Jack Beetson joined Linda Mottram on ABC’s PM to discuss the Foundation’s Aboriginal literacy program and why low literacy is still an issue in 2018. The interview coincided with the launch of the Foundation’s new public awareness campaign, aiming to draw attention to the issue of low literacy in Aboriginal communities. The campaign was covered...
Continue readingJack Beetson on ABC Speaking Out
Our Executive Director Jack Beetson recently sat down to have a chat with Larissa Behrendt on ABC radio’s Speaking out. The two discussed Literacy for Life’s work lifting rates of Aboriginal literacy and progress towards closing the gap, as well as Jack’s early life and professional career. You can listen to the interview and find out...
Continue readingLiteracy for Life Foundation receives inaugural award from the Australian College of Educators
The Foundation has been awarded the inaugural Cynthia Briggs Empowerment through Education Award for our recent work. See the citation below from the Australian College of Educators. The ‘Yes, I Can!’ Aboriginal adult literacy campaign’, overseen by the Literacy for Life Foundation (www.lflf.org.au), was launched in Wilcannia in February 2012. The campaign uses a...
Continue readingInsight: Reading Between the Lines – Improving Indigenous literacy
SBS’s Insight with Jenny Brockie aired an episode on low literacy levels in Australia. Jack Beetson was a part of the conversation. Insight: Tuesdays at 8:30pm on SBS ONE...
Continue readingLeaps and Bounds in Literacy
Question: What do the following two words have in common? Discourage Cauliflower Answer: They both include all five vowels – a e i o u. If you answered correctly, well done! These two words were brought in to class by one of the students in Intake Two of the Brewarrina First Nations...
Continue readingEducator Jack Beetson on surpassing expectations – Conversations with Richard Fidler
Jack was born into an Aboriginal family in western NSW. At school, he was an outstanding student, but when he wanted to study commerce and history, he was diverted to metal work and social science subjects instead. His teacher told him: ‘Aboriginal kids just don’t do those harder subjects’. Jack rebelled against the school...
Continue readingRead this beautiful short story, a Ngemba man’s first prose at 56 years old
NITV published an article on one of our participants, Liam Henry Bloomfield, here is his story: Our River, by Liam Henry Bloomfield The river was the lifeblood of our town called Brewarrina. The Barwon Darling looked so beautiful in the flood time. The fish traps look so peaceful and lost when no water...
Continue readingCuba exports literacy to Aboriginal communities on AWAYE!
Jack Beetson has worn many hats. Now the Ngemba and Wongaibon educator, philosopher and honorary adjunct professor is working to eradicate illiteracy in Aboriginal communities in New South Wales and he’s been honoured by the Cuban government for utilising teaching methods developed in the early years of the Castro regime. The method known in...
Continue readingYo! Si Puedo (Yes, I Can!) comes to Brewarrina
The University of New England recently published an article about the Literacy for Life Foundation in Brewarrina. Read it here...
Continue readingAboriginal literacy program flourishes
Adult Learning Australia recently published an article on the Literacy for Life Foundation. Read it here...
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