Can you pass this literacy and numeracy test?

How good are your skills in literacy and numeracy? They may not be as strong as you think – research shows around 44% of Australians are ‘below-proficient’ in literacy, which means they lack basic skills required for everyday life. We are worse off when it comes to numeracy: around 54% of Australians have below-proficient skills.

Literacy and numeracy rates in Australia have been in the spotlight for a few years and despite and increased focus on these areas, a 2018 NAPLAN report showed that 5.9 per cent of  Year 7 students scored below the national minimum standard and 12.1 per cent achieved the minimum standard.

It is now required that student teachers pass a national literacy and numeracy test before being allowed to graduate, called the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (LANTITE). The 2018 LANTITE revealed 9.6% of student teachers didn’t meet the required standard of literacy, and 10% didn’t meet the standard for numeracy.

The numbers for the future may not get much better as research released in 2021 from the OECD suggests that increased reliance on distance learning and virtual classrooms, due to the events of 2020, may cause long-lasting problems.

Do you think you’ve got what it takes to pass the same test? Try these sample questions from the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and see!

Make a difference to literacy and numeracy in Australia by studying education at Deakin University.