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LITERACY NEEDS
FOR VOCATIONAL
PURPOSES IN EUROPE
A DOCUMENTATION
FACTS, INFORMATION AND EXAMPLES
INCLUDING
TIPS AND HINTS
FOR VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE PROFESSIONALS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
ADULT ILLITERACY IN EUROPE:

REAL PEOPLE - REAL STORIES
ADULT ILLITERACY IN EUROPE: COUNTRY REPORTS
LITERACY, SKILLS FOR LIFE OR

BASIC EDUCATION: WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
GOOD PRACTISE EXAMPLES:

COMBATING ILLITERACY
TOGETHER FOR LITERACY

AND NUMERACY: POLITICAL RECOMMANDATIONS
GLOSSARY
INFORMATION SOURCES
APPENDIX
TIPS AND HINTS FOR

VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE PROFESSIONALS
LITERACY NEEDS FOR VOCATIONAL PURPOSES IN EUROPE

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PREFACE

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For a relatively high percentage of EU individuals, insufficient literacy/numeracy skills
lead to exclusion from social and occupational participation and in the worst case to a
loss of employment – due to increasingly complex job requirements even in sectors
with low-qualification demands. Neither general education nor vocational training
systems within many countries are prepared to provide adults with the necessary
literacy/numeracy skills - isolated technical-vocational training or literacy/numeracy
education without any reference to vocational requirements is dominant.
Where do literacy difficulties among adults come from?
Most adults with literacy difficulties 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 sociocultural and
academic conditions, as well as general development trends in the society itself.
What can we do?
The Leonardo da Vinci Project Literacy and Vocation tries to give answers focussing on
workplace literacy:
Workplace literacy includes the reading, writing, speaking and listening, numeracy,
critical thinking and problem solving skills people need at work. It also includes using
computers and 'learning to learn’ skills.
In the workplace, literacy does not mean reading books or writing essays like in school.
Workplace literacy refers to real work demands based on the real documents people
encounter on the job e.g. health and safety manuals, machine specifications, shift
notes, quality records, tables and graphs, operator instructions, standard operating
procedures and log books.
The Project Literacy and Vocation develops concepts and materials to increase people's
employability and individual potential: it sensitizes for the reduction in literacy
competences and defines the literacy demands on the job (literacy/numeracy,
mathematics, digital, learning to learn) necessary for acquisition of vocational
competences and Life Long Learning.
The project Literacy and Vocation – lit.voc – aims at making literacy education and
training more relevant to vocational requirements.

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ADULT
ILLITERACY IN EUROPE:
REAL PEOPLE - REAL STORIES

6
James from Ireland
James is 35 … left school at 14 and became a mechanic. When

eventually the garage had to close, he found that despite the
fact that he knew everything about how to fix cars, he couldn't
get his full mechanic's qualification because he couldn't read or
write. After that he became a lorry driver, getting up at 4
every morning and not returning until 7 in the evening. Even
then he had to turn down more profitable long haul jobs
because he couldn’t type the destinations into his satellite
navigation.
That is until he rang the National Adult Literacy Agency and

was given a range of free options and he decided to do an
intensive six week literacy course. Since then he has never
looked back. In only a few months he has changed job, is
running a garage and has applied to do a full mechanic and
management course in Dublin Institute of Technology.
“My way of dealing with things for years was running, just go
away and run from things. I had a lot of rage and anger in me
because I couldn’t do what I wanted to. I had it in my head
and it just wouldn’t go on to paper for me. That was killing me
inside. I’d say if I didn’t do this course, I’d say the anger would
have just festered up inside me. But now I feel very lucky. It’s
like a fairytale – I started out wanting to do this because I
wanted to get out of lorry driving and become a mechanic and
now that’s what is happening.”
Doing the literacy course has also made a huge difference to

his personal life. Before starting, James had never read a story
to his young son Brendan. “If I were to write a note or
anything you wouldn’t be able to read it. I wouldn’t even send
a text because you wouldn’t be able to read it. It’s after giving
me great confidence in me. I feel proud of myself.
[taken from: http://www.nala.ie/james-mccann]
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 preparing for the level 3 exam. At work she is
responsible for intern communication, and is well aware of the
importance of literacy skills.
As she explains “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 external 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

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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
companies 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]
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]
Jutta S. from 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 I continue to work as a cook! I
learned to peel potatoes after 6 years. But writing a menu?
Well, there were other trainees. I scrubbed the stove and they
wrote the menus for me. If a situation became dicey? Then I
burned my fingers or had cut myself, which does happen being
a cook!

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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! I didn’t do it
well 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 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 make the phone call.
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]
David P. from United Kingdom
David studied with Lancaster & Morecambe College during the

academic year 2010-2011. He had recently moved into the
area from Scotland on beginning the course. As a mature
student David was returning to education having left school
with no formal qualifications.
He was an eager and motivated individual very keen to learn

and as a result benefited greatly from the Adult Literacy
Workshops. The learning environment suited him because he
often said ‘it was not like school – the teaching was more
relaxed and the staff more approachable’. This environment
and atmosphere contributed greatly to his being able to ask
any questions he felt he needed to and to make new friends
and contacts in his group.
He achieved C&G Literacy Entry Level 3* and took part in the

BBC ‘My Story’ competition. In September 2010 he progressed
onto a full time vocational training course, Animal Care First
Diploma, a step he would not have considered if he had not
enrolled onto the Adult Workshops.
[Report by Sue Bramley, Lancaster & Morecambe College]

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Anthony L. (Private 1st Battalion The Staffordshire
Regiment) from 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 Garrison. That excellent support
aimed at meeting soldiers’’ 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]
Eftade from Turkey, living in Austria
Eftade is 32, married and mother of 2 children. As a child she

lived in Austria and went to grade 3 and 4 in Primary School.
Afterwards her family moved back to Turkey. The terrible
earthquake in 2002 brought them back to Austria.
Eftade got married. Her husband wanted her to finish her

school education but she was afraid.
“I did not have enough self-esteem to dare to go back to

school.”
In Turkey she had worked as a Religion teacher. Unfortunately

her exams were not accepted in Austria. So she wanted to
work as a kindergarten support teacher. In Austria she needed
to have the certificate for basic education to get into a course
for a social job. So she worked as a cleaner and became a
mother of two children.
When Eftade decided to start the basic education course, her

spoken German was alright, but she had difficulties reading
and writing. Also her Maths skills were poor. So she signed up
for the Basic education course HEX. After a clearing period of 3
months including extra support in German and Maths, she
managed to attend the course and achieved the Austrian

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Certificate for Basic Education (Hauptschulabschluss).
“Why did I not do this course earlier? My whole life has

changed. I manage everything independently and will be able
to do the job I love!”
Right now she attends the course that will change her life:
being a kindergarten support teacher.
Jawid from Afghanistan, living in Austria
Jawid is 24 and moved to Austria 9 years ago. He is married

and father of a little boy. In Afghanistan he only went to school
for 4 years. He is able to read and write a little in his mother
tongue and knows basic Maths. In Austria he has worked as a
kitchen helper and as a cleaner. Being busy working he never
got into a German course. He learned the new language in his
jobs and out in the streets.
“I did not have time to practice reading and writing. I had to

earn money for my family.”
As he was out of a job last summer the Austrian Job Centre

AMS sent him to attend a course for becoming a worker in a
store or warehouse. The teacher soon realised that behind
Jawid’s fluent speaking skills in German, he was unable to form
the letters correctly and read texts. Giving him individual tasks
and providing extra support, Jawid managed to improve his
reading and writing skills as well as his Maths. After the course
he found a job in a store straight away.
“Right now I have a good job that I really like. I love chatting
and now I can talk to customers and helping them out is my
job. Life is good.”
Roswitha from Krichberg-Thening, Austria
Roswitha is 49 years old. She has been a weak student and

after her basic school education she started working in the
textile industry.
“It was hard work – no holiday, no sick leave. There was no

time for reading. So I forgot how to do it”.
In the former years her husband took care of her but a few
years ago he died. She was completely on her own. Her cousin
encouraged Roswitha to go back to school. She started to learn
reading and writing again. Since then her life has changed: she
bought a micro car, renovated her living room and took the
first holiday of her life – three days in Burgenland, east of
Austria.
“It was the best decision of my life!”
[from: http://www.alphabetisierung.at]

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ADULT
ILLITERACY IN EUROPE:
COUNTRY REPORTS

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EUROPE 2012
The number of unqualified and poorly qualified adults in Europe is actually estimated
to be some 80 million, one-third of the working population, whereas the proportion of
highly qualified jobs is due to rise from its current level of 29% to 35% by 2020.
Reading and writing skills are crucial, since they are determining factors in continuing
education.
Already in 2002 the European Parliament stated in the report on illiteracy and social
exclusion:
“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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The problems continue: 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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AUSTRIA 2012
SITUATION IN AUSTRIA CONCERNING LITERACY AND NUMERACY NEEDS
People affected
Basic education is a core qualification for finding work in 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 300.000 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.
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.
Special 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.

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SOLUTIONS AND MEASURES
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, which 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.
[Taken 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)
Until 2011 there have been many different ways of funding of basic education in the
nine Austrian states and at federal level. The OECD advises: “One priority for national
policy might (…) be to obtain better information about differences among Länder, and
then devise corrective policies (including potential funding or regulatory policies) to
moderate those differences that seem too large.” (OECD 2004: Thematic Review on
Adult Learning. Austria. Country Note. S. 31).
The OECD-Review further claimed: “There are two areas of adult education that have
not been priorities. The most obvious of these is low-literacy adults and the
Bildungsferne.” (OECD 2004: Thematic Review on Adult Learning. Austria. Country
Note. S. 20).

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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.
Don’t tell me you can not read. A life as illiterate is more difficult
than learning to read and write.
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.
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 Score Card.
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.
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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BULGARIA 2012
SITUATION IN BULGARIA CONCERNING LITERACY AND NUMERACY NEEDS
People affected and reasons
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 system 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.
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.
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, sofiaecho.com/2011/02/25/1049914_education-for-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.

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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.
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 has 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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DENMARK 2012
SITUATION IN DENMARK CONCERNING LITERACY AND NUMERACY NEEDS
According to OECD’s criteria every fifth Dane (around 1, 5 mil. people) has difficulties
reading and almost half of the adult population between the age of 16 and 66 cannot
read sufficiently. 7 % of all adult Danes perceive themselves as dyslexic.
Every Dane needs to have the skills to read, spell and write. You have to be able to
understand an instruction to a new machine, a rule of security or written information.
Work development and new jobs demand that all employees have these skills.
Today you also need to have computer skills for almost any job and hereby to be able
to read and write. Otherwise you cannot answer e-mails, find information on the
Internet, read a message from your children’s school, etc. The unemployed need to
write and send applications electronically. If you have difficulties reading and writing,
it will be hard to manage your job in the long run. Also the risk of getting fired is
bigger. It means a lot to be able to read. It gives a person self confidence and
provides security in everyday life both at work and in the spare time.
[www.kompetenceudvikling.dk/sites/default/files/sckk/user13/files/laese_folder.pdf]
Hver femte dansker har

svært ved at læse denne tekst!
Every fifth Dane has difficulties reading this text (OECD).
The Danish government wants 95 % of a youth year group to complete a higher

education. Therefore focus in Denmark is on making sure that 95% also reads
sufficiently. To reach this goal it is necessary to rectify reading disorders. Not just for
society but also for the individual (www.uvm.dk - vocational training).

20
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 this way one hopes to find the adults with illiteracy.
The screening is a computer based test where the score is the guideline for which
educational direction would be the best for the person tested. In Denmark a
cooperation between vocational training (AMU) and education in basic literacy skills
(FVU) exist and is necessary. This way more adults with illiteracy is found and helped.
This is again based on the screening of basic abilities
(www.uvm.dk - cooperation between FVU and AMU).
Adult and supplementary education has an essential function in maintaining and

further developing workforce skills. 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 in Denmark. About one third of the learners in retraining at AMU
courses have difficulties reading and writing (about 125.000 people in 2006).
A new evaluation (April 2012) of the education in basic literacy and mathematical skills
(FVU) shows that the political goal to help and reach out for Danish people with low
literacy and low mathematical skills is not reached yet (40.000 students per year).
Only 79.000 students have completed a FVU course in literacy or a FVU math course
since this form of adult education was initiated in 2000 in Denmark. The FVU activity is
rising but nowhere near the political goal. This is not because the need for education
has decreased. Also economy does not play a role; the FVU courses are free for the
students, because they are state financed. At the same time the evaluation shows that
typical participants in FVU courses are people with Danish as their second language.
The FVU system was not made for that group. This group will get better considering
their basic writing skills but that is not all this group needs. The evaluation also
concludes that those who do participate in a FVU course increase their basic skills.
When not reaching the political goal a lot of people in Denmark with low literacy skills
miss out on upgrading and hereby on the possibility for advanced training and
obtaining active citizenship (www.eva.dk - evaluation of FVU).
Also a new report on AMU courses (2012) shows that short educated people start out
with labour market training and often stop hereafter or maybe participate at more AMU
courses. These courses therefore cannot be classified as a pathway for continued
education but they can get people started upgrading and returning to school via labour
market training. (www.eva.dk - evaluation of AMU)
Every year unskilled jobs are discontinued at the same time as new jobs based on
higher educational level are created. The problem is enhanced as the approach to the
labour market in these years is reduced compared to the exit from the labour market,
and that 15-20 % of the approach does not get a qualifying education. There therefore
exists a risk for a labour market with lack of labour with vocational and higher
education together with a big group of unskilled labour. (VEU -rådet: “Strategiske
fokusområder”, May 2010)
____________________

21
1
AMU: Labour market training. AMU is short-term courses which one can study individually or
piece together as required. This way it can fit into a workflow. The courses are qualifying and
some of them give credit for vocational training.
2
FVU: preoperational training at an adult educational centre or at the workplace. One is taught
the basic skills one needs to become better at written Danish language.
3
A VEU-center; is a cooperation between all providers of AMU courses and adult education in an
area. The idea is to give companies and individuals better counseling and the right supplementary
education offer, because the user will get all possibilities presented at the same time
(www.eva.dk ).

22
GERMANY 2012
SITUATION IN GERMANY CONCERNING LITERACY AND NUMERACY NEEDS
People affected
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 ill-equipped for an
appropriate participation in society, write the authors of the study.

23
More than 8000 individuals were
questioned for the study. Above all,
individuals 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.
Groups and Sectors
Some 13 percent of people who are

functionally illiterate are in the 18 to
29-year-old age group, about 15
percent in the 30 to 39-year-old age
group and 40 to 49-year-old age group and about 16 percent in the 50 to 64-year-old
age group […]. Poor writing skills despite a command of familiar vocabulary are
identified in just fewer than 25.9 per cent of the 18 to 29-year-olds with the 30 to 39-
year-olds showing a similar figure. However, the figures for the 40 to 49-year-old age
group are slightly better than the younger and older groups. These cohorts must have
started school between 1967 and 1974 and finished primary school from 1971 to 1980.
Since the mid 1970s they might have benefited from the institutionalised, publicly
funded adult education schemes.
Of the 7.5 million people with functional illiteracy, 4.4 million (58%) learnt German as
their first language. A further 3.1 million (42%) learnt another language first. The
random sample only includes people whose verbal command of German is good enough
to take place in a survey and a skills test.
[Taken from: Leo. – Level One Study, Literacy of adults at the lower rungs of
the ladder. Press brochure. Anke Grotlüschen/ Wibke Riekmann 2011. Hamburg,
spring 2011]

24
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in Germany introduced the
programme “Research and Development for Literacy and Adult Basic Education” in
2007. Over the period of five years, the BMBF encouraged knowledge and innovation
transfer with over 100 projects.
The research and development projects included:

 exploring the basic principles of literacy and adult basic education,
 enhancing the efficiency and quality of support and advice services for adults
with low basic education,
 exploring literacy and adult basic education in the context of industry and
employment,
 Enhancing the professionalism of teachers of literacy and adult basic education.
The programme has produced new findings and concepts in the following areas:
 increasing awareness and reaching the target group,
 diagnosis of skills and consultancy,
 diagnosis and promotion of reading and writing skills,
 organising adult basic education classes and developing materials for adult
basic education,
 qualifications for lecturers and key personnel as well as
 Adult basic education in specific operational contexts.
In 2008 148 adult education centres (Volkshochschulen) and 53 other institutions in

the educational sector took part in the first comprehensive enquiry into the field of
illiteracy and basic skills. The enquiry gathered information, amongst other topics, on
literacy courses according to target groups. The study found that 9,391 participants
were reached with 2,000 courses. 88 per cent of the identified courses were organised
by adult education centres, 11 per cent by private, church institutions, or associations.
Approximately 97 per cent out of 1,189 courses for participants whose mother tongue
is German were conducted by adult education centres. Just under one third of courses
for people with a migrant background (excluding integration courses with
alphabetisation/Federal Office for Migration and Refugees) were provided by other
educational institutions.

25
SPAIN 2012
SITUATION IN SPAIN CONCERNING LITERACY AND NUMERACY NEEDS
In 2007, functional illiteracy in the Spanish population of working age had been
reduced from 50% since 1980. It was at 23.7% and was reduced to 11.9%. The
gradual decline of this variable during the first half of the eighties was followed by a
rebound at the end of the decade, before falling rapidly during the nineties and until
the end of the period.
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. In absolute terms, some of the most
backward regions at the beginning of the
period managed the broader progress and
distance from the latter was markedly
reduced. Thus, the difference between the
region with the highest percentage of
illiteracy and one with a smaller proportion
was halved, from 32.6 percentage points in
1980 (Castilla-La Mancha and Cantabria to
the tail to the head) to 16.5 points (with
the worst position in Extremadura and the
Basque Country region being the highest).
The southern regions of Spain had the

highest percentages, and exceeded 20% in
the case of Extremadura and Castile-La
Mancha.

26
A general problem to obtain conclusive data is the definition of illiterate. Illiteracy
exists in the strict sense, i.e., no training, while functional illiteracy also exists, when
people have had at least 4 years of formal education and knows 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.
Groups and Sectors
Another source to analyze illiteracy in Spain is the population census carried out by
National Statistics Institute every 10 years
Conclusions drawn from these studies:
 People age: 21% of people over 75 years are functionally illiterate

 Data from the towns’ people live: The smaller the municipality of residence, the
higher rates of illiteracy.
Example on the Spanish situation
Half of the students of Secondary Education (ESO) abandon 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 succeed 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.

27
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.

28
UNITED KINGDOM 2012
THE SITUATION IN THE UK CONCERNING LITERACY AND NUMERACY NEEDS
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.”
[Taken from:
www.literacytrust.org.uk/support?gclid=CJTBsve20q4CFcwTfAodX3WV-g]
Around a fifth of pupils leave school without functional literacy and functional
numeracy skills, 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

29
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.”
[Taken from: www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6042996]
'Dismal picture' of adult literacy in UK
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.
[Taken from:
www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jan/29/literacy-numeracy-skills]
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.
[Taken from:
www.fenews.co.uk/fe-news/illiteracy-costs-the-uk-economy-81-billion-annually]

30
WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS AND MEASURES PUT IN PLACE TO COMBAT THE
PROBLEMS?
Nationally, the Government established new qualifications to reflect the needs of the
labour market. These are the Functional Skills qualifications that all 16-19 year olds
undertake along side their vocational qualification. ‘Functional skills are core elements
of English, mathematics and ICT that provide individuals with the essential knowledge,
skills and understanding that will enable them to operate confidently, effectively and
independently in life, education and work’. QCA 2006
Solutions and measures at Lancaster and Morecambe College
As a college we are committed to meeting the needs of the local community and target
those groups where literacy and numeracy difficulties have been identified e.g.
 Unemployed and those in receipt of benefit
 Prisoners/ex offenders
 Young adults
We are working in partnership with other providers and agencies to offer cohesive
provision locally.
As a college we have developed new resources, undertaken relevant training in order

to deliver the new qualifications and established a working model for the delivery with
good success. Our success rates for 2010/11 were 74% for the College overall for
Functional Skills from 1007 starts. For Adult Literacy the success rate was 88% for
Level 2 and for Adult Numeracy the success rate was 90% for Level 2.
This will continue into this next academic year when Functional Skills will replace Key
Skills and Adult Literacy and Adult Numeracy qualifications nationally.

31
LITERACY,
SKILLS FOR LIFE
OR BASIC EDUCATION
WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

32
Using the term of lacking basic education, instead of illiteracy or
functional illiteracy 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 “illiterate” 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 people mostly an insurmountable
obstacle.

33
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.
As 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.
Individuals need to learn these abilities 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.

34
WHERE DO LITERACY DIFFICULTIES AMONG ADULTS COME FROM DESPITE
EXPERIENCING FORMAL 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 sociocultural 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.

35
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 person’s life. 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 great 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 too short,
too tall, too fat, too thin, speaks differently, have a different skin colour, 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 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 self-confidence 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.

36
And last but not least: general developments trends in the society/ socio-
cultural 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, E-
mail).
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?
The following target groups are not in the focus of the Lit.Voc project due to
pedagogical-didactic reasons (e. g. didactic if teaching foreign language is quite
different to teach mother language) and needed special qualification of teachers
(teaching people with organic brain injury):
 Young people who are still subject to compulsory education within the
general education system
 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 (exception Denmark)

37
GOOD PRACTISE EXAMPLES:
COMBATING ILLITERACY

38
Denmark
Literacy training for employees
COMPANY-INDOOR-TRAINING
VUC Southern Jutland is at the leading edge of working together with local companies
and establishing classes in basic education at the working places. It has a very high
priority for VUC Southern Jutland to offer basic education where the employees are.
VUC Southern Jutland Vocational Department consists of 3 fulltime employed

consultants and a leader. The department is equipped with 2 mobile classrooms in
expandable Lorries. Each classroom is made for 18 people and is fully equipped for
teaching with blackboard, laptops, wireless internet, and dictionaries, learning
materials, copier, printer and even a small kitchen. The Lorries are operated by a full
time employed driver, who prepares the classrooms for each lesson at many different
sites. The classes for dyslexics are smaller, only 6 students and one teacher, and for
this purpose there is camper rebuilt as a small classroom. It has laptops, wireless
internet, learning materials and a screen. The teacher drives the camper him/herself.
The budget for VUC vocational department is 3.5 million Danish crowns (about 480,000
Euro) per year.
Company indoor-training consists of basic education in the subjects Danish, arithmetic

and Danish for dyslexics. The classes are normally 2 days per week with 3 lessons
each time. The classes are a part of the working day, and the employees come directly
from their work and do not bother to change clothes.
The classes normally take place in the mobile classrooms as they are equipped for the
purpose, though VUC can also use local facilities such as meeting rooms, offices and
cantinas. VUC then brings all necessary materials for the class. Company indoor-
training is a flexible solution, as the employees’ need no transport and can quickly
return to their work. The target group is mainly unskilled workers, who do not
normally think much of education. It turns out that they are easier to motivate for
education, when they can see their colleagues going to class in their working clothes.
It spreads like rings in the water, when the employees tell about the class in the lunch
break. More employees want to sign up for the class once it has started.
Through some years already VUC has had a great success offering multi-company-
classes, so that also smaller companies can participate, that can not spare many
employees for a whole class. The consultants make a multi-company –contract and
they choose a site for the mobile classroom that is easy accessible for all parts.

39
The companies today demand more and more flexibility; you could call it “Here and
now teaching”. For this purpose VUC has just come up with a new concept. At small
local centres VUC can offer classes, where you can sign up from day to day. These
classes are primarily thought for small companies with large seasonal differences in
employment, such as craftsmen.
VUC Vocational Department is working hard at keeping in contact with the local
companies. The department also likes to be visible to the locals by taking part in
cultural events, where the mobile classrooms make people curious, so that they stop
by for at chat with the VUC consultants.
VUC Southern Jutland is a part of the VEU, a counselling network, coordinating the
needs for basic education in the region. The secret behind the VUC Vocational
Department is travelling the roads constantly and adapting education for each
company and each group of people.
Denmark
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. She 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]

40
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]

41
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.
The classes are an essential part of their overall course and are compulsory for
students to attend, forming a component of the overall structure on offer for the
students.

42
United Kingdom
ADULT LITERACY WORKSHOPS
Lancaster and Morecambe College

An Example of Delivery
Lancaster and Morecambe College offer free Literacy sessions to adult learners in
response to the national initiative to improve literacy skills across the nation. Sessions
are publicised through a variety of mediums including the College website, leaflets and
posters, the College prospectus, demonstrations, statutory organisations including Job
Centre Plus, community venues and groups, attendance at meetings and word of
mouth.
When a learner makes an enquiry regarding a course to our student services

department they will be referred to a Skills for Life specialist tutor who will discuss
their previous educational experiences with them and identify why they want to
improve their skills. Following this discussion the learners will complete a BKSB initial
assessment (either on paper or on-line their preference) to establish what their
present skill level is. On establishing a general level we then ask learners to complete
a diagnostic assessment to identify their specific skills and area for development.
A learner will then work towards the next level of skill through an Individual Learning
Plan or ILP. The ILP will then track all of their progress and success and set targets
and goals for them to work towards.
When both the learner and the tutor are confident that an assessment can be taken an
on-demand exam will be arranged at a mutually convenient time. These are offered
both on-line and on paper (the learner can choose which).
Learners can also choose to attend more than one workshop in a week and can take
control of their learning through pace setting. It is important for our learners to also
build up their self confidence and self esteem as many are preparing to re-enter the
job market.
All of the sessions described above are funded through the Skills Funding Agency.
Case study 1: Skills for Life Workshop
Katherine Moorhouse completed her studies through attendance at a Skills for Life
Workshop in February 2012. She has been attending since September 2010 and in that
time has achieved the Adult Literacy Level 1 and 2 and the Adult Numeracy Level 1
and 2.
Prior to attending the sessions she had completed her National Vocational Qualification
in Childcare through the Lancaster & Morecambe College. She then secured a part time
job with the Lancaster University Nursery. Katherine is married with 2 children.
The short-term goal for Katherine was a focus on achieving a recognised Maths and
English qualification however in the long-term she is hoping to continue studying and
working towards a degree and career in Occupational Health at the University of
Cumbria.
Katherine has found her learning experience a positive one and comments “What a
positive experience it has been returning into education after 10 years and also
returning to the college to do that.” She also adds “The tutors are excellent and cater

43
for the individual needs of each pupil (rather than standing at the front and teaching a
whole group). This meant for me a much more personal approach to learning and
excelled me quicker to my goal of sitting my exam. This course and the tutors have
given me the help to complete my English and maths, which have given me the
confidence to want to go on in education and hopefully further my career.”
Katherine herself admits that the classes appealed to her because they gave her a
chance to access education again and were free. She had struggled with school and it
was not until she accessed College initially that she was diagnosed with dyslexia. Her
attendance at the workshops was excellent and she worked hard whilst in the sessions,
she was very keen to achieve and was committed to the qualification each time.
Katherine has done well to achieve all four qualifications in the time, and is a
dedicated and enthusiastic student.
The sessions Katherine attended were free as part of the national initiative to improve
the literacy skills of the nation. All sessions were funded through the Skills Funding
Agency.
Case study 2: GCSE English course
Gillian C. came to the GCSE English course as a mature learner. As with all students
she undertook initial and diagnostic assessment and early on showed signs of
struggling with aspects of the course. She is dyslexic and found completing the online
assessment daunting and difficult.
She was working as an Ambulance Technician for a private company and wanted to
become a paramedic. This required her to gain GCSEs in Maths and English at grade C
or above (Level 2), which she had been unable to achieve at school. I believed her to
be capable and motivated enough to succeed.
Unfortunately just before the beginning of the course she suffered a family
bereavement which meant she started late. However, she attended regularly, handed
in all homework and worked very hard.
The course did not come easily to her and coupled with dyslexia she did find it very
challenging. However, she remained extremely focussed and determined, with the
result that in August she achieved a grade A in GCSE English.
She is now enrolled on the Access to Health Professions course at Lancaster and
Morecambe College and is hoping to go to university in September 2012 to train to
become a paramedic.
[Report Jane Mildwater, Lancaster & Morecambe College]

44
Spain
VOCATIONAL TRAINING WORKSHOPS

including basic education
Type A: Ordinary Workshop
This kind of workshop is aimed to those students who want to acquire professional
competences on Level 1 in order to facilitate the insertion in the labour market or
given the opportunity to continue with intermediate training modules.
These workshops are structured in two different types of modules: Professional

Modules and Basic Modules to guarantee the comprehension of professional modules.
Duration: 1 or 2 Years.
Type B: Adapted Professional Workshop
These Workshops are aimed to youngsters with severe behaviour disorders or

difficulties in adapting to the school or work, at risk of social exclusion, who wish to
acquire professional competences of a Level 1 qualification-oriented job market.

Modules and Basic Modules to guarantee the comprehension of professional modules
Duration: 1 Year.
Type C: SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS
This training is basically aimed to the labour insertion of young people who require
certain educational support and care arising from their disability.

Modules and Basic Modules to guarantee the comprehension of professional modules
Duration: 3 or even 4 Years.

45
Austria
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, the 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]

46
Austria
ADULT LITERACY TRAINING
The Basic Education Certificate for adults

(Vorbereitungslehrgang zur Hauptschulexternistenprüfung HEX)
Objectives of the training
The offer enables migrants to learn independently and supports them to meet the
continuously growing demands of the professional world.
Since 2008 the BFI offers basic education courses HEX for young people with
immigrant background (also 2nd and 3rd generation) usually aged from 16 to 25
years. During 12 months (720 learning units) they are prepared to be able to pass the
“Hauptschulexternistenprüfung” (Basic Education Certificate in Austria). This exam is
the key to a vocational education in Austria.
First there is a “Clearing Period” in which the participants are supported individually in
Literacy and Maths. Afterwards the actual course starts for those who are able to
follow the lessons. The subjects are German, Maths, English, Biology, Geography,
Physics and Chemistry, History, Geometrical Drawing, Music, Handicrafts, Home
Economics, Art and P.E. (Subject they have passed in school before are accredited).
Further Aims
Acquaintance of various vocational fields, job description analysis, school basics of a

chosen field of profession, applying for an apprenticeship position, practice of written
application and job interview, computer literacy, getting to know the real professional

47
demands in companies, development of communication skills as well as social and
conflict solving abilities, work habits, general learning support, excursions…
A new Concept: BASIC EDUCATION (BASISBILDUNG)
In June 2012 a new basic education course concept started to support even a wider
range of people. During 12 weeks - a much longer period than in the HEX clearing
period- participants attend Basic Education lessons. Afterwards they can attend the
HEX-Course to achieve their Basic Education Certificate.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST.
New Zealand
Accor Hotels - employer
Accor Hotels is an international hotel chain with 29 hotels across New Zealand.
Novotel & Ibis Auckland Ellerslie, Mercure Auckland and Mercure Windsor Auckland are
four of its Auckland hotels with 200 employees. …
The challenge
The hospitality industry is highly competitive and the interaction between staff and
guests is critical to positive guest experiences. Staff need to communicate successfully
not only with customers but also with other departments. Accor aims to develop
literacy within the workplace and assist employees in improving their ability to
communicate and understand the expectations of their role and guests' needs. A
number of the hotels' staff speaks English as a second language which limits their
ability to communicate and understand instructions. Department managers saw
instances of employees:
 failing to fully complete induction documents
 having difficulty with written communication
 having difficulty with verbal communication with guests
 lacking in confidence to approach guests
Practical solutions
WORKBASE developed a business skills communication programme based on what was

most beneficial for Accor Hotels. Priorities included:
 Communicating effectively with customers including dealing with complaints
 Communicating effectively with colleagues and supervisors
 Accurate documentation (particularly emergency procedures, menus and the

hotel's induction book)

48
Twenty-nine staff attended an hour of training a week over a 14-month period. The
training was tailored to each employee and took place during work hours, which
supported attendance and demonstrated the company's commitment to employee
development.
Great results
Following the training, hotel managers noticed a range of developments among

participants, including:
 improved customer service, including staff handling customer complaints
 improved understanding of instructions from supervisors
 greater confidence to approach guests and initiate conversations
 better understanding of other departments
 improved email and report writing
 More accurate completion of duty logs and order placement.
 improved moral and a more positive attitude towards their work in the hotel
[Source: http://www.workbase.org.nz/case-studies/accor-hotels-
employer.aspx]

49
TOGETHER
FOR LITERACY AND NUMERACY:
POLITICAL RECOMMANDATIONS

50
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.
Individuals need to learn 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.
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.

51
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.

52
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.

53
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

54
GLOSSARY

55
Illiteracy and literacy
Concepts and understanding in Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, United Kingdom, Denmark
and Spain
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.

56
United Kingdom
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
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.
Denmark
The term “functional illiteracy” is used in Denmark when talking about the
increasing demands of the Labour Market and society in general
concerning literacy, numeracy and ICT skills. However in literature,
research and educational areas the term “læse- og skrivevanskeligheder”
(reading and writing difficulties) is used. There are different degrees of
difficulties and the term is also used in concern to dyslectic people
together with the terms “ordblindhed” (Danish word for dyslexia) or
“dyslexia”.
Spain
Apart from the generic meaning of illiteracy in Spain, the term is widely
used to appoint to the individuals who are ignorant or lack elementary
training in some discipline.
In these cases, we usually speak of functional illiteracy, which is the

inability to comprise the explicit and implicit ideas of a text and issue a
critical judgement. This means that the functional illiterate knows how to
pronounce and decode written words, but he is not able to put them into
the practice neither to understand them.
A core component of the concept of functional literacy is the one which

connects to the social project of society. It is convenient to consider
literacy as the ability to acquire and exchange information through the
written words. We should understand the functional literacy as the
possession and access to the skills required carrying out transactions
involving reading and writing, and that an individual wants or needs to do.
Besides, in the last years, it has been developed the concept of digital
illiteracy, which refers to the people who do not have the necessary
knowledge for interacting with new technologies, such as Internet.

57
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.
In Germany and Austria the term “basic education” emphasises general

basic skills. It comprises reading and writing skills as well as skills
emphasising cultural and social inclusion, for example:
 being able to speak the language colloquially,
 basic numeracy skills,
 self-regulated acquisition of learning (“lifelong learning”),
 formation of political opinion and representation of interests,
 competency in the use of modern information technologies,
 social skills,
 foreign language skills and
 General ability to act in everyday life and society (mobility,

independent contact to agencies, practitioners, etc.).
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.”
The term “functional illiteracy” is used when the written language skills of
an adult are lower than those minimally required and expected in order to
cope with the demands of a given society. These are the written language
skills considered essential for achieving social inclusion and for giving
people the opportunity for individual development.
Literacy becomes critical for individuals as well as society when literacy

skills are insufficient for meeting the demands of written language skills in
everyday life and in jobs requiring basic skills. This can currently be
expected when a person is unable to read and comprehend information
given in a simple text and/or has a similar competency level regarding his
or her writing skills.

58
Persons are not defined as “functional illiterate” if:
 they are still attending compulsory education,
 they have a migrant background and have acquired reading and

writing skills in their native country and, despite
 Problems with mastering the (written) language of the immigration

country are able to participating fully in society.
 Adults who are not able to attain literacy skills because of physical
or psychological difficulties.
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.
Primary illiteracy
Primary illiteracy means that a person has not acquired any reading and
writing skills. Another term is “natural illiteracy”. It primarily affects
people in countries with a poorly developed school system and who have
had no opportunity to attend school (on a regular basis).
Secondary illiteracy
Secondary illiteracy is where written language skills, once acquired, are
lost during the course of people’s lives despite having attended school
more or less successfully. Children have learnt reading and writing at
school, but have unlearnt these skills as young adults or later in life.
Family literacy
The term “family literacy” describes approaches to promoting literacy in a
family context. As a starting point, the family signifies the central point of
literacy development and socialisation. Furthermore, it gives adults access
to acquiring reading and writing skills.

59
INFORMATION SOURCES

60
IN ENGLISH
www.nala.ie
Information Portal of the National Adult Literacy Agency in Ireland (NALA), information
and publications on workplace literacy
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 non-
governmental 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.
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
eng.uvm.dk/Education/Educational-and-vocational-guidance
A link from the Ministry of Education about the guidance system in Denmark
eng.uvm.dk/Fact-Sheets/Upper-secondary-education
eng.uvm.dk/Service/~/media/UVM/Filer/English/PDF/101104_UVM_profilpj
ece_UK_Netversion.ashx
A link and a pdf file with an overview on the possibilities for upper secondary education
in Denmark.
eng.uvm.dk/Fact-Sheets/Adult-education-and-continuing-training/Adult-
vocational-training

61
A link and overview from the Ministry of Education about the possibilities for adult
education and continuing training in Denmark
eng.uvm.dk/Fact-Sheets/Adult-education-and-continuing-
training/~/media/UVM/Filer/English/PDF/Fact%20sheets/101221_Nonformal_adult_edu
cation.ashx
Preparatory adult education - A pdf file on nonformal adult education and on day folk
high schools (such as VUC).
eng.uvm.dk/Fact-Sheets/Upper-secondary-education/Initial-Vocational-
education-and-training-programmes
A link from the Ministry of Education on initial vocational training.
eng.uvm.dk/Education/Upper-Secondary-Education/Vocational-Education-
and-Training-(vet)
AMU - A link to AMU education from the Ministry of Education; adult vocational
training.
eng.uvm.dk/Education/Upper-Secondary-Education/Basic-Vocational-
Education-and-Training-(egu)
EGU - A link to EGU education from the Ministry of Education; basic vocational
training.
eng.uvm.dk/Fact-Sheets/Upper-secondary-education/Production-schools
Production schools - A link from the Ministry of Education. This option is given to
young people under the age of 25 who have not completed a qualifying youth
education and who, at the time, are not qualified to start such education, or who have
dropped out of a youth education programme.
eng.uvm.dk/Fact-Sheets/General
General topics of Danish education - Ideology and financing of the Danish education
system

62
IN GERMAN
www.adbw.org
Homepage des Netzwerks der Bildungswerke der Wirtschaft in Deutschland mit Links
und Adressen
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

63
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
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
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

64
www.netzwerkmika.at
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
IN DANISH
www.uvm.dk/Uddannelser-og-dagtilbud/Uddannelser-til-voksne
Uddannelser for voksne - I Danmark findes der forskellige muligheder for den voksne
med hensyn til videreuddannelse. Alt efter hvilket niveau man har behov for
uddannelse på, og om det skal være erhvervsrettet eller ej. Denne hjemmeside giver
dig et overblik over dine muligheder.
www.vuc.dk
VUC hjemmeside. Her kan du læse om de uddannelsesforløb, som VUC tilbyder.
www.uvm.dk/Uddannelser-og-dagtilbud/Uddannelser-til-voksne/Overblik-
over-voksenuddannelser/Arbejdsmarkedsuddannelser
AMU - Undervisningsministeriets hjemmeside om AMU. Her kan du finde flere

oplysninger og klikke dig ind på dit nærmeste AMU center. Her arbejder du med faglig
læsning og skrivning.
over-voksenuddannelser/Forberedende-voksenundervisning
FVU - Undervisningsministeriets hjemmeside om FVU. FVU er for den, som har brug for
basisundervisning i dansk og/eller matematik. FVU-undervisningen består af to
forskellige fag, dansk og matematik. Danskfaget indeholder læsning, stavning og
skriftlig fremstilling. Dansk er opdelt i 4 trin og matematik i to trin. Du skal gennemgå
en FVU-test for at kunne deltage.

65
over-voksenuddannelser/Almen-voksenuddannelse
AVU - Undervisningsministeriets hjemmeside om AVU. Tilbuddet er for dig, som er over

18 år og som har brug for undervisning på 9. eller 10. klassesniveau.
over-voksenuddannelser/Grunduddannelse-for-voksne
GVU - Undervisningsministeriets hjemmeside om GVU. Grunduddannelse for voksne

giver deltagere mulighed for at få en formel erhvervsuddannelse ved at supplere
relevant tidligere uddannelses- og erhvervserfaring med kurser. For at finde det rette
niveau, skal deltageren igennem en kompetencevurdering.
uvm.dk/Uddannelser-og-
dagtilbud/Erhvervsuddannelser/Erhvervsgrunduddannelsen
EGU - Undervisningsministeriets hjemmeside om egu. Erhvervsgrunduddannelse for

unge under 30 år. Uddannelsen består af perioder i skole og perioder i praktik og
varer to år. Her er mest praktik og kun lidt teori.
uvm.dk/Uddannelser-og-dagtilbud/Erhvervsuddannelser/Produktionsskoler
Produktionsskoler - Undervisningsministeriets hjemmeside om produktionsskolen. Et

produktionsskoleforløb gives til unge under 25 år, som ikke har gennemført en
ungdomsuddannelse, og som ikke umiddelbart har forudsætninger for at påbegynde en
sådan uddannelse. Undervisningen er opdelt i praktisk arbejde på skolernes
værksteder, undervisning i almene fag og praktik.
http://www.veu-center.dk/
VEU - Hjemmeside om VEU, hvor du kan finde dit nærmeste VEU-center. VEU-centrene
er et samarbejde mellem alle udbydere af arbejdsmarkedsuddannelser (AMU) og
voksenuddannelsescentrene (VUC’erne) i et område. Tanken er man med VEU-
centrene kan give virksomheder og privatpersoner bedre vejledning og det helt rigtige
efter- og videreuddannelsestilbud fordi brugerne kan få præsenteret alle muligheder på
én gang.
www.sckk.dk
www.kompetenceudvikling.dk/sites/default/files/sckk/user13/files/laese_fo
lder.pdf
En pdf-fil med en læsekampagne der giver informationer til virksomheder omkring,

hvad man kan gøre, hvis man har læse-skrivesvage medarbejdere.

66
IN SPANISH
MATERIALES DE FORMACIÓN BÁSICA ELABORADOS POR LA FEDERACIÓN DE

ASOCIACIONES DE EDUCACIÓN DE PERSONAS ADULTAS (FAEA) Y
DISTRIBUIDOS POR EL MEC (CD)
Toma nota. Método de alfabetización básica (http://www.faea.es/toma_nota.php)
Contrastes. Método de Alfabetización en Español como Lengua Extranjera

(http://www.faea.es/contrastes.php )
Mueve el ratón (http://www.faea.es/tic.php )
Miradas matemáticas (http://www.faea.es/miradas_matematicas.php )
¡Cuídate!, Salud y promoción de la salud (http://www.faea.es/salud.php )
365 días para la acción: http://www.catedu.es/365_dias/calendario.html
Curso básico de permiso de conducir: http://www.catedu.es/permiso_conducir/
PUBLICACIONES LECTURA FACIL
Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos:

http://www.facillectura.es/images/stories/documentos/declaracion_universal_
derechos_humanos_fl.pdf
Guía básica del consumidor: http://sid.usal.es/idocs/F8/FDO21169/LF_consumo.pdf
La constitución Europea:
http://www.fevas.org/files/docs/Constituci%C3%B3n%20Europea.pdf
OTROS LINKS QUE PUEDEN SER INTERESANTES
http://www.educacion.navarra.es/portal/Guia+de+Estudios/SistemaEducativo/Ensenan
za+de+Personas+Adultas/Educacion+Basica
http://irati.pnte.cfnavarra.es/jribarw/index.html
http://www.educacion.navarra.es/portal/Guia+de+Estudios/SistemaEducativo/Ensenan
za+de+Personas+Adultas
http://www.educacion.navarra.es/portal/Guia+de+Estudios/SistemaEducativo/Iniciacio
n+Profesional
http://cidead.cnice.mec.es/ed_reglada/eduespad.htm
http://www.mentor.educacion.es/

67
APPENDIX
TIPS AND HINTS

FOR VOCATIONAL
GUIDANCE PROFESSIONALS

68
HOW CAN COUNSELLING
REVEAL LOW LITERACY COMPETENCES?
As a vocational guidance professional estimating the basic literacy level of the

individual is important in order to help the person getting a job. Daily life is dominated
by writing and therefore the individual may suffer from the consequence of low
literacy. Basic educational deficits make it difficult to enter, but also the re-entry into
the working life is difficult.
Facing literacy difficulties is as mentioned connected with emotion. Today we talk more
openly about literacy difficulties, but it is still a taboo for many people. Coming to a
consultation at your local jobcentre you may want to disguise your difficulties and
many people do this all their life. Maybe their families and a good friend know about
the problem, but it is not unusual to hide the problem in public and to colleagues and
employer. People with literacy difficulties may become very skilled at using avoidance
strategies to avoid revealing their difficulties to anyone. As guidance professionals you
may even not notice it. Here are some common used strategies, you should be aware
of:
AVOIDANCE STRATEGIES
He/ she do not come when invited per letter. Maybe he/she comes
too early or too late. It can be a sign, that the individual can’t read
the letter.
He/ she must fill out a form and asks you to do it for him/her.
He/ she claim to have injured the hand and unfortunately cannot
write today and ask you to please do it this time.
He/she has forgotten the glasses, and asks you to please read and
write for him/her?
He/ she need to talk it over in the family and therefore he/she will
take the form at home and come back with it later.
He/she will bring a friend or partner to help with reading and writing.
He/she will instantly ask where to sign and does not read the form.
He/she will not accept any education and only wants to be offered a
job without literacy requirements.
He/she will start talking about something different when basic

education or literacy skills are mentioned.

69
As shown in the previous chapter the guidance professional should be aware that there
could be emotional barriers connected to the issue of low literacy. It is always the best
to talk and ask directly about the basic education level in a gentle way. It just may be
very emotional for the individual directly talk about low literacy skills. The individual
may furthermore not really be able to estimate his/ her competences. A few simple
questions and observations may be enough for the guidance professional to get hints
about the basic literacy skills of the individual.
TIPS AND HINTS IN CONCERN TO

ASSESSING BASIC EDUCATIONAL SKILLS
A safe atmosphere
It is of great importance to create a safe atmosphere for any

consulting situation. A nice and quiet room with daylight is to prefer.
Sitting in a large office with people walking by is not an option at all.
You should not sit too close to the individual, as that may be
uncomfortable and it is important to sit in the same height as the
individual in order to have equal positions for the conversation – that
will make you feel more equal.
Time schedule
Think about how much time you will need for the consultation. You
can never prepare everything, but prepare as much as you can
having all the information needed at hand, so that you can
concentrate on the individual. It is a good idea to tell the individual
how much time you have for the consultation – it is not impolite to
say that. Maybe you will have talk about certain subjects at this
meeting and leave others for another meeting. Maybe the individual
also needs to think things over and investigate further. Don’t rush
through a long list of planned questions.
Posing questions
To make the individual feel comfortable and confident you may start
out telling him/her the reason for the meeting. Some general and
open questions loosen up tensions and start a good dialogue. More
targeted questions may come later.
Interest and praise
In the dialogue with the individual it is important that you show

interest for this person and that you stay focused on him/her. Don’t

70
let a colleague interrupt you and don’t pick up the phone. Be curious
and let the client tell his/her story. A moment of silence is not wrong
and shouldn’t be interrupted instantly. A moment of reflection may
be of great value and add new aspects to the consultation.
Acknowledgement and praise are of great importance. Whenever the
individual tells you about his/ her education and competences - do
react on it in a positive way. Nodding, smiling and lifting the
eyebrows and making a quick note on your paper are just a little
sign, that you pay attention to this important detail. Holding on to a
success in the individuals life, if ever so little, is worth paying
attention to and holding on to – and coming back to.
Motivation
The whole consulting situation has one important goal and that is:
making the individual capable of seeing his way to employment and
taking the next step on his own. Starting basic education is a giant
step for a person who has not set his foot in a school for 20 years or
more and who has often lots of negative experiences from school life
to look back upon. Motivation is crucial. Has the individual got any
plans for the future? Any wishes? Would he / she like to be able to
do new things? Write an e-mail at a friend? Helping the children
doing their homework? Qualify for a job? Qualify for a better job?
Maybe the individual has got no motivation for basic education when
coming to you, so your job may be helping the individual to find it.
Going back to a success may play a key role. In talking about a
successful situation it will grow in the individuals mind and may start
taking over from all the negative experiences.
The next step
How do you find the right basic education for the individual? We can
not know everything in this world, but is important to keep your eyes
open and being curious about educational possibilities in your area.
Don’t just hold on to what you already know, because the world of
education changes rapidly. Help the searching on the internet and
arrange a meeting with a counsellor of basic education or even with
a teacher. An initial meeting may be a positive experience and lead
to starting basic education. If it is left to the individual to contact an
educational centre, he/she may never find the courage to do that.

71
CHECKLISTS:
We here offer a list of questions that can be used in order to reveal literacy difficulties. You
may go through all the questions or just pick some out for your purpose.
Can you tell me a little about your family?
Do you live with a partner?

Checklist Social background
Do you have children? Can you tell me about them?
Can you tell me about your parents?
Where do you live? For how long have you been living there?
How do you like your home?
Can you tell me how high the rent is?
Can you tell me about your expenses per month?
Have you been moving recently and why?
Have you got any hobbies or do you join activities in your spare
time?
Notice
If the individual can tell you in chronological order about
something from his daily life, family etc. Persons with low
literacy skills often find it hard to stick to a chronological
order and tend to loose overview.
Notice
If you have to ask a lot of questions to keep an ongoing
conversation.
Notice
If he/ she talks in short sentences using a simple vocabulary.
Notice
If he/she can tell about rent and expenses and has a sense
of numbers and knows how to deal with his/ her economical
situation.

72
Can you tell me about your school life?
For how many years have you been going to school?
Have you ever changed school? If yes – why?
Did you like going to school?
What did you like about going to school?

Checklist School life
Did you have a favourite subject?
Did you have nice teachers?
Did you have a best friend in school? Can you tell about
him/her?
Did you have any difficulties in school? Did anybody help you?
Did your parents support you or help you with your homework?
Did you pass any exams?
Notice
If he/she passed any exams (graduation)
Notice
If he/she stopped training/education
Notice
If he/she liked to attend school, if he/she often had to
change schools and why, liked reading, writing, mathematics
etc.
Notice
If his/her story about school is just negative or are there
positive stories too? The good stories may be worth noticing
and coming back to. That can be a favourite subject or a
favourite teacher.

73
When did you start working?
Can you write a list of the places you have been working?
Can you tell me about your last job?
Why did you take this job?

Checklist Vocational life
Were you satisfied with the job?
Did you need reading/writing/ mathematics in your job?
Did you have any difficulties in your job?
Tell me about your colleagues.
Was the job right for you?
Why did you leave the job? Why did you have to leave the job?
Notice
How long they have been at the same working place? And
why does he/she they leave a job. Are the explanations
reasonable or could literacy difficulties be the real reason?
Some people with literacy difficulties tend to stay in the
same unskilled job and dare not apply for another.
Notice
What kind of work did he/she do – was it unskilled?
Notice
The writing of the job list. Will he/she write? How does the
hand writing look? How is the spelling and sentences? How
long time does it take? Can he/she make a chronological list?

74
Ask him/her to write a little bit about his/her wishes for the
future. It can be about a future job and his/her personal
wishes. Just 5 minutes.
Can you read to me what you have written?
What is important for you in the future?

Checklist The future
What kind of job will be right for you?
Are you ready for the job?
How do you look upon education?
Is there anything you would need to learn before applying for a

new job?
Have you got experience in writing application forms? Can you

show me an application that you have written? What is
important to write in an application? Would you send any
enclosures?
NOTICE
If he/she can write freely and how long it takes. Notice
sentence length, grammar, spelling and vocabulary.
NOTICE
If he/she can read the text for you and how. Not only literacy
difficulties may be a problem. Shyness and the pressure in
the situation may leave some persons totally without ideas.
NOTICE
How he/she looks upon education. If education is totally
refused it can be a sign of literacy difficulties.

75
IMPRINT
Zukunftsbau GmbH
Charlottenburger Str. 33 A
13086 Berlin
info@zukunftsbau.de
www.zukunftsbau.de
www.literacy-and-vocation.eu
The project results are notably based on European cooperation.
Further information:
www.literacy-and-vocation.eu
CONTACT
Zukunftsbau GmbH (leading organization) – GERMANY
Dr. Klaus J. Bunke
kjbunke@zukunftsbau.de
Gobierno de Navarra, Departamento de Educación – SPANIEN
Jaime Valdeolmillos
fp.europea@cfnavarra.es
Berufsförderungsinstitut Oberösterreich – AUSTRIA
Marlies Auer
Marlies.Auer@bfi-ooe.at
VUC Sønderjylland – DENMARK
Margit Viig Kristensen
MVK@vucsyd.dk
DBAZ Pleven – BULGARIA
Nicoletta Mintscheva
project@pl.bgcpo.bg
Lancaster and Morecambe College – UNITED KINGDOM
John Latham
J.Latham@lmc.ac.uk
Literacy and Vocation is a Leonardo da Vinci Transfer Of Innovation project.

This project is 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.

76

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LITERACY NEEDS

ADULT ILLITERACY IN EUROPE:

ADULT ILLITERACY IN EUROPE: COUNTRY REPORTS

LITERACY, SKILLS FOR LIFE OR

GOOD PRACTISE EXAMPLES:

TOGETHER FOR LITERACY

TIPS AND HINTS FOR

LITERACY NEEDS FOR VOCATIONAL PURPOSES IN EUROPE

LITERACY NEEDS FOR VOCATIONAL PURPOSES IN EUROPE

Where do literacy difficulties among adults come from?

What can we do?

LITERACY NEEDS FOR VOCATIONAL PURPOSES IN EUROPE

LITERACY NEEDS FOR VOCATIONAL PURPOSES IN EUROPE

James is 35 … left school at 14 and became a mechanic. When

That is until he rang the National Adult Literacy Agency and

Doing the literacy course has also made a huge difference to

[taken from: http://www.nala.ie/james-mccann]

Barbara Boysen from Denmark

Barbara Boysen is an office assistant at Froeslev Wood, a wood

As she explains “I have problems in spelling, and I keep

Barbara is not anywhere near functional illiteracy, but she is

LITERACY NEEDS FOR VOCATIONAL PURPOSES IN EUROPE

I really get more self-confidence through these courses, and it

[taken from a interview by Kirsten Cilieborg from VUC

Kevin from Ireland

Kevin … loves farming but as he says himself, ‘Farming is only

Like many people in Ireland Kevin had difficulties with reading

[taken from: http://www.nala.ie/kevin-oduffy]

Jutta S. from Germany

I mastered my life without being able to read and write

I wished to be a technical illustrator. I made an internship in

LITERACY NEEDS FOR VOCATIONAL PURPOSES IN EUROPE

After training I worked as a seasonal worker. In the

An article in a newspaper alerted me to the literacy course at

A quick call, a date without any obligation and completely

[Selected parts of the personal statement of Jutta S. at the

David P. from United Kingdom

David studied with Lancaster & Morecambe College during the

He was an eager and motivated individual very keen to learn

He achieved C&G Literacy Entry Level 3* and took part in the

[Report by Sue Bramley, Lancaster & Morecambe College]

LITERACY NEEDS FOR VOCATIONAL PURPOSES IN EUROPE

Anthony left school with no qualifications. Combined with a

These personal benefits have accrued in more ways than one:

[taken from: Army Basic Skills Provision, published by The

Eftade from Turkey, living in Austria

Eftade is 32, married and mother of 2 children. As a child she

Eftade got married. Her husband wanted her to finish her

“I did not have enough self-esteem to dare to go back to

In Turkey she had worked as a Religion teacher. Unfortunately

When Eftade decided to start the basic education course, her

LITERACY NEEDS FOR VOCATIONAL PURPOSES IN EUROPE

“Why did I not do this course earlier? My whole life has

Jawid from Afghanistan, living in Austria

Jawid is 24 and moved to Austria 9 years ago. He is married

“I did not have time to practice reading and writing. I had to

As he was out of a job last summer the Austrian Job Centre

Roswitha from Krichberg-Thening, Austria

Roswitha is 49 years old. She has been a weak student and

“It was hard work – no holiday, no sick leave. There was no

“It was the best decision of my life!”

LITERACY NEEDS FOR VOCATIONAL PURPOSES IN EUROPE

LITERACY NEEDS FOR VOCATIONAL PURPOSES IN EUROPE