Knowing how to read, write, and add up, are all vital to the foundation of working and functioning in an English speaking country. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006 Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey, around 40 percent of employed and 60 percent of unemployed Australians possess poor or very poor literacy and numeracy skills.
Therefore, literacy and numeracy are incredibly important skills to learn, and there is no-one too old to enjoy the flow on effects, like a continuing education, that reading and mathematics can bring.
Where to learn literacy and numeracy
Access to adult learning for learning English and mathematics is available at a range of institutions, some of which exist with the single focus of literacy and numeracy. Many TAFE institutions provide short courses to improve reading, writing and mathematics skills for a job or study.
This is not a diploma or certificate level course, but will pave the way to future education should you wish. Adult Education Centres (AEC) also provide similar courses, with many providing books and study guides created especially for the needs of adults learning to read and write.
These courses will typically not have any prerequisites, and can be provided either full or part time, or during evening classes to be more flexible for those already working full time.
Having fluent literacy and numeracy will open up the world around you, along with increasing job opportunities. There is no reason not to learn to read and write, with people of all skill levels being given the opportunity to improve their literacy and numeracy.