This document discusses pre-course assessments and their impact on assessment for vocational education and training (VET) courses. It notes that introducing minimum prerequisites for literacy and numeracy can help ensure students are prepared for higher-level VET courses. The document also discusses an audit by the regulator ASQA that found assessors often struggled to meet standards due to poorly developed assessment tools. Three experienced writers were tasked with independently developing assessment resources but all were found to be non-compliant, likely due to a lack of diversity in their tools. Pre-course assessments are important to determine a learner's current skills and the support needed to reach the required course levels. Assessment should be at the correct skill level outlined in training packages.

1. How do Pre- Course
Assessments
Impact on Assessment?

2. Changes to Vet FEE and Pre-Course
Assessments
https://ministers.education.gov.au/hartsuyker/vet-fee-help-bill-push-
dodgy-providers-out-market
Introducing minimum pre-requisites such as literacy and numeracy to
ensure students can complete the higher level VET courses (diploma
level and above) for which VET FEE-HELP is available;

3. www.quickmeme.com

4. •Strengthening Assessment in the TAE Training Package
October 2015
ASQA has recently collected evidence, through strategic
audits in Early Childhood Education and in Aged Care as
well as through other audits that assessors struggle with
meeting the regulator’s standards. The ASQA audits
found that one of the main reasons for non-compliance in
relation to assessment is poorly developed assessment
tools that did not ensure that the requirements of a unit
would be met. p3

5. Assessment Tools… ASQA and Service Skills...

6. www.pinterest.com

7. Business
Assessment
Tasks Resource
Writer 1
Agri-foods
Assessment
Tasks Resource
Writer 2
Hospitality
Assessment
Tasks Resource
Writer 3
1 Auditor

8. Results? All Non -Compliant
What did the experienced Resource
Writers independently provide?
Training and Assessment Strategy
(TAS)
 Pre- Course Assessment and justification
 Evidence of industry input
 Tailored to the cohort
 Mapped all units to formative ( observation, activities, practice tasks) and
summative ( final project/portfolio, practical/simulated activity, third party report)
Assessor Guide with mapping of each
component of each unit to the assessment tasks, the
practical activity and with benchmark responses
especially either the Critical Aspects or the
Assessment Conditions
• So……
Standard 1.1 : The RTO’s training and assessment strategies and
practices, including volume of learning, are consistent with the
requirements of training packages …….
Standard 1.5 : The RTO’s training and assessment practices are relevant
to the needs of industry and informed by industry engagement.
Standard 8: The RTO implements an assessment system that ensures
that assessment (including Recognition of Prior Learning):
a) complies with the assessment requirements of the relevant
training package or VET accredited course;
b) is conducted in accordance with the Principles of Assessment
………and the Rules of Evidence ………………….
Why were they non-compliant??

9. Lack of diversity!
www.pinterest.com

10. Pre- Course assessments
provide…
• A current profile of the LLN skills the learner has prior to entering the course
• A decision to determine how much support the learner will require, what the
RTO can provide and how that support will be managed to be part of the overall
training

11. If the ACSF levels for the Certificate II in Retail
are a minimum of ….
• Learning 3
• Reading 3
• Writing 3
• Numeracy 2
• Oral Communication 3
For example….
Because the learner will need to
• be adaptable to deal with the public
• read stock sheets, advertising
• write customer details
• operate a register
• speak with a range of people from all
backgrounds, ages and needs
The aim of the assessor is to take the learner from their profile level (if needed) to the skills at this
level by the end of the course

12. Pre- Assessment – focus on Reading & Writing
You pre-assess a learner and you ask them to do this..
How would you respond to a customer’s inquiry about a product that your store has sold
out of, in an email in a professional and courteous tone”
And they respond with this..
“No their arnet any left”

13. What ACSF level might they be?
“No their arnet any left”
1.05 Conveys a simple idea, opinion, factual information or message
in writing
1.06 Displays limited vocabulary, grammatical accuracy and
understanding of conventions of written text
2.03 Identifies and interprets relevant information and ideas from
texts on familiar topics
2.04 Uses a number of reading strategies to identify and interpret
relevant information within familiar text types
How would you respond to a customer’s inquiry about a
product that your store has sold out of, in an email in a
professional and courteous tone”

14. The Profile of their skills…and support needed..
Writing Level 1
• Spelling errors
• Grammatical errors
• No genre
• Simple vocabulary
• Factual
Reading Level 2
• Read the simplest language
• Understands the task
• Does not understand the meaning of
complex language
Level 1 and 2 writing and reading tasks in the retail
field
 Practice tasks such as
• Build a workplace language base
• Fill in forms that are commonly used
• Respond to text messages
• Make notes or lists
 One on one and small group work
 Resources that are at the required level

15. The Profile of their skills…and support needed..
Writing Level 2
• Straightforward vocabulary
• Simple grammar
• Sentence structure
• Factual and opinion
Reading Level 3
• Interpret language
• Understand the purpose of the task
Level 2 and 3 writing and reading tasks in the retail
field
 Practice tasks such as
• Read the front page articles in the local paper and explaining the main
points
• Read the same news item on different newspaper sites and explain the
differences
• Read forms that provide a number of pieces of information
• Reading short reports on specific issues and commenting
• Interpreting information that has a range of items included
• Write a review online
• Write a response or opinion on local issue
• Add a comment about a product or event in the internet
• Complete a form that requires an explanation
• Complete a report form
 Group work
 Resources that are at the next level

16. The Profile of their skills…and support needed..
Writing Level 3
• Range of vocabulary
• A number of grammatical styles
• Extended sentence structure
• Justified opinion
Reading Level 3
• Interpret language
• Understand the purpose of the task
Level 2 and 3 writing and reading tasks in the retail
field
 Practice tasks such as
• Read the front page articles in the local paper and explaining the main
points
• Read the same news item on different newspaper sites and explain the
differences
• Read forms that provide a number of pieces of information
• Reading short reports on specific issues and commenting
• Interpreting information that has a range of items included
• Write an article
• Write a response or opinion on local issue using references
• Complete a form that requires a detailed explanation
 Group and self-directed work
 Resources that are at the higher level

17. So from this development …

18. To this development …

19. Then this development …

20. Post- Training
They will be able to respond like this as they gain the qualification …………………
Task : How would you respond to a customer’s inquiry about a product that your store has sold out of, in an email in a professional
and courteous tone”
Response:
Dear Customer
At this stage we have no products left however if you are looking for something similar perhaps we can provide you with an
alternative
Kind regards
Learner
3.03 Evaluates and integrates information and ideas to construct meaning from a range of familiar, and some unfamiliar,
texts and text types
3.04 Selects and applies a range of reading strategies as appropriate to purpose and text type
3.05 Communicates relationships between ideas and information in a style appropriate to audience and purpose
3.06 Selects vocabulary, grammatical structures and conventions appropriate to the text

21. martinfreemanisnotahedgehog.blogspot.com

22. But what about the assessment?
If your assessment is at the correct ACSF level as
required by the Training Package then you do NOT need
a separate LLN or Post Assessment!
Your TAS would reflect that you have identified the Foundation
Skills for your qualifications

23. TAS recorded the
minimum levels for a
GRADUATE of this
qualification
Name of RTO
RTO Management
Code
Title of
qualification
Version
SIR20212
Certificate II in Retail
1
Foundation Skills
Australian Core Skills
Framework ACSF (LLN)
Core Skills for Work
(CSfW)
Minimum level ACSF Level 3 for Learning, Reading, Writing
and Oral Communication; Level 2 for Numeracy
Advanced Beginner
• Has some practical experience of the Skill Area and is
beginning to recognise patterns (e.g. routines, regular
responses, links and connections) that help understanding
and influence action.
• Is still reliant on explicit ‘rules’ and on assistance to identify
priorities, but can apply these more autonomously in
familiar, routine situations

24. The justification for that acceptance of the
learner below that level?
Pre-Training
Assessment
A Pre-Training Assessment is conducted with enrolment to determine the Foundation
Skills of the learner in relation to the requirements of the course.
It is expected that the learner will gain the requisite Foundation Skills during the
course delivery so a learner with ACSF levels of 1-2 and CSfW Novice will be accepted
into the course.
(SRTO 2015 - Standard 1.The RTO’s training and assessment strategies and practices
are responsive to industry and learner needs and meet the requirements of Training
Packages and VET Accredited Courses & Standard 5: Each learner is properly informed
and protected)

25. www.pinterest.com

26. SIRXCOM101 - Communicate in the workplace to
support team and customer outcomes
Critical Aspects - Evidence of the following is
essential:
Learning & Oral Communication
. provides a welcoming environment by treating customers in a
courteous and helpful manner
Oral Communication
.uses effective questioning and active listening techniques to
communicate with customers, while maintaining an awareness of
the need for discretion, tact and confidentiality
Oral Communication & Writing
. interprets and communicates information to customers,
supervisors and peers both face-to-face and via other electronic
communication equipment
Reading & Numeracy
. accesses, comprehends and processes information according to
store policy and procedures
Oral Communication, Numeracy & Learning
• follows routine instructions and seeks advice and assistance if
required
• participates actively and positively within a workplace team.
SIR10112- Certificate I in Retail Services
SIR20112- Certificate II in Community Pharmacy
SIR20312- Certificate II in Retail Fast Food
SIR20212- Certificate II in Retail Services
SIR30112- Certificate III in Community Pharmacy
SIR30212- Certificate III in Retail Operations

27. SIRXCOM101 - Communicate in the workplace to
support team and customer outcomes
Critical Aspects - Evidence of the following is
essential:
Learning & Oral Communication
. provides a welcoming environment by treating customers in a
courteous and helpful manner
Oral Communication
.uses effective questioning and active listening techniques to
communicate with customers, while maintaining an awareness of
the need for discretion, tact and confidentiality
Oral Communication & Writing
. interprets and communicates information to customers,
supervisors and peers both face-to-face and via other electronic
communication equipment
Reading & Numeracy
. accesses, comprehends and processes information according to
store policy and procedures
Oral Communication, Numeracy & Learning
• follows routine instructions and seeks advice and assistance if
required
• participates actively and positively within a workplace team.

28. Critical Evidence of……. interprets and communicates information to customers,
supervisors and peers both face-to-face and via other electronic communication equipment
LLN Skills
Reading 3
• Interprets information in a
range of formats that has been
produced using familiar
software programs, e.g. memos,
instant messages, reports,
spreadsheets or data
presentations
Oral Communication & Writing 3
• . interprets and communicates
information to customers,
supervisors and peers both
face-to-face and via other
electronic communication
equipment
Assessment Task

30. blog.wiser.com

31. Assessment & LLN
Assessment Tools, methods and
instructions
At the ACSF level required by the
unit/qualification
Through the use of the scenarios and material, this resource will:
• help you identify a unit’s key core skill demands and learner core skill support needs
• provide you with a range of delivery tools and training strategies.
Supporting learners needs you to understand the vocational skills of the session you are planning.
It also needs you to have factored the language, literacy and numeracy—or core skill—demands of
the unit you are delivering into your planning and teaching.
https://www.serviceskills.com.au/foundation-skills

32. https://www.serviceskills.com.au/sites/default/files/files/Resources/Foundation%20Skills/Designing
assessment-tools-for-quality-outcomes-in-VET.pdf

33. Other Assessment tools based on Industry
requirements
http://www.industry.gov.au/skills/ForTrainingProviders/Docum
ents/Retail_Training_Guide.pdf

34. Observation and
simulated situation

35. Numeracy and
Reading

36. www.dailywritingtips.com