What are Essential Skills?

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Welcome!

 

Throughout this website we will be learning about Essential Skills.

 

Essential Skills

  • are the skills needed for life, learning and work
  • provide the foundation needed to learn new skills

 

Developing your Essential Skills can lead to

  • greater independence
  • increased self-respect
  • effective problem solving and communication
  • better overall health and well-being
  • higher learning
  • higher earning potential
  • increased ability to use technology
  • increased ability to adapt to change

 

All together, there are 9 Essential Skills. They are

  • reading
  • document use
  • numeracy
  • writing
  • communication
  • working with others
  • thinking
  • computer use
  • continuous learning

 

Let’s take a closer look at each Essential Skill.

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Reading

The ability to read and understand sentences and paragraphs.

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Document Use

The ability to find, understand and properly use charts, forms, lists, labels, tables or graphs.

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Numeracy

The ability to use and understand numbers, especially numbers encountered in everyday life.

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Writing

The ability to use a written language to share thoughts, ideas, or information.

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Communication

The ability to interact with other to share thoughts and information.

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Working with Others

The ability to work well with another person or a group of people.

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Thinking

The ability to find and evaluate information in order to solve problems, make decisions, or to make plans.

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Computer Use

The ability to use computers and other forms of technology.

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Continuous Learning

The ability to continue learning new things and new skills. You can learn through school, training programs, work and self-study.

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When it comes to your Essential Skills, it is important to know where your strengths and weakness are.

Developing your Essential Skills will

  • help you become more skilful in what you do
  • give you the skills to do what you want to do
  • make you feel more independent and satisfied with yourself
  • give your more chances to learn and grow
  • help you overcome barriers

You are now probably wondering about your Essential skills. It is important to assess your Essential Skills, to learn which skills are your strengths and which skills you need to improve.  Improving Essential Skills is something that benefits adults, young adults, seniors and children.

This website has resources that will help you assess your Essential Skills and improve your Essential Skills.  The website also has a directory of Deaf Adult Literacy Programs across Canada.  These programs can help you improve your Essential Skills so you can reach your goals.   

It is important to remember that improving Essential Skills is a lifelong task.  Essential Skills not only need to be developed, but they need to be kept up-to-date. The world and technology constantly changes, we must always be open and willing to keep learning.  Through learning we can ensure our skills meet the needs of today’s workplace.

To see essential skills in action or to assess your essential skills, click on the links below: