EUROPE 2012
TOGETHER AGAINST
FUNCTIONAL ILLITERACY
FACTS, INFORMATION AND SOLUTIONS
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information
contained therein.
Imprint
Zukunftbau GmbH
Strelitzer Str. 60
10115 Berlin
[email protected]
www.zukunftsbau.de
www.literacy-and-vocation.eu
Contact
Dr. Klaus J. Bunke
GERMANY
[email protected]
Auer Marlies
AUSTRIA
[email protected]
Nicoletta Mintscheva
BULGARIA
[email protected]
Margit Viig Kristensen
DENMARK
[email protected]
Jaime Valdeomillos
SPAIN
[email protected]
John Latham
[email protected]
UNITED
KINGDOM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I
PREFACE
TESTIMONIALS
REAL PEOPLE - REAL STORIES
ILLITERACY IN EUROPE
POLITICAL RECOMMANDATIONS
PART II
ILLITERACY AND BASIC EDUCATION:
WHAT ARE WE SPEAKING ABOUT?
GOOD PRACTISE EXAMPLES
COMBATING ILLITERACY
PART III
GLOSSARY
INFORMATION SOURCES
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PART I
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PREFACE
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For a relatively high percentage of EU citizens, insufficient literacy
and numeracy skills lead to exclusion from social and occupational
participation and to a loss of employment.
Job requirements are increasing even in sectors with lowqualification demands. Basic skills in literacy and numeracy are
more important than ever. They provide the foundation for
vocational training, that can lead to employment, self-sustainment
and personal independence.
For poorly qualified individuals in employment the question is raised
- how can they continue to fulfil the growing demands of the labour
market? For those who are not integrated into the job market the
question is – what are the approaches to continued learning which
will aid their integration?
In many countries the general educational system as well as the
vocational training system are not prepared to provide adults with
the necessary literacy and numeracy skills.
The project Literacy and Vocation – lit.voc – aims at making literacy
education and training more relevant to the world of work.
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TESTIMONIALS
REAL PEOPLE
- REAL STORIES
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Kevin from Ireland Kevin … loves farming but as
he says himself, ‘Farming is only half of the work’.
“The way things have gone there is a form coming
through the letter box every second day. The
trouble was when I wanted to fill in a form or
write a letter. I’d know I’d written it wrong but I
didn’t know what the correct way was,” he says.
Like many people in Ireland Kevin had difficulties
with reading and writing. While he wanted to
improve these skills he was very worried about
going back to education. “The biggest fear I had
was that friends and people I knew would find
out that I had this problem and they’d make a
sort of a laugh out of me.” However, after taking
the brave decision to attend a local adult
literacy centre, he soon found out that he wasn’t
alone.
“Crossing the door of the centre was very nerve
wracking. But it also was a huge weight off my
shoulders and I’ve never looked back,” he says. “I
want to tell other people in the farming
community who may have problems writing or
using the computer that there’s nothing to be
worried about – going back to education was the
best decision I ever made. Not only did I improve
my writing skills but it gave me the confidence to
do lots of other things. It’s also great craic as
you meet lots of other people in the same boat,”
says Kevin.
[taken from: http://www.nala.ie/kevin-oduffy]
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Barbara Boysen from denmark Barbara Boysen is
an office assistant at Froeslev Wood, a wood
import company in Southern Jutland in Denmark,
and has been employed here for 17 years. Barbara
is ambitious and wants to improve her Danish and
has attended several courses over the years. She is
the student preparing for the level 3 exam. I am
responsible for intern communictation, and I am
well aware of the importance of my literacy skills.
I have problems in spelling, and I keep working at
improving it. The courses really help me, and I do
my work better as I improve. I even get more
responsibility, because my language skills are
improving. Now I even take care of some
correspondence – not extern correspondence, she
adds modestly.
Barbara is not anywhere near functional
illiteracy, but she is the only one who has the
courage to speak out for the class. The other
students are still too shy. We learn Danish at
many different levels. We are serious and enjoy
ourselves at the same time.
I really get more self-confidence through these
courses, and it is important for me as a private
person too. In Denmark we are privileged to have
the State Educational Fund to motivate companys
to offer basic education. If we didn’t have this
education the company would miss a lot
potential.
[taken from a interview by Kirsten Cilieborg from VUC
Sonderjylland]
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Jutta S., Germany
I mastered my life without being able to read and
write adequately (So I thought anyway ...). After
school I completed an apprenticeship as a cook.
Completed. With the test! But I wasn’t glad!
I wished to be a technical illustrator. I made an
internship in such an office, large numbers of
plans and drawings (some letters). Only: to learn
something, you have to be good at school - even
in writing! So Continue to work as a cook! I
learned to peel potatoes with 6 years. But writing
a menu? Well, there were other trainees. I scrubbed
the stove and they wrote for me the menus. And if
a situation became dicey? Then I burned my fingers
or had cut me, that happens being a cook!
The vocational exams I managed with sorrow and
distress, it was a multiple choice test. Only ticking
answers. There was a 50 to 50 chance to tick the
right answer. I did it! And I did it quite bad but I
got the diploma.
After training I worked as a seasonal worker. In
the summertime at the Sea, in wintertime in the
mountains. Only a few months at the same place.
That did it just before someone noticed my
troubles with reading and writing.
An article in a newspaper alerted me to the
literacy course at the Adult Community College. It
took a whole year until I was encouraged enough
to take the phone and call them.
A quick call, a date without any obligation and
completely anonymous. And so I came to the
course. I was really surprised that there were
more people with the same problems. It felt really
good to listen to their problems, which did not
deviate from my problems. In this course I learned
not only writing, I mainly learned courage and
desire and joy of learning.
[Selected parts of the personal statement of Jutta S. at the
national conference of the German Federal Association for
Alphabetization and Basic Education in 2008]
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Anthony L. (Private 1st Battalion The
Staffordshire Regiment), United Kingdom
Anthony left school with no qualifications.
Combined with a severe speech impediment that
hindered his verbal communication, he knew that
his prospects did not look great. He had always
struggled with literacy and numeracy, and the
one-to-one support provided by the basic skills
staff at 10 Army Education Centre at Tidworth in
Wiltshire proved invaluable in beginning to build
Anthony’s skills and confidence. His motivation is
personal as well as professional and, by the time
he left for a tour of Iraq, he was confident in his
ability to write letters home to his new wife.
These personal benefits have accrued in more ways
than one: Anthony now regularly reads bedtime
stories to his two young sons. Anthony’s first
taste of Army-style basic skills was back in April
2001. He volunteered to take advantage of the
first trial of the Army’s emerging basic skills
provision at 10 Army Education Centre.
Private Lane is one of the very many soldiers that
have gained basic skills qualifications through
the extensive provision and support available in
Tidworth Garrision. That excellent support aimed
at meeting soliders’ training needs head on is the
product of a three-year partnership between the
Education Centre and New College, Swindon.
[taken from: Army Basic Skills Provision, published by The
Basic Skills Agency, Commonwealth House, 1–19 New Oxford
Street, London WC1A 1NU, without specifying the year]
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ILLITERACY IN EUROPE
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ILLITERACY IN EUROPA
The scale of the problem at Community level should not be underestimated: according
to the OECD, a substantial proportion of the population between the ages of 15 and 65
in the Union is incapable of understanding and using the printed matter and literature
necessary to function in everyday life. …
Thus while illiteracy, defined as the total inability to read and write, has now been
almost completely eradicated in Europe, the phenomenon of 'functional illiteracy' is
becoming increasingly serious.
Illiteracy creates an ever-widening gap between those who are privileged and live in
relative security and those who are disadvantaged and marginalised, have no access to
employment, suffer from financial insecurity and isolation and are excluded from social
life.
In economic terms, illiteracy generates additional costs for undertakings and affects
their ability to modernise. These extra costs are linked to high accident rates, extra
salary costs to offset the lack of skills of individual employees and extra time for
supplementary personnel supervision; further costs result from the non-production of
wealth linked to the absence of optimal qualifications.
The employability deficit also has an impact on workers themselves. Apart from the
industrial accidents it causes, illiteracy is a source of absenteeism and demotivation.
There is the additional risk that the information society will exacerbate the exclusion of
people with poor literacy skills and generate a new form of 'technological illiteracy'
characterised by difficulty in interacting with new information technology systems.
[Source: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, Committee on Employment and Social Affairs,
REPORT on illiteracy and social exclusion, A5-0009/2002,15 January 2002]
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And the problems are going on: The most recent results of PISA (Programme for
International Student Assessment), a global survey of 15-year-olds’ performance in
reading, calculation and science, show that one in five young people (20%) has
problems with reading.
This will say: Pupils with poor reading results are pupils able only to complete the least
complex reading tasks, such as locating a single item of information, identifying the
main theme of a text or making a simple connection between the text and common
everyday knowledge.
Percentage of pupils with poor reading results in European Union countries,
2009.
[Source: OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)]
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ILLITERACY AUSTRIA 2012
Basic education is a core qualification for finding work at the employment
market, for taking part in lifelong learning and for participating in society. Access
to lifelong learning and taking part in training and further education are only
possible through basic education (BMASK:2009:11).
However lacking basic education skills or been analphabetic and a public
discussion about the issue has been a taboo in Austrian society for a long time.
The estimated data of the following institutions illustrate the veiled problem.
The UNESCO estimates, that about 300.00 to 600.000 grown-ups in Austria are
in need of basic education. (Volkshochschule Stadtbibliothek Linz:2010).
Collecting data for a verifying study has started in summer 2011 and the first
results will be published in autumn 2013.
The project In.Bewegung (transl.: In.Motion) has created a network of
institutions and organisations to offer basic education. Starting in 2000 there are
several useful outcomes such as guidelines for argumentation with clients and for
cooperation with companies, a handbook for basic skills for vocational training in
the Austrian dual system and concepts for teacher training.
In general discussion using the term of basic education, instead of analphabetism
or functional analphabetism has been chosen, as it encompasses more than
reading and writing skills. In our society modern cultural techniques for example
also include numeracy, the use of new telecommunication and information
technologies (ICT). Moreover the often used term combination “analphabet”,
“functional analphabet” or “functional illiterate” is very stigmatizing and it labels
grownups, who have some knowledge about reading and writing, but not enough
to get by at work or in their private lives. Reading, Writing, Numeracy, the use of
new telecommunication and information technologies is an almost
insurmountable obstacle for the concerned persons.
[from: http://www.apisa5.org/documents/Kargl.pdf]
Basic education in Austria aims to integrate people into the education system
who could not acquire basic skills in their past for whatever reason. The goal is
to enable them to take part in lifelong learning. Further Education is fundamental
for finding and keeping a satisfying job. Literacy also influences the way people
can participate in politics and the society they live in. In private life they gain
more independence and more freedom to create their lives.
[Planungsdokument “Initiative Erwachsenenbildung”, Länder-Bund-Initiative:
2011]
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Don’t tell me you can not read. A life as illiterate is more difficult
than learning to read and write.
Until 2011 there have been many different ways of funding of basic education in
the nine Austrian states and at federal level. In 2011 the federal Austrian
government and the nine Austrian states started a shared concept of funding
basic education. The main goal of the new initiative for adult education “Initiative
Erwachsenenbildung” is to ease the access to education for low –literacy and
low-qualified adults. The aim of the initiative is to offer basic education for
people who are in need of basic education and wish to participate in such. It
promotes courses in basic education “Basisbildung” as the foundation for
participating in everyday life. The second important offer is to catch up on school
qualifications “Hauptschulabschluss” as it is the bridge to vocational training and
higher education.
Analysing the numbers of participants in basic education courses in 2009, the
initiative defined a need for such courses for 50 000 people. Till 2014 the plan is
to provide courses for about 8 600 learners. The aim is to offer accredited
courses for everyone and most importantly free of charge.
Quality assurance supports achieving these aims. The Austrian network for basic
education and adult literacy developed a system to implement quality standards,
following the Balanced ScoreCard.
In 2011 job statistics revealed repeatedly the importance of vocational training
for employment in Austria. 75 percent of the unemployed were people without
school leaving qualifications and vocational training. (Arbeitsmarkt & Bildung /
Juni 2011). Therefore the aim of the initiative is to work closely with the job
centres (AMS) that should focus on vocational basic education.
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Situation of immigrants:
Since 2006 migrants have been obliged to reach a German level A2
(CEFR) within 5 years of entry if they want to stay in Austria. Receiving
a voucher valid for two years, migrants are able to attend German
courses for free. Since July 2011 the law tightened: migrants have to
have reached level A1 to enter Austria. Before 2006 many immigrants
learned German only in everyday life situations. They entered jobs as
helpers or assistants and never learned reading and writing the new
language properly or at all. People not having been able to attend school
in their home countries also lack basic skills in numeracy. Very often
immigrants acquired German only through listening carefully. Therefore
many speak accent free and appear to have good language skills.
Unfortunately they can not attend vocational training as they lack basic
reading and writing skills.
Finally the Austrian federal government and the nine states have taken the
matter seriously. Austria is starting to catch up with the initiative for adult basic
education – accredited courses for everyone free of charge.
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ILLITERACY IN BULGARIA 2012
To assess the quality of Bulgarian education, one does not need statistics, only a
quick look at internet forums populated by teenagers.
The spelling mistakes outnumber the words, the commas are a thing of the past,
and sentences are not always carried out to a logical conclusion. Then again, the
language of the young generation is different and an education system cannot be
judged only by grammar, so perhaps statistics are necessary.
Dressed in numbers, the facts are the following – more than 40 per cent of
Bulgarian ninth-graders are functionally illiterate, according to the latest report
by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development programme for
international student assessment (PISA). In plain language, this means that
Bulgaria's 15-year-olds can read and write, but not make inferences and
understand forms of indirect meaning.
This is a result of the biggest failure of Bulgaria's secondary education system –
its static nature and inflexibility. The main features of the sytem are outdated
teaching methods, the lack of young and motivated teachers and the overly
strong emphasis on the theoretic side of teaching. None of these have changed
since Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007.
There are other characteristics that have not changed. Bulgaria has a high ratio
of drop-outs – between 16 and 22 per cent in the 18 to 24 years of age range,
the only exception being the southwest part of the country. Lifelong learning
courses for adults are all but inexistent, as is investment into scientific research,
and whatever results there are, they are all concentrated in the southwest, which
includes the almighty capital Sofia.
[from: The Sofia Echo, http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/25/1049914_educationfor-dummies]
About eighty thousand Bulgarians cannot read or write, according to Education
Minister, Sergey Ignatov. Ignatov based his statement on data of wide-spread
illiteracy in the country, published by the National Statistics Institute, NSI.
The Minister announced the launch of the "New Chance for Success" project to
educate illiterate people and those with poor reading and writing skills. The
project is financed by the EU operational program "Development of Human
Resources," and will involve 10 500 people with 8 000 receiving certificates by
the end of the course.
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600 school hours in the span of 5 months will be provided for those in need of
elementary education and 360 hours in the course of 3 months for middle school
education. The value of the project is estimated at BGN 10 M.
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry is beginning mass training of teachers – over
half of the country's educators will undergo a course in teaching thinking skills
instead of rote memorization – the latter widely used in Bulgarian schools since
the arrival of the Communist regime and continuing today as well.
The study titled "Teaching Reading in Europe: Contexts, Policies and Practices,"
which was published by the European Commission last week, ranked Bulgaria
last by reading literacy with 41% of 15-year-old Bulgarian students having
difficulties with reading.
The next such study will be for math skills and the Ministry is planning checks of
math classes and training of math teachers. There are also plans for all day
schooling from 1st to 7th grade, which is now mandatory for 1sr grade and will
include second graders in the fall with the opening of the new school year. An
additional BGN 28 M have been slated for it. The additional classes will be in line
with the age of the students and their interests and will be electives only.
[from: www.novinite.com > Education | July 18, 2011]
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ILLITERACY IN DENMARK 2012
The Danish government wants 95 % of a youth year group to complete a higher
education. Therefore one needs to make sure that 95% also literacy skills
sufficiently. To reach this goal it is necessary to rectify reading disorders. Not
just for society but also for the individual (ORD 09, minister of Education).
A development of the adaptability of businesses and of the level of competence,
flexibility and composition of the employees will be essential for a country like
Denmark in order to be able to deal with globalization and the technological
development. Adult and supplementary education has an essential function in
maintaining and further developing workforce skills.
Hver femte dansker har
svært ved at læse denne tekst!
Every fifth Dane has difficulties reading this text (OECD).
According to OECD’s criteria every fifth Dane has difficulties reading and almost
half of the adult population between the age of 16 and 66 cannot read
sufficiently. 7 procent of all adult Danes perceive themselves as dyslexic.
Basic skills such as being able to read, write and arithmetic is more and more
becoming a requirement for maintaining attachment to the labour market. About
one third of the learners in retraining at AMU courses have difficulties reading
and writing (about 125.000 people in 2006).
In the Danish adult educational system focus is on the assessment of basic
reading and mathematical skills. The learners will go through a screening (tests
developed by the Ministry of Education) and be guided to the best educational
plan based on the results In Denmark a cooperation between vocational training
(AMU1 ) and education in basic literacy skills (FVU2 ) exist and is necessary.
1
AMU: Labour market training. AMU are short-term courses which one can study
individually or piece together as required. The courses are qualifying and some
of them gives credit for vocational training
2
FVU: preparational training at a adult educational center or at the workplace.
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ILLITERACY IN GERMANY 2012
Millions of people in Germany cannot adequately read, write or do arithmetic,
despite having gone through the German school system. Often termed functional
illiterates or persons with insufficient basic education they increasingly
encounter more and more difficulties not only in meeting the complex demands
of the labour market, but also those of their personal lives.
People think I'm stupid
because I make so many mistakes when I write.
The result is stigmatisation and social exclusion. A lack of basic education leads
to a higher risk of poverty and makes integration into the labour market more
difficult as it blocks access to vocational qualifications.
The number of functional illiterates in Germany is considerably higher than
previously thought. According to a study undertaken by the University of
Hamburg, presented in Berlin on the 28th of February 2011, 14% of Germans
between the ages of 18 and 64 are affected by “functional illiteracy”. That is 7,5
million people of working age. Experts had previously assumed a figure of four
million.
This means: 14% of the population of working age can only read or write
individual phrases but not coherent or even short texts. These people are illequipped for an appropriate participation in society, write the authors of the
study.
More than 8000 individuals were questioned for the study. Above all, individuals
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with no or low-level school
leaving qualifications are
particularly affected by
functional illiteracy. These
make up nearly 70% of the
total number. In addition to
this, the number of the working
population who cannot read or
write properly is startling:
nearly 60% of people who are
considered functionally illiterate
have a job.
Terminology such as literacy
and functional illiteracy become
increasingly problematic in this
context, as in some
circumstances, they can be
perceived as discriminating and
stigmatising themselves. In
addition, in the public mind, often only the process of acquiring writing skills is
understood by the term literacy, but that only makes up a part (albeit an
indispensable one) of the basic education required these days.
In a knowledge-based society another skill which belongs to the ‘traditional’
cultural techniques of reading, writing and arithmetic, is what we might call user
competence in dealing with media. Here the term media can be defined loosely:
it can include anything from use of a mobile phone to programming a television
to any number of different PC-supported applications, software and use of
internet search-engines every day at work.
A lack of basic education leads to a high risk of poverty and makes the
integration into the world of work more difficult, as it blocks access to vocational
qualifications.
For poorly qualified individuals in employment the question is raised - how can
they continue to fulfil the growing demands of the labour market? For those who
are not integrated into the job market the question is – what are the approaches
to continued learning which will aid their integration?
An appropriate basic education must therefore promote individual identity, but
must also qualify the individual for work. Literacy training and (vocational)
practice must be more closely interwoven with one another; a balanced learning
process must connect the demands of the working place with literacy training.
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ILLITERACY IN SPAIN 2012
United Nations uses the International Survey on Adult Literacy (IALS) which
defines functional literacy as the ability to understand and employ printed
information in daily activities at home, at work and in society. However, Spain
did not participate in such surveys, so it is necessary to use the Spanish Labour
Survey (LFS), which provides information on the illiterate working age population
as well as people without training at the regional level.
In 2007, functional illiteracy in the Spanish population of working age had been
reduced a 50% since 1980 (from 23.7% to 11.9%).
In 1980, regional differences in terms of functional illiteracy were very
significant. While some Regions, such as Cantabria (5.5%) and La Rioja (7.4%),
had very low values, others, such as Castilla-La Mancha (38.2%) and Andalusia
(36.4%) exceeded the national average.
However, in 2007 all regions registered functional illiterate rates lower than in
1980. The southern regions of Spain had still the highest percentages, and
exceeded 20% in the case of Extremadura and Castile-La Mancha.
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A general problem to obtain conclusive data is the definition of illiterate.
Illiteracy exists in the strict sense, ie, no training, while there also exists
functional illiteracy, when people have had at least 4 years of formal education
and know letters and numbers but without the ability to do simple math or
interpret texts.
Therefore, the statistics on this aspect of training can be misleading on many
occasions. In France, illiteracy also includes those who have gone to school only
a couple of years but not in Spain or Portugal. Consequently, we can see
statistics specifying that France has an illiteracy rate (15%) higher than in Spain
(8%). But this is just a lack of common statistical criterion since Spain does not
recognize the functional illiteracy as illiteracy, as it is demonstrated in some
studies developed at the national level.
EXAMPLE OF A REGIONAL REOPORT ON ILLITERACY
BALEARIC ISLANDS, by M. TERRASA. PALMA (2011)
Half of the students of Secondary Education (ESO) abandon the school being
functionally illiterate. It means that they are unable to understand a job
advertisement, poster or information to correctly perform a simple mathematical
calculation. These are just some of the data provided by the latest report of the
Balearic Islands, which was presented at the Chamber of Commerce and in
which, again, is reflected in figures that the dropout is a major current
educational problem, with 40 percent of high school dropouts.
Juan Jimenez Castillo, author of the chapter on literacy and a doctoral thesis on
the same issue, reported that the percentage of functional illiterates slash 50%
of the students in their final year of compulsory education, even if they do not
success in their course. Among other things, one of these students (considered
functionally illiterate) can not fill in an official document or understand what it is
said in an airport information display.
Jimenez got this information after a survey, with the evidence of measuring to
704 students in 4th Secondary Course from 42 public and private schools in
Balearic Islands.
Among his conclusions, Jimenez Castillo reported that 48.5 percent of students
who leave compulsory education do not have numeracy competencies and that
50% of these young people leave school without possessing a level of linguistic
understanding to enable them to locate information or to make deductions direct
from a written document.
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CONCLUSIONS
After analyzing such diverse sources on functional illiteracy in Spain, we could
draw the following conclusions:

The Spanish authorities have not conducted official studies to
approach this matter in a reliable way.

The different interpretations of functional illiteracy respond to
different alternatives when doing a survey or study.

The periods used are too broad to draw conclusions applicable to the
present time.
However, although the studies were not conducted properly, the Spanish
educational system attempts to monitor this issue through the following
measures:

Support for pupils in need of understanding (for diversity).

Counselling services to students at risk of school dropout.

Specific support for students who undertake basic vocational training
to facilitate the basic skills of language use or basic mathematical
operations.

Specific training Centres for Adults in order to provide literacy
qualifications to reach minimum Secondary Education objectives.
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ILLITERACY IN UK 2012
Around a fifth of pupils leave school functionally illiterate and functionally
innumerate, despite average achievement in the three Rs improving over the
past decade, a new Government-funded study has found. Sheffield University
researchers synthesised more than 60 years of evidence on numeracy and
literacy and concluded that standards have generally risen in England, with the
highest skills among the best in the world. But they also found a significant
proportion of young people still lacked the basic skills needed to function in
society.
Teaching union the NUT said the study, funded by the Government’s Skills for
Life strategy unit, confirmed the “long tail of underachievement” already
highlighted by the Pisa international comparative study. The Sheffield report The levels of attainment in literacy and numeracy of 13- to 19-year-olds in
England, 1948-2009 - says the latest evidence shows that 22 per cent of 16- to
19-year-olds are functionally innumerate. Professor Greg Brooks, one of the
study’s authors, said this had remained at around the same level for at least 20
year. His report says this means people have “very basic competence in maths,
mainly limited to arithmetical computations and some ability to comprehend and
use other forms of mathematical information”. “While this is valuable, it is clearly
not enough to deal confidently with many of the mathematical challenges of
contemporary life,” the report adds. Levels of functional innumeracy are higher
still among older age groups and even the 22 per cent is “higher than in many
other industrialised countries”.
The latest evidence on reading shows 17 per cent of 16- to 19-year-olds are
functionally illiterate and Professor Brooks said this had also been the case for at
least two decades. “People at this level can handle only simple tests and
straightforward questions on them where no distracting information is adjacent
or nearby,” his report says. “Making inferences and understanding forms of
indirect meaning, e.g. allusion and irony, are likely to be difficult or impossible.
This is less than the functional literacy needed to partake fully in employment,
family life and citizenship and to enjoy reading for its own sake.”
The National Literacy Trust claim; “For one in six people in the UK today, literacy
is a real struggle. They do not have the communication skills they need to fulfil
their potential. Poor literacy means children do not gain the knowledge they
need to succeed at school and as adults will have limited opportunities.”
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'Dismal picture' of adult literacy in UK
The number of adults unable to read or count remains unacceptably high.
In 2001, the former Department for Education and Skills launched the Skills for
Life strategy with the aim of helping 2.25 million adults by 2010. Two years
later, it established by survey that 75% of the working-age adult population had
numeracy skills below the level of a good pass at GCSE and 56% had similar
literacy skills. At that time, the OECD ranked the UK 14th in international literacy
and numeracy league tables.
In 2007, the government set a new target, to help 95% of the adult population
achieve enough literacy and numeracy to get by in life by 2020.
Illiteracy costs the UK economy £81 billion annually
According to a preliminary report released by the World Literacy Foundation, the
estimated cost of illiteracy to the UK economy is £81.312bn each year.
The interim report entitled ‘The Economic and Social Cost of Illiteracy’ aims to
highlight the economic and social cost of illiteracy to the global and UK economy,
where in the latter six to eight million adults are functionally illiterate.
This means that although they can read and write simple words, they cannot
apply these skills to accomplish tasks which are necessary to make informed
choices and participate fully in everyday life, such as filling in a job application
form or reading a bank statement.
The report draws figures from the money spent of welfare and unemployment
benefits, estimated to be £23.312bn. It explains that illiterate people are more
likely to be claiming such benefits because there is more chance of them
dropping out of high school and / or being unable to find work.
However, the report also infers the no-win situation that these illiterate people
face, earning 30-42% less than their literate counterparts, but not possessing
the literacy skills required to undertake further vocational education or training
to improve their earning capacity.
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POLITICAL RECOMMANDATIONS
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Principles
In the past literacy was considered to be the ability to read
and write. Today the meaning of literacy has changed to
reflect changes in society and the skills needed by individuals
to participate fully in society. It involves listening, speaking,
reading, writing, numeracy and using everyday technology to
communicate and handle information.
And individuals need to train this ability especially for the
following purpose: As the 21st century is characterized by the
on-going change from industrial society to a “knowledge
society”, the so called “up-skilling” of employees and the
need for higher qualifications levels is evident across Europe.
It is in this context that individuals of today, and of the
future, require a good standard of basic literacy education to
enable them to access the job market as well as to participate
in the process of lifelong and vocational further learning.
And last but not least: functional illiteracy is a factor
contributing to exclusion and poverty that restricts
democratic and social participation and is seriously
detrimental to personal fulfilment and the defence of rights.
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Combating
prejudices
Illiteracy is invisible but not a minor matter:
the people involved do all they can to hide their problems,
cope with their difficulties and pass unnoticed;
Illiteracy is not exclusively
a problem of young people, but affects all age groups.
Men more than women.
The older you are, the more skills you lose if you do not use them;
Illiteracy is not exclusively
a problem of urban neighbourhoods,
but is found in town and country;
Illiteracy does not only concern the socially excluded.
Over half of these people have jobs;
Illiteracy does not mean incompetence, lack of intelligence:
men and women have acquired sets of skills without using the written word, but
these skills are hard to maintain;
Illiteracy has nothing to do with immigration.
Combating illiteracy should not be confused with language policy for migrants.
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Measures
to consider
A European definition of illiteracy
should be drawn up.
Measures for
combating functional illiteracy should be
understood as a key element of lifelong learning policy
(initial vocational training and in-service training) and should be treated
separately from migrant language policy.
These
measures should be designed and
implemented on local and regional level:
they are best suited assessing and seeking solutions to the problem of functional
illiteracy, as local authorities are often the first point of contact for illiterate
people.
Adequate assessments should be developed
ensuring to protect the privacy of
individual and to avoid the stigmatization of persons.
Local and regional
administrations should set
the example by launching training
programmes for their staff affected by functional illiteracy,
and set up training programmes for staff facing difficulties in their work.
Fostering the
development of efforts to prevent and
overcome functional illiteracy in the workplace
improving the economic performance of a business
and facilitating the career and personal development of employees.
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Policy
priorities
to reach
these aims
Provision of Workplace Basic Education.
Integration of literacy into
publicly funded education and training programmes
Distance learning,
working to provide accredited literacy learning opportunities while in your home.
Numeracy strategy,
working on the development of number skills
Family literacy,
working with parents and children to improve literacy levels
Health literacy
awareness and response
Initiatives to promote literacy opportunities
to increase participation
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PART II
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ILLITERACY AND
BASIC EDUCATION
WHAT ARE WE
SPEAKING ABOUT?
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Using the term of basic education, instead of analphabetism or functional
analphabetism has been chosen, because it encompasses more than
reading and writing skills. In our society modern cultural techniques for
example also include Mathematics, the use of new telecommunication
and information technologies (IT). Moreover the often used term
combination “analphabet”, “functional analphabet” or “functional
illiterate” is very stigmatizing and it labels adults, who have marginal
knowledge about reading and writing, but not enough to get by in work
or in their private life. Reading, Writing, Mathematics, the use of new
telecommunication and information technologies is for the concerned
persons mostly an insurmountable obstacle.
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WHAT lit.voc MEANS BY LITERACY
The following description on the National Adult Literacy Agency (Ireland) website
indicates that literacy in modern Europe means more as being able to read and write:
“Literacy involves listening and speaking, reading, writing,
numeracy and using everyday technology to communicate and
handle information.
In the past literacy was considered to be the ability to read and write. Today the
meaning of literacy has changed to reflect changes in society and the skills needed by
individuals to participate fully in society. It involves listening, speaking, reading,
writing, numeracy and using everyday technology to communicate and handle
information.
Literacy increases the opportunity for individuals and communities to reflect on their
situation, explore new possibilities and initiate change.
[…] Most adults with literacy difficulties can read something but find it hard to
understand official forms or deal with modern technology. Some will have left school
confident about their numeracy and reading skills but find that changes in their
workplace and everyday life make their skills inadequate. The literacy skills demanded
by society are changing all the time.
[…] Having a literacy difficulty often means you are not able to understand health and
safety information, how Government organisations work, go for promotion, complete a
driver theory exam or vote. Equally, parents who have literacy difficulties may be
unable to support their own children with their reading and writing. […]”
[see: http://www.nala.ie/literacy-ireland]
In addition to this description literacy is the ability to understand other forms of
communication too, as body language, pictures, sound or pictograms. In a
technological society, the concept of literacy is expanding to include the media and
electronic text.
Because these abilities vary in different social and cultural contexts according to need
and demand, individuals must continue - in a lifelong learning process - reading and
writing, critical understanding and decision-making to train abilities they need in their
community.
And individuals need to train these ability for another purpose: As the 21st century is
characterized by the on-going change from industrial society to a “knowledge society”,
the so called “up-skilling” of employees and the need for higher qualifications levels is
evident across Europe. It is in this context that individuals of today, and of the future,
require a good standard of basic education to enable them to access the job market as
well as to participate in the process of lifelong learning.
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WHERE DO LITERACY DIFFICULTIES AMONG ADULTS COME FROM
(HAVING JOINED FOR MANY YEARS THE SCHOOL EDUCATION)?
Most adults with literacy difficulties can read something but find it hard to understand
official forms or deal with modern technology. Some will have left school confident
about their literacy skills but find that changes in their workplace and everyday life
make their skills inadequate. For example, if a person didn’t have to use their reading
and writing skills in their work or home life, they could easily get out of practise and
lose confidence in their ability to use those skills.
A number of factors contribute to functional illiteracy. Such factors are likely to include
a combination of individual learning conditions, unfavourable familial socio-cultural and
academic conditions, as well as general development trends in the society itself.
These determinants should not be seen in isolation, as they influence each other. Also,
it is important to note that if one of those risk factors appears, it does not necessarily
mean that a person will be functionally illiterate in later life. It is difficult to measure
or estimate how much influence each of the determinants may have, but it can be said
that the risk of becoming functionally illiterate increases when such factors are
present:
REASONS – ORIGIN – FACTS
Familiar socio-cultural conditions
Negative familiar socialisation and socio-economic unsteadiness can have influence on
the literacy level in families for generations. If the parents have a low educational
background and do not support their children in educating, or even signalling to the
child, that education is not important, the child will tend to adopt this view on education.
In families with low educational background it is often seen that reading and writing are
practised very little. You do not in these families sit down to read a good book, go
through the newspaper or write a letter or an e-mail. Maybe you don’t even open letters
from authorities, because they are too complicated to understand. Reading and writing is
not an everyday experience, and children may grow up with very little motivation to read
and write. Most children are eager to enter the world of reading and writing, because
they see in everyday life that their parents, sisters and brothers have lots of great
experiences in reading and writing. In families with low educational background, with
long term illness or severe diagnoses, with long term unemployment you may tend to
give up on education and just live from one day into the next.
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Ethnical background
Literacy skills in immigrant families is a delicate issue and it is important not to
stigmatize this group. They are just as different as anybody else, but they have a
challenge in learning the new language and integrating in the everyday life in the new
country, that may be very different from their homeland. Some immigrant families have
a high educational level, have good jobs and are very well functioning. They learn the
new language quickly and with great motivation and are therefore integrating fast. Some
come from regions with war, have not had an ordinary job for at long time, have had
poor education and may even be traumatized. For such families basic education,
language and integration can be a great problem also for the next generation. Some
immigrants and even children come to their new country alone and are very dependent
on authorities and host families to succeed in building up a new life.
Individual learning conditions
Let’s express it in this way; Yes, we are all different and we don’t all have the same
learning abilities. The individual may be facing problems which may influence the literacy
level throughout the persons life. That can be learning disabilities, dyslexia, speech
disorders, diagnoses physical as well as mental and various handicaps. Some can be
overcome with the right support, help and compensating devices, but it sure can be a
hard struggle just to get the right help.
Academic conditions
Did you enjoy going to school when you were a child? Many children do not experience
the joy of going to school, and cannot just sit down on their behinds and learn! Not all
children fit into the school system, and not all school systems fit the children. In recent
years it has been a subject of investigation, that individuals learn in different ways. You
can be a visual learner, tactile, dynamic or even spatial. But not all schools can offer you
the learning style that is best for you. Therefore you are fortunate if you were the kind
of child who could quietly sit down in class and learn reading from a book with your
teacher advising you. Others have not been as fortunate, and have had a difficult school
life. They couldn’t sit still, they didn’t like reading, found mathematics impossible, were
troublemakers and just got left behind. It doesn’t take much imagination to see that low
literacy skills can be the consequence of a school life like this. It does not mean, that
you can’t learn. It just means, that you couldn’t learn under these conditions.
Experience of discrimination / bullying / mobbing
Unfortunately quite a lot of adults – when being children - have been exposed to
discrimination, bullying or mobbing. It happens every day, whether you are are too
short, too tall, too fat, too thin, speaks differently, have a different skincolour, are
clothed differently, have no father…. Almost anything can serve as a reason of mobbing.
Maybe you are just an easy target and can’t defend yourself and therefore becoming a
favourite victim. Maybe you will even have to change school and the mobbing may even
continue. These children struggling with social issues for most or even their whole school
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life, have a hard time learning, as school is always connected with fear and trouble.
Mobbing can have a negative effect on the mental development of the individual and
lead to lacking self esteem and selfconfidence and even to frustration and aggression.
Many adults still struggle with this problem from their early years. They don’t believe in
their own abilities, and they will never set their foot in a school again. They have left
school as early ad possible and now have literacy difficulties.
And last but not least: general developments trends in the society/ sociocultural requirements and expectations
Modern society is increasingly knowledge based and requires high level skills. This has a
number of implications: An increasing number of jobs require high level knowledge, the
amount of unskilled work available to employers decreases, literacy skills are
increasingly important in work and everyday life (e.g. use of ATMs, online shopping, Email).
In addition, literacy skills are seen as an indicator of one’s abilities
and intelligence within a society. People who are labelled ‘illiterate’
are often stigmatised or perceived as unintelligent.
WHICH PERSONS DO NOT BELONG TO THE TARGET GROUP
(PERSONS WITH LITERACY PROBLEMS)
FOCUSED BY LIT.VOC?
Young people who are still subject to compulsory education within the general education system

Adults with immigrant status, who have literal socialization in their country
of origin and who can participate in the society they are living in - despite
of limited competences in terms of spoken and written language

Adults which are generally not or no longer able to acquire literacy skills
due to organic or psychological impairments (e.g. persons with dementia
or those with organic brain injury)

People with dyslexia and dyscalculia
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GOOD PRACTISE EXAMPLES
COMBATING ILLITERACY
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Denmark
Literacy training for
employees
Company-indoor-training
In 1996 the legal framework was created for the education of
adults with reading and writing deficits with the goal to
reach 45,000 people per year.
The courses are free of charge for participants and take
place during working hours.
Companies exempt from work their employees for these courses
and the salary is salary reimbursed up to 80% for the
enterprises.
Courses are offered and organized by adult education
institutes as for example VUV Sønderjylland offering a
special service in a rural area:
The mobile classroom comes to enterprises.
In 2009 VUV Sønderjylland carried out literacy and numeracy
courses (including courses for people with dyslexia)
cooperating with about 200 enterprises.
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Denmark
Company in-door-training
Froeslev Wood Company,
Padborg
Froeslev Wood is a wood import company in Southern Jutland
in Denmark. The company employs about 100 people. The
company has also got its own production of pressure-treated
wood and wooden houses.
I visit the company on a chilly morning in March and must be
aware of trucks and fork lifts busily transporting and
storing all the different sorts and sizes of wood planks and
boards on the huge storage area just besides the highway. I
find the offices, which are of course built out of wood. In
a large room with a long table I find a group of 12
employees and their Danish teacher, Jens Ole. They are busy
discussing the inflection of danish verbs and they are
preparing an exam in two weeks. The course has 4 levels and
this class is preparing for the exam at level 2. One student
prepares for level 3.
Dorte Jessen is the staff manager and she receives me in her
comfortable office. Dorte tells me, that the company employs
quite a number of workers with little educational background
as well as foreign workers At this company we see the
employees not only as workers. Our employees are individuals
and they must feel good and welcome at their working place.
Basic education is very important for us, as we employ
unskilled workers. A number of our staff has literacy
difficulties and it is necessary that we deal with these
problems. We offer courses in Danish, IT and knowledge of
wood. Our working place is large, and therefore precise
communication is very important. The courses are offered
during the working day especially in quiet periods.
The company receives a financial compensation from the State
Educational Fund that is meant especially for companies that
offer basic education to unskilled and semiskilled workers.
This compensation allows the company to offer basic
education during the quiet winter months, and we can avoid
firing staff in these periods. Our employees feel safer in
their employment, they feel appreciated and they improve
their basic skills of reading, writing and IT.
Basic education is a great advantage not only for our
employees, it actually pays off for the company as well.
[Report by Kirsten Cilieborg from VUC Sonderjylland visited Froeslev Wood.
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United Kingdom
Skills for Life Provision
in the workplace
National Health Service
The Learning Development Manager for the NHS (National
Health Service) Trust contacted the Lancaster & Morecambe
College regarding workplace provision for staff
wishing/needing to update their Literacy skills and achieve
a recognised national qualification. The provision at this
time was funded through the Train to Gain scheme aimed at
encouraging employers to up-skill their workforce.
Following an initial meeting to clarify days, times and
dates of sessions publicity was developed aimed specifically
at encouraging staff to attend.
On starting the course the learners undertook an ‘initial
assessment’ and completed a piece of writing to help
identify current skill level. Following this each learner
then completed a ‘diagnostic assessment’ at that level to
identify their specific skills and development points
regarding the core curriculum. When this had been
established each learner embarked upon an individual
learning programme tailored to their specific need in the
workshop sessions.
Staff attended the workshop on a weekly basis, being allowed
time by their managers to access the learning time. Each
session learners would work individually on areas identified
through their learning plan with the focus being on building
skills across all the curriculum areas and then achieving a
qualification at the appropriate level. In addition we found
that this process aided significantly individual levels of
self confidence and self-esteem.
The learners/staff attending the workshops were of mixed of
age, ability and job role within the organisation. All were
willing learners who proved keen to achieve the maximum
qualification they could.
City and Guilds Adult Literacy Level 1 and Level 2 were the
main focus for many in the group with a significant number
achieving both by the end of the course. Train to Gain was
part of a Government initiative and therefore funded through
the Skills Funding Agency.
[Report by Becky Davenport, Lancaster & Morecambe College]
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United Kingdom
Literacy Training in
Vocational Training
Functional English/Literacy
for Full-Time Brickwork
Students
All 16-19 year olds undertake Functional English as part of
their full time vocational training course, the only
exception being those that have previously achieved a grade
A - C in GCSE English.
As part of the advice and guidance process and to ensure
each learner can cope with the literacy requirements of
their vocational programme the students access an on-line
initial assessment tool called BKSB which gives an
indication of the level of English skill they have. All
learners then take a diagnostic assessment at the level
indicated through the initial assessment which identifies
their specific strengths and developmental to focus on. This
information then contributes significantly to the Individual
Learning Plan.
Functional English sessions are then built into their
College week and timetabled through out the year. Learners
work towards a City & Guilds Functional English
qualification at a level appropriate to them. This is
delivered through a variety of methods including; whole
class taught activities, individual or small group work, and
practical and theory sessions. A variety of resources are
employed to enable the learners to enhance their skills
levels and engage in their learning and these include:
project work, interactive activities, internet research,
peer discussions and group activities, games, worksheets and
practice assessment opportunities.
The learners are not only working towards a qualification
but also developing their overall English skills in
preparation for entry to the workplace through tasks such
as: oral communication skills, form filling, reading for
information and writing for variety of different needs and
formats.
This is delivered through a number of topics and where
possible is related to and contextualised in their
vocational area i. e. Brickwork theory classes. There is
close collaboration and communication with the specialist
vocational tutor and the Functional English tutor including
the sharing of Scheme of Work and individual session and
learning plans discussed.
[Report by Becky Davenport, Lancaster & Morecambe College]
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Austria
Literacy training for
employees
Company-indoor-training
Basic education – An Improvement for Employees AND
Companies
In Carinthia 2007 the project “Bildung wieder entdecken”
(Re-discovering Education) was launched. A shoe factory
employing about 200 female sewing workers and a factory
producing toner cartridges with also about 200 female
employees took part in the project.
The companies’ counsellors invited the women sensitively and
anonymously. There were four courses, each taking about 25
weeks for 8 participants. The courses were held in a room
inside the companies. One third of the course was paid as
working time by the employers. The Curriculum included
teambuilding, literacy, maths, memory training, ICT
(including keyboard training), styling and coaching. The
learning topics and aims were set individually and closely
linked to the women’s work and daily life.
All participants finished the 25 week course and most of
them were satisfied. The women named improvements such as:
more confidence in speaking, reading a newspaper and
writing, using the computer. Some feel a higher level of
self confidence.
The women were especially happy that the course has been
held within the well-known area of the company. They did not
have to change their clothes or get to a new building.
What about improvements for the companies?
Speaking to the managing directors, following improvements
could be recognised:

The participants showed higher motivation, which was
important as many products were produced by hand

The participants felt more confident, especially when
learning a new working process. Especially the memory
training had reduced the learning time

The participants were more self confident and open
for innovations.
[taken from: http://erwachsenenbildung.at/magazin/07-1/meb07-1.pdf]
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PART III
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GLOSSARY
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Illiteracy and literacy
Concepts and understanding in AT, BG, DE, UK
Austria
The overall concept and understanding of illiteracy and literacy is largely
adapted from the definition provided by UNESCO. However “functional
illiteracy” is a term which is rarely used in Austria any more. It’s been
replaced by the term “people with basic education needs”. This new term
emphasizes a different focus and therefore seeks to remove the stigma
associated with being a “functional illiterate”.
The concept of basic education is very flexible. There is no standardised
definition of basic education. The benefit of this is that the concept is
adaptable enough to meet the needs and requirements of different target
groups in different phases of life, with different circumstances and
environments.
Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, national legislation in the field of education does not yet
specifically deal with the issue of illiteracy, although several pilot projects,
most of them involving the Ministry of Education, have been undertaken to
examine the issue. The Employment Encouraging Act however, considers
the literacy issue in the context of the process of becoming literate. This
process is explained as acquiring basic knowledge and skills in reading,
writing, and mathematics, as well as in humanities and natural sciences.
In Bulgarian research literature, literacy is viewed as the ability to read
and write, but also to comprehend information and express ideas in a
concrete or abstract way.
Germany
According to German literature there is a distinction between 3 types of
illiteracy:
“primärer Analphabetismus” (primary illiteracy)
This refers to an individual who did not learn to read or write during their
childhood or adolescence.
“sekundärer Analphabetismus” (secondary illiteracy)
This refers to individuals who acquired reading and writing skills during
their childhood and adolescence, but lost these skills over a period of time
due to the lack of opportunity to use and apply them.
“funktionaler Analphabetismus” (functional illiteracy)
The term “funktionaler Analphabetismus” refers to the difference between
an individual’s existing and necessary (or expected) level of reading and
writing skills at a particular time. A person is described as functionally
illiterate if their individual reading and writing skills are significantly lower
than those expected or required within the particular society within which
the individual lives.
UK
The term ‘functional illiteracy’ is not used in England. An individual would
be described as having ‘literacy, language and numeracy skills needs’.
This terminology represents a shift away from a focus on deficiency and
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the stigma often associated with poor literacy, language and numeracy
skills.
Concern about the levels of literacy, language and numeracy skills
amongst the adult population led to the launch of the Skills for Life
Strategy in 2001. This strategy highlighted young adults as one of the key
target groups in the government’s plans to improve literacy, language and
numeracy skills.
Adult education
General or vocational education provided for adults after initial education
and training for professional and/or personal purposes; it includes general
education for adults in topics of particular interest to them or training in
basic skills which individuals may not have acquired earlier (such as
literacy, numeracy); it aims to give access to qualifications, acquire,
improve or update knowledge, skills or competences in a specific field.
Basic education
UNESCO defines this as a broader concept than primary schooling,
comprising early child education, adult literacy programmes, and a range
of non-formal activities for children, young people and adults.
Functionally literate
According to UNESCO “a person is functionally literate who can engage in
all those activities in which literacy is required for effective functioning of
his group and community and also for enabling him to continue to use
reading, writing and calculations for his own and the community’s
development.”
ICT skills
The skills needed for efficient use of information and communication
technologies (ICT). The basic skills in ICT refer to the use of computers to
retrieve, assess, store, produce, present and exchange information, and to
communicate and participate in collaborative networks via the Internet.
Illiterate/Illiteracy
UNESCO declares illiterate “any person unable to read and write”. The
term has additional aspects of meaning in the different national contexts
across the EU.
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INFORMATION SOURCES
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In English
www.nala.ie
Information Portal of the National Adult Literacy Agency in Ireland (NALA), information
and publications on workplace literacy
www.workbase.org.nz
New Zealand portal of basic education for the workplace, including information on
programs, offers, or case studies with positive effects of work-related basic education
in companies
www.cityandguilds.com
Certificates in Adult Literacy and Numeracy: Boost your confidence in reading, writing
or numeracy - gain the skills and confidence you need to improve your career
prospects with a Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy.
www.niace.org.uk
NIACE (The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education) the leading nongovernmental organisation for adult learning in England and Wales.
www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise
BBC Skillswise enables adults to improve reading, writing and number skills. Level one
and entry level three literacy and numeracy resources - worksheets, ...
www.erwachsenenbildung.at
Portal for teaching and learning adults of the Austrian Ministry for Education: offers,
information and links for all areas of adult education.
www.oeibf.at
Austrian Institute for Research on Vocational Training. öibf's mission is to carry out
high-quality research and development in order to support and promote activities and
policies concerning vocational education and training (VET): projects, publications
In German (Germany)
www.adbw.org
Homepage des Netzwerks der Bildungswerke der Wirtschaft in Deutschland mit Links
und Adressen
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www.alphabetisierung.de
Homepage des Bundesverbandes Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung, der die Belange
von funktionalen Analphabeten bundesweit vertritt und Fach- bzw. Serviceangebote
bereitstellt, Informationsmaterialien zur Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung, Hinweise
auf bundesweite (VHS-)Kursangebote, zielgruppen- spezifische Lehr- und
Lernmaterialien, Weiterbildungsmöglichkeiten für Kursleiter/-innen
www.alphabund.de
Online-Portal der Projektverbünde, die im BMBF-Förderschwerpunkt „Forschung und
Entwicklung zur Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung Erwachsener“ aktiv sind,
Hintergrundinformationen, Links zu den einzelnen Projektverbünden bzw. Projekten
sowie Materialien
www.alpha-z.de
Homepage des Verbundprojektes „alpha-z“ der Zukunftsbau GmbH und der Humboldt
Universität zu Berlin, Informationen über das Thema, Handbuch zum Analphabetismus
für Berater, Kurscurriculum (Materialien nach Registrierung als E-Book zugänglich),
Online-Tests für Betroffene
www.bda-online.de
Homepage der Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA) mit
Dokumenten und Positionen u. a. zur Bildung, Aus- und Weiterbildung
www.chancen-erarbeiten.de
Homepage des Projektverbundes „Chancen erarbeiten – Alphabetisierung und
Grundbildung im Kontext von Wirtschaft und Arbeit“, News, Ergebnisse, Produkte,
Materialien, Veranstaltungen
www.deutsch-am-arbeitsplatz.de
Online-Portal zum berufsbezogenen Deutsch-als-Zweitsprache-Unterricht, Konzepte,
Lehrmaterial, Fortbildung für Kursleiter/-innen, Angebote zur innerbetrieblichen
Weiterbildung
www.f-bb.de
Homepage des Forschungsinstituts Betriebliche Bildung (f-bb), unter dem
Kompetenzfeld „Berufliche Integration“ Informationen und Downloads zur
Weiterbildung von Geringqualifizierten (u. a. arbeitsorientierte Grundbildung)
www.grawira.de
Homepage des Projektverbundes „Grundbildung, Alphabetisierung, Wirtschaft und
Arbeit (GRAWIRA)“, Ergebnisse, Produkte, Materialien zur arbeitsplatzorientierten
Grundbildung in Unternehmen
www.grundbildung.de
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Vom Deutschen Volkshochschul-Verband entwickeltes Informationsangebot für die
Durchführung von Alphabetisierungs- und Grundbildungskursen, zum Beispiel auch
Lehr- und Lernmaterialien, Fortbildungskurse, Projektergebnisse
www.ich-will-lernen.de
Online-Lernportal des Deutschen VolkshochschulVerbandes zur selbstgesteuerten
Verbesserung der Grundbildung mit der Möglichkeit, auch Schulabschlüsse nachträglich
zu erwerben
www.vhs.de
Suchmaschine für VHS-Angebote, unter anderem Alphabetisierungs- und
Grundbildungskurse
In German (Austria)
www.abc.salzburg.at
Homepage des Basisbildungszentrums Salzburg: Aus- und Weiterbildungen und
Basisbildungskurse auf allen Niveaus
www.alphabetisierung.at
Homepage des Netzwerks der österreichweiten Projektpartnerschaft In.Bewegung,
Produkte, Material für TrainerInnen, Fachbeiträge
www.bb-tools.wikispaces.com
Portal für Lehrende und Trainer im Basisbildungsbereich: Tool für den Unterricht,
Werkzeuge für die Materialherstellung, Lernprogramme
www.erwachsenenbildung.at
Portal für das Lehren und Lernen Erwachsener des Bundesministeriums für Unterricht,
Kunst und Kultur: Angebote, Informationen und Links für jeden Bereich der
Erwachsenenbildung
www.initiative-erwachsenenbildung.at
Homepage der Initiative Erwachsenenbildung der Länder-Bund-Initiative zur Förderung
grundlegender, kostenloser Bildungsabschlüsse für Erwachsene: Informationen zur
Initiative, Kriterien für Institute zur Akkreditierung von Basisbildungskursen, Links für
Erwachsene zu akkreditierten
www.netzwerkmika.at
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Nationale Netzwerkpartnerschaft mit dem Ziel Unterrichtende im Bereich
Alphabetisierung, Basisbildung und Zweitsprachenerwerb zu unterstützen: Aus- und
Weiterbildungen, Materialien, Vernetzungsangebote
www.oeibf.at
Website der Österreichischen Institut für Bildungsforschung: Projekte, Publikationen
www.zukunft-basisbildung.at
Aktuelle Homepage zur Weiterentwicklung der österreichweiten Projektpartnerschaft In
Bewegung: Entwicklungsarbeit zu Qualitätssicherung, Zielgruppenerschließung,
Eröffnung neuer Lernorts sowie Öffentlichkeitsarbeit und Sensibilisierung
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