Language and literacy are of personal, social and economic importance. Our ability to use language lies at the centre of the development and expression of our emotions, our thinking, our learning and our sense of personal identity. Literacy is fundamental to all areas of learning as it unlocks access to the wider curriculum. Being literate increases opportunities for the individual in all aspects of life, lays the foundations for lifelong learning and work, and contributes strongly to the development of all 4 capacities of Curriculum for Excellence.
Literacy Action Plan
The Literacy Action Plan signals our commitment to a heightened, more targeted focus for improving literacy skills in Scotland through better co-ordination and partnership working focused on clear objectives. However, improvements cannot be confined to a particular sector or point in a learner's journey. Literacy development starts from birth. Early years settings and schools develop children and young people's basic and advanced literacy skills and in adulthood the ongoing development of literacy skills helps to advance personal achievements, employment prospects and participation in society.
Our overarching vision is therefore to raise standards of literacy for all from the early years to adulthood. This will require sustained commitment and continuing action at all levels of government, and through support at all points of the education system and wider public services. There will be a particular focus on those with the lowest levels of literacy. The purpose of our Literacy Action Plan is to deliver this vision.
This action plan will build on existing good practice and ensure that literacy will have a central and continuing focus in education and related Government policies. It provides the strategic direction for improving literacy across the Scottish population while each local authority, working with relevant partners will, we trust, develop local literacy strategies which reflect their own needs.
Standing Literacy Commission