Literacy, language and numeracy skills provide the essential base for building a competitive, highly-skilled and productive workforce.
In addition to the many economic benefits of higher literacy, language and numeracy skills, social benefits include improved health, housing and community participation. Intergenerational impacts include more active involvement by parents with higher literacy and numeracy levels in their children’s education.
Action Plan for 2008-2012
The Literacy, Language and Numeracy Action Plan for 2008-2012 (PDF, 319 Kb) outlines the government’s response to the literacy, language and numeracy area for action within the Skills Strategy launched on 22 July 2008 . The Action Plan provides details of the steps that will be taken to raise the literacy and numeracy skills of the workforce.
The Action Plan is only available in electronic format.
Adult Literacy Educator Grants
The purpose of Adult Literacy Educator Grants (ALEG) funding is to build the capability of educators/trainers to effectively teach adult literacy and numeracy by assisting them to access and complete qualifications.
Organisations receiving TEC funding for adult literacy educator qualifications must demonstrate that the funded qualification:
- provides tutors with the capability to teach adults literacy and numeracy
- provides tutors with the capability to target those learners with the lowest levels of literacy and numeracy
- recognises the diverse contexts in which tutors are operating to raise adults' literacy and numeracy skills
- draws on New Zealand frameworks and materials (such as Learning Progressions for Adult Literacy and Numeracy)
- draws on international and New Zealand research evidence on effective practice
- provides good pathways between other qualifications, and
- contributes to the network of provision.
From 2010 the revised purchasing framework takes a strategic focus to continue funding providers not receiving Student Achievement Component (SAC) funding for the qualifications.
Some ALEG funding is available to further subsidise higher level qualifications (level 6 and above) at a rate determined by the TEC depending on the specific qualification.
Only TEOs which are not eligible for SAC funding and which received ALEG funding in 2009 are eligible for ALEG funding from 2010 for the NCALE qualifications.
All new students from 2010 will need to pay fees (as set by individual TEOs).
Students who enrolled in 2009 and earlier are covered by the previous funding allocations which were for the whole qualification as long as it was completed within the required timeframe (not including any repeated study).
Also see information on Adult Literacy Educator Grants for 2009.
Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey
New Zealand is participating in the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALL). ALL measures the prose literacy, document literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills of a representative sample of respondents aged 16-65 from participating countries. ALL builds on the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) which was undertaken in 24 countries-including New Zealand-in 1996.
Adult Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Tool
The TEC is developing an Adult Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Tool (the assessment tool) based on the Learning Progressions.
The assessment tool is primarily designed to help educators to identify the strengths and weaknesses of learners’ literacy and numeracy skills. This will help educators develop programmes for learners that match their needs and strengthen their literacy and numeracy skills.
Foundation Learning Pool
Foundation Learning Pool funding is available for programmes that build fluency and independence for adults as they apply language, literacy and numeracy skills in real life situations, including in education and workplace training.
Foundation Learning Pool - literacy and numeracy funding for 2010.
Information on conditions and requirements for approved projects.
Foundation Learning Pool - addtional funding round 2009
Learning Progressions
The Learning Progressions are a guide that can help you identify the next learning steps adult students need to take in order to strengthen their expertise in numeracy, literacy and language.
Publications
Literacy, Language and Numeracy publications.
Success stories
Read about how Auckland's Viscount Plastics have benefited from investing in workplace literacy training.
Workplace Literacy
Workplace Literacy funding is available for literacy, language and numeracy training integrated with vocational/workplace training to help workers meet their employment and training needs.