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HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
1
LITERACY in OntarioImplications of Findings
from IALSS 2003
Presented by
Satya Brink, Ph.D.
Director, National Learning Policy Research
Learning Policy Directorate, HRSDC
April 2006
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
2
Key Questions
• What is the level of literacy proficiency in Ontario? • How does Ontario compare to Canada, the provinces and other
territories? • How proficient are residents of Ontario in the different component
skills?• How is literacy performance distributed in the working age population
of Ontario?• How do age and education affect the literacy and numeracy
performance? • How does the performance of the French minority in Ontario compare
to the performance of the English majority. • How is literacy performance distributed in the labor force, immigration,
occupations, industries and earning groups? • What are the demographic characteristics of people with low literacy
proficiency and where are they located in Ontario?
Introduction
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
3
Literacy proficiency: the ability to understand and employ printed information in daily activities, at home, at work and in the community. It is not about whether or not one can read but how well one reads.
- Prose: The knowledge and skills needed to understand and use information from texts including editorials, news stories, brochures and instruction manuals.
- Document: The knowledge and skills required to locate and use information contained in various formats, including job applications, payroll forms, transportation schedules, maps, tables, and charts.
- Numeracy: The knowledge and skills required to apply arithmetic operations, either alone or sequentially, to numbers embedded in printed materials, such as balancing an account, figuring out a tip, completing an order form or determining the amount of interest on a loan from an advertisement .
- Problem Solving: Involves goal-directed thinking and action in situations for which no routine solution procedure is available. The understanding of the problem situation and its step-by-step transformation, based on planning and reasoning constitute the process of problem solving. (Only four proficiency levels)
4 Domains, measure skills at five levels :
•Level 1 0 - 225 points •Level 2 226 -275 points•Level 3 276-325 points* •Level 4 326 -375 points•Level 5 376 -500 points
* Proficiency level for modern economy and knowledge-based society
Introduction
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
4
Background information of importance for IALSS results: Ontario
Total population (2003) 12,259,600
Population/square km 12 app.
Population 15-64 (2005) 8,656,300
Population 65 and over (2005) 1,608,700
Immigrant population (2001) 3,030,075 Population by mother tongue
(Census 2001)
English only 7,965,225
French only 485,630
Non-official languages only 2,672,085
English and French 37,135
Eng. and non-off language 114,275
French and non-off language 8,000
Introduction
Source: Statistics Canada
Gender Distribution
(15-64, 2005)
Males 4,327,200
Females 4,329,100
Population 15 years and over by highest level of schooling
(Census 2001)
Less than high school 2,683,335
High school graduate 1,303,960
Trade Vocational cert. 287,540
College education 2,291,805
University 2,481,395
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
5
The number of persons (16 to 65) with low literacy rose from 8 m in 1994 to 9 m in 2003 though the percentage
(42%) did not change.
Source: IALSS, 2003; IALS, 1994.
14.6%
24.8% 27.3%
36.4% 38.6%
22.3% 19.5%
16.6%0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4/5
3.1 million
4.6 million
6.7 million
4.1 million 4.2 million
8.2 million
5.8 million
3.1 million
Total: 18.4 million Total: 21.4 million
* Differences at each level between IALS and IALSS are not statistically significant
Change between 1994 and 2003, Canada
IALS IALSS
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
6
Comparisons of provinces and territories based on average scores.
JurisdictionY.T. Sas. Alta. B.C. N.S. N.W.T. Man. P.E.I. Can. Ont. Que. N.B. N.L. Nvt
Yukon Territory
Saskatchewan
Alberta.
British Columbia
Nova Scotia
Northwest Territories
Manitoba
Prince Edward Island
Canada
Ontario
Quebec
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nunavut
Prose, population 16 and older, 2003
Mean proficiency significantly higher than comparison jurisdiction
No statistically significant difference from comparison jurisdiction
Mean proficiency significantly lower than comparison jurisdiction
Ontario performance
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
7
Proficiency varied across domains and population age in Ontario.
Prose Document NumeracyProblem Solving*
16 and older 270 270 261 263
16 to 65
years of age279 279 270 271
Source: IALSS, 2003
Ontario literacy performance
Average proficiency scores, population 16 and older and population 16 to 65, Ontario, 2003
- Below level 3
* Proficiency levels are defined differently for problem solving
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
8
Ontario had average scores at level 3 in document and prose,but at level 2 in numeracy (population 16-65).
Province or Territory Document literacy
Prose literacy
Numeracy
Newfoundland and Labrador
Prince Edward Island
Nova Scotia
New Brunswick
Quebec
Ontario
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Alberta
British Columbia
Nunavut Territory
Northwest Territory
Yukon Territory
269
281
284
270
273
279
283
294
290
290
234
280
294
271
282
286
273
275
279
283
294
289
288
232
280
296
257
269
272
262
269
270
271
284
281
279
220
269
283
Ontario performance
Source: IALSS, 2003
Below level 3 in 3 domains
Below level 3 in numeracy but not in literacy.
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
9
Yukon had the lowest proportion overall (31%) of prose literacy below level 3. In Ontario, 42% of the working-age population (16-
65) had an average prose literacy proficiency below level 3.
Source: IALSS, 2003
Percent of population 16 to 65 at each prose level by provinces and territories, 2003
40 43 39 42 42 41 39 38 37 38 37 36 3520
29 24 26 23 20 19 20 20 21 19 15 14 14
8
100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
100
Per centLevel 2 Level 1 Level 3 Level 4/5
Ontario performance
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
10Source: IALSS, 2003
Percent of population 16 to 65 at each numeracy level by provinces and territories, 2003
Yukon had the lowest proportion of working-age adults below level 3 in numeracy (41%). In Ontario, the proportion of working-age
adults below level 3 in numeracy was 50%.
39 38 36 35 33 35 33 35 33 33 32 29 28 16
20 20 20 21 17 14 17 15 16 15 14 11 107
100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
100
Per centLevel 2 Level 1 Level 3 Level 4/5
Ontario performance
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
11
100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
100
C.B.
Alberta
Yukon
Sask
Man
itoba
Ontar
io
T.-N.-O
.
Canada
N.-É.
I.-P.É
.
Quebe
c
Nunavu
t
N.-B.
T.-N.
Percent level 2 level 1 level 3 levels 4/5
Significantly above Canadian average
Not significantly different than the Canadian average
Significantly below Canadian average
The importance of language: although Ontario keeps a distribution similar to the Canadian average, the proportion of Ontarians at level 3 or above increases by 7% when we only
consider people with French and/or English mother tongue.
Ontario performance
Distribution of the population aged 16 to 65 and whose mother tongue is English or French by prose level, Canada, provinces and territories
Source: EIACA, 2003
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
12
Prose Level 1 Level 2 Total
% Number % Number % Number
Newfoundland and Labrador
18.8 70,000 31.6 119,000 50.4 189,000
Prince Edward Island 14.0 13,000 28.8 27,000 42.8 40,000
Nova Scotia 11.9 75,000 26.5 168,000 38.4 243,000
New Brunswick 16.6 85,000 33.8 173,000 50.4 258,000
Quebec 15.6 800,000 33.0 1,700,000 48.6 2,500,000
Ontario 16.2 1,300,000 26.0 2,100,000 42.2 3,400,000
Manitoba 12.7 90,000 27.0 200,000 39.7 290,000
Saskatchewan 6.6 41,000 26.4 162,000 33.0 203,000
Alberta 9.7 209,000 25.3 544,000 35.0 753,000
British Columbia 13.8 400,000 20.9 600,000 34.7 1,000,000
Yukon 9.0 2,000 21.9 4,000 30.9 6,000
Northwest Territory 16.5 4,000 26.1 7,000 42.6 11,000
Nunavut 45.8 6,000 26.4 3,000 72.0 9,000
Impact of low literacy in the population 16-65.
Total 8,849,000
Ontario performance
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
13
Impact of low numeracy in the population 16-65.
Source: IALSS, 2003
Total 10,681,000
Ontario performance
Numeracy level 1 Numeracy level 2 Total
% Number % Number % Number
Newfoundland and Labrador
26.8 101,000 34.3 107,000 61.1 208,000
Prince Edward Island 19.2 18,000 34.8 33,000 54.0 51,000
Nova Scotia 19.7 125,000 30.9 196,000 50.6 321,000
New Brunswick 23.1 118,000 37.2 191,000 60.3 309,000
Quebec 20.0 1,026,000 33.1 1,697,000 53.1 2,723,000
Ontario 21.3 1,759,000 29.1 2,403,000 50.4 4,162,000
Manitoba 18.2 131,000 32.1 230,000 50.3 361,000
Saskatchewan 11.8 73,000 30.2 186,000 42.0 259,000
Alberta 15.1 324,000 29.3 629,000 44.4 953,000
British Columbia 16.7 471,000 27.0 762,000 43.7 1,233,000
Yukon 14.1 3,000 26.4 5,000 40.5 8,000
Northwest Territory 22.0 6,000 29.0 7,000 51.0 13,000
Nunavut 54.7 7,000 22.6 3,000 77.3 10,000
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
14255 260 265 270 275 280 285
Numeracy
25000
30000
35000
40000
45000
50000
55000
GD
P.p
er.
capita
NL
PEI
NSNB
QC
ON
MB
SK
AB
BC
Canada
GDP per capita and Numeracy Proficiency, 2003IALSS 2003, 16-65 years
Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and numeracy proficiency average score in 2003, Canada and Provinces (population 16-65)
Sources: IALSS 2003 and Statistics Canada
Ontario performance
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
15Source: IALSS, 2003
Good
Poor
The proportion of Ontario residents at levels 1 and 2 varied by 8 percentage points between literacy and numeracy.
Per cent of population 16-65 performing at levels 1 and 2 in IALSS, 2003
5043
38
50 4942 40
33 35 3531
43
72
42
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Nfld a
nd La
brad
or
P.E.I.
Nova S
cotia
New Bru
nswick
Quebe
c
Ontar
io
Man
itoba
Saska
tchew
an
Alberta
British
Colu
mbia
Yukon
NWT
Nunavu
t
Canada
Prose Document Numeracy
Ontario performance
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
16
Residents of Ontario did not have average scores significantly different from the Canadian average in prose literacy at all levels
of education.
Mean S.E. Mean S.E. Mean S.E. Mean S.E. Mean S.E.Newfoundland and Labrador 219 (3.4) 265 (4.0) 286 (3.8) 290 (5.1) 321 (3.9)Prince Edward Island 230 (6.8) 280 (5.5) 279 (5.5) 303 (5.5) 319 (7.9)Nova Scotia 241 (4.4) 281 (4.2) 288 (3.2) 305 (3.5) 319 (4.2)New Brunswick 223 (4.6) 265 (5.1) 276 (7.1) 286 (4.5) 311 (7.2)Quebec 227 (2.0) 262 (2.3) 275 (2.1) 290 (2.2) 305 (2.5)Ontario 223 (4.9) 268 (3.9) 279 (3.9) 295 (4.1) 303 (3.1)Manitoba 246 (5.5) 273 (3.4) 291 (4.4) 293 (3.4) 312 (4.4)Saskatchewan 256 (6.2) 282 (7.0) 294 (3.3) 309 (4.3) 336 (5.2)Alberta 241 (7.1) 279 (4.5) 290 (3.8) 295 (4.0) 319 (4.2)British Columbia 239 (4.8) 277 (4.8) 290 (3.4) 306 (4.3) 316 (4.4)Yukon 241 (7.5) 288 (5.6) 297 (4.5) 308 (4.7) 326 (4.7)Northwest Territories 227 (6.3) 280 (7.6) 280 (3.6) 301 (4.0) 324 (6.3)Nunavut 199 (6.1) 269 (7.8) 241 (8.5) 290 (12.3) 311 (6.2)Canada 230 (1.8) 270 (1.8) 282 (1.7) 296 (1.8) 309 (2.0)
Less than high school High school
Trade vocational College University
Mean prose proficiency scores by education level, population 16 and over, Canada, provinces and territories, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
Ontario performance
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
17
In most jurisdictions, the majority of people aged 16-25 had prose literacy at level 3 or above. In Ontario, about 60% of young people had prose literacy scores at
level 3 or above.
100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
Level 2 Level 1 Level 3 Level 4/5
Distribution of proficiency level on the prose literacy scale for youth age 16-25, Canada, provinces et territoires, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
Youth in Ontario
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
18
In Ontario, the majority of people aged 65 and above (1,608,700; 13% of the total population) had levels of proficiency below level 3 in prose
literacy.
100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
Level 2 Level 1 Level 3 Level 4/5
Distribution of proficiency level on the prose literacy scale for those older than 65 years, provinces and territories, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
Seniors in Ontario
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
19
Average prose literacy scores by age group; Canada and Ontario, 2003.
288
281278
258
292
221217
254
275278
293
286
200
210
220
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
16-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 65+Canada Ontario
Source : IALSS, 2003
In Canada, average prose literacy scores decreased with age. In Ontario, the populations aged 16-25, 26-35 and 36-45 had average prose scores at level 3.
Performance by age, Ontario
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
20
Population distribution of proficiency, population 16-65, Canada and Ontario, 2003.
14,6 % 16,2 %
27,3 % 26,0 %
38,6 % 38,3 %
19,5 % 19,5 %
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Canada Ontario
levels 4/5
level 3
level 2
level 11,3m
2,1m
3,2m
1,6m
8,3m
4,2m
8,2m
5,8m
3,1m
21,4m
Number of people by proficiency level
Source: IALSS, 2003
About 3,4 million residents of Ontario scored below level 3
in prose literacy.
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
21
Principal characteristics of people at levels 1 and 2 in prose literacy in Ontario (population 16 to 65).
Level 1• 1,3 million• 61% (817,000) were immigrants • 54% were male and 46% were
female • 62% were employed• 9% were unemployed• Education:
– 46% had not completed high school education
– 32% had completed high school education
– 22% had completed postsecondary education
• Mother tongue:– 40% English– 4% French– 55% others
Level 2• 2,1 millions• 33% (747,000) were immigrants • 52% were male and 48% were
female • 72% were employed• 9% were unemployed• Education:
– 25% had not completed high school education
– 36% had completed high school education
– 39% had completed postsecondary education
• Mother tongue :– 65% English – 5% French– 30% others
Source: IALSS, 2003
Low literacy scores in Ontario
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
22
In Ontario, 64% of Francophones chose to be evaluated in English (population 16 and above).
Half of Francophones outside Quebec who wrote the exam in English did not reach level 3 in prose literacy. On the other hand, 62% of Francophones evaluated in French did not reach level 3
French Minority in Ontario
•Outside Quebec, about 65% of Francophones chose to be evaluated in English.
•In Ontario, 64% of Francophones were evaluated in English.
In Canada, Francophones who were evaluated in English scored above Francophones who were evaluated in French
Source: IALSS, 2003
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
23
In Ontario, 56% of people with French mother tongue had a literacy level below level 3.
Distribution of the population according to mother tongue and prose literacy proficiency level, Quebec, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba and Canada, 2003
French minority in Ontario
Source: IALSS, 2003
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
English French English French English French English French English French
New Brunsw ick Quebec Ontario Manitoba Canada
Level 2 Level 1 Level 3 Levels 4-5
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
24
At all levels of education, Anglophones (outside Quebec) had higher average scores than Francophones (outside Quebec) in
prose literacy.
Source: IALSS, 2003
Average scores in prose literacy according to mother tongue and highest level of education completed, Canada without Quebec, population aged 16 and above, 2003.
French minority in Canada
Études universitaires
150
170
190
210
230
250
270
290
310
330
350
Elementary schoolor less
Lower High Schooleducation
Upper High Schooleducation
High School, tradeor college education
diploma
Postsecondaryeducation without a
university degree
University degree
English (outside Quebec) French (outside Quebec)
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
25
In Ontario, in prose literacy, Anglophones performed better than Francophones at all levels of education. People with a mother tongue other than English and
French performed below level 3 at all levels of education.
257 235 257202
286 274 276239
309 298 326274
0
100
200
300
400
English French English and French Others
Mother tongue
Average
Less than High School High School Postsecondary education
Average prose literacy proficiency scores according to mother tongue and highest level of education completed, population of Ontario 16-65, 2003.
Source: EIACA 2003
*Note that the estimated average scores for the group ‘English and French’ are not precise because of the small number of observations.
French minority in Ontario
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
26
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
Total Non-Aboriginal
UrbanAboriginal
Non-Aboriginal
UrbanAboriginal
Canada Saskatchewan Manitoba
Level 4/5
Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
Sub-populations – Aboriginals
In Manitoba and in Saskatchewan, the proficiency level in prose literacy of urban aboriginals was inferior by close to
10% to the level of proficiency of non-aboriginals.
Comparative distributions of prose literacy proficiency by level, per cent of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, aged 16 and over, 2003
Source : IALSS, 2003.
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
27
Over half of the Aboriginal people in the Yukon, 69 % of the Aboriginal people in the Northwest Territories and 88 % of
Inuit in Nunavut scored below level 3 in prose literacy
100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
Total Aboriginal Non-Aboriginal
Aboriginal Non-Aboriginal
Inuit Non-Inuit
Canada Yukon Territory Northwest Territories Nunavut
Level 4/5
Level 3
Level 1
Level 2
Comparative distributions of prose literacy proficiency by level, per cent of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations in the Northern Territories, aged 16 and over, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
Subgroups – Aboriginal people
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
28
62% of those at level 1 and 73% of those at level 2 in Ontario were employed.
47
60
70
76
54
68
75
81
62
7377
82
66
7681 81
47
67
74
81
50
68
82
90
57
70
7681
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies British Columbia Territories Canada
Document Literacy Domain
% E
mp
loye
d
Source: IALSS, 2003
Per cent of employed population in each document literacy level, population 16 to 65, Canada and Regions, 2003
Literacy performance and employment
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
29
Average prose literacy by labour force status, Ontario and Canada
271
267263
266
286283
250
255
260
265
270
275
280
285
290
Ontario Canada
Not in theLabour forceUnemployed
Employed
Source: IALSS 2003
Literacy performance and employment
In Ontario, unemployed people and people not in the labour force scored on average at level 2 in prose literacy, while employed people scored
on average at level 3.
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
30
CanadaIndustries Level 1 Level 2
Manufacturing 445,000 696,000
Trade, finance, insurance, real estate and Leasing
325,000 951,000
Accommodation and food services
189,000 323,000
Construction 158,000 287,000
Health care and social assistance
140,000 409,000
Source: IALSS, 2003
(Population 16-65)
Low literacy and employment
Total:
Persons with low prose literacy were concentrated among certain industries, Canada and Ontario.
1,257,000 2,666,000 *These industries employed roughly 65% of the workers at levels 1 and 2
Ontario
Industries Below level 3
Manufacturing 504,289
Trade, finance, Insurance, real estate and leasing
491,530
Accomodation and food services
248,845
Health care and social assistance
215,864
Construction 198,712
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
31
The majority of knowledge experts scored at Level 3 or above in prose literacy in the regions and the territories.
0
20
40
60
80
100
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Canada Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies British Columbia Territories
Regions and Occupation Types
Per cent Level 3 Level 4/5
Per cent of Labour force population at prose levels 3 and 4/5 by type of occupations, population 16 to 65, Canada and regions, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
1 Knowledge expert 2 Managers 3 Information high-skills
4 Information low-skills 5 Services low-skills 6 Goods
Literacy performance- Occupation
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
32
Workers in knowledge-related occupations tended to engage more often in writing at work than do low-skill information, services and
goods production workers.Index scores of writing engagement at work on a standardized scale (centered on 2) by aggregated occupational types, labour force population, 16 to 65, 2003
Literacy performance- Occupation
Source: IALSS, 2003
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Canada Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies British Columbia Territories
Wri
tin
g E
ng
ag
em
en
t at
Wo
rk In
dex
25th Percentile .95 Confidence interval (lower) mean .95 Confidence Interval (upper) 75th Percentile
Legend Occupation Types1 Knowledge expert 2 Managers3 Information high-skills 4 Information low-skills5 Services low-skills 6 Goods
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
33
All industrial sectors in Ontario had at least 40% of their workers at level 3 or above in numeracy.
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Canada Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies British Columbia Territories
Region and Industry type
%
Level 3 Level4/51
Knowledge-intensive market service activities
2Public administration, defense, education and health
3Other community, social and personal services
4
High and medium-high-techonology manufacturing industries
5
Low and medium-low-technology manufacturing industries
6 Utilities and Construction
7Wholesale, retail, hotels and restaurants
8 Transport and storage
9 Primary industries
Source: IALSS, 2003
Per cent of labour force population at numeracy levels 3 and 4/5, by type of industry, population 16 to 65, Canada and regions, 2003
Literacy performance- Industry
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
34
Canadians with higher average scores earned more
Prose Document Numeracy Problem Solving
Male Less than 20,000 270 274 271 267
20,000 to 40,000 266 270 267 262
40,000 to 60,000 289 294 290 284
60,000 and more 303 309 308 297
Prose Document Numeracy Problem Solving
Female Less than 20,000 274 269 255 266
20,000 to 40,000 286 280 266 275
40,000 to 60,000 309 305 290 297
60,000 and more 323 319 307 309
Source: IALSS, 2003
Literacy performance-Labour force
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
35
Distribution of recent immigrant, established immigrant and native born populations by level of Prose performance, ages 16-65, Canada, 2003
100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
Native Recent Established
Level 2 Level 1 Level 3 Level 4/5
Subgroups - Immigrants
Source: IALSS, 2003
A signficantly higher proportion of immigrants had low literacy compared to their Canadian-born counterparts, and the proportion
did not vary by their length of stay in Canada
Canadian born
10 years or less More than 10 years
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
36Source: IALS, 2003
The literacy performance of immigrants was higher among those with mother tongue the same as the language of test
(population 16-65)
Subgroups - Immigrants
Prose Document NumeracyProblem solving
Immigrant status Mean Mean Mean Mean
Canadian born 280 278 269 273
Immigrants - mother tongue same as test language 269 269 259 257
Immigrants - mother tongue different from test language 234 238 235 230
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
37
Regardless of their level of literacy proficiency, most immigrants were employed but were they under employed?
Immigrants Canadian born
Level 1 1,408,000 1,715,000
Employed Unemployed Employed Unemployed
893,000 135,000 (10%) 889,000 227,000 (13%)
Level 2 1,234,000 4,595,000
Employed Unemployed Employed Unemployed
856,000 105,000 (9%) 3,255,000 381,000 (8%)
Level 3 1,284,000 6,967,000
Employed Unemployed Employed Unemployed
966,000 99,000 5,329,000 429,000
Level 4/5 469,000 3,688,000
Employed Unemployed Employed Unemployed
360,000 34,000 2,949,000 180,000
Source: IALSS, 2003
Literacy performance- Immigrants in Canada
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A high number of immigrants at levels 1 and 2 proficiency in English or French have post secondary education.
Immigrants
Level 1 1,408,000
Less than HS HS PSE
567,000 (68.8%) 467,000 (36.2%) 374,000 (16.4%)
Level 2 1,234,000
Less than HS HS PSE
169,000 (20.5%) 423,000 (32.8%) 642,000 (28.1%)
Level 3 1,284,000
Less than HS HS PSE
77,000 (9.3%) 309,000 (23.9%) 898,000 ( 39.4%)
Level 4/5 469,000
Less than HS HS PSE
-- 92,000 (7.1%) 366,000 (16.1%)
Total -- (100%) 1,290,000 (100%) 2,279,000 (100%)
Source: IALSS, 2003
Literacy performance- Immigrants in Canada
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In all provinces and territories there was a substantial difference between the participation rates in training of
those with the lowest and highest levels of literacy.
Source: IALSS, 2003
Per cent of population receiving adult education and training during the year preceding the interview, by document literacy levels, 16-65, Canada and regions, 2003
0
20
40
60
80
Canada Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies BritishColumbia
Territories
%
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4/5
Literacy performance- Adult training participation
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About 50% of workers participated in adult training in Ontario, the same as in Canada. Also a smaller proportion (22%) of workers took courses in
Ontario compared to Canada (25%).
Per cent of population receiving adult education and training the year preceding the interview, by type of participation, population 16 to 65, Canada, provinces and territories, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
Literacy performance- Adult training participation
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Total participation Took program Took course
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79% of Ontario residents had access to a computer at home compared to 76% of Canadians aged 16 to 65 years.
76
6267 70 68 70
7972 74
81 79 77
66
41
0
20
40
60
80
100
Canada N.L. P.E.I. N.S. N.B. Que. Ont. Man. Sask. Alta. B.C. Y.T. N.W.T. Nvt.
%
Computer access Internet access
Computer and Internet access at home Per cent of adults aged 16-65 who report having access to a computer and the Internet at home, Canada, provinces and territories, 2003
Literacy performance-ICT
Source: IALSS, 2003
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Generally, 16 to 65 year-olds in poor health had lower average document literacy scores.
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
Yuk. N.W.T Nun. Alb. N-B Can. Ont. Sas. Man. B.C. Nfld Lab Que P.E.I. N.S.
Poor Fair, Good or Excellent1 16-65
2 66 and older
Physical Component Summary (PCS) scores by mean document literacy proficiency by age groups, Canada, provinces et territoires, 2003
Note : Orders the provinces and territories by the size of the difference in average document literacy between those in poor health and those in excellent health.
Literacy performance- Health
Source: IALSS, 2003
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Best options for improvement by points gained/lost, Canada and Ontario
-50-40-30-20-10
010203040
Canada
Ontario
16-25 46-65 Less than high school
Postsecondary
Base group:
-26-45
-Those with
high school
-Mother
tongue English
Source: IALSS 2003
Policy sensitive targets appear to be similar for Ontario and Canada.
Improving Literacy in Ontario
Mother tongue French
Regression analysis.
Mother tongue other than English or French
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Geographic distribution of people at levels 1 and 2 in prose in Ontario (IALSS population 16-65).
Source: IALSS 2003
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
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Geographic distribution of people at levels 4 and 5 in prose in Ontario (IALSS population 16-65).
Source: IALSS 2003
HRSD-Learning Policy Directorate
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Geographic distribution of people at levels 1 and 2 in prose in Southern Ontario (IALSS population 16-65).
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Geographic distribution of people at levels 1 and 2 in prose in Toronto (IALSS population 16-65).
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Contact Information:
Satya Brink, Ph.D.Director, Policy ResearchLearning Policy DirectorateHuman Resources and Skills Development CanadaPlace du Portage, Phase IV, 3 Floor140 Promenade du PortageGatineau, QCK1A 0J9Tel: 819-953-6622Fax: 819-997-5433