Assessing the Complexity of Literacy Tasks Presentation 
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Slide 4
What is literacy?

green box graphic New definition:
   
  “Using printed and written information to function in society, to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s knowledge and potential.”
   
Ability to find, read, understand, and use information
   
Source: Reading the Future: A Portrait of Literacy in Canada
http://www.statcan.ca:80/english/freepub/89F0093XIE/free.htm

Literacy is no longer measured in terms of an individual being literate or illiterate. The IALS is not about whether people can read a sentence. Instead, it is first of all about what adults can measurably do with text as a result of the sum total of their formal schooling, their formal and informal training, and their application of reading practices and behaviors in daily life.

Slide 5
Literacy Levels and Distribution of Canadians Aged 16 and Over

green box graphic Level 1 (22%): Need intermediaries; can read simple and explicit text only
   
green box graphic Level 2 (26%): Can read straightforward simple text and do a single task; they also rely on others
   
green box graphic Level 3 (33%): Function well depending on context; it is considered the minimum level; the skill level for successful secondary school completion and college entry
   
green box graphic Level 4&5 (20%): Can do multiple tasks and process more complex material


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