ensuring that materials and resources are accessible and that learners are given the opportunity to practice their skills in a safe and supportive setting.
It is also important to assess the LLN skills of your trainers and assessors on an ongoing basis. This will ensure that they are able to effectively teach students and meet the needs of the VET sector.
Overall, having strong LLN skills can make a big difference in terms of how effective a trainer or assessor is in their role. Therefore, it is important for those working in the education and training sector to make sure that they have the necessary language, literacy and numeracy skills to be able to do their job properly. There are a number of ways in which this can be achieved, such as undertaking formal qualifications or taking part in professional development courses. However, perhaps the most important thing is simply to be aware of the importance of LLN skills and to make a conscious effort to improve these skills on an ongoing basis.
By having strong LLN skills, trainers and assessors can play a vital role in ensuring that students receive the best possible education and training. This, in turn, can lead to better outcomes for both individuals and businesses, as students are more likely to achieve their goals and reach their potential if they receive high-quality instruction from those who are able to communicate effectively. Therefore, it is clear that there are many advantages to be gained from having strong language, literacy and numeracy skills as a trainer or assessor. So if you want to enhance your career in education and training, make sure you focus on honing your LLN skills. It could make all the difference to your students – and to your own success.
