Literacy & Basic Skills as a Foundation for Lifelong Learning UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) 8 September

Outline 1.Global literacy challenge 2.Current trends: Lifelong learning and literacy in the 21st century 3.Literacy as a continuum: Implications and challenges 4. Literacy within the perspective of LLL

1) The global literacy challenge (UIS data from 2012) Estimates based on traditional methods: 781million adults lacked literacy skills 61 million children out of school 120 million children do not reach grade million children in school but failing to learn the basics Direct assessment in high income countries: Around 160 million (1 out of 5) adults have very poor literacy skills – even though they complete compulsory schooling PIAAC results in 22 OECD countries: 4.9%-27.7% lowest level literacy 8.1%-31.7% lowest level numeracy

2) Current trends Literacy as a continuous process of learning Evolving demands require the acquisition of new skills and/ or the development of higher levels of proficiency of existing ones Literacy, language & numeracy are part of a wider concept of key competencies, human resource development and lifelong learning Literacy & numeracy learning is increasingly embedded in other development activities More focus on measurement of learning outcomes (“teaching to the test”) Priority of work place/ employment-related skills

Shift from education to learning (learning-focused and learner- centred) Shift from national and uniform approaches to decentralized, contextualized, community- based and community-owned approaches Shift from «one size fits all» approach to diversified, targeted and personalized approaches Shift from textbook-based approaches to multi-modal (print, ICT, media, etc.) approaches

Findings of the 2nd Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE 2): Rethinking Literacy (2013) There is still no common understanding of how to approach literacy as a continuum and a lifelong learning process Coexistence of traditional approach (dichotomy of ‘literate’ and ‘illiterate’) and level-based approach Growing number of practices that treat literacy as a lifelong learning process

2a) Conceptual evolution: What is lifelong learning? In essence, lifelong learning is founded in the integration of learning and living…  covering learning activities for people of all ages (children, young people, adults and elderly, whether girls or boys, women or men)  in all life-wide contexts (family, school, community, workplace and so on) and  through a variety of modalities (formal, non-formal and informal) …that together meet a wide range of learning needs and demands.

ADULTS CHILDREN YOUTH L I F E L O N G

CREATING VALUE INFORMAL NON-FORMAL FORMAL L I F E W I D E

Lifelong learning should address three broad development goals: (1)Personal and cultural development – helping individuals to make sense and meaning of the world and achieve spiritual wealth; (2)Social and community development – enabling individuals to become active citizens and participate fully in society; and (3)Professional development and sustainable employability – equipping individuals to work productively, achieve job satisfaction, material well- being and economic security.

Adulthood Childhood Early Childhood Literacy & communication Learning approaches & cognition Numeracy & mathematics Formal Informal Non-formal Life Phases Learning Domains Modality of Delivery LIFELONG / LIFE-WIDE LEARNING Lifelong + life-wide learning: Adding a 3rd dimension Later life Youth Culture & arts Social & emotional Physical well-being Science & technology

“Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve his or her goals, develop his or her knowledge and potential, and participate fully in community and wider society”. Since 2003, UNESCO proposed the following operational definition of literacy for the purpose of national and international assessment: 2b) Conceptual evolution: Literacy in the 21st century

3) Literacy as a continuum of learning: implications and challenges  The development of reading, writing and numeracy skills involves a continuous process of sustained practising and application  No magic lines to cross from illiteracy to literacy  Progression of proficiency levels from ability to perform most simple tasks towards higher-level, more demanding and complex tasks  No guarantee that people may not lose the skills level already acquired  Evolving demands require the acquisition of new skills, or the development of a higher level of proficiency of existing ones (e.g. ICT skills)

Literacy as a continuum of learning (cont.) The acquisition and development of literacy is an age- independent, continuous and context-bound activity: – before, during and after primary education – in and out of school – through formal, non-formal and informal learning ► a life-wide and lifelong learning process

Implications: Literacy covering the full spectrum of life-wide and lifelong learning, and recognising its multi- dimensional and complex nature, it is necessary to abandon: –traditional dichotomy of literate-illiterate –the aim to „erradicate illiteracy“ –the practice of declaring a country „illiteracy free“

4) Literacy within the perspective of lifelong learning Working towards an enlarged concept of literacy as a continuum and part of lifelong learning Recognising that the achievement of sustainable reading, writing and numeracy skills requires levels of basic education beyond elementary literacy Embedding or integrating literacy and numeracy learning in other activities linked to vocational training, income-generating activities, and development activities in a broader sense Promoting intergenerational and community-based approaches to literacy and learning such as family literacy

Integral approach to policy Literacy for all requires working simultaneously on at least five complementary fronts: 1.Laying strong foundations for later learning and addressing disadvantage through good-quality early childhood care and education programmes. 2.Universal good-quality basic education for all children (in formal or non-formal settings). 3.Scaling up and reaching out with relevant literacy provision to all young people and adults. 4.Developing literacy-rich environments and a literate culture at local and national level. 5.Dealing with the root causes of illiteracy (mainly poverty, societal injustice and all kind of disadvantages) in a deep structural manner.

Source: Lifelong Learning Strategy for the City of Vancouver, page 9