Literacy & Life

So What?????

~ Who is marginalized because of low literacy skills?

• Seniors
• Adults with disabilities
• Adults without Grade 12
• Aboriginals and First Nations
• Immigrants
• Those in conflict with law or are incarcerated
  
  
  

Biggest Barriers??

• Perception - Self & Public. Literacy is all about schools and ABC's - skills and drills (contrast how literacy used at home vs. in schools)
• Invisibility - most don't see it as a problem/barrier
  
  
  

Literacy and Families

• Early literacy skills are the foundation for future learning
• Parents with higher literacy skills have greater economic security which contributes to healthy child development
• Family poverty and low literacy have a negative impact on a child's readiness to learn at school
• Literacy and educational achievement often continue from generation to generation
  
  
  

Literacy and Health

• Low literacy, poverty and health problems are interrelated in many ways
• Low literacy affects access to health services and information
• Poor health and poverty are barriers to learning and literacy for children and adults
• Low literacy increases costs to our healthcare system