Foundation learning in New Zealand: an overview

Abstract

This book comes at a timely point in the development of the foundation skills sector in New Zealand. The purpose of this first chapter is to provide an overall context, by reviewing what is meant by the term foundation skills and its various synonyms before moving on to a brief history of the sector in New Zealand and in particular, the significance of the 1996 International Adult Literacy Survey that proved to be a turning-point in its development. Following a discussion of the broader significance of research and evaluation, the chapter then reviews where we stand at present in terms of policy, the range of provision operating and the learners that it serves. Finally, an outline is provided of the book’s chapters and what they cover.