The Australian Curriculum has 3 dimensions: learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities. Of the 3 dimensions, the learning areas are the foundation of the Australian Curriculum. They identify the essential content that teachers should teach, and that we want students to learn. The 7 general capabilities define a set of knowledge, skills and behaviours that will support students to successfully access all Australian Curriculum learning areas.
Literacy and Numeracy are presented as learning progressions. These progressions provide detailed descriptions of the typical development of understanding and skills in literacy and numeracy, regardless of age or year level. The learning progressions are aligned to the learning areas of English and Mathematics. Literacy and numeracy are the authentic application of the understanding and skills of English and Mathematics. The progressions provide literacy and numeracy guidance for teachers to consider within all learning areas of the curriculum.
The learning progressions are a teaching resource, not an alternative curriculum. Teachers can use the learning progressions to develop a greater understanding of a student’s literacy and numeracy development. This fine-grained understanding will enable teachers to effectively differentiate teaching to support each student’s particular needs.
Together, literacy and numeracy underpin learning across all subjects. The development of effective literacy and numeracy skills is necessary for students’ success at school and more broadly for their success as lifelong learners and productive members of society. The Literacy and Numeracy learning progressions are a key component of the Australian Curriculum general capabilities. They provide a detailed trajectory of how students become increasingly competent in aspects of literacy and numeracy, which they need to access learning area content.
The progressions describe the small steps that students may typically take as they develop key aspects of literacy and numeracy. In doing so, they provide a resource for teachers to monitor student progress and plan for student learning. This includes showing where there is a literacy or numeracy opportunity within other learning areas.
More information
- Literacy and Numeracy as Australian Curriculum general capabilities (PDF 798 KB) – an in-depth article on Literacy and Numeracy as Australian Curriculum general capabilities.
- Understand this general capability: Literacy – overview, structure and key connections of the general capability: Literacy.
- Understand this general capability: Numeracy – overview, structure and key connections of the general capability: Numeracy.
- General capabilities downloads: Literacy – downloads/printouts showing the Literacy learning progressions.
- General capabilities downloads: Numeracy – downloads/printouts showing the Numeracy learning progressions.