Primary school teacher to adult literacy teacher
A primary school teacher already meets 71% of what the adult literacy teacher role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.
38.2/ 100
1 How much of what an adult literacy teacher is expected to do is already part of a primary school teacher’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the adult literacy teacher role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
An adult literacy teacher role treats 20 of its required skills as things a primary school teacher already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- adapt teaching to student's capabilities
- apply intercultural teaching strategies
- apply teaching strategies
- assess students
- assessment processes
- assist students in their learning
What stands in the way is 7 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 28 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. An adult literacy teacher role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a primary school teacher background worth leading with.
- already held use pedagogic strategies for creativity communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held advise on lesson plans communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held consult students on learning content communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held encourage students to acknowledge their achievements management skills
- already held assign homework management skills
- already held manage student relationships communication, collaboration and creativity
All 28 carried skills, including the 20 the adult literacy teacher role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 14 missing skills fall into 4 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn teach basic numeracy skills required
- still to learn teach literacy as a social practice required
- still to learn teach writing required
- still to learn adapt teaching to target group required
- still to learn show consideration for student's situation required
- still to learn teach reading strategies required
- optional, not held teach speed reading optional
- optional, not held provide immigration advice optional
- optional, not held teach digital literacy optional
- still to learn adult education required
- optional, not held Computer Assisted Language Learning optional
- optional, not held construct individual learning plans optional
- optional, not held develop learning curriculum optional
- optional, not held mathematics optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries an adult literacy teacher role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 teach basic numeracy skills practise this
- 02 teach literacy as a social practice practise this
- 03 teach writing practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 28 skills that carry over
- already held adapt teaching to student's capabilities skill
- already held apply intercultural teaching strategies skill
- already held apply teaching strategies skill
- already held assess students skill
- already held assessment processes knowledge
- already held assist students in their learning skill
- already held consult students on learning content skill
- already held curriculum objectives knowledge
- already held demonstrate when teaching skill
- already held encourage students to acknowledge their achievements skill
- already held give constructive feedback skill
- already held guarantee students' safety skill
- already held instructional strategies knowledge
- already held learning difficulties knowledge
- already held liaise with educational support staff skill
- already held manage student relationships skill
- already held perform classroom management skill
- already held prepare lesson content skill
- already held provide lesson materials skill
- already held use pedagogic strategies for creativity skill
- already held advise on lesson plans skill
- already held assign homework skill
- already held assist in the organisation of school events skill
- already held assist students with equipment skill
- already held facilitate teamwork between students skill
- already held manage resources for educational purposes skill
- already held teamwork principles knowledge
- already held work with virtual learning environments skill
7 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held Computer Assisted Language Learning optional
- optional, not held teach speed reading optional
- optional, not held construct individual learning plans optional
- optional, not held develop learning curriculum optional
- optional, not held mathematics optional
- optional, not held provide immigration advice optional
- optional, not held teach digital literacy optional
43 held skills the adult literacy teacher role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role arrange parent teacher meeting skill
- not needed by the target role assess the development of youth skill
- not needed by the target role assist children in developing personal skills skill
- not needed by the target role attend to children's basic physical needs skill
- not needed by the target role behavioural disorders knowledge
- not needed by the target role bring out performers’ artistic potential skill
- not needed by the target role common children's diseases knowledge
- not needed by the target role create craft prototypes skill
- not needed by the target role define creative components skill
- not needed by the target role develop course outline skill
- not needed by the target role developmental psychology knowledge
- not needed by the target role disability types knowledge
- not needed by the target role escort students on a field trip skill
- not needed by the target role handle children's problems skill
- not needed by the target role implement care programmes for children skill
- not needed by the target role improvise music skill
- not needed by the target role keep records of attendance skill
- not needed by the target role maintain musical instruments skill
- not needed by the target role maintain relations with children's parents skill
- not needed by the target role maintain students' discipline skill
- not needed by the target role monitor children's physical development skill
- not needed by the target role musical genres knowledge
- not needed by the target role musical instruments knowledge
- not needed by the target role musical notation knowledge
- not needed by the target role musical theory knowledge
- not needed by the target role organise creative performance skill
- not needed by the target role oversee extra-curricular activities skill
- not needed by the target role perform playground surveillance skill
- not needed by the target role play musical instruments skill
- not needed by the target role prepare youths for adulthood skill
- not needed by the target role primary school procedures knowledge
- not needed by the target role provide after school care skill
- not needed by the target role recognise indicators of gifted student skill
- not needed by the target role select artistic materials to create artworks skill
- not needed by the target role social development knowledge
- not needed by the target role special needs education knowledge
- not needed by the target role supervise craft production skill
- not needed by the target role support gifted students skill
- not needed by the target role support the positiveness of youths skill
- not needed by the target role teach arts principles skill
3 further entries not listed here
3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn adult education required
- optional, not held Computer Assisted Language Learning optional
- optional, not held mathematics optional
Other moves recorded from primary school teacher
- early years special educational needs teacher 78% covered · moderate
- special educational needs assistant 76% covered · adjacent
- teacher of talented and gifted students 76% covered · moderate
- music teacher secondary school 72% covered · moderate
- further education teacher 70% covered · moderate
- special educational needs teacher 70% covered · moderate
- art teacher secondary school 69% covered · moderate
- secondary school teaching assistant 69% covered · moderate
Common questions about this move
Can a primary school teacher become an adult literacy teacher?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A primary school teacher already covers 71% of what an adult literacy teacher is expected to do: 28 skills carry over, 20 of which the adult literacy teacher role treats as required.
What skills does a primary school teacher need to become an adult literacy teacher?
7 required skills are missing, plus 7 optional ones. They fall into 4 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is teach basic numeracy skills.
How hard is the move from primary school teacher to adult literacy teacher?
Its learning distance is 38.2 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.