2013
July
NCALNE Lite: Now free on Pathways Awarua

Alec
The new NCALNE Lite programme by ALEC is now available free on www.PathwaysAwarua.com. This interactive online professional development pathway is for tutors and trainers delivering trades or vocational training at levels 1 - 3 on the NZQA framework.
For tutors: this is the way that you will significantly shift your professional practice towards a practical approach to embedding literacy and numeracy.
For managers: this is the way you can effectively implement the national infrastructure that we now have in place for literacy and numeracy.... More»»
How do I access NCALNE Lite on Pathways Awarua?

Alec
Do you deliver trades or vocational training at levels 1 – 3? If you do, then literacy and numeracy are your core business. And you need to make sure that your team have a clear understanding of how to embed literacy and numeracy.
Pathways Awarua and ALEC have teamed up to write write a series of online interactive modules for educators that go together with the NCALNE (Voc) training on how to embed literacy and numeracy into trades and vocational training.
This online training is now free and available as part of the Pathways Awarua suite of learning and teaching tools. These modules make up what we call the baseline skills and knowledge for embedding literacy and numeracy.... More»»
Have you visited Graeme's Blog?

Alec
Graeme Smith from ALEC has a great blog. You should really check it out... All the latest on literacy, numeracy, NCALNE (Voc) and the business of literacy and numeracy professional development plus a whole lot more. Check out the blog for Graeme's latest thoughts on niche education, cool technology, and killer design. Watch this space for new projects coming your way. ... More»»
2012
Free Online Assessment

Alec
If you already have the skills, knowledge, and evidence to prove it, you could gain the National Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Vocational/Workplace) quickly. We are offering a free online assessment to determine whether our FastTrack process is for you... More»»
June
Diploma in Adult Literacy & Numeracy Education (DipALNE)

Alec
You can help us by completing a very brief surveyWe're in the process of setting up our online National Diploma in Adult Literacy & Numeracy Education (NDipALNE). This is a level 6, 120 credit national diploma.
You can help by completing this brief survey. ... More»»
May
NCALNE (Voc) Fast Track

Alec
If you already embed literacy and numeracy into your training or know how to do this we can offer a faster way through the NCALNE (Voc) qualification. If you think you can put together a portfolio of evidence for all or most aspects of the NCALNE (Voc), our FastTrack programme might be the one for you.... More»»
March
Web Vocab Profiler

Alec
Here's a great tool if you want to get an idea of how readable or comprehensible a text is. You can also use it to help you create a text that is more readable. ... More»»
Literacy and Numeracy for Adults

Alec
Don't forget to support our friends at the National Centre for Literacy and Numeracy for Adults. As part of the work to lift the skills of New Zealanders...... More»»
Pathways Awarua

Alec
If you do training in New Zealand you need to have a look at Pathways Awarua... More»»
2011
May
Changes to ALEC website

Alec
Just in case you were wondering what was going on: We are making a few changes to the ALEC website. This is in response to your requests and also the fact that the site has been up for long enough now that we know what information you need to find. W... More»»
March
Welcome to NCALNE (Voc) Training for 2011

Alec
We've got an exciting year of training planned and we're looking forward to working with you if your organsation has signed up for the NCALNE (Voc) with ALEC. Last year we were very fortunate to work with a diverse range of people and providers from... More»»
2010
October
Local MP Louise Upston Visits ALEC HQ

Alec
The SMART team at ALEC HQ were very pleased to host local MP Louise Upston recently at our premises in Taupo. Louise met with learners and tutors Shane Wareham and Karen Sears to discuss ALEC's local Taupo SMART programme which includes digital liter... More»»
September
Shane Wareham - Exceptionally SMART Tutor

Alec
2010 Adult Learner Week Awards: Shane Wareham of Adult Literacy Education & Consulting (ALEC) and the SMART Learning Café picked up the Oustanding Adult Educator Award last week at the REAP Adult Learner Week celebrations. The award, which was prese... More»»
Ma & Pa Kettle Maths

Alec
As requested... Sometimes we use this clip from Youtube when we are talking about maths and numeracy. It's an oldie but a goodie... Here it is for easy access in case you want to use it yourself. Enjoy.... More»»
Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness a

Alec
This book by by Hal Abelson, Ken Ledeen, and Harry Lewis falls towards the glass is half empty side of the argument about the influence of technology on our lives. If you’re concerned about the negative effects of the new digital landscape then this... More»»
August
NZQA Highly Confident - ALEC

Alec
Following our recent External Evaluation and Review (EER) We are very pleased to announce that NZQA has rated ALEC:
Highly Confident in educational performance
Highly Confident in capability... More»»
Get SMART... Park it at ALEC HQ

Alec
At ALEC we have invested a huge amount of energy into our brand and we'll take every opportunity to promote it. We believe that we've created the strongest brand in the adult literacy and numeracy education sector. Th... More»»
July
Digital Literacy with the ICDL

Alec
Digital Literacy
If you want to get smart and work smarter you need to focus on your digital literacy. This is the literacy that you need to be able to use a computer, surf the internet, and understand some of the basic software applications. Digit... More»»
Digital Literacy with e-Citizen

Digital Literacy with e-Citizen
If you want to participate in the information society and you don't know how then you need to work on your digital literacy skills. If you have never used a computer before or used the internet to search for informati... More»»
ALPA Conference 2010

ALPA Conference 2010
Walking the talk - theory into practice. Register now for the ALPA conference 2010. If you are involved in adult literacy and numeracy education in any way ALPA needs your support. Thursday 29th July - Saturday 31st July. Click... More»»
June
Regent of Rotorua

Alec
The Regent of Rotorua... Why would anyone ever stay anywhere else?
If you need to stay in Rotorua you should stay at the Regent... Darryn and Brent and team - a sincere thank you from the Smith whanau for accommodating us on an ever changing schedul... More»»
Motion Leadership: What's the Skinny...?

Alec
Motion Leadership: The Skinny on Becoming Change Savvy. This is actually a skinny book... Michael Fullan - the author - is a Canadian expert in educational reform, and in this short book (A5 size and about 85 pages) he sets out the '... More»»
SMART by ALEC - Watch this space

Alec
Design by Simon... Web by Fred... Course by Shane and Graeme... Funding by TEC... What else is there to say? SMART by ALEC. It's taken a while to regroup, but we're about to launch our totally revamped Intensive Literacy and Numeracy (ILN) programme.... More»»
May
You are not a gadget: A manifesto

Alec
A Manifesto
Who and what?
Jaron Lanier is my new guru... He thinks that I'm not a gadget and this book - which is his first - is a rant against the negative effects of technology including the internet. Lanier argues that it's ultimately people t... More»»
NZ budget 2010 nothing about literacy & numeracy

Alec
NZ Budget 2010 has nothing to say about literacy and numeracy
The latest budget does not address literacy and numeracy
If you google "NZ budget 2010 literacy numeracy" today you'll get basically nothing. The short story is that the 2010 budget for... More»»
Te Marae

Alec
Te Marae - A Guide to Customs and Protocol
Who and what?
This short book by Hiwi and Pat Tauroa is an excellent introduction and summary of what happens on the marae including the various stages that visitors are led through during the powhiri... More»»
ALEC HQ - Breaking News...

Alec
ALEC HQ - Breaking News...
We finally have an official home
Yes, it's very exciting... ALEC has leased premises in Taupo that will become our official head quarters and base of operations. Since we started operating in 2007 ALEC has been a kind of... More»»
NCALE Survey - Can You Help?

Alec
NCALE Survey - Can You Help?
What is the value of the NCALE qualification?
The Adult Literacy Practitioners' Association (ALPA) are sometimes asked about the value tutors and trainers have gained from undertaking the NCALE qualification and trainin... More»»
April
Being Pakeha Now

Graeme Smith
Being Pakeha Now - Reflections and Recollections of a White Native by Michael King. Having just finished this book I now find it quite amazing that up until a few years ago I had no real conception of who Michael King is - or rather was, given his un... More»»
New Level 6 ALEC Accreditation

New Level 6 Accreditation for Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (ALNE). Alec's latest NZQA accreditation results are now in place. We are very pleased to announce that we now have accreditation for the entire domain of Adult Literacy and Numeracy... More»»
Resource Consent Approved for Alec's new HQ

Graeme Smith
Resource Consent Approved for Alec's new HQ in Taupo. Talk about compliance and bureaucracy... We've just been granted Resource Consent to develop a building on the edge of the Taupo central business district. This new development means a home for ou... More»»
Literacy skills and Qualifications Link

The Ministry of Education has released two short papers covering the labour market outcomes of skills and qualifications and reports on the transition. Labour market outcomes of skills and qualifications
This paper looks at the employment and income... More»»
March
ALEC Website Goes Live

ALEC
Yes, folks... The new Alec website is going live on 1 April, 2010. That's right... Alec's website - designed by Simon at Momento and created by FRED in Taupo is finally going live. It's taken some time, but we're really happy with the result. Take... More»»
TEC release new LN National Assessment Tool

Alec
According to their website, the TEC's new literacy and numeracy for adults national assessment tool went live this month on March 15. Probably the most important thing from an organisational point of view is that you have your access set up for this... More»»
Grown Up Digital

This book deals with the realities of what it means to have grown up as a digital native in the 21st century. There's a great chapter on education as well as the net generation in the workforce. Anyone in education should read Tapscott's outline of s... More»»
February
Superfreakanomics

This is the brilliant sequel to the bestselling phenomenon Freaknomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner which we'll review at some stage as well. Basically, this is a book about numeracy. At least, that's how I've read it... It was my numera... More»»