Intended and Actual Provision of Basic Skills

Basic Skills in England

Intentions in 2000 for 2004
Provisions in 2004/ 2005

Definitions

The ability to read, write and speak in English / Welsh and to use mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general.

Basic Skills Agency (2004), About Us: About the Basic Skills Agency, [Online], Available World Wide Web, URL: http://www.basic-skills.co.uk/site/page.php?cms=2) [Accessed December 22, 2004, 18:05], Concise Multimedia.

Basic Skills concerns lifelong learning meaning all age groups.

Key skills are similar to basic skills, but actually include a wider range of skills. The Department for Education and Skills defines key skills as:

Essential skills which people need in order to function effectively as members of a flexible, adaptable and competitive workforce. They are also invaluable in helping people function within society - and for lifelong learning.

Learndirect (2002), Are Basic Skills Like Key Skills? [Online], Available World Wide Web, URL: http://www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/helpandadvice/bassk/#key [Accessed December 22, 2004, 20:10], Ufi Limited.

This concerns England. Similar approaches exist for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In 1998, Sir Claus Moser wrote A Fresh Start, on literacy and numeracy in England. From this came a government comprehensive strategy to tackle Basic Skills deficiencies in the adult population called Skills for Life.

Around 2000 it was identified that:

7 million adults in England could not read and write at the level expected of an 11-year-old (Level 1)

1 million of these under 25 years old
4 million of these 26 to 55 years old
Up to 3.5 million working

More than 7 million had difficulty with working with numbers.
Some half million struggled with English because it was not their first language

25% of employers reported basic skills inadequacies in the distribution and consumer services sector (25% of all employment)

The consequences were:

lower incomes
Loss of business or orders to competitors (losing £4.8 billion a year)
Lower productivity
Literacy and numeracy inadequacy responsible for 33% of 20% productivity gap with Germany
One in five employers reported a significant gap in workers' skills.
Unemployment
Ill health
Social exclusion

So these people were targeted for action:

School leavers

(of 580,000 annually, around 150,000 were below Level 1 in both maths and English; 22% of these did not proceed to training or work)

Unemployed

(32% below or at Level 1)

Low-skilled employed
Benefit claimants

(40% of 3.5 million adults in receipt of working-age benefits - excluding child benefit and pensions - with problems)

One quarter of lone parents claiming Income Support are without qualifications

(around 240,000)

prisoners

(130,000 are or have been; 50% with poor reading, 66% poor numeracy, 81% writing skills below Level 1)

Learners with disabilities

(about 8.5 million, many literate and numerate)

The supervised by the Probation Service

(200,000 - similar percentages to prisoners)

Public sector employees

(2 million needing to improve skills)

Those risking exclusion
Homeless people
Refugees
Asylum seekers
English as not first language

(1 million)

Aim to improve literacy and numeracy by 2004:

750,000 adults

At least 40,000 claiming benefit
At least 40,000 people in prison/ supervised
Around 110,000 young people by 2004
At least 60,000 parents

A further 200,000 as young people replace the retiring
Professional qualifications for all literacy and numeracy teachers from September 2001

Tasks:

People improve literacy and numeracy skills
Promote numeracy and literacy provision

Methods in general:

Education and training free
National standards
A national core curriculum
National Tests for literacy and numeracy

Objective questions with a single right answer
Tests available online
No cheating
Almost immediate online feedback
Monopoly of Levels 1 and 2 in National Tests from September 2002

Inspections (literacy, numeracy and English as an additional language).
Realistic targets
For new individuals

Screening
Diagnostic assessment

Existing learners to remain motivated
Commissioning new learning materials
Teacher Training

Professional qualifications for literacy and numeracy teachers
Literacy and numeracy in FE teacher training

More funding
Centre of research for literacy and numeracy skills
No unemployed 16 hour rule for studying literacy and numeracy
European Union context

Specifically:

Basic Skills Agency's Quality Mark

(minimum standard)

Reward those performing well

(The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) from inspection data)

Invest selectively (LSC)
Facilitate improvement where necessary (LSC)
Firm action where providers fail to respond (LSC)
Ceasing funding (LSC)

Telephone information line

(Learndirect)

Training of a high standard
e-Learning
Technologies
Professionally produced materials

(commissioned by Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit)

Other high-quality materials
Learning packages and assessment
Self study packages and progress charts
Home study packages in paper-based formats

Literacy and numeracy linked to work learning and National Vocational Qualifications etc.
Information and advice about training and learning opportunities

(Learndirect)

Telephone
Web
Higher profile of online skills learning in the workplace, home and in learning centres

Skills Action Plans

(Regional Development Agencies)

National core literacy and numeracy curriculum for adults

(Qualifications and Curriculum Authority)

Innovate, develop and disseminate best practice

(The Basic Skills Agency)

Quality assurance

(Adult Learning Inspectorate)

Targeted funding, family learning

(Learning and Skills Council)

Guide sharing national and local best practice

(Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit)

Other funding sources

(Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit with LSCs)

Co-ordination

(Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit, based in the Department for Education and Employment and supported by a regional field force)

Family Literacy and Numeracy Project

(Basic Skills Agency)

Welfare to Work budget
Prison education
Probation Service literacy and numeracy skills strategy
Literacy and numeracy action plan of the Ministry of Defence with annual targets
Library provision
Keeping bureaucracy to a minimum

(Learning and Skills Council)

Planning and funding

(Learning and Skills Council)

Personal advisers track young people and intervene with employers

(Connexions)

Voluntary Organisations Partnership Programme
Those working with children identifying parents' needs
Health visitors looking at mothers' needs
Address adult financial literacy needs

(Financial Services Authority)

Job advertisements state levels of literacy and numeracy
Qualifications structure for teachers of literacy, numeracy and English as an additional language
FE teaching qualification includes literacy and numeracy
Accredited continuous professional development for adult literacy and numeracy teachers
Research

(evidence based development, including teacher training, establishing a national research centre working with Basic Skills Agency)

New standards and curriculum, through a training programme

(developed and managed by the Basic Skills Agency)

Using these organisers and providers:

Ofsted
Adult Learning Inspectorate
UK Online centres and the National Grid for Learning
Distance Learning Advisers Network
Central Government National Training Organisation
Learning and Skills Council
Basic Skills Agency
Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit
Learning and Skills Development Agency
Learndirect
National Institute of Adult Continuing Education
Adult and Community Learning Fund
Qualifications and Curriculum AuthorityAdult Learning Inspectorate
National Institute of Adult Continuing Education
Regional Development Agencies
Local authorities
Local strategic partnerships
Social workers
Residents' associations
European Social Fund
The media

(especially BBC with Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit)

and:

National training organisations
Department of Health
National Health Service
Prison Service
The Department for Education and Employment
Ministry of Defence
Local Government Association
Employer Learning Networks
Employers
Modern Apprenticeships
Investors in People
Trade unions
Union Learning Fund
Connexions
Voluntary Organisations
Foyer Federation
Prince's Trust
Salvation Army
Nacro
Refugee Council
Youth Clubs UK
National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service
Fairbridge Housing
Cranstoun Drug Services
Alcohol Concern
Groundwork UK
The Big Issue project
National Health Service
Probation Service
Courts
Neighbourhood Nurseries
Public libraries
Voluntary and community organisations
Faith-based organisations
Information, Advice and Guidance Partnerships

Learners to be:

Committed to their own learning
Following an action plan
Know what to do
Short term goals
Long term goals

The providers offer and use:

Tailor-made training
Bite sized chunks
Clear goals
A fixed benchmark
Tutors giving regular positive documented feedback
A full range of learning techniques
Volunteers (10,000)

Learner buddies
Mentors

Offer clear progression into other learning opportunities
Be aware of the particular requirements of those with dyslexia
Tutors should provide a multi-sensory approach
Every teacher receives a free copy of:

National standards
National core curriculum

Locations and times:

Classroom
At work
Learn at a time and place that suits individual needs and circumstances

Closer to people's homes

At home
Informal settings and outside traditional classroom locations
Shopping malls
Community centres
Libraries
Pubs

materials from:

schools
supermarkets
bookshops
football grounds

National standards for literacy:

Entry 1 read and obtain information from common signs and symbols Level 1

(as at age 5)

Entry 2 use punctuation correctly, including capital letters, full stops and question marks Level 2

(as at age 7)

Entry 3 organise writing in short paragraphs Level 3

(as at age 9)

Level 1 identify the main points and specific detail in texts Level 4

(as at age 11)

Level 2 read and understand a range of texts of varying complexity accurately and independently GCSE A*-C

(as at age 16)

National standards for numeracy

Entry 1 recognise and name common shapes such as rectangles, circles, cubes, etc. Level 1

(as at age 5)

Entry 2 read and understand information in simple diagrams and charts Level 2

(as at age 7)

Entry 3 add or subtract using three-digit numbers Level 3

(as at age 9)

Level 1 recognise and use fractions, decimals and percentages Level 4

(as at age 11)

Level 2 find the mean, median and mode and use them as appropriate to compare two sets of data GCSE A*-C

(as at age 16)

What happens now?

Most agencies have settled into their roles. For example, the Basic Skills Agency has a set of programmes:

Quality Marks

(schools)

Developing Effective Practice

(problem solving with others in Basic Skills)

Better Teaching Partnership

(post 16 institutions improving from grade 4 by ALI / Ofsted)

National Projects

(e.g. Army, Probation Service)

The Learning and Skills Council covers all non-University adult learning. It looks at the demand side and supply side, with The Young People's Learning Committee (16-21) and an Adult Learning Committee

Achieving national targets
Strategies for participation and attainment
14-19 curriculum
Modern Apprenticeships
Works with:
Connexions
Education providers

Advice on participation and attainment
Basic skills
Workforce development
Works with:
National agencies, sectoral, economic and business and regional Regional agencies
Key partners

One big provider is Learndirect. It covers adult learning including Basic Skills or

Essential skills
Skills for life
Literacy and numeracy
Reading, writing and arithmetic (the three R's)

http://www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/helpandadvice/bassk/#what

It states that still around seven million adults in England have difficulty with basic skills.

It provides:

Courses at colleges
Courses at adult education centres
Distance learning (self study)
Home
Workplace
Open learning centre
On-line courses

It proceeds using:

An initial assessment for needs
A diagnostic assessment on strengths and weaknesses for individual tailoring

Now there are many providers of Entry Level and Levels 1 and 2 in Literacy or Numeracy

OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA
Includes Level 3
13,000 locations
City and Guilds
FE
Businesses
Private training providers
Armed forces
Some universities
Edexcel
Schools
FE
HE
Employers
Training providers
London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examinations Board (LCCIEB)
8000 centres worldwide
NCFE
Colleges
Private training providers
Adult education centres
Community groups
Schools
Businesses
National Open College Network (NOCN)
NOCN offers courses in literacy and numeracy at entry level, level 1 Adult and community education centres
FE
Sixth form colleges
Voluntary and community organisations
Universities
HE
Trade unions
Employers
Local education authorities
Training organisations
National Extension College (distance learning basic skills)

Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) centres and Citizens Advice Bureaux give details.

Other related including Basic Skills:

OCR National Skills Profile - a broad-based qualification with different skill areas (including communication and numeracy)

City and Guilds also offer:

Communication skills
English for speakers of other languages (ESOL)
Wordwise
Numberwise.

Employers
Should provide free basic skills training in the workplace
Visits from each Learning and Skills Council Basic Skills Advisor
To deliver a learning programme

College outreach staff

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
English as a Second Language (ESL)

Understand and participate
Access services
Familiarise with UK laws and customs
Access the labour market
Access FE and training
Support their children's education.
Adult education and community centres
FE

Pitman
Linguaphone
Learndirect

Family learning
Parents develop basic skills to help their children
Basic Skills Agency
Campaign for Learning includes the Family Learning Weekend
The Literacy Trust includes Talk to Your Baby

Offenders and ex-offenders

Prisons
Probation services

Dyslexia
The Dyslexia Institute
British Dyslexia Association

Jobcentre Plus
New Deal
Work-Based Learning

Promotion also takes place:

Get On for Individuals
From Learndirect (Get On video pack - very basic)
Get On at Work (information for employers):
Skills for Life booklet
Employers' Toolkit (CD Rom or paper)

Skillswise
BBC campaign and Learndirect
Information to basic skills tutors
Skillswise magazine

The Literacy Trust
Reading Is Fundamental
UK
National Reading Campaign
Talk To Your Baby
Reading The Game
Reading Connects
Vital Link

So much that was considered in 1998 and drafted in 2000 has come about. The question remains how many people take advantage of the courses and how advantageous they are.

It is not always the case that skills education improves skills. Some people tackle courses they can do easily, some vocational Key Skills and Basic Skills courses repeat a previous course or add little to what has been achieved (people with GCSE C or above doing Level 2, for example). This happens through compulsion and through providers meeting statistical requirements. Some people may even find their skills declining as a result of taking a course - Brooks et al, Progress in Adult Literacy: Do learners learn? (2001), in Skills for life: The National Strategy for Improving Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills, Department for Education and Employment, page 10, found that 20% of attenders find their skills reducing.