Written evidence to be reported to the House
Education and Skills Bill
12:00 pm
Susan Anderson: We would say that communication skills are essential, whether that is in terms of written communication skills, of speaking skills, or indeed of listening skills. They are equally important. When we did a report in 2006, which actually the then Department for Education and Skills supported us in doing, we asked employers to tell us the sort of problems that could arise from poor literacy and numeracy. By literacy, we were including those very communication skills, so if employees could not speak up and say that they did not understand when they had been given some oral instructions, clearly, they could go away and do completely the wrong thing because they were not able to articulate what they did not understand—never mind get the interview. So, I would agree with you that oral communication is as important as the written word.