Eric.ed.gov – The PIAAC Numeracy Framework: A Guide to Instruction

The Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies, better known as PIAAC, developed a numeracy assessment framework that was used internationally to assess adults’ numeracy skills. The assessment gauged adults’ (aged 16-65 years) numeracy skills across a full range, from adults with very low levels of numeracy to college level math ability. PIAAC’s assessment framework is based on two concepts: math as being use-oriented and math proficiency as a continuum. While this framework was designed to measure adults’ numeracy ability in a structured assessment environment (including adults’ home with trained evaluators), it is useful beyond its original intent. This framework can be used to help teachers better understand how to differentiate instruction while still focusing on a particular theme or topic in a classroom, ensuring rich discussions about topics of interests to students. In this article, the author will discuss several key elements of the PIAAC assessment framework, including the definition of numeracy and numerate behavior, facets of numerate behavior, enabling processes that support such behavior, and complexity factors that determine the difficulty of the task requiring numerate behavior. With a better understanding of the underpinnings of the PIAAC numeracy framework, teachers can efficiently differentiate instruction by adjusting features of a numeracy task.