Adults

Illiteracy and literacy

Surveys

“Individuals’ knowledge and skills are a significant component of their individual well-being, but also an essential condition for a society’s development.”

PAGEAU, D. L'information continue Express,

Ministry of Education, Recreation and Sport (MELS), 2005.

 

International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey (IALSS)

The International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey (IALSS), conducted in 2003 on more than 23,000 individuals aged 16 and over from across the 10 provinces and three territories, and involving 4,166 Quebecers, provides comparable measurements in four domains: prose and document literacy, numeracy and problem-solving. 

The skills were rated according to five levels, Level 1 being the lowest. Level 3 was defined as the “desired” threshold of competence for coping with the increasing skill demands of the emerging knowledge and information economy. Level 3 performance  is generally chosen as a benchmark because, in developed countries, performance above Level 2 is generally associated with a number of positive outcomes, such as increased employment opportunities and higher civic participation. Level 1 contains respondents displaying the lowest level of proficiency, while Level 4/5 contains those with the highest level.

 

IALSS – Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the IALSS and the IALS?

The 2003 International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey (IALSS) was based on the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), the first comparative international study on adult skills, conducted between 1994 and 1998 in 22 counties (15 languages), including Canada (1994).

Which countries took part in the IALSS?

A first group of seven countries took part in this survey: Bermuda, the USA, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Mexico (State of Nuevo León) and Canada. Other countries will be added over the next few years.

Which skill areas are evaluated in the IALSS?

The IALSS is used to measure knowledge and skills in four domains against a range of proficiency.

  • Prose literacy – the knowledge and skills needed to understand and use information from texts including editorials, news stories, brochures and instruction manuals.
  • Document literacy – the knowledge and skills required to locate and use information contained in various formats, including job applications, payroll forms, transportation schedules, maps, tables and charts.
  • Numeracy – the knowledge and skills required to effectively manage the mathematical demands of diverse situations.
  • Problem-solving – problem-solving involves goal-directed thinking and action in situations for which no routine solutions exist.

Note: The prose and document literacy scales are identical to those carried by the IALSS in 1994. Numeracy and problem-solving are new domains in 2003.

To what do the levels of literacy used by the IALSS correspond?

Established as part of the IALSS, levels of literacy are a graduated scale from 1 to 5 ranking individuals’ ability to use writing in their daily lives. According to the study, any adult not attaining Level 3 on that scale does not have the minimum proficiency required to function in society.

  • Level 1: Inability to read and write, very low proficiency.
  • Level 2: Low proficiency in reading and writing, corresponding to simple tasks.
  • Level 3: Sufficient proficiency in reading and writing to function adequately in society.
  • Level 4-5: Superior proficiency in reading, writing and understanding complex texts.

In short, the term “illiteracy” describes the inability to read, whereas “literacy” ranks the ability to read.