Feature

Illiteracy: Exploring the Personal and Social Costs in Canada

by Carolyn McKay

The reading skills of 16 percent of Canadian adults are too limited to allow them to deal with the majority of written material encountered in everyday life. (ABC Canada, 1996. URL http://www.abc-canada.org)

...24-26 percent...can deal only with material that is simple and clearly laid out, and material in which the tasks involved are not too complex. (Reading the Future: A Portrait of Literacy in Canada; highlights from the Canadian Report of the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), 1996. URL http://www.nald.ca/)

A large number of Canadians have difficulty understanding the information they encounter on a daily basis. This came as a surprise to me as I had always regarded literacy as the most fundamental skill set, something learned in school and developed throughout one’s adult life. Literacy, however, has evolved into something more than the simple ability to read, write, and calculate. Literacy now refers to the ability to process, comprehend, and use the information encountered on a daily basis. Those with low literacy skills may have difficulty finding employment or keeping a job in a competitive market, and cannot fully participate in social and cultural activities. In an economy that relies on the growth of a skilled workforce, the literacy level of the general population becomes an important factor.

The lowest level of literacy (Level 1) refers to those who have serious difficulty with printed materials, and consider themselves unable to read. Level 1 skills indicate a low level, but not an absence of literacy. A large number of adults who have no secondary education fall into this category. Level 2 literacy refers to those who can use printed materials in very limited ways. They can, for example, find familiar words in a simple text, but have difficulty with unfamiliar materials or contexts. A high level of literacy (Level 4/5) indicates the individual is able to use the material encountered and can meet most reading demands required on a daily basis. Most adults with a university degree fall into this category.

I would have equated the overall higher level of education being pursued by today’s young adults with an increased level of literacy in Canada, since higher levels of literacy are associated with higher levels of education. However, according to the Canadian Report of the International Literacy Survey (IALS), more than one quarter of those who have completed a community college program are at the lower levels of literacy. This implies that there are other factors besides formal education that influence an individual’s literacy level.

It is the accepted norm in Canada that most students currently in high school will go on to the next level of education before entering the workforce. In preparing students to enter the world of work as soon as possible after graduation, the shift in many institutions is toward teaching specific techniques and career skills. By examining the level of proficiency in English reading and comprehension among graduates of post-secondary institutions, it is apparent that those responsible for educational programs must believe that students are receiving sufficient training in reading, writing, and numeracy skills.

The inability of many people to read and write well may not be the failing of an overburdened educational system, but the result of a shift in societal values. The focus of education has changed dramatically over the past three decades, largely due to economics and technology. A university or college education is seen as an investment in potential earnings. Consequently, a higher level education now has a more narrow focus than ever before. The average student is pursuing a degree with a very specific goal in mind — to get a job. Maybe this is why many university and college courses do not place any value or focus on the ability to manipulate the English language. For example, term papers and exam questions for a history course are marked on the content and its relevance to history. Often, no marks are taken off for incorrect spelling, grammar, or cohesive structure. History is not English, and the teacher of history is not obliged to offer suggestions or propose ways in which the student can improve. It is assumed that if a student’s writing skills are poor enough, he or she will enroll in a remedial writing course of some kind.

The fact that many people cannot read well, in contrast to the fact that some people don’t know how to read at all, will have the greatest impact on our labour force and economy. The ability to read well, to comprehend complex thematic concerns and relational ideas is a fundamental part of any education, be it arts- or science-based. The ability to write is also essential to convey ideas in a meaningful and effective manner. Professional positions in growth areas such as administration and management make high demands on our literacy skills. One must be able to communicate effectively and be able to organize thoughts into a coherent whole in order to succeed in almost any employment area.

New media for the dissemination of information put even greater pressure on today’s workers to possess good literacy skills. This is because new media such as the Internet allow virtually anyone to disseminate written information to a large (world-wide) audience. And because electronic media do not function within a linear structure they require ideas to be organized in new, more creative ways.

The results of the International Adult Literacy Survey indicate that only a minority of those who are considered to have weak literacy skills see a need to improve their skills. This is unfortunate because those who are unable to make their ideas known in an articulate manner cannot take full advantage of the new media available.

Of course, the literacy skills we use everyday are not learned exclusively in school. The results of the IALS reveal that individuals with a high level of literacy are more likely to engage in literacy-promoting activities, in both job-related functions and leisure pastimes. This information suggests that literacy is a skill that must be practiced if it is to be maintained and enhanced. The "use it or lose it" notion harks back to a belief that many of our parents advocated fiercely—the more children read and are read to, the more likely they will develop a pattern of behaviour that will allow them to improve their literacy skills as they grow older. The pattern of literacy deterioration is difficult to break, however. Those with low-literacy job demands have less opportunity to practice reading, writing, and calculating; their skills never improve, so they cannot secure the often higher paying jobs that also provide more opportunities to use and enhance their abilities.

The consequences of acquiring and maintaining literacy skills are far reaching. Therefore, it is critical that reading, writing, and calculating skills be encouraged and nurtured in the home. The report, Reading the Future: A Portrait of Literacy in Canada, states that the higher a person’s literacy level, the more likely they are to have reading materials in the home. Many factors, however, are at work that compromise the literacy levels of the general population. Many people receive their daily news and information through television or radio, rather than through newspapers or magazines. A growing proportion of people feel that they receive enough opportunity to challenge their literacy skills at work, and do not feel the need to engage in activities that promote the use of these skills at home. Passive entertainment such as television provides both entertainment and recreation without any effort or skill at all, and appeals to those with both high and low levels of literacy skill. Even the Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper, is written at a high school reading level. The low-literacy demands of most leisure activities also do nothing to promote the development of more advanced literacy skills.

In the end, the encouragement of literacy practice in both the workplace and the home is important, not only in the formative years, but throughout one’s life. These skills are required every day for us to function in society and to allow us to participate in our economic future. Communication and information processing skills are necessary for individuals and corporations to be able to compete in a changing marketplace. In one survey conducted recently, almost 70 percent of 626 companies surveyed felt they have a significant problem with functional illiteracy in some part of their organization. Data from the IALS suggests that an unemployed person is about three times as likely to be at Level 1 literacy level than someone who is currently employed. This indicates that unemployed persons with a low level of literacy are less likely to become employed. Without proper training to enhance their skills, these individuals will have fewer opportunities to obtain positions with higher skill demands, and since low-literacy demand job categories are decreasing, they may have difficulty entering the workforce at all. As professional writers and editors, we can provide support for improved literacy on a national level by supporting programs and policies that promote literacy, by getting involved at a community level in the development and delivery of assisted training programs, or on a more personal level, by providing the materials and means for our children to build and maintain a high level of literacy skills throughout their lives.

Sources:
International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS); Statistics Canada, Ottawa, 1995.