1. www.alan-wells.com Current Issues in UK Literacy

2. Where are we now?  A  A changing and challenging world.  Different  Different cultures.  Long  Long Tail of our Education System.  Too  Too many ‘excluded’.  A  A confused qualifications system.  Too  Too much spin not enough objective facts.

3. www.alan-wells.com Myths  Millions  Millions leave primary schools illiterate. leave secondary schools illiterate. of adults are illiterate.  Qualifications  Qualifications = Knowledge = Skills.

4. www.alan-wells.com Scale of Need

5. www.alan-wells.com Other Countries

6. www.alan-wells.com Minimum Levels of Basic Skills

7. www.alan-wells.com Self Assessment

8. www.alan-wells.com Literacy and Education Level

9. www.alan-wells.com Confused?  ‘1.4  ‘1.4 million learners that have ‘now achieved a first nationally recognised qualification in literacy and numeracy’. [Nov 2006]  ‘1,619,000  ‘1,619,000 learners that have gained a Skills for Life qualification for the first time.’ [Feb 2007]  ‘2,221,900  ‘2,221,900 learning aims achieved between 2000 and 2006.’ [April 2007]  ‘1,759,000  ‘1,759,000 adults have now improved their skills and gained a qualification via the Skills for Life strategy’. [July 2007]

10. www.alan-wells.com What to do?  Re-consider  Re-consider the target for Skills for Life?  Use  Use population surveys to assess progress.  Focus  Focus on those with poorest basic skills.  Review  Review equivalence.  Independent  Independent verification of statistics.

11. www.alan-wells.com Current Issues in UK Literacy