A new blog post on ELINET by Aoife Crawford (Research and Policy Officer, National Adult Literacy Agency – NALA, Ireland) explores a crucial question: whose literacy needs remain unmet – and why?
The article starts from a striking figure: in Ireland, one in five adults have literacy needs, meaning they score at or below Level 1 (out of five levels) in the OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). The blog explains what this level can mean in practice (e.g. understanding short texts, finding clearly indicated information) and why literacy matters across adult life – from healthcare and banking to family life, self-confidence and wellbeing.
Drawing on evidence from the OECD Survey of Adult Skills, the post highlights that adults with literacy needs are more likely to experience poorer health, lower income and unemployment, and are less likely to report high life satisfaction, trust, or a sense of influence in government. Importantly, Aoife Crawford emphasises the concept of “unmet literacy needs” to underline that low literacy is not an individual failure but is connected to wider inequalities and structural factors.
The blog also shows that adults with unmet literacy needs are diverse and intersectional – including one in ten adults with a third-level qualification – while also offering insights into patterns that can help policymakers and practitioners better target outreach and support.