Literacy Action Plan: An Action Plan to Improve Literacy in Scotland

EVALUATING PROGRESS

If we are to improve literacy standards through the system, progress of Scotland's learners, at both and the individual and collective level, must be evaluated. The approaches used by practitioners and educational establishments to raise standards in literacy must also be evaluated in terms of their effectiveness in supporting learners of differing abilities. It is only through this reflection that we will be able to identify approaches which are successful, and those which need to be refined or changed.

A key measure for adults is offered through the National Performance Framework, which includes the National Indicator: 'Reduce the number of working age people with severe literacy and numeracy problems'.

The newly refocused Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy ( SSLN) will allow us to monitor the progress of pupils' literacy skills over time at the national level at key points in primary and secondary schooling - at P4, P7 and S2.

We will also ensure we continue to benchmark our progress internationally through continued involvement in the OECD's Programme in International Student Assessment ( PISA), with data collection taking place every three years.

HMIE has a key role in evaluating the literacy skills of learners and making recommendations where improvements are needed. HMIE also has a role in identifying and disseminating good practice, and the newly merged Scottish Education Quality and Improvement Agency will be of even greater relevance to taking this issue forward.

We will promote and share good evaluation practice and encourage others to learn from it and offer advice on effective evaluation to those authorities that wish it as they develop new literacy initiatives and pilot projects.

We will establish a Standing Literacy Commission to facilitate and oversee the delivery of the actions contained within this plan.

We will report to the Parliament on progress over three years.