Literacy Aotearoa: Take adult literacy more seriously

Literacy Aotearoa: Take adult literacy more seriously – for the sake of the kids

New research shows that addressing adult literacy needs has the potential to create a legacy of inter-generational achievement that will enrich New Zealand for decades to come, says Literacy Aotearoa.

Research published last week in Australia on the effects of positive parental engagement on children’s learning has serious and urgent implications for New Zealand. Literacy Aotearoa is calling for the government to recognise that adult literacy issues affect not just the current generation of adults, but also the educational performance of their children.

The study, ‘Parental engagement in learning and schooling: Lessons from research,’ which was commissioned by the Australian Family-School and Community Partnerships Bureau, notes that parental engagement has a positive impact on many indicators of student achievement. These include higher grades and test scores, enrolment in higher level programmes and advanced classes, higher successful completion of classes, lower drop-out rates, higher graduation rates, and a greater likelihood of commencing postsecondary education.

The study references academic research, using economic modelling to examine the impact of parental engagement. The research showed that parental effort has a large effect on student achievement, compared with school resources such as per pupil spending on teaching. That effort improved students’ academic outcomes to levels equivalent to those of students whose parents had received an additional four to six years of education.

The study also references a 2003 report into community and family influences on the education of New Zealand children prepared by the Ministry of Education.

“There are three lessons New Zealand can learn from this research conducted by our near neighbour,” says Te Tumuaki (Chief Executive) of Literacy Aotearoa, Bronwyn Yates. “The first is to confirm just how important parental engagement is. The second is to note the implications for children whose parents, despite their desire to see their children succeed educationally, are less able to positively engage in assisting them because of their own difficulties with literacy, language and numeracy. The third is to recognise the opportunity offered by this pre-Christmas report for government and communities to take urgent steps to address the high literacy needs of adult New Zealanders, as a genuinely change-making investment in families for generations to come.”

The Australian study is consistent with a report published last year by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, ‘Maori adult literacy and whānau transformation.’ That report found that parents who had participated in adult literacy and numeracy programmes said they were now more able to help their children with learning, including school-based learning, and were creating opportunities at home to do so.

The World Literacy Foundation’s 2012 report, “The Economic & Social Cost of Illiteracy,” estimates that high literacy needs are costing the global economy US$1.19 trillion each year, and puts the social and economic impact on New Zealand at NZ$3 billion a year. It also identifies the effects on individuals and families, showing significantly higher income levels (up to 30%) in the general population than for adults with high literacy needs.

“The evidence is incontrovertible,” says Ms Yates. “Report after report shows that high levels of literacy need have a negative impact on the economic and social well-being of affected households. And we reiterate that, according to the most recent research, addressing these needs will have a positive impact that will flow through to future generations. That’s a gift that will keep on giving, for a long, long time.

“This Christmas we urge government to consider how investments in education would be enhanced by giving serious and urgent consideration to addressing the wider impact of New Zealand’s high rates of adult literacy need,” says Ms Yates.

“High literacy needs can be passed down from generation to generation unless effective intervention occurs. It is essential that government policy places a greater emphasis on meeting parents’ basic educational needs as a way of improving children’s educational performance and achievement.”

“Parents who have difficulties with literacy and who had poor experiences at school need help to access relevant adult literacy programmes so they can play their part in improving their children’s educational performance.”

Adult Literacy in New Zealand

The 2006 Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey, assessed adult New Zealanders in prose literacy, document literacy, numeracy and problem solving. The levels range from 1-5, with Level 3 as the minimum required to engage effectively in social, work and community life.

Results showed New Zealand adults are represented in high numbers at Levels 1-2, with 44% prose literacy, 43% document literacy, 51% numeracy, and 67% problem solving.

When those adults become parents, their literacy and numeracy needs will compromise their ability to engage effectively with their children’s education. The survey was a joint project of the Government of Canada, the US National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

About Literacy Aotearoa

Literacy Aotearoa is a national organisation of adult literacy providers and is a leading commentator on literacy issues in Aotearoa (New Zealand). It delivers a range of programmes to meet the needs of adults who want to improve their literacy, numeracy and communication skills. It has a membership of 45 member providers (Ngā Poupou) throughout the country, and develops and maintains a number of alliances with iwi, tertiary education institutions and other organisations to deliver training and literacy services. In 2011, it worked with 8000 New Zealanders to increase their literacy, numeracy and language skill levels.

ENDS

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