NCEA literacy and numeracy requirements
The literacy and numeracy requirements for the NCEA qualifications are:
Literacy requirement
Minimum of 10 credits through either:
- Specified assessment standards - specified assessment standards available through a range of subjects including English for Academic Purposes unit standards 22749, 22750 and 22751 (minimum total of 10 credits); OR
- Unit standards - package of three literacy unit standards (total of 10 credits
- all three required).
Numeracy requirement
Minimum of 10 credits through either:
- Achievement standards - specified assessment standards available through a range of subjects - (minimum total of 10 credits);OR
- Unit standards - package of three numeracy unit standards (total of 10 credits - all three required).
Literacy and numeracy achievement standards
A wide range of achievement standards have been identified as eligible to meet the requirements.
The standards have been selected using the following definitions:
Literacy to meet the demands of the New Zealand Curriculum at Level 6. These standards provide the scope for students to demonstrate reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
Ko te reo matatini hei whakatutuki i ngā whakahau o Te Marautanga o Aotearoa i te Taumata 6. Ko ēnei paerewa e hora ana i ngā huarahi e whakaatu ai ngā ākonga i tō rātou mārama, i tō rātou mōhio, i ngā pūkenga, i ngā waiaro me ngā uara, mā roto i te pānui, te tuhi, te kōrero, te whakarongo, te mātaki me te whakaatu ki te reo Māori.
Numeracy to meet the demands of the New Zealand Curriculum at Level 6. These standards provide the scope for students to demonstrate number, measurement and statistical skills.
Te Mahi Tātai kia whakatutuki i ngā whāinga o te Marautanga, Taumata 6. Kei te whakatakoto ngā paerewa paetae nei he ara kia taea ai ngā ākonga te whakaatu pūkenga pāngarau.
For lists of the registered numbers and titles for the specified achievement standards see literacy and numeracy assessment standards.
Literacy and numeracy unit standards
These standards (26622 - 26627) have been designed to be used in schools, tertiary and workplace programmes and support the principle of embedded literacy and numeracy.
The standards have been designed using the following definitions:
Literacy is the written and spoken/signed language people use in their everyday life, learning and work. It includes reading, writing, speaking/signing, and listening/attending. Skills in this area are essential for good communication, active participation, critical thinking and problem solving.
Numeracy is being competent, confident and able to judge in everyday contexts whether to use mathematics in a particular situation, and if so, what mathematics to use, how to use it, what degree of accuracy is appropriate, and what the answer means in relation to the context. Numeracy knowledge and skills are essential for mathematics in everyday family and financial matters, learning, work and community tasks, and social and leisure activities.
A range of resources for the literacy and numeracy unit standards have been developed.
Level 4 English for Academic Purposes Unit Standards
Three of the NZQF Level 4 English for Academic Purposes (EAP) unit standards (formerly ESOL) have been identified as meeting the literacy requirement. These are:
- standard 22749
- Standard 22750
- Standard 22751
Assessment resources for the English for Academic Purposes unit standards have been developed.
Previous NCEA literacy and numeracy requirements
Prior to 2013, meeting the literacy and numeracy was only required for the award of NCEA Level 1. Since 2013, students must meet the NCEA literacy and numeracy requirements to achieve an NCEA Level 2. This requirement was extended to NCEA Level 3 in 2014.
Prior to 2013 the Level 1 literacy and numeracy requirements were:
- 8 credits of literacy from specified unit and internally assessed achievement standards.
- 8 credits of numeracy from specified unit and internally assessed achievement standards.