The Circle of Learning

Saskatchewan Adult Literacy Benchmarks Levels 1 and 2

Levels 1 and 2 Literacy Benchmarks reflect the roles adult learners fill in their everyday lives – as family members, community members, and workers.  The Benchmarks, therefore, are those general skills, abilities, and attitudes adults need to function in their world.  

The purposes of the Literacy Benchmarks are to:

• Provide ways to document and recognize learner accomplishments and achievements;
• Enhance learner transitions between levels and across programs; and   
• Facilitate the development of courses.  

The goals of the Literacy Benchmarks are to:

• Provide support to organizations providing literacy and basic education to adults;   
• Guide program development, assessment and instruction;  and
• Be clear enough for all stakeholders to understand and compelling enough to inspire adult learners, literacy practitioners and tutors.

The Circle of Learning 

The Circle of Learning, released in 2006, documents the Levels 1 and 2 Adult Literacy Benchmarks.  It is learner-centred, holistic and flexible enough to meet the needs of learners in different regions of the province.

The Circle of Learning:

• Helps to identify indicators of skill, knowledge and attitudinal attainment for each level of the benchmarks;
• Helps to clarify the degree of skill, knowledge and attitudinal attainment for each level;
• Helps practitioners understand the required skills, knowledge, and attitudes the learner is to demonstrate;
• Establishes and articulates the core skills, knowledge, and attitudes at each of the levels so that they are on a continuum of learning; and
• Is a means of documenting formal, informal, and non-formal learning. 

The Circle of Learning must be used in all publicly-funded adult literacy programming.  The document can be found at www.sk.literacy.ca/pdf_links/benchCircle.pdf 

For more information about the Literacy Benchmarks or The Circle of Learning, contact The Saskatchewan Literacy Network http://www.sk.literacy.ca/ or call 1-888-511-2111.

Contact us:     

Provincial Library and Literacy Office  
(306) 787-2514
saskliteracy@gov.sk.ca