• UN Literacy Decade

• Literacy Day 2009

• LIFE Initiative
  

What people can do with literacy often depends on how they learned it. Well-designed programmes will give the best opportunities for learning sustainable literacy skills and using them for meaningful purposes.

Effective and sustainable literacy programmes need various key components:

Relevant content and materials
A literacy programme must respond to changing literacy needs and assimilate to the learner’s environment, circumstances and prior learning, with respect to gender, linguistic and cultural diversity.

Appropriate pedagogical approaches
Children, adolescents and adults learn in different ways and bring different perspectives to literacy instruction. Programmes need to adapt according to learners’ profiles and learning goals. Formal, non-formal or informal approaches may characterize literacy programmes.

Training of literacy personnel
Well-trained facilitators are essential for effective programme delivery. The profile of literacy facilitators needs to be enhanced through effective and systematic pre- and in-service training.

Beyond basic literacy
Literacy is closely linked to development and improving quality of life. It offers the chance to combine other skills training with literacy learning. In addition, learners may acquire a certificate recognizing a level of competencies equivalent to formal schooling.

A literate environment
The sustainability of literacy skills relies on a literate environment. Fostering local writing and the use of ICT and other medias contribute to strengthening the literate environment.