The Road Map to a Literate Tasmania
The Tasmanian #100PercentLiteracy Alliance Road Map to a Literate Tasmania calls on the Tasmanian Government to lead and prioritise the development and implementation of a plan to improve literacy for ALL Tasmanians.
Road Map to a Literate Tasmania is the plan to improve literacy for ALL Tasmanians
#100PercentLiteracy is wider than schools alone
This collaborative and cooperative approach has respect and dignity for ALL Tasmanians at its core
Connect42 are pleased to co-author the Tasmanian #100PercentLiteracy Alliance Road Map to a Literate Tasmania with an esteemed group of experts.
This Road Map originated from Connect42 literacy symposiums hosted by Patron H.E. the Hon. Professor Kate Warner AC.
Rosie Martin, Founder of Connect42 and Tasmanian Australian of the Year 2017 said, “The work of the Alliance demonstrates the maturing understanding and collaborative professionalism of literacy leadership across Tasmania. The Road Map is the result of the Alliance’s deep work towards addressing this issue.”
“The way to address our literacy problem is through collaboration – and we have an approach that is teachable, measurable and observable. And, the solution is affordable.”
“Literacy and language are key determinates of our education, health, wellbeing, economic and social outcomes. We must support people to build their communication skills so they can live whole lives in connection with others. This is why it is time for Tasmania to be solutions orientated. We can do this.”
The Road Map to a Literate Tasmania advocates for a whole of state, community-wide approach, engaging the full breadth of stakeholders to achieve a Literate Tasmania.
The Road Map provides practical solutions with measurable improvements in literacy and educational outcomes for Tasmanians. This means we will ALL have improved lives. We reduce costs in health, justice and welfare. We have increased productivity and our economy benefits alongside ALL of us.
The Road Map supports people with the lifelong knowledge and skills needed to contribute successfully and meaningfully to social economic and cultural life. We celebrate this. We encourage this. We rejoice in the ongoing courage and support of connection.
The Tasmanian 100%Literacy Alliance calls upon the Tasmanian Government to:
Develop a strategic, whole-of-government, community-wide framework to achieve a Literate Tasmania, including implementation;
Adopt and implement as an immediate priority the recommendations of the Primary Reading Pledge and invest in the resources (human and physical) and capacity building required for close to zero Tasmanians starting grade 7 at or below the National Minimum Standard (NMS) for reading by 2031;
Proactively support literacy improvement throughout the wider community, including in the early years (pre-school), secondary schooling, adult education, the justice system, and among other vulnerable Tasmanians.
The #100percentliteracy Alliance
The Alliance is made up of individuals who have advocated for improved educational outcomes in Tasmania for many years from different perspectives and have now joined forces as a collective voice to advocate for improved educational attainment in Tasmania, by improving the foundations of educational outcomes – literacy. They are solutions oriented.
Rosie Martin, Founder Connect42, Speech and Language Pathologist, 2017 Tasmanian of the Year
Rikki Mawad, Chair, Connect 42
Lisa Denny, Workforce Demographer, Adjunct Associate Professor, Institute for Social Change, University of Tasmania
Saul Eslake, Economist, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Tasmania Amelia Jones, Chair, Square Pegs Dyslexia Association
Anthea Pritchard, Co-founder, Tasmanian Leaders Program
Michael Rowan, Emeritus Professor, University of South Australia, Co-founder Education
Ambassadors
Becky Shelley, Deputy Director, Peter Underwood Centre for Educational Attainment, University of Tasmania
Key facts and figures on Tasmania’s Literacy crisis:
48% of Tasmanians do not have written language skills at a high enough level to manage the comprehension and self-expression demands of daily life when those demands are in written form.
Connection, communication and functional literacy are the basis of health, wellness, participation in education, crime prevention and reduction, meaningful relationships, employment, and reducing violence. They are important foundation stones for equality and inclusion for all Tasmanians.
To improve literacy, we need to improve oral language, because the skills of literacy emerge from and are built upon language, connection and communication.
Without 100% literacy, at least 1 in 2 Tasmanians will continue to experience poorer health and wellbeing, lower educational outcomes, unemployment, violence, social exclusion, and be more likely to end up in the justice system.