Starting Points: supporting the Learning Progressions – LNAAT

Starting Points: supporting the Learning Progressions – LNAAT

Last updated 14 May 2026
Last updated 14 May 2026

This page introduces the key Starting Points resources that sit alongside the Learning Progressions for Adult Literacy. 

It helps you support adults working below step 1 by outlining the early knowledge, skills, and understandings needed to begin learning to read and write. It provides practical guidance on how to assess and support these learners effectively.

Starting Points: Supporting the Learning Progressions for Adult Literacy

This document was developed to complement and support the adult literacy Learning Progressions. Starting Points describes the initial knowledge, skills and understanding required for adults to begin learning to read and write.

Starting Points: Supporting the Learning Progressions for Adult Literacy (PDF 2.8 MB)

Starting Points Assessment Guide

This guide has been developed to support the document above. It provides suggestions for assessing adults who are operating below the steps described in the Learning Progressions for Adult Literacy.

Some of these adults may be learning English as a second or other language. Although parts of this guide may be useful for assessing these learners, depending on their particular profile, we suggest that, in the first instance, you refer to the English Language Partners New Zealand website.

Starting Points Assessment Guide (PDF 1 MB)