How to improve your literacy and numeracy
Find out how you can improve your reading, writing, language, and maths skills.
What are literacy and numeracy skills?
Literacy skills are used for reading, writing and understanding information. At work this could involve tasks like:
- filling out forms
- writing emails
- understanding spoken instructions
- presenting information in a meeting.
Numeracy skills are used for measuring and counting. At work this could involve tasks like:
- measuring a piece of wood to cut
- understanding a graph
- counting out change
- working out how long it would take you to complete a task.
Get help with your literacy and numeracy skills
Here are some people or places that can help you improve your literacy and numeracy skills.
Talk to your teacher or career adviser for help.
Your education provider
Your education provider may have resources to help you improve your literacy or numeracy. Talk to your tutor, a dean or a student adviser.
Your training adviser
If you're doing an apprenticeship, talk to your training adviser about literacy or numeracy training.
Sometimes your workplace can provide literacy and numeracy training. Talk to your manager.
English Language Partners New Zealand
If English is not your first language, you can get help from English Language Partners New Zealand. You can go to free English courses, get a free home-based tutor, and find English learning resources on their website.
Literacy Aotearoa offers free tuition to adult learners in reading, writing and maths. You can also use the literacy and numeracy activities and tools on their website.
Updated 5 Jun 2019