The Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) describes levels of performance in the 5 core skills of: Learning; Reading; Writing; Oral Communication; and Numeracy. These skills are essential for people to participate in our society. People need to communicate effectively in many different ways, for diverse purposes, in a variety of contexts and to think critically about information and ideas. It is likely that each new role and responsibility we take on will require new or enhanced core skills. Therefore, we need a range of strategies to adapt to changing circumstances and new challenges, including strategies to help us learn. The ACSF provides a rich, detailed picture of real-life performance in adult learning, English language, literacy and numeracy. It draws on current theory and is also informed by the extensive expertise of specialist practitioners in these fields. The ACSF provides: A consistent national approach to the identification of the core skills requirements in diverse personal, community, work and training contexts; and A common reference point for describing and discussing performance in the 5 core skill areas.