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Learning for Living Strategy

The Learning for Living Strategy provides the overview for a range of intiatives being undertaken by government agencies to enhance teaching and learning in literacy, numeracy and language for adults.

The first stage of the Strategy involved building the evidence base about what works in foundation learning in order to improve effectiveness. The second phase, starting in 2005, involves expanding the provision of foundation education to new learners, especially those who need it most.

Initiatives in the Learning for Living Strategy, as at 2006

Building the evidence base

A number of pieces of research have been completed to improve the evidence base for foundation learning.

• A clearer picture of adult literacy in New Zealand has been developed, with valuable insights for tertiary and adult education providers, as well as for employers, from research using the 1996 International Adult Literacy Survey and Census data.

• Information on what matters in teaching and learning in foundation education has been provided by a literature review of original research studies, where there was strong evidence that specific aspects of teaching and programmes led to improvements in literacy, numeracy and language skills of learners.

• The nature and extent of literacy, numeracy and language provision in New Zealand has been mapped using reports and data from TEOs.

• Insights into what teachers actually do with their learners in typical programme situations have been provided by an observational study which looked at a cross-section of 15 literacy, numeracy and language teachers.

Exploratory projects

A first round of 10 exploratory projects is underway to build up evidence of the best ways for teaching literacy, numeracy and language to adults by looking at the operations of a diverse range of tertiary education providers.

The second round of six clusters (involving 27 projects) was launched at the end of 2005 with a more tightly focused objective. The projects are looking at either reading or numeracy and will work with researchers and developers to develop sustainable professional learning communities exploring effective teaching practice and learning for adults.

A third round of projects that will extend the reading and numeracy clusters to a wider range of providers will be underway in the second half of 2006.

Articulating a clearer understanding of effective teaching and learning

In 2005, the Ministry of Education developed Draft Descriptive Standards of adult foundation learning in reading, writing, listening, speaking and mathematics. The descriptive standards represent an attempt to define the essence of the literacy, language and numeracy that adults need in everyday life. They will help educators to consider learning needs, and employers and employees to understand the demands that adults face in their everyday lives, in terms of literacy, numeracy and language competencies. The next stage will be to provide examples of how they can be used in different settings and in combination with other competencies.

The TEC is developing Learning Progressions, which follow on from the Draft Descriptive Standards. The Learning Progressions will identify the common progression of knowledge and skills that an adult will follow to reach foundation-level competency and preparation for lifelong learning. They will be used to establish common understanding about skills and knowledge and build teaching capability. They will be accompanied by supporting handbooks for tutors containing both theoretical and practical advice.

The NZQA’s Foundation Learning Quality Assurance project seeks to provide a clear quality measurement for foundation learning. Draft quality provider practices and requirements to help build an infrastructure supporting good quality literacy, numeracy and language teaching are currently being consulted on with the tertiary education sector. The final set of requirements will be integrated into NZQA’s quality management and audit systems.

NZQA has also developed a foundation learning educator qualification. Study grants are available to assist tertiary tutors to undertake the qualification.

Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey to provide new and updated information on literacy in the adult population

The Ministry of Education will be running the OECD’s Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey during 2006. This international survey will provide information on literacy in the adult population, comparable with that collected in the International Adult Literacy Survey in 1996. It will enable comparison of literacy in New Zealand with other literacy in other participation countries and also measure the changes in literacy in New Zealand over the last decade.

The survey will also provide new information about problem-solving skills and health literacy. It is designed to provide robust information on Māori and Pasifika. Information from this survey will be available in 2007.

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• Table of Contents

• The State of Play

• Cross Strategy Indicators

• Raise foundation skills

• Skills for our knowledge society

• Strengthen research and knowledge creation

• Te rautaki mātauranga Māori

• Pacific people’s development and success

• Capability and quality

• Technical and Data Definitions