HRSDC-Learning Policy Directorate
1
LITERACY IN New BrunswickImplications of Findings
from IALSS 2003
Presented by
Satya Brink, Ph.D.
Director, National Learning Policy Research
Learning Policy Directorate, HRSDC
February 2006
HRSDC-Learning Policy Directorate
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Key Questions
• What is the level of literacy proficiency in English/French in New Brunswick?
• How does New Brunswick compare to Canada, the provinces and other territories?
• How proficient are residents of New Brunswick in the different component skills?
• How is literacy performance distributed in the working age population of New Brunswick/Atlantic?
• How do age and education affect the literacy and numeracy performance?
• How is literacy performance distributed in the labor force, immigration, occupations, industries and earning groups?
• What are the demographic characteristics of people with low literacy proficiency and where are they located in New Brunswick?
Introduction
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Literacy proficiency: the ability to understand and employ printed information in daily activities, at home, at work and in the community. It is not about whether or not one can read but how well one reads.
- Prose: The knowledge and skills needed to understand and use information from texts including editorials, news stories, brochures and instruction manuals.
- Document: 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 apply arithmetic operations, either alone or sequentially, to numbers embedded in printed materials, such as balancing an account, figuring out a tip, completing an order form or determining the amount of interest on a loan from an advertisement .
- Problem Solving: Involves goal-directed thinking and action in situations for which no routine solution procedure is available. The understanding of the problem situation and its step-by-step transformation, based on planning and reasoning constitute the process of problem solving. (Only four proficiency levels)
4 Domains, measure skills at five levels :
•Level 1 0 - 225 points •Level 2 226 -275 points•Level 3 276-325 points* •Level 4 326 -375 points•Level 5 376 -500 points
* Proficiency level for modern economy and knowledge-based society
Introduction
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Background information of importance for IALSS results: New Brunswick
Total population (2003) 752,000
Population/square km 10 app.
Population 15-64 (2005) 525,800
Population 65 and over (2005) 104,700
Population by mother tongue (Census 2001)
English only 465,170
French only 236, 665
Non-official languages only 11,935
English and French 5,255
Eng. and non-off language 550
French and non-off language 105
Introduction
Source: Statistics Canada
Gender Distribution
Males 371,200
Females 380,900
Population 15 years and over by highest level of schooling
(Census 2001)
Less than high school 219,825
High school graduate 87,150
Trade Vocational cert. 18,755
College education 133,825
University 129,815
HRSDC-Learning Policy Directorate
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The number of persons (16 to 65) with low literacy rose from 8 m in 1994 to 9 m in 2003 though the percentage
(42%) did not change.
Source: IALSS, 2003; IALS, 1994.
14.60%
24.80% 27.30%
36.4% 38.6%
22.30% 19.50%
16.60%0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4/5
3.1 million
4.6 million
6.7 million
4.1 million 4.2 million
8.2 million
5.8 million
3.1 million
Total: 18.4 million Total: 21.4 million
* Differences at each level between IALS and IALSS are not statistically significant
Change between 1994 and 2003, Canada
IALS IALSS
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Comparisons of provinces and territories based on average scores.
JurisdictionY.T. Sas. Alta. B.C. N.S.
N.W.T
Man. P.E.I. Can. Ont. Que. N.B. N.L. Nvt
Yukon Territory
Saskatchewan
Alberta.
British Columbia
Nova Scotia
Northwest Territories
Manitoba
Prince Edward Island
Canada
Ontario
Quebec
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nunavut
Prose, population 16 and older, 2003
Mean proficiency significantly higher than comparison jurisdiction
No statistically significant difference from comparison jurisdiction
Mean proficiency significantly lower than comparison jurisdiction
New Brunswick performance
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Proficiency varied across domains and population age in New Brunswick.
Prose Document NumeracyProblem Solving*
16 and older 264 261 252 257
16 to 65
years of age273 270 262 266
Source: IALSS, 2003
New Brunswick literacy performance
Average proficiency scores, population 16 and older and population 16 to 65, New Brunswick, 2003
- Below level 3
* Proficiency levels are defined differently for problem solving
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In New Brunswick, the distribution of prose literacy proficiency is more favourable in the working age population compared to 16 and over,
similar to most provinces and territories.Per cent of population aged 16 and older and 16-65 at each prose level, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
39 40 40 42 37 39 39 43 38 4235 37 37 41
35 39 35 38 34 38 33 37 33 36 32 35
20 20
27 2921
2323
2621
24
1720
20 21 1719
1720
1720
1719
1315
1214
1214
8 8
23 22 26 25 23 2127 26 28 27 26 26 28 27 28 27 27 26 30 29 32 33 31 32 33 34
26 26
4647
1723192416
22
1420
1621
1520
13181719
1217
717 14141014
11 9
100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
Level 2 Level 1 Level 3 Level 4/5
New Brunswick performance
16-6516 and over
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New Brunswick had average scores at level 2 in document, prose and in numeracy (population 16-65).
Province or Territory Document literacy
Prose literacy
Numeracy
Newfoundland and Labrador
Prince Edward Island
Nova Scotia
New Brunswick
Quebec
Ontario
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Alberta
British Columbia
Nunavut Territory
Northwest Territory
Yukon Territory
269
281
284
270
273
279
283
294
290
290
234
280
294
271
282
286
273
275
279
283
294
289
288
232
280
296
257
269
272
262
269
270
271
284
281
279
220
269
283
New Brunswick performance
Source: IALSS, 2003
Below level 3 in 3 domains
Below level 3 in numeracy but not in literacy.
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Yukon had the lowest proportion overall (31%) of prose literacy below level 3. In New Brunswick, 51% of the working-age population (16-65) had
an average prose literacy proficiency below level 3.
Source: IALSS, 2003
Percent of population 16 to 65 at each prose level by provinces and territories, 2003
40 43 39 42 42 41 39 38 37 38 37 36 3520
29 24 26 23 20 19 20 20 21 19 15 14 14
8
100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
100
Per centLevel 2 Level 1 Level 3 Level 4/5
New Brunswick performance
HRSDC-Learning Policy Directorate
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Percent of population 16 to 65 at each numeracy level by provinces and territories, 2003
Yukon had lowest proportion of working-age adults below level 3 in numeracy (41%). In New Brunswick the proportion of working-age
adults below level 3 in numeracy was 60%.
39 38 36 35 33 35 33 35 33 33 32 29 28 16
20 20 20 21 17 14 17 15 16 15 14 11 107
100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
100
Per centLevel 2 Level 1 Level 3 Level 4/5
New Brunswick performance
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Prose Level 1 Level 2 Total
% Number % Number % Number
Newfoundland and Labrador
18.8 70,000 31.6 119,000 50.4 189,000
Prince Edward Island 14.0 13,000 28.8 27,000 42.8 40,000
Nova Scotia 11.9 75,000 26.5 168,000 38.4 243,000
New Brunswick 16.6 85,000 33.8 173,000 50.4 258,000
Quebec 15.6 800,000 33.0 1,700,000 48.6 2,500,000
Ontario 16.2 1,300,000 26.0 2,100,000 42.2 3,400,000
Manitoba 12.7 90,000 27.0 200,000 39.7 290,000
Saskatchewan 6.6 41,000 26.4 162,000 33.0 203,000
Alberta 9.7 209,000 25.3 544,000 35.0 753,000
British Columbia 13.8 400,000 20.9 600,000 34.7 1,000,000
Yukon 9.0 2,000 21.9 4,000 30.9 6,000
Northwest Territory 16.5 4,000 26.1 7,000 42.6 11,000
Nunavut 45.8 6,000 26.4 3,000 72.0 9,000
Impact of low literacy in the population 16-65.
Total 8,849,000
New Brunswick performance
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Impact of low numeracy in the population 16-65.
Source: IALSS, 2003
Total 10,681,000
New Brunswick performance
Numeracy level 1 Numeracy level 2 Total
% Number % Number % Number
Newfoundland and Labrador
26.8 101,000 34.3 107,000 61.1 208,000
Prince Edward Island 19.2 18,000 34.8 33,000 54.0 51,000
Nova Scotia 19.7 125,000 30.9 196,000 50.6 321,000
New Brunswick 23.1 118,000 37.2 191,000 60.3 309,000
Quebec 20.0 1,026,000 33.1 1,697,000 53.1 2,723,000
Ontario 21.3 1,759,000 29.1 2,403,000 50.4 4,162,000
Manitoba 18.2 131,000 32.1 230,000 50.3 361,000
Saskatchewan 11.8 73,000 30.2 186,000 42.0 259,000
Alberta 15.1 324,000 29.3 629,000 44.4 953,000
British Columbia 16.7 471,000 27.0 762,000 43.7 1,233,000
Yukon 14.1 3,000 26.4 5,000 40.5 8,000
Northwest Territory 22.0 6,000 29.0 7,000 51.0 13,000
Nunavut 54.7 7,000 22.6 3,000 77.3 10,000
HRSDC-Learning Policy Directorate
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Good
Poor
The proportion of New Brunswick residents at levels 1 and 2 varied by 10 percentage points between literacy and numeracy.
Per cent of adult populations performing at levels 1 and 2 in ALL 2003
5043
38
50 4942 40
33 35 3531
43
72
42
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Nfld a
nd La
brad
or
P.E.I.
Nova S
cotia
New Bru
nswick
Quebe
c
Ontar
io
Man
itoba
Saska
tchew
an
Alberta
British
Colu
mbia
Yukon
NWT
Nunavu
t
Canada
Prose Document Numeracy
New Brunswick performance
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In prose literacy, a higher level of education was associated with a higher level of literacy (population 16 and over). In New Brunswick, people at each level of
education did not perform differently than Canadians on average.
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Less than high school High school Trade Vocational College University
Literacy proficiency by educational attainment, Canada, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
New Brunswick performance
HRSDC-Learning Policy Directorate
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Residents of New Brunswick did not have an average score significantly different from the Canadian average in prose literacy
at all levels of education.
Mean S.E. Mean S.E. Mean S.E. Mean S.E. Mean S.E.Newfoundland and Labrador 219 (3.4) 265 (4.0) 286 (3.8) 290 (5.1) 321 (3.9)Prince Edward Island 230 (6.8) 280 (5.5) 279 (5.5) 303 (5.5) 319 (7.9)Nova Scotia 241 (4.4) 281 (4.2) 288 (3.2) 305 (3.5) 319 (4.2)New Brunswick 223 (4.6) 265 (5.1) 276 (7.1) 286 (4.5) 311 (7.2)Quebec 227 (2.0) 262 (2.3) 275 (2.1) 290 (2.2) 305 (2.5)Ontario 223 (4.9) 268 (3.9) 279 (3.9) 295 (4.1) 303 (3.1)Manitoba 246 (5.5) 273 (3.4) 291 (4.4) 293 (3.4) 312 (4.4)Saskatchewan 256 (6.2) 282 (7.0) 294 (3.3) 309 (4.3) 336 (5.2)Alberta 241 (7.1) 279 (4.5) 290 (3.8) 295 (4.0) 319 (4.2)British Columbia 239 (4.8) 277 (4.8) 290 (3.4) 306 (4.3) 316 (4.4)Yukon 241 (7.5) 288 (5.6) 297 (4.5) 308 (4.7) 326 (4.7)Northwest Territories 227 (6.3) 280 (7.6) 280 (3.6) 301 (4.0) 324 (6.3)Nunavut 199 (6.1) 269 (7.8) 241 (8.5) 290 (12.3) 311 (6.2)Canada 230 (1.8) 270 (1.8) 282 (1.7) 296 (1.8) 309 (2.0)
Less than high school High school
Trade vocational College University
Mean prose proficiency scores by education level, population 16 and over, Canada and jurisdictions, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
New Brunswick performance
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In most jurisdictions, the majority of people aged 16-25 had prose literacy above level 3. In New Brunswick, more than 60% of young people had prose literacy
scores at level 3 or above.
100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
Level 2 Level 1 Level 3 Level 4/5
Distribution of proficiency level on the prose literacy scale for youth age 16-25, Canada, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
Youth in New Brunswick
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In New Brunswick, the majority of people aged 65 and above (104,700; 14% of total population) had levels of proficiency below level 3 in prose
literacy.
100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
Level 2 Level 1 Level 3 Level 4/5
Distribution of proficiency level on the prose literacy scale for those older than 65 years, provinces and territories, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
Seniors in New Brunswick
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Average prose literacy scores by age group; Canada and New Brunswick, 2003.
288
281278
221
292
258
287 284
273
266
251
213
200
210
220
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
16-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 65+Canada New Brunswick
Source : IALSS, 2003
In Canada, average prose literacy scores decreased with age. In New Brunswick, the populations aged 16-25 and 26-35 had average scores above level 3.
Performance by age, New Brunswick
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Population distribution of proficiency, population 16-65, Canada and New Brunwick, 2003.
14.60 % 16.60 %
27.30 % 33.80 %
38.60 %35.30 %
19.50 % 14.40 %
0.0 %
20.0 %
40.0 %60.0 %
80.0 %
100.0 %
Canada New Brunswick
levels 4/5
level 3
level 2
level 185 000
173 000
181 000
74 000
513 000
4,2m
8,2m
5,8m
3,1m
21,4m
Number of people by proficiency level
Source: IALSS, 2003
About 258,000 residents of New Brunswick scored below level 3 in prose literacy.
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Principal characteristics of people at levels 1 and 2 in prose literacy in New Brunswick (population 16 to 65).
Level 1• 85 000• 58% were male and 42% were
female • 54% were employed• 18% were unemployed• Education:
– 56% had not completed high school education
– 33% had completed high school education
– 11% had completed postsecondary education
• Mother tongue:– 46% English– 51% French
Level 2• 173 000• 52% were male and 42%
were female • 64% were employed• 11% were unemployed• Education:
– 28% had not completed high school education
– 38% had completed high school education
– 34% had completed postsecondary education
• Mother tongue :– 59% English – 36% French
Source: IALSS, 2003
Low literacy scores in New Brunswick
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In New Brunswick, 33% of Francophones chose to be evaluated in English (population 16 and above).
Half of Francophones outside Quebec who wrote the exam in English did not reach level 3 in prose literacy. On the other hand, 62% of Francophones evaluated in French did not reach level 3
French Minority in New Brunswick
•Outside Quebec, about 65% of Francophones chose to be evaluated in English.
•In New Brunswick, 33% of Francophones were evaluated in English.
In Canada, Francophones who were evaluated in English scored above Francophones who were evaluated in French
Source: IALSS, 2003
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In New Brunswick, 66% of people with French mother tongue had a literacy level below level 3.
Distribution of the population according to mother tongue and prose literacy proficiency level, Qubec, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba and Canada, 2003
French minority in New Brunswick
Source: IALSS, 2003
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
English French English French English French English French English French
New Brunsw ick Quebec Ontario Manitoba Canada
Level 2 Level 1 Level 3 Levels 4-5
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At all levels of education, Anglophones (outside Quebec) had higher average scores than Francophones (outside Quebec) in
prose literacy.
Source: IALSS, 2003
Average scores in prose literacy according to mother tongue and highest level of education completed, Canada without Quebec, population aged 16 and above, 2003.
French minorities in Canada
Études universitaires
150
170
190
210
230
250
270
290
310
330
350
Elementary schoolor less
Lower High Schooleducation
Upper High Schooleducation
High School, tradeor college education
diploma
Postsecondaryeducation without a
university degree
University degree
English (outside Quebec) French (outside Quebec)
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In New Brunswick, in prose literacy, there was a significant difference between the scores of Anglophones and of Francophones who have
not completed high school education (population 16-65).
250220
182
242277 268
294252
296 288327
272
050
100150200250300350
English French English and others Others
Mother tongue
Average
Less than High School High School Postsecondary education
Average prose literacy proficiency scores according to mother tongue and highest level of education completed, population 16-65, 2003.
Source: IALSS 2003
*Non statistically significant differences at all levels of education, except for English and French with less than high school,
French minority in New Brunswick
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Employment rate among respondents at the highest and lowest levels of document proficiency, 2003
50
47
66
62
54
47
57
90
81
81
82
81
76
81
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Territories
British Columbia
Prairies
Ontario
Quebec
Atlantic
Canada
Employment rate
Lowest proficiency (Level 1) Highest proficiency (Level 4/5)
Source: IALSS 2003
Those with higher literacy proficiency have a higher employment rate than those with low literacy.
Literacy proficiency and employment
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47% of those at level 1 and 60% of those at level 2 in the Atlantic were employed.
47
60
70
76
54
68
75
81
62
7377
82
66
7681 81
47
67
74
81
50
68
82
90
57
70
7681
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Leve
l 1
Leve
l 2
Leve
l 3
Leve
l 4/5
Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies British Columbia Territories Canada
Document Literacy Domain
% E
mp
loye
d
Source: IALSS, 2003
Per cent of employed population in each document literacy level, population 16 to 65, Canada and Regions, 2003
Literacy performance and employment
Atlantic
HRSDC-Learning Policy Directorate
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Average prose literacy by labour force status New Brunsw ick, Atlantic and Canada
267
251
266262
266262
286286280
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
NewBrunswick
Atlantic Canada
Not in theLabour forceUnemployed
Employed
Source: IALSS 2003
Literacy performance and employment
In the Atlantic provinces, unemployed people and people not in the labour force scored on average at level 2 in prose literacy, while employed people scored on average at level 3. In New Brunswick, unemployed people and people not in the
labour force had an average score at level 2 in prose literacy.
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Canada
Industries Level 1 Level 2
Manufacturing 445,000 696,000
Trade, finance, Insurance, real estate and Leasing
325,000 951,000
Accommodation and Food Services
189,000 323,000
Construction 158,000 287,000
Health care and social assistance
140,000 409,000
Source: IALSS, 2003
(Population 16-65)
Low literacy and employment
Total:
Persons with low prose literacy are concentrated among certain industries, Canada and New Brunswick.
New Brunswick
Industries
Trade, finance, Insurance, real estate and leasing
Manufacturing
Health Care and Social Assistance
Construction
Accommodation and Food Services
1,257,000 2,666,000
*Number are suppressed, roughly 40%
could be in these industries
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The majority of knowledge experts score at Level 3 or above in prose literacy in the regions and the territories.
0
20
40
60
80
100
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Canada Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies British Columbia Territories
Regions and Occupation Types
Per cent Level 3 Level 4/5
Per cent of Labour force population at prose levels 3 and 4/5 by type of occupations, population 16 to 65, Canada and regions, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
1 Knowledge expert 2 Managers 3 Information high-skills
4 Information low-skills 5 Services low-skills 6 Goods
Literacy performance- Occupation
Atlantic
HRSDC-Learning Policy Directorate
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Workers in knowledge-related occupations tend to engage more often in writing at work than do low-skill information, services and
goods production workers.Index scores of writing engagement at work on a standardized scale (centered on 2) by aggregated occupational types, labour force population, 16 to 65, 2003
Literacy performance- Occupation
Source: IALSS, 2003
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Canada Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies British Columbia Territories
Wri
tin
g E
ng
ag
em
en
t at
Wo
rk In
dex
25th Percentile .95 Confidence interval (lower) mean .95 Confidence Interval (upper) 75th Percentile
Legend Occupation Types1 Knowledge expert 2 Managers3 Information high-skills 4 Information low-skills5 Services low-skills 6 Goods
Atlantic
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In all industrial sectors in the Atlantic at least 35 % of all workers had proficiency level above level 3 in numeracy.
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Canada Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies British Columbia Territories
Region and Industry type
%
Level 3 Level4/51
Knowledge-intensive market service activities
2Public administration, defense, education and health
3Other community, social and personal services
4
High and medium-high-techonology manufacturing industries
5
Low and medium-low-technology manufacturing industries
6 Utilities and Construction
7Wholesale, retail, hotels and restaurants
8 Transport and storage
9 Primary industries
Source: IALSS, 2003
Per cent of labour force population at numeracy levels 3 and 4/5, by type of industry, population 16 to 65, Canada and regions, 2003
Literacy performance- Industry
Atlantic
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Canadians with higher average scores earn more
Prose Document Numeracy Problem Solving
Male Less than 20,000 270 274 271 267
20,000 to 40,000 266 270 267 262
40,000 to 60,000 289 294 290 284
60,000 and more 303 309 308 297
Prose Document Numeracy Problem Solving
Female Less than 20,000 274 269 255 266
20,000 to 40,000 286 280 266 275
40,000 to 60,000 309 305 290 297
60,000 and more 323 319 307 309
Source: IALSS, 2003
Literacy performance-Labour force
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There is a positive relationship between prose literacy and civic engagement
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
100
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4/5
Per cent
Not engaged Engaged
Civic engagement index by prose literacy level, population aged 16 and older, Canada, 2003
Literacy performance- Civic engagement
Source: IALSS, 2003
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Regardless of level of literacy proficiency most immigrants were employed but were they under employed?
Immigrants Canadian born
Level 1 1,408,000 1,715,000
Employed Unemployed Employed Unemployed
893,000 135,000 889,000 227,000
Level 2 1,234,000 4,595,000
Employed Unemployed Employed Unemployed
856,000 105,000 3,255,000 381,000
Level 3 1,284,000 6,967,000
Employed Unemployed Employed Unemployed
966,000 99,000 5,329,000 429,000
Level 4/5 469,000 3,688,000
Employed Unemployed Employed Unemployed
360,000 34,000 2,949,000 180,000
Source: IALSS, 2003
Literacy performance- Immigrants in Canada
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A high number of immigrants at levels 1 and 2 proficiency in English or French have post secondary education.
Immigrants
Level 1 1,408,000
Less than HS HS PSE
567,000 (68.8%) 467,000 (36.2%) 374,000 (16.4%)
Level 2 1,234,000
Less than HS HS PSE
169,000 (20.5%) 423,000 (32.8%) 642,000 (28.1%)
Level 3 1,284,000
Less than HS HS PSE
77,000 (9.3%) 309,000 (23.9%) 898,000 ( 39.4%)
Level 4/5 469,000
Less than HS HS PSE
-- 92,000 (7.1%) 366,000 (16.1%)
Total -- (100%) 1,290,000 (100%) 2,279,000 (100%)
Source: IALSS, 2003
Literacy performance- Immigrants in Canada
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In all provinces and territories there is a substantial difference between the participation rates in training of
those with the lowest and highest levels of literacy.
Source: IALSS, 2003
Per cent of population receiving adult education and training during the year preceding the interview, by document literacy levels, 16-65, Canada and regions, 2003
0
20
40
60
80
Canada Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies BritishColumbia
Territories
%
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4/5
Literacy performance- Adult training participation
Atlantic
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About 44% of workers participated in adult training in New Brunswick compared to 50% in Canada.
Also a smaller proportion (19%) of workers took courses in New Brunswick compared to Canada (25%).
Per cent of population receiving adult education and training the year preceding the interview, by type of participation, population 16 to 65, Canada and jurisdictions, 2003
Source: IALSS, 2003
Literacy performance- Adult training participation
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Total participation Took program Took course
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68% of New Brunswick residents have access to a computer at home compared to 76% of Canadians aged 16 to 65 years.
76
6267 70 68 70
7972 74
81 79 77
66
41
0
20
40
60
80
100
Canada N.L. P.E.I. N.S. N.B. Que. Ont. Man. Sask. Alta. B.C. Y.T. N.W.T. Nvt.
%
Computer access Internet access
Computer and Internet access at home Per cent of adults aged 16-65 who report having access to a computer and the Internet at home, Canada and jurisdictions, 2003
Literacy performance-ICT
Source: IALSS, 2003
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Generally, 16 to 65 year-olds in poor health have lower average document literacy scores.
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
Yuk. N.W.T Nun. Alb. N-B Can. Ont. Sas. Man. B.C. Nfld Lab Que P.E.I. N.S.
Poor Fair, Good or Excellent1 16-65
2 66 and older
Physical Component Summary (PCS) scores by mean document literacy proficiency by age groups, Canada and regions, 2003
Note : Orders the provinces and territories by the size of the difference in average document literacy between those in poor health and those in excellent health.
Literacy performance- Health
Source: IALSS, 2003
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Best options for improvement by points gained/lost, Canada and New Brunsw ick
-40
-30
-20
-100
10
20
30Canada
New Brunsw ick
16-25 46-65
Less than high school
Postsecondary
Base group:
-26-45
-Those with high school
-Mother tongue French
Source: IALSS 2003
Policy sensitive targets appear to be similar for New Brunswick and Canada.
Improving Literacy in New Brunswick
Mother tongue French
Regression analysis.
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Geographic distribution of people at levels 1 and 2 in prose in New Brunswick (IALSS population 16-65).
Source: IALSS 2003
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Geographic distribution of people at levels 4 and 5 in prose in New Brunswick (IALSS population 16-65).
Source: IALSS 2003
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Contact Information:
Satya Brink, Ph.D.Director, Policy ResearchLearning Policy DirectorateHuman Resources and Skills Development CanadaPlace du Portage, Phase IV, 3 Floor140 Promenade du PortageGatineau, QCK1A 0J9Tel: 819-953-6622Fax: 819-997-5433
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