Slide 25
The number of persons (16 to 65) with low literacy rose
from 8 million in 1994 to 9 million in 2003 though the
percentage (42%) did not change.
IALS (Total: 18.4 million )
Level 1: 16.6%, 3.1 million
Level 2: 24.8%, 4.6 million
Level 3: 36.4%, 6.7 million
Level 4/5: 22.3%, 4.1 million
IALSS (Total: 21.4 million )
Level 1: 14.6%, 3.1 million
Level 2: 27.3%, 5.8 million
Level 3: 38.6%, 8.2 million
Level 4/5: 19.5%, 4.2 million
* Differences at each level between IALS and IALSS are not statistically significant
Source: IALSS, 2003; IALS, 1994.
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Slide 26
Over half of the Aboriginal people in the Yukon, 69 percent of
the Aboriginal people in the Northwest Territories and 88 per
cent of Inuit in Nunavut scored below level 3 in prose literacy
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
CANADA
Level 1: 20%
Level 2: 30%
Level 3: 35%
Level 4/5: 15%
YUKON TERRITORY
Aboriginal
Level 1: 25%
Level 2: 30%
Level 3: 35%
Level 4/5: 10%
Non-Aboriginal
Level 1: 5%
Level 2: 20%
Level 3: 40%
Level 4/5: 35%
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Aboriginal
Level 1: 35%
Level 2: 35%
Level 3: 25%
Level 4/5: 5%
Non-Aboriginal
Level 1: 10%
Level 2: 20%
Level 3: 40%
Level 4/5: 30%
NUNAVUT
Inuit
Level 1: 55%
Level 2: 30%
Level 3: 10%%
Level 4/5: 5%
Non-Inuit
Level 1: 5%
Level 2: 20%
Level 3: 45%
Level 4/5: 30%
Source: IALSS, 2003
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Slide 27
Average prose literacy proficiency by age groups,
Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations in Territories,
aged 16 and over, 2003
All values are approximations.
CANADA
Total
Age 16-25: 290
Age 26-45: 285
Age 46 and up: 255
YUKON TERRITORY
Aboriginal
Age 16-25: 280
Age 26-45: 265
Age 46 and up: 245
Non-Aboriginal
Age 16-25: 295
Age 26-45: 300
Age 46 and up: 290
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Aboriginal
Age 16-25: 255
Age 26-45: 250
Age 46 and up: 215
Non-Aboriginal
Age 16-25: 295
Age 26-45: 305
Age 46 and up: 290
NUNAVUT
Inuit
Age 16-25: 215
Age 26-45: 210
Age 46 and up: 190
Non-Inuit
Age 16-25: 280
Age 26-45: 285
Age 46 and up: 280
Source: IALSS, 2003
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Slide 28
Main characteristics of people at level 1 and
2 in prose IALSS (population 16-65)
Level 1
- 3.1 million
- 1.4 million were immigrants
- 54% were male and 46% female
- 60% were employed
- 12% were unemployed
- Education:
- 50% less than high school
- 30% completed high school
- 20% had post-secondary education
Level 2
- 5.8 million
- 1.2 million were immigrants
- 52% were male and 48% female
- 70% were employed
- 8% were unemployed
- Education:
- 28% less than high school
- 37% completed high school
- 35% had post-secondary education
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Slide 29
IALSS HIGHLIGHTS
- The number of people 16- 65 with low literacy rose from 8
m in 1994 to 9 m in 2003 though the percentage (42%) did
not change.
- There was no change in the average literacy scores for the
working age population except for an increase in the
average prose literacy score in QC and in the average
document literacy score in the Atlantic.
- The average literacy scores of all provinces were at level 3,
except for Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and
Nunavut. The average numeracy scores for all provinces
were at level 3, except for New Brunswick, Newfoundland,
and Nunavut.
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Slide 30
- 9 out of 13 jurisdictions have about 50 % their population with
numeracy below level 3.
- The prose literacy performance of the Aboriginal populations
surveyed is lower than that of the Canadian population.
- Three provinces, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, have 7 m
of the 9 m persons with low literacy.
- In most provinces and territories, the majority of youth have prose
literacy proficiency at Level 3 or above.
- Younger Aboriginal people have higher scores than older ones but
all age groups score lower than non Aboriginal persons.
- Overall immigrants of working age performed significantly below
the Canadian born population.
- Recent immigrants (10 years or less) and established immigrants
(more than 10 years) have the same average score in all four
domains and the same proportion scoring below level 3 .
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