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This report documents a research project which was carried out in Newbridge Youth Training and Development Centre (NYTDC) County Kildare between April 2008 and January 2009. The study is based on the winning research proposal to examine a whole-organisation approach to literacy which was submitted by NYTDC for the 2007 Adult Continuing Education (ACE) Award. The aims which NYTDC identified in their research proposal were to: (1) illustrate how integrating literacy and numeracy assists the learning and teaching of vocational skills subjects; (2) determine the effectiveness of integrating literacy and numeracy in a whole-centre approach; and (3) explore the effect of integrating literacy and numeracy in a whole-centre model. The first stage of the research aimed to: highlight the range of policies, procedures and practical implementation strategies which make up the NYTDC whole-centre approach to literacy; identify the tools and strategies needed to capture the impact of the whole-centre approach on students' learning and experience; evaluate the effectiveness of the whole-centre approach in NYTDC; and produce a report documenting the research process, findings and recommendations. The recommendations arising from this work provided the basis for the second stage of the research, which aimed to: develop tools to support the assessment of learners' progress in literacy in the context of a whole-centre approach; pilot and review these tools; and produce a report documenting the research process, findings and recommendations. This report documents both stages of the research carried out for this study.

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The Further Education and Training Strategy 2014-2019 [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 118.691] focuses on skills provision for social inclusion and mobility, economic growth and insulation from unemployment. A necessary foundation for all of these outcomes is well developed and durable literacy and numeracy skills in the adult population. This publication comprises a suite of resources which support tutors, coordinators and managers and which will facilitate continued good practice in assessment of literacy and numeracy for learners. The publication is made up of three parts: (1) handbook of national guidelines [30 pages]; (2) toolkit [89 pages]; and (3) research report [57 pages].

The handbook contains four sections and is supported by the toolkit. Section one summarises the national guidelines and the purposes, definitions and concepts which underpin the general approach. Section two describes the structure and format of the initial assessment phase. Section three describes the structure and format of ongoing assessment. Section four contains a set of three standard forms to record assessment results, designed for use by all Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The toolkit contains resources and sample materials which support the practical implementation of the strategy described in the handbook. The measures described are based on evidence drawn from a wide range of sources, including research into national and international assessment practice, analysis of policy and theory, and consultation with literacy and numeracy practitioners in all 16 ETBs. Details of the research process and the theoretical and policy analysis that contributed to the development of the guidelines are provided in the research report.

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