HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 1 LITERACY in Saskatchewan Implications of Findings from IALSS 2003 Presented by Satya Brink, Ph.D. Director, National Learning Policy Research Learning Policy Directorate, HRSDC April 2006

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 2 Key Questions What is the level of literacy proficiency in Saskatchewan? How does Saskatchewan compare to Canada, the provinces and other territories? How proficient are residents of Saskatchewan in the different component skills? How is literacy performance distributed in the working age population of Saskatchewan/Prairies? How proficient are urban aboriginals of Saskatchewan in literacy? 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 Saskatchewan? Introduction

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 3 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 points Level points Level points* Level points Level points * Proficiency level for modern economy and knowledge-based society Introduction

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 4 Background information of importance for IALSS results: Saskatchewan Total population (2003): 994,500 Population 15-64(2005):652,400 Population 65 and over (2005):147,100 Aboriginal population (15-64,2001 ):74,455 Immigrant population (2001):47,825 Population by mother tongue (Census 2001) English only 817,955 French only 17,775 Non-official languages only 117,765 English and French 1,375 Eng. And non-off language 7,910 Introduction Source: Statistics Canada Gender Distribution (population 15-64, 2005) Males : 330,000 Females: 322,300 Population 15 years and over by highest level of schooling (Census 2001) Less than high school 297,520 High school graduate 81,800 Trade Vocational cert. 22,500 College education 175,205 University 178,495

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 5 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, 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 millionTotal: 21.4 million * Differences at each level between IALS and IALSS are not statistically significant Change between 1994 and 2003, Canada IALSIALSS

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 6 Comparisons of provinces and territories based on average scores. Jurisdiction Y.T.Sas.Alta.B.C.N.S.N.W.TMan.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 Saskatchewan performance

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 7 In Saskatchewan, 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 at each prose level, 2003 Source: IALSS, 2003 Saskatchewan performance and over

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 8 Proficiency varied across domains and population age in Saskatchewan. ProseDocumentNumeracy Problem Solving* 16 and older to 65 years of age Source: IALSS, 2003 Saskatchewan literacy performance Average proficiency scores, population 16 and older and population 16 to 65, Saskatchewan, Below level 3 * Proficiency levels are defined differently for problem solving

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 9 Saskatchewan had average scores at level 3 in document literacy, in prose literacy and in numeracy (population 16-65). Province or TerritoryDocumentProseNumeracy Newfoundland and Labrador Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia New Brunswick Quebec Ontario Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta British Columbia Nunavut Territory Northwest Territory Yukon Territory Saskatchewan performance Source: IALSS, 2003 Below level 3 in 3 domains Below level 3 in numeracy but not in literacy.

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 10 Yukon had the lowest proportion overall (31%) of prose literacy below level 3. In Saskatchewan, 33% 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 Saskatchewan performance

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 11 Source: IALSS, 2003 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 Saskatchewan, the proportion of working-age adults below level 3 in numeracy was 42%. Saskatchewan performance

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 12 Significantly above Canadian average Not significantly different than the Canadian average Significantly below Canadian average The importance of language: the proportion of Saskatchewan residents at level 3 or above increases by 2% when we only consider people with French and/or English mother tongue. Saskatchewan performance Distribution of the population aged 16 to 65 and whose mother tongue is English or French by prose level, Canada, provinces and territories Source: IALSS, 2003

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 13 Prose Level 1Level 2Total %Number% % Newfoundland and Labrador , , ,000 Prince Edward Island14.013, , ,000 Nova Scotia11.975, , ,000 New Brunswick16.685, , ,000 Quebec , ,700, ,500,000 Ontario16.21,300, ,100, ,400,000 Manitoba12.790, , ,000 Saskatchewan6.641, , ,000 Alberta9.7209, , ,000 British Columbia , , ,000,000 Yukon9.02, , ,000 Northwest Territory16.54, , ,000 Nunavut45.86, , ,000 Impact of low literacy in the population Total 8,849,000 Saskatchewan performance Source: IALSS, 2003

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 14 Numeracy level 1Numeracy level 2Total %Number% % Newfoundland and Labrador , , ,000 Prince Edward Island , , ,000 Nova Scotia , , ,000 New Brunswick , , ,000 Quebec 20.01,026, ,697, ,723,000 Ontario 21.31,759, ,403, ,162,000 Manitoba , , ,000 Saskatchewan , , ,000 Alberta , , ,000 British Columbia , , ,233,000 Yukon 14.13, , ,000 Northwest Territory 22.06, , ,000 Nunavut 54.77, , ,000 Impact of low numeracy in the population Source: IALSS, 2003 Total 10,681,000 Saskatchewan performance

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 15 IALSS 2003, years Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and numeracy proficiency average score in 2003, Canada and Provinces (population 16-65) Sources: IALSS 2003 and Statistics Canada Saskatchewan performance

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 16 Source: IALSS, 2003 Good Poor The proportion of the residents of Saskatchewan at levels 1 and 2 varied by 9 percentage points between literacy and numeracy, a variation similar to the one of most provinces and territories. Percent of population performing at levels 1 and 2 in IALSS 2003 Saskatchewan performance

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 17 Residents of Saskatchewan at all levels of education scored better in prose literacy than their counterparts of most provinces and territories (population 16 and over). Literacy proficiency by educational attainment, Canada, 2003 Source: IALSS, 2003 Saskatchewan performance

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 18 Residents of Saskatchewan had higher scores in prose literacy at every educational level than the Canadian averages. Mean prose proficiency scores by education level, population 16 and over, Canada, provinces and territories, 2003 Source: IALSS, 2003 Saskatchewan performance

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 19 In Saskatchewan, as in most provinces and territories, the majority of youth had prose literacy proficiency at Level 3 or above. In Saskatchewan, more than 60% of the population were at level 3 or above in prose literacy. Distribution of proficiency level on the prose literacy scale for youth age 16-25, Canada, provinces and territories, 2003 Source: IALSS, 2003 Youth in Saskatchewan

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 20 75% of seniors (147,100, 15% of the total population) in Saskatchewan had low literacy skills. Distribution of proficiency level on the prose literacy scale for those older than 65 years, provinces and territories, 2003 Source: IALSS, 2003 Seniors in Saskatchewan

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 21 Source : IALSS, 2003 In Canada, prose literacy scores declined with age. In Saskatchewan, people at every age group performed better than Canadians in the same age group on average. Performance by Age, Saskatchewan

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 22 41, , , , , m 8.2m 5.8m 3.1m 21.4m Number of people by proficiency level SourceL IALSS, 2003 About 203,000 residents of Saskatchewan had prose literacy scores below level 3.

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 23 Principal characteristics of people at levels 1 and 2 in prose literacy in Saskatchewan (population 16 to 65). Level 1 41,000 63% were male and 37% were female 13% (5,793) were immigrants 59% were employed 12% were unemployed Education: –48% had not completed high school education –42% had completed high school education –10% had completed postsecondary education Mother tongue –71% English –5% French –24% other Aboriginal identity: -17% urban aboriginals Level 2 162,000 52% were male and 48% were female 6% (8,948) were immigrants 67% were employed 8% were unemployed Education: –38% had not completed high school education –30% had completed high school education –32% had completed postsecondary education Mother tongue : –81% English –4% French –15% others Aboriginal identity: –12% urban aboriginals Source: IALSS, 2003 Low literacy scores in Saskatchewan

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 24 Sub-populations – Aboriginals in Saskatchewan In Manitoba and in Saskatchewan, the proficiency level in prose literacy of urban aboriginals was inferior by close to 10% to the level of proficiency of non-aboriginals. Comparative distributions of prose literacy proficiency by level, per cent of Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal populations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, aged 16 and over, 2003

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 25 For each age group in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the average scores for non-aboriginal people was higher than those of urban aboriginal people (population 16 and over ) Subgroups – Aboriginal people Source: IALSS, 2003

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 26 Performance of aboriginals and non-aboriginals in Saskatchewan Source: IALSS 2003 Urban aboriginals scored lower on average than non-aboriginals at all levels of education in Saskatchewan. (population 16 and older). Saskatchewan

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 27 66% of those at level 1 and 76% of those at level 2 in the Prairies were employed. Source: IALSS, 2003 Percent of employed population in each document literacy level, population 16 to 65, Canada and Regions, 2003 Literacy performance and employment

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 28 Source: IALSS 2003 Literacy performance and employment In the prairies, the employed, the unemployed and the people not in the labour force all had an average score at level 3 in prose literacy. In Saskatchewan, the unemployed had an average score at level 2 in prose literacy.

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 29 Canada IndustriesLevel 1Level 2 Manufacturing445,000696,000 Trade, finance, insurance, real estate and leasing 325,000951,000 Accommodation and Food Services 189,000323,000 Construction158,000287,000 Health care and social assistance 140,000409,000 Source: IALSS, 2003 (Population 16-65) Low literacy and employment Total: People with low prose literacy were concentrated among certain industries, Canada and Saskatchewan 1,257,0002,666,000 * These five industries employed more than 60% of the workers at levels 1 and 2. Saskatchewan IndustriesBelow level 3 Commerce22,472 Agriculture18,385 Accommodation and food services 16,421 Manufacturing15,124 Health care and social assistance 13,127

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 30 The majority of knowledge experts scored at Level 3 or above in prose literacy in the regions and the territories. Percent 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, Knowledge expert2Managers3Information high-skills 4Information low-skills5Services low-skills6Goods Literacy performance- Occupation

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 31 Workers in knowledge-related occupations tended 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 Legend Occupation Types 1 Knowledge expert 2 Managers 3 Information high-skills4 Information low-skills 5 Services low-skills6 Goods

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 32 Knowledge intensive sectors had higher proportions of adults with document literacy proficiency above level 3. At least 55% of knowledge intensive industry workers in the Prairies had proficiency levels above level 3. Source: IALSS Knowledge-intensive market service activities 2 Public administration, defense, education and health 3 Other 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 7 Wholesale, retail, hotels and restaurants 8 Transport and storage 9 Primary industries Percent of labour force populations (16-65) at document literacy Levels 3 and 4/5, by type of industry, 2003 Literacy performance- Industry

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 33 All industrial sectors in the Prairies had at least 43% of their workers with proficiency levels above level 3 in numeracy. 1 Knowledge-intensive market service activities 2 Public administration, defense, education and health 3 Other 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 7 Wholesale, retail, hotels and restaurants 8 Transport and storage 9 Primary industries Source: IALSS, 2003 Percent 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

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 34 In all provinces and territories there was a substantial difference between the participation rates in training of those with the lowest and highest levels of literacy. Source: IALSS, 2003 Percent of population receiving adult education and training during the year preceding the interview, by document literacy levels, 16-65, Canada and regions, 2003 Literacy performance- Adult training participation

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 35 About 53% of workers participated in adult training in Saskatchewan compared to 50% in Canada. About 20% took courses. Percent of population receiving adult education and training the year preceding the interview, by type of participation, population 16 to 65, Canada, provinces and territories, 2003 Source: IALSS, 2003 Literacy performance- Adult training participation

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 36 74% of Saskatchewan residents had access to a computer at home compared to 76% of Canadians aged 16 to 65 years. Computer and Internet access at home, percent of adults aged who report having access to a computer and the Internet at home, Canada, provinces and territories, 2003 Literacy performance-ICT Source: IALSS, 2003

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate Less than high school Post- seconday educaton Base group : years old -Those with high school - Mother tongue other than French or English -Urban aboriginals in Saskatchewan Source : IALSS 2003 Policy sensitive targets appear to be similar for Saskatchewan and Canada. Improving literacy in Saskatchewan Regression analysis Mother tongue other than French or English Urban aboriginals * * * Non significative

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 38 Concentration of people at levels 1 and 2 in prose in Saskatchewan (IALSS population 16-65). Source: IALSS, 2003

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 39 Concentration of people at levels 4 and 5 in prose in Saskatchewan (IALSS population 16-65).

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 40 Contact Information : Satya Brink, Ph.D. Director, Policy Research Learning Policy Directorate Human Resources and Skills Development Canada Place du Portage, Phase IV, 3 Floor 140 Promenade du Portage Gatineau, QC K1A 0J9 Tel: Fax:

HRSD – Learning Policy Directorate 41 Invest in your future… Build on your strengths…