Vineyard Worker
Literacy and Numeracy Summary
Vineyard Worker
Literacy and Numeracy Profile Summary
Many adults in New Zealand would benefit from gaining better reading, writing and maths skills to function productively at work and at home. Every industry is striving to help in achieving this goal and as part of this effort the NZHITO, in association with our main funding body the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), have been working on a Literacy and Numeracy (LN) project. Our ultimate aim is to increase individuals’ literacy and numeracy skills in order to make workplaces safer and more productive, as well as to ensure learners have the skills to succeed in their everyday lives. As part of this project we have completed a Literacy and Numeracy profile for the Vineyard Worker industry trainees. The profile:
· Gives those working with trainees an understanding of the skill levels required by their goal occupations, which can be compared with TEC Assessment Tool reports of trainees’ levels of ability.
· Gives trainers some guidelines for embedding the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills along with vineyard working vocational skills and knowledge.
Read with understanding – Step 3
· Texts read in the course of everyday employment average step 2 on the Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions.
· However, vineyard workers need to read a range of texts and some complex texts (e.g. agrichemical manuals) are used from time to time. For this reason, the use of these specific texts should be incorporated in training.
· Decoding is the most consistently higher-ranking reading skill needed.
Documents at step 3 would include: some general workplace forms, a spray diary, some simple equipment manuals etc.
Write to communicate – Step 2
· A vineyard worker only needs basic writing skills for everyday tasks.
· Forms requiring detailed descriptions (e.g. injury and incident form) involve greater consideration of purpose and audience (step 4-5), but are needed infrequently.
Tasks at step 2 would include: general workplace forms, timesheets or spray diaries etc.
Listen with understanding and speak to communicate – Step 4
· Vineyard workers need adequate communication skills in order to work safely and efficiently.
Listening and speaking tasks at step 4 would include: Communicating with other vineyard staff members or machinery operators etc.
Numeracy – Step 6
· Vineyard workers need very good number knowledge and number strategies.
· Proficient measurement skills are important.
Tasks using numeracy at step 6 on the Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions include: spraying, timesheet completion or measuring out land for further planting and development etc.
For full details of the learning progressions please refer to: www.literacyandnumeracyforadults.com
