Literacy Matters | Fact Sheet

Literacy in British ColumbiaThe latest large scale literacy survey, Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), found that: • Morethan700,000BritishColumbianshavesignificant

challengeswithliteracy.(16%ofBritishColumbianswereatLevel1literacyorbelowin2012.)20

• 45%ofBritishColumbiansaged16to65mayhavedifficultyunderstandingnewspapers,followinginstructionmanuals,readinghealthinformationandotherdailylivingtasks.20

• 52%ofBritishColumbiansaged16to65mayhavedifficultycalculatinginterestonacarloan,usinginformationonagraph,calculatingmedicinedosageandotherdailylivingtasks.20

In Canada, some groups are more likely to experience literacy challenges. They include:• Canadianswithfeweryearsofschooling20 • Immigrants8,20

• Indigenouspeoples2,20

• OlderCanadians4,20

At home:• Literacymattersforhealth.Canadianswithstronger

literacyskillsenjoybetterhealth.9Literacyskillshelppeoplefind,understandandusehealthinformation.6

• Literacymattersformanagingpersonalfinances.Numeracyisakeyfactorinfinancialliteracy.14,19

• Literacymattersforunderstandingrightsandresponsibilities.Ithelpspeopleunderstandwhattodoinlegalproceedings.7

• Aliteracy-richhomeenvironmentmattersfordevelopingyoungchildren’sliteracyskills.5Havingbooksandreadingaloudathomearesignificantwaystosupportchildren’slongtermliteracyskills.12,16

At work:• Literacymattersforemployment.Strongliteracyskills

areconnectedtobeingemployed.18,20 • Literacymattersforearnings.Strongerliteracyskillsare

associatedwithearninghigherwages.11,13

• Literacymattersforhealthandsafety.Understandingandfollowinghealthandsafetyinstructionscanbecriticalforpersonalsafety.3

• Literacymattersforsuccessatwork.Improvingliteracyskillscanincreaseefficiencyandaccuracyatwork,andcandecreasework-relatedstress.10

• Literacymattersforadulteducation.Peoplewithstrongerliteracyskillsaremorelikelytoparticipateinadulteducationandjobrelatedtraining.15,17

In the community:• Literacymattersforcommunityparticipation.Canadians

withstrongerliteracyskillsaremorelikelytovolunteer.9

• Literacymattersforpoliticalinvolvement.Canadianswithhigherskillsaremorelikelytofeeltheycaninfluencegovernment.9

• Researchindicatesthatliteracyskillsmaybeanimportantfactorininterpersonalcommunication,communityparticipationandinclusion.9

“…it is hard to identify any other single issue that can have such a large payoff to individuals, the economy

and society” –CraigAlexander1

“Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society.” - UNESCO 21

604.681.4199 | www.decoda.ca | decodaliteracy | @decodaliteracy

604.681.4199 | www.decoda.ca | decodaliteracy | @decodaliteracy

Literacy Matters | Fact Sheet

References

1.Alexander,C.(2007).Literacymatters:acallforaction.Retrievedfromhttp://www.en.copian.ca/library/research/litmat/litmat.pdf2.Arriagada,P.&Hango,D.(May18,2016).Literacyandnumeracyamongoff-reserveFirstNationspeopleandMétis:Dohigherskilllevelsimprovelabourmarketoutcomes?Retrievedfromhttps://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/75-006-X2016001146303.Campbell,A.(2010).Whatyoudon’tknowcanhurtyou:Literacy’simpactonworkplacehealthandsafety.Retrievedfromhttp://www.en.copian.ca/library/research/cboc/whatyoudontknow/whatyoudontknow.pdf4.CanadianCouncilonLearning.(2006).Nevertoooldtolearn:SeniorsandlearninginCanada.Retrievedfromhttp://www.en.copian.ca/library/research/ccl/lessons_learning/never_too_old/never_too_old.pdf5.CanadianCouncilonLearning.(2006).Howparentsfosterearlyliteracy.Retrievedfromhttp://en.copian.ca/library/research/ccl/lessons_learning/how_parents_foster/how_parents_foster.pdf6.CanadianCouncilonLearning.(2008).HealthliteracyinCanada:Ahealthyunderstanding.Retrievedfromhttp://www.en.copian.ca/library/research/ccl/health/health.pdf7.CouncilofCanadianAdministrativeTribunals.(2005).LiteracyandaccesstoadministrativejusticeinCanada:Aguideforthepromotionofplainlanguage.Retrievedfromhttp://www.en.copian.ca/library/research/accjus-e/accjus-e.pdf8.CouncilofMinistersofEducation,Canada&EmploymentandSocialDevelopmentCanada.(2017).SkillsproficiencyofimmigrantsinCanada:FindingsfromtheProgrammefortheInternationalAssessmentofAdultCompetencies(PIAAC).Retrievedfromhttp://www.piaac.ca/docs/PIAAC%202012%20Immigrants%20Canada%20Final%20EN.pdf9.CouncilofMinistersofEducation,Canada&thePublicHealthAgencyofCanada.(2017).ThehealthandsocialdimensionsofadultskillsinCanada:FindingsfromtheProgrammefortheInternationalAssessmentofAdultCompetencies(PIAAC).Retrievedfromhttp://www.piaac.ca/docs/PIAAC2018/PIAAC%202012_Health%20and%20Social%20Dimensions_Canada%20EN.pdf10.Fowler,H.S.etal.(2016).UPSKILLHealth–Technicalreportonworkerandbusinessoutcomes:SocialResearchandDemonstrationCorporation.Retrievedfromhttp://www.srdc.org/media/199892/upskill-health-worker-and-business-outcomes.pdf

11.Heisz,A.,Notten,G.&Situ,J.(2016).Theassociationbetweenskillsandlowincome.InsightsonCanadianSociety.Retrievedfromhttps://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/75-006-x/2016001/article/14322-eng.pdf?st=ot23Plty12.Labrecque,M.etal.(2012).PIRLS2011:Canadaincontext:CanadianresultsfromtheProgressinInternationalReadingLiteracyStudy.Retrievedfromhttp://www.cmec.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/294/PIRLS_2011_EN.pdf13.Lane,M.andConlon,G.(2016).Theimpactofliteracy,numeracyandcomputerskillsonearningsandemploymentoutcomes.OECDEducationWorkingPapers,No.129.Retrievedfromhttps://doi.org/10.1787/5jm2cv4t4gzs-en14.Lusardi,A.(2012).Numeracy,financialliteracy,andfinancialdecision-making.NBERWorkingPaperNo.17821.Retrievedfromhttp://www.nber.org/papers/w1782115.Munro,D.(2014).SkillsandhighereducationinCanada:towardsexcellenceandequity.Retrievedfromhttp://canada2020.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/2014_Canada2020_Paper-Series_Education_FINAL.pdf16.OECD.(2011,November10).Whatcanparentsdotohelptheirchildrensucceedinschool?PISAinFocus,10.Retrievedfromhttp://www.oecd.org/pisa/49012097.pdf17.OECD.(2013).Skilledforlife?KeyfindingsfromtheSurveyofAdultSkills.Retrievedfromhttp://www.oecd.org/skills/piaac/SkillsOutlook_2013_ebook.pdf18.OECD.(2016).SkillsMatter:FurtherResultsfromtheSurveyofAdultSkills.OECDSkillsStudies.Retrievedfromhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264258051-en19.Skagerlund,K.etal.(2018).Financialliteracyandtheroleofnumeracy–Howindividuals’attitudeandaffinitywithnumbersinfluencefinancialliteracy.JournalofBehavioralandExperimentalEconomics,74.Retrievedfromhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214804318301241?via%3Dihub20.StatisticsCanada,EmploymentandSocialDevelopmentCanada,&CouncilofMinistersofEducation,Canada.(2013).SkillsinCanada:FirstresultsfromtheProgrammefortheInternationalAssessmentofAdultCompetencies(PIAAC).Retrievedfromhttp://www.cmec.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/315/Canadian-PIAAC-Report.EN.pdf21.UNESCO.(2004).Thepluralityofliteracyanditsimplicationsforpoliciesandprogrammes:positionpaper.Retrievedfromhttp://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001362/136246e.pdf

-July2018