1. 1 NALA Conference 21 st September 2015 Dr. John Sweeney Investing in Adult Basic Education

2. 2 The ‘returns’ to Adult Basic Education A third level society and becoming more so

3. 3 But keep it quiet!

4. 4 Four main observations 1.There is muted interest in the ‘returns’ to Adult Basic Education, and there few clear sightlines 2.Those in need of ABE are relatively invisible, and no ‘secular trend’ is going to do away with their presence 3.Their needs are not being picked up on effectively 4.Successful interventions on their behalf are rare

5. 5 Few clear sightlines Clear evidence of social returns Clear evidence that participation improves proficiency when it changes practices Evidence of economic returns for young cohorts, returns from mid-life learning ‘much less certain’ Hanushek, E.A. et al (2013), “Returns to skills around the world: evidence from PIAAC”, OECD Economics Department Working Paper No. 16 Windisch, H.C. (2015) “Adults with low literacy and numeracy skills: a literature review on policy intervention”, OECD Education Working Paper No. 123

6. 6 Will the challenge fade with time?

8. Are policies rising to the challenge?

9. ‘For programmes delivering basic skills to adults to be successful, they need to: (i) motivate adults to take part; (ii) convey basic skills effectively; (iii) encourage adults to persist in the programme; and (iv) the basic skills acquired need to be sustained through use, and put to good use in good jobs. ‘ Windisch (2015: 8). Are there enough programmes adequate to the challenge?

10. 10 Motivation Convey basic skills effectively Complete programme Use skills and not lose them Negative perception of education Lack of awareness of benefits (not informed) Lack of belief in benefits (‘not for me’) Embarrassment CPD of instructors/ teachers Individually tailored arrangements Formative assessment (for learning not of learning) Busy lives (hard to make time) Barriers to participation (childcare, transport, etc.) Poor course selection (few in networks to inform, support) Return to environments where skills atrophy from non-use ‘Low skills equilibria’ (frequently regional). For employers and workers, no incentive to upskill