NCVER sums up adult literacy and numeracy research: National briefings

10 May 2006

It is not only individuals who benefit from improved literacy skills; research shows that employers and communities also reap some rewards.

This is a key message that delegates will hear at a series of capital city breakfast briefings hosted by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), which commence tomorrow in Adelaide.

The briefings 'Reading between the lines: Summing up adult literacy and numeracy research' synthesise the key findings from a body of research that spans three years.

The research shows that some of the benefits reported from undertaking literacy and numeracy programs are:

• improved communication skills and greater self-confidence
• improved social networks within the community
• better earning capacity
• increased ability to handle training
• better team performance and improved labour-management relations
• increased productivity and quality of goods and services
• improved health and safety.

'Our aim is that delegates gain a greater understanding of adult literacy and numeracy efforts in Australia. In turn, we hope they will help us set future direction for adult literacy research,' says Dr Kaye Bowman, General Manager, NCVER.'It is a critical time for reflection with Australia participating in the Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey (ALLS) later this year. It is ten years since the previous international study on this subject.'

This series of briefings is part of the Adult Literacy National Project, funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Education, Science and Training.

Ends

NCVER has synthesised its published work on adult literacy and numeracy in Adult literacy research overviews and in its Adult literacy and numeracy: At a glance.
To download a copy of these publications, please go to:

• Adult literacy research overviews 2004, 2005 & 2006 -http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1485.html
• Adult literacy and numeracy: At a glance -http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1584.html

For further information

Media enquiries to: Anna Payton, Marketing Officer, or Colleen Young, Manager, Marketing Services on +61 8 8230 8400.