MCL has adopted the definition of literacy put forward by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning to enable an individual to achieve his or her goals, to develop his or her knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in the wider society. UNESCO
Increasingly, you will often hear the term “Essential Skills”. Essential skills are the foundational skills required to learn all other skills. Everyone needs literacy and essential skills to be able to function effectively at work, at home and in the community. Essential skills are adaptable to all situations. Essential skills help people to be more productive and to more easily learn new tasks. There are nine essential skills:
Click here if you want more information about Essential Skills
Canada is one of the few industrialized countries without a national system for adult basic education. The following information will help you understand how literacy services are currently funded and delivered.
Who is responsible for literacy?
Literacy and adult basic education, like most of the social issues (welfare, health, education, training) fall mainly under the jurisdiction of provincial and territorial governments. However, the federal government plays a role in developing policy directions and in delivering some funds for literacy initiatives through provincial transfer payments, Labour Market Development Agreements, other specialized federally delivered programs, as well as the Adult Learning, Literacy and Essential Skills Program (ALLESP)
The provincial/territorial role in literacy
The delivery of literacy training programs is mainly funded and coordinated by the provinces and territories and their educational systems. This is often done in partnership with not-for-profit organizations, formal educational institutions (e.g. school boards and community colleges), business and labour. However, provinces and territories are under no obligation to designate specific funds in support of core literacy programs. As a result, literacy services in Canada vary considerably in resources and accessibility from one region of the country to another.
How are literacy programs delivered and supported?
Within the provinces and territories, literacy programs may be delivered by various providers including colleges, school boards, unions and community-based agencies. They may deliver targeted services to various population groups including Aboriginal, Deaf (or Deaf-Blind), Francophone, Anglophone, developmentally delayed people, workers, and/or unemployed literacy learners. A significant amount of literacy training in this country is delivered by trained volunteers.
Each province and territory has a coalition that is funded to provide a support network to local literacy organizations within their region. These coalitions in turn send representatives to Movement for Canadian Literacy, which provides a national forum for exchange, collaboration, support and promotion of English literacy issues in Canada. MCL represents over 2500 literacy agencies of all types.
You can use the Big Picture in Canada PowerPoint presentation to increase literacy awareness, knowledge about literacy and essential skills and/or literacy programs.
Movement for Canadian Literacy (MCL) has developed this presentation to help give an overview of literacy in Canada. You can use it “as is” or select information or slides that you would like to share. If you use any part of this presentation, we ask you to please acknowledge MCL and promote our role in advancing literacy and essential skills in Canada.
Click on the link below and choose “Open” to view the presentation in your browser or choose “Save” to save the presentation onto your computer. When you save the presentation, you will have access to the speaker notes that accompany each slide. You will also be able to select individual slides for your own presentation.
http://www.literacy.ca/themes/mcl/pwrpoint/big_picture_canada.ppt
This is a series of two-page fact sheets highlighting literacy and related topics
Fact Sheets are updated continually. Please let us know if we need to make any changes.
For the latest literacy statistics, please check the results of the International Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey (IALLS)
Click here for more facts about literacy from Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC)
If you have any questions about literacy, please contact the Movement for Canadian Literacy at:
tel: 613-563-2464 or email: mcl@literacy.ca.
Movement for Canadian Literacy's Federal Literacy Facts Archive
The latest literacy study by Statistics Canada shows that millions of Canadians do not have the literacy skills they need to keep pace with the escalating demands of our society and economy. This loss of potential impacts on the social and economic well-being of individuals, families, communities and our country.
The Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (IALSS, 2003) sheds light on our current literacy challenges and also connects those challenges to some of Canada’s most pressing social and economic issues. The link is clear in this conclusion: “… investments in foundation skills would lead to improved levels of health, increased productivity, reduced social costs and higher growth”.
The full Canadian Report of the IALSS - Building on our Competencies: Canadian Results of the International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey released on November 30, 2005.
Statistics Canada announces highlights from the full IALSS report (The Daily, November 30, 2005)
Statistics Canada announces the provincial/territorial analysis of IALSS(The Daily, November 9, 2005)
Learning a Living: First Results of the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (The OECD report) released on May 11, 2005
Statistics Canada's online catalogue - Publications and products from Building on our Competencies (IALSS)
Literacy and Digital Technologies: Linkages and Outcomes (from IALSS data):
Full report | Highlights
Literacy skills among Canada’s immigrant population (based on IALSS data) - Article in Education Matters
IALSS 2003 - Public Use Microdata available on CD-ROM from Statistics Canada
MCL's background and response
The Federal Government Response:
Key Findings of the 2003 Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey: Implications for Human Resources Development Canadaby Satya Brink, Ph.D. - May 2005
A PowerPoint Presentation
ABC CANADA: a response and summary on IALSS findings
www.abc-canada.org/media_room/news/ialss_2005_r3.shtml
Frontier College: a summary on IALSS
www.nald.ca/fulltext/frontier/ialss03/cover.htm
This section includes a list of short forms and what they represent and literacy terms with their meanings
Here’s a list short forms that are used in the literacy field.
| AB |
Alberta |
| ABC |
ABC CANADA Foundation |
| ABE |
Adult Basic Education |
| ABL/N |
Adult Basic Literacy and Numeracy |
| AGM |
Annual General Meeting |
| BC |
British Columbia |
| CAILC |
Canadian Association for Independent Living Centres |
| CCL |
Canadian Council on Learning - www.ccl-cca.ca |
| CLC |
Canadian Labour Congress |
| CNIB |
Canadian National Institute for the Blind |
| CPHA |
Canadian Public Health Association |
| ESL |
English as a Second Language |
| ESOL |
English for students of other languages |
| FLD |
Family Literacy Day |
| GED |
General Educational Diploma (high school equivalency) |
| HRSDC |
Human Resources and Social Development Canada (part of federal government) |
| IALS |
International Adult Literacy Survey |
| IALW |
International Adult Learners Week |
| KC | Knowledge Centre (Aboriginal Learning, Adult Learning, Early Childhood Learning, Health and Learning, Work and Learning – created by CCL) |
| ILD |
International Literacy Day |
| LAN |
Learners Advisory Network |
| LD |
Learning Disabilities |
| LLC |
Laubach Literacy of Canada |
| MB |
Manitoba |
| MCL |
Movement for Canadian Literacy |
| NALD |
National Adult Literacy Database |
| NGO |
Non-government organization |
| NLS |
National Literacy Secretariat (now replaced by OLES) |
| NILA |
National Indigenous Literacy Association |
| NB |
New Brunswick |
| NL |
Newfoundland and Labrador |
| NT |
Northwest Territories |
| NS |
Nova Scotia |
| NU |
Nunavut |
| ON |
Ontario |
| OECD |
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development |
| OLES |
Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (part of HRSDC) |
| PE |
Prince Edward Island |
| PLAR |
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition |
| QC |
Quebec |
| RSVP |
Repondez s’il vous plait (please reply) |
| SK |
Saskatchewan |
| SIN |
Social Insurance Number |
| TDD |
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf |
| TTY |
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf |
| UNESCO |
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization |
| WLKC |
Work and Learning Knowledge Centre http://www.ccl-cca.ca/ccl |
| YT | Yukon Territory |
Here’s a list of words often used in the literacy field
| Word | Definition |
| accountability | responsibility for actions, products, decisions, and policies – to stakeholders (funders, staff, volunteers, clients, etc.) |
| acquire | get |
| affect | influence, make something happen |
| agree in principle | agree with the ideas, but maybe not the exact wording |
| ambitious | taking on a lot of work – maybe too much for the organization to cope with |
| blurb | short description of a book, usually on the back cover |
| capacity building | actions that improve non-profit effectiveness |
| caucus | a meeting to discuss policy and make plans |
| civic | rights and duties of citizenship |
| coherence (coherent) | the same, agreement, harmony |
| collaborate | work together to produce something |
| coalition | a group of people or organizations who get together for joint action |
| condensed | shortened |
| confirmed | agreed |
| constructive | positive - leading to improvements |
| core | the most important (part) |
| core purpose | a mission statement states the core purpose of the organization – why it exists. |
| create | make |
| dialogue | discussion |
| embedded | an essential part of something |
| empowering | to give the skills and capability |
| environmental scan | identification of changing and new issues or situations, and the pitfalls that may affect an organization's future. |
| envision | imagine something that is not there yet |
| essential | must have, absolutely necessary |
| essential skills | the skills people use to do tasks at work and in their daily lives |
| expertise | skills and knowledge |
| fine-tune | to adjust (small changes) to make things better |
| focus group | a small group set up to study a particular problem |
| forum | a meeting for discussion about topics |
| goals | target, what needs to get done |
| guiding principles | values - what is important in the way we do things |
| hinder | make it difficult |
| identified | found |
| inclusive | including everyone |
| indigenous | native to a particular place |
| interactive | often refers to activities that you work on by using the computer but also means two-way communication |
| learning disabilities | various conditions, such as dyslexia, caused by difficulties in processing and using information. They interfere with a person's ability to learn |
| literacy | an essential foundation for learning, including the many different types of ability needed to understand and make critical judgements about information |
| literacy field | people involved with the advancement of literacy |
| literacy sector | the groups that are served by literacy, for example, Anglophone, francophone, native and deaf |
| mission statement | states the core purpose of the organization – why it exists |
| mobilization | get something moving |
| operational plan | states details about doing work in the strategic plan – usually each year |
| partnership | one or more people who do something together |
| perspective | point of view - a way of thinking about something |
| plenary | the opening session of a conference, attended by all participants |
| priorities | the most important things |
| prioritize | to list the most important tasks in order of importance |
| proactive | get involved and take an active role |
| recall | remember |
| sectors | groups that are joined by a common goal |
| specific | particular to one |
| strategic | what is important in a plan |
| strategic plan | states who an organization is, where it is going, and how it is going to get there |
| strategy | a plan for doing something |
| thriving | doing very well, improving |
| values | what is important in the way we do things |
| vision | how you want the future to look |
| vitality | strong and full of life |
Let us know if you have any more to add to our list!
Movement for Canadian Literacy is now Canadian Literacy and Learning Network (CLLN). Please note changes to the website to reflect our new name among other things, will take place over the next several months.
September 8th is International Literacy Day (ILD). Take a few minutes and help us mark ILD by checking out the following polls.
November 7, 2010
The Adult Learning Network (ALN) is pleased to announce its up-coming Lifelong Learning Forum that will be held on Sunday, November 7, 2010, at the Marriott Hotel in Ottawa. You are invited to participate in plenary sessions to discuss the strategy to implement a Canadian Lifelong Learning Network. The Forum will also host workshops dedicated to the topic of the analysis of a culture of lifelong learning. The goal of the Forum is to provide a venue where Anglophone, Francophone and Aboriginal learning communities will join to share promising practices, discuss new research and be informed of the results of UNESCO’s CONFINTEA VI. The idea of an Adult Learners Charter for Canada, as well as suggestions for activities related to Adult Learner's Week 2011 will be included.
The event will precede the Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA) Recognizing Learning conference held November 7-9, 2010 at the same location.
Check the Adult Learning Network (ALN) website for more information. http://www.aln-raa.ca/.
In the late 1990s, in order to support and build on the adult literacy policy and infrastructure development happening across the country, MCL brought the leaders of the provincial and territorial literacy coalitions together to share information, develop knowledge and skills, and work together around shared concerns. Linda brought enormous knowledge and insight to this roundtable of coalition leaders, and was an important mentor for those who were new to the job or whose organizations were new.
To read more about Linda’s contribution to MCL and the field in general, click here.
WESCan (Workforce Essential Skills across Canada) is an Office of Literacy and Essential Skills funded project that has PTP working closely with communities across Canada to build meaningful programming for low-skilled individuals. This project uses the CAMERA System as its foundation, combined with the knowledge gained through years of research and analysis on effective ways to transition low-skilled adults to work. MCL sits on the advisory committee for this project.
Click here to learn more about the project.
In response to the Federal Budget in March of this year, the Industry Minister has launched a digital economy strategy consultation process. Stating that all Canadians have a role to play in shaping our digital future, the Minister extended an invitation to all Canadians to bring forward their ideas and perspectives. To bridge the digital divide, MCL calls for affordable and accessible broadband access, increased level of support for basic literacy and programs and services, expanded digital technology training opportunities and strategic partnerships. To participate in the consultation process, register at http://de-en.gc.ca/home/.
Get the latest literacy news, highlights and events from across the country!
• The National Adult Literacy Database Headline News
• The Federal Government's Essential Skills website
Designed and hosted by 
in collaboration with Movement for Canadian Literacy
