Results from the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS)
redefined adult literacy as a range of ability, rather than a basic
threshold (literate or illiterate). Most people are able to read -
the question is how well are they able
read and what they are able to do given
their reading skills. Literacy encompasses more than just reading.
Literacy is the ability to find, use, and process information in
prose, document, and quantitative terms.
Literacy is measured on a
continuum of proficiency. The measurement scale has five broad
levels (level 1 to 5) that correspond to a range of raw scores (0
to 500).
There is also a relationship between literacy levels and
socioeconomic outcomes. At minimum, Canadians require skills at
Level 3 to handle the demands of work and everyday life. Level 3 or
higher is considered the "desired level" for safe and productive
work in a knowledge-intensive society.
Notable Findings from IALS:
Nationally, almost half (48%) of adults have literacy skills below
the desired level (Level 3).
Economic growth is closely related to national literacy levels.
Research suggests that a 1% rise in average literacy will yield a
1.5% permanent increase in GDP per capita and a 2.5% increase in
labour productivity.
- Literacy is not closely tied with educational
attainment
Employability, earnings potential, and life-long learning are
strongly tied to literacy. Individuals with desired (level 3)
levels of literacy are unemployed for shorter periods of time and
earn higher salaries.
- Literacy is strongly correlated with life chances
and use of opportunities
The
link between literacy and educational attainment is not as clear as
once imagined. For example, 22% of university graduates have low
literacy skills. Immigrants in particular have poor literacy skills
compared with their educational credentials. Over 60% of new and
established immigrants have literacy skills below Level 3.
Many
Canadians who have literacy problems are able to read and
participate in the workforce. However, their low literacy skills
make it difficult to learn new tasks and advance their career.
Individuals with low literacy are much more likely to experience a
safety incidents at work and will find it difficult adapting to
workplace change.
We
lose literacy skills unless we engage in continuous learning. This
learning can take place through formal channels, or through
learning opportunities in the workplace.
Ten years after the original IALS was
completed, a follow-up study International Adult Literacy and
Skills Survey (IALSS) measured the same prose, document and
quantitative variables as the original survey and compared
proficiency results over a period of time. Overall, there was
little appreciable increase in literacy performance between 1994
and 2003.
Take
a look at what complexity levels mean.