Literacy and numeracy are much more than “reading, writing and arithmetic”

Traditionally we have thought about literacy as the skills of reading and writing; but today our understanding

of literacy encompasses much more than that. Literacy includes the capacity to read, understand and critically appreciate various forms of communication including spoken language, printed text, broadcast media, and digital media. Throughout this document, when we refer to “literacy” we mean this broader understanding of the skill, including speaking and listening, as well as communication using not only traditional writing and print but also digital media.

Numeracy is not limited to the ability to use numbers, to add, subtract, multiply and divide. Numeracy encompasses the ability to use mathematical understanding and skills to solve problems and meet the demands of day-to-day living in complex social settings. To have this ability, a young person needs to be able to think and communicate quantitatively, to make sense of data, to have a spatial awareness, to understand patterns and sequences, and to recognise situations where mathematical reasoning can be applied to solve problems.

Every young person needs to be literate and numerate. We use the basic skills of literacy and numeracy in almost every part of our lives when we communicate with each other – in traditional written forms or through the internet and digital media – when we follow signs and instructions, when we are at our work or enjoying leisure time, when we try to make sense of the mass of information and data available through the media, and

when we are managing our lives. In Ireland, we enjoy the benefit of having access to two languages: being

able to use both Irish and English orally and in other forms gives us an added advantage in understanding

ourselves and in contributing to the enrichment of our culture.

Without the skills of literacy and numeracy, a young person or adult is cut off from full participation in many aspects of life: they cannot perform basic tasks, such as reading or sending an e-mail; advertisements and notices are meaningless to them; they cannot jot down a shopping list or understand a utility bill; and they are

cut off from participating in and contributing to many aspects of the society and culture in which they live. Young people and adults who do not have adequate literacy and mathematical skills cannot participate fully in schooling or in further and higher education, and they have fewer opportunities to take up satisfying jobs and careers.

Missing out on the skills of literacy and numeracy or failing to develop these skills to the best of each person’s capability is not just a loss for the individual: it is also an enormous loss for all of us in society. Mastering the skills of literacy and numeracy brings with it many social, economic and health benefits for the individual and society as a whole. Having young people who can apply mathematical understanding in a growing range of economic, technical, scientific, social and other contexts is essential if we are to ensure employment and economic prosperity in the future. We know too that children who do not learn to read, write and communicate effectively are more likely to leave school early and in later life to be unemployed or in low skilled jobs, to have poorer emotional and physical health, to have limited earning power, and are more likely to be imprisoned. This strategy is premised on the strong belief that developing good literacy and numeracy skills among all young people is fundamental to the life chances of each individual and essential to the quality and equity of our society.