What can Wales learn from Ireland’s adult literacy strategy?

“Literacy is a form of power. It offers a person the opportunity to carve out a place for themselves in the world. The ability to read and write, work with numbers and navigate the digital sphere can unleash an individual’s potential.”

The challenges of tackling the literacy, numeracy and digital skills for adults was explored in this online event.

Speakers:

Yvonne McKenna, Director, Adult Literacy for Life Strategy, SOLAS
Colleen Dube, Chief Executive, NALA
Dearbháil Lawless, Chief Executive, AONTAS
David Morris, Head of Lifelong Learning Policy, Welsh Government

14 January 2026

ESOL Forum

Essential skills

Our work includes building the evidence of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) potential to have positive impacts on people’s health, employment, education and participation in communities.

18 September 2023

Citizens’ Curriculum

Essential skills Projects & campaigns

During 2023 and 2024, Learning and Work Institute is working with Welsh Government and a range of partners on an exciting project to pilot a Citizens’ Curriculum for Wales. This follows a public commitment to a Second Chance Nation made by the Minister for Education Jeremy Miles MS at the 2022 Adult Learning Conference.

18 September 2023

OASIS Citizens’ Curriculum: Language Education and a warm Welsh welcome

Essential skills News & articles

What’s the best way to teach language to newcomers in Wales? And how can teachers best be supported to work with refugees and asylum seekers, who may be learning a language while suffering from trauma and navigating the hostile environment created by the UK government? These are the questions we wanted to investigate with our Citizens’ Curriculum project, a partnership between Oasis, the University of South Wales, and Adult Learning Wales.

21 February 2015

ESOL in Wales Learning from the Voluntary Sector

Essential skills Reports & briefings

The methodology employed included an extensive literature review and data collection through interviews, focus groups and questionnaire. Analysis of this data is presented in the context of both UK and Welsh Assembly Government policy, and gives particular consideration to the planning and funding arrangements in Wales.

28 June 2012

Citizenship materials for ESOL learners in Wales