What Is So Important About PIACC?
Rebecca Still, Literacy Specialist
A Crash Course on Large-Scale International Adult Literacy Surveys
You may have heard the statement that 1 in 5 Albertans have low literacy skills. Or you may have heard that according to PIACC 17% of adults have low literacy skills. You might be wondering what PIAAC is, and where can you can find out more about Albertans having low literacy skills.
These statements come because of large-scale international surveys of adult literacy skills. During the late 1980’s countries around the world, including Canada, began to look at adult literacy skills. Some of the questions that arose were, “How are skills related to labour force success? What factors contribute to skill acquisition and decline across age cohorts?” (Kirsch, Lennon, Halderman. 2024). These types of questions generated national adult literacy surveys in the US and in Canada. One report in Canada was the Southham Literacy Report, Broken Words, published in 1987. Interest from policymakers, along with policy responses and public debates, was very strong in Canada.
IALS 1994
42% of Canadian adults had literacy skills at level 2 and below (out of 5 levels)
As a result, Canada was a driving force behind the first large-scale international survey in 1994 known as the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS). This survey was in collaboration with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It assessed the literacy skills of adults aged 16-69 years.
According to IALS 42.2% of Canadians scored at level 2 and below for literacy skills. This sparked concerns for Canadians and many industrialized countries who had similar results, because they assumed it was only third world countries who had low literacy issues. StatsCan reported that IALS ‘demonstrated a strong plausible link between literacy and a country's economic potential.’ This report advanced the literacy agenda in Canada and prompted federal funding to help build the infrastructure for the field of adult literacy at both the federal and provincial levels.
IALSS 2003
42.2% of Canadian adults had literacy skills at level 2 and below
A second survey was completed about 10 years later. OECD and StatsCan released a report to share the point in time picture of adult literacy in Canada and to measure progress from the first survey. The 2003 survey, the International Adult Literacy Skills Survey (IALSS) showed little change in literacy skills compared to IALS (1994).
The Canadian Government was very invested in sharing the results of IALSS and a series of workshops rolled out across the country. I attended one here in Alberta, and for the first time learned that 42.2% of adult Canadians have low literacy skills. This knowledge supported work I was doing to raise literacy awareness in my community. As I spoke to health professionals, local social organizations and businesses, I shared that being an adult does not mean one has strong literacy skills.
PIACC 2012
17% of Canadian adults had literacy skills at level 1 and below
In 2012 the Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) was released. Since the 2003 survey, significant changes were made in how the data was collected and interpreted. PIAAC added a level below level 1 and, combined with level 1, the results showed that 17% of adults had low literacy scores. You will notice a change in the focus to level 1 and below. Skills at these levels are foundational, and the very skills addressed in community-based adult literacy programs.
Canada invested more dollars in this survey with an oversampling, allowing a number of reports to be released based on the data. You can find numerous topic-specific reports (e.g. skills and employment, job satisfaction, health, civic engagement, adult learning) from this survey on the PIAAC Canada website.
PIACC 2022(Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development refers to this as Survey of Adult Skills)
19% of Canadian adults have literacy skills at level 1 and below
Eleven years later, on December 10, 2024, the results were released for the 2022 Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIACC). Maybe you heard about it? Or maybe not. There are many factors for this, one being that Canada is the only OECD country without a national ministry or department of education and, instead, adult education falls under provincial authority. Canada’s investment in adult literacy has also dropped significantly. At this early stage in the release of the survey results, we have only basic information about Canada’s literacy skills. More will be released by OECD and others over time. What we have learned is that 19% of Canadian adults have literacy skills at level 1 and below. Regardless of this slight rise in numbers from previous years, Canada is one of a few countries with the lowest literacy scores at Level 1 and below (OECD average is 27%). This indicates we are maintaining the literacy skills in Canada.
Why are these results important?
Even though it’s a bit like comparing apples to oranges when comparing the results of one survey to another, there are some things that have remained consistent - for example, the connection of literacy to education and health.
There is a direct correlation for adults with higher literacy scores to a higher level of education and a higher experience of better health.
Conversely, adults with lower literacy scores typically have a high school diploma or less, and experience poorer health.
Ralf St. Clair, adult literacy educator and researcher from the University of Victoria, says that a healthy and happy life is linked to literacy skill levels.
Age
An interesting find is that we can see how adults’ literacy skills decline with age (See graph). This has been evident in all of the surveys. For policymakers, this is of concern for how to address skills loss as the population ages.
It’s interesting that from the 2022 PIAAC results Canada has a sharp peak for ages 25-34. We are the only country that shows this peak, and no one quite knows why. The 2022 survey is still new and no one has yet looked closer at this anomaly.
Refer to Graph 1. Literacy and age: Survey of Adult Skills 2023: Canada
Alberta
Another consistent find is how well Alberta performs in the surveys. Over 30 years, Alberta consistently outperformed the other provinces, and even had higher average scores than the overall Canadian average. Alberta has experienced a stronger economy than most other provinces and, when reviewing the results of the surveys, this most likely indicates higher literacy levels for the overall population.
Alberta however, ranked second in the most recent survey (2022) results and BC ranked first (15 % Albertans are at level 1 and below with 52% at level 3 and above, compared to 13% in BC at level 1 and below with 58% at level 3 and above). Although the margin is small, we might question if this is showing a trend for the future.
So what does all of this mean for CALP Staff?
Literacy matters for adult Canadians.
Here are some key takeaways you can share with your community taken from the OECD Survey of Adult Skills 2023: Canada (PIAAC):
- Skills are closely related to health. “Adults who score at the highest levels of the proficiency scale were significantly more likely to report high levels of life satisfaction and being in very good or excellent health than adults who score at or below level 1.”
- Education is important. Literacy scores correlated with parents' education levels. As parents' education levels increased, literacy scores also increased. While not true in all cases, adults with higher educational qualifications tend to have higher literacy skills.
- “In Canada, adults who scored at the highest levels of the proficiency scales were also significantly more likely to report a high level of agreement with the statement “people can be trusted” (as opposed to “you can’t be too careful”) and having participated in volunteering activities during the previous year.”
- “A good match between the skills and qualifications of workers and those required by their jobs is essential for a well-functioning and productive economy.” The data shows that 16% of adults are under-skilled or underqualified for their job.
These results provide language we can use to talk to large businesses and employers in our communities by asking them if their employees have the foundational skills necessary to do the work expected of them. The Survey of Adult Skills 2023: Insights and Interpretation makes a direct link to workplaces, and states that social partners and policymakers need to review how current workplaces can support adults to maintain and develop literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills. The report suggests that policymakers shift from “life-long employment” to focus on “life-long employability.”
The results can also open the door to talk to your local Chamber of Commerce, MLA and other municipal institutions and community partners about the value of literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills.
Based on the results of the 2022 PIAAC there are still adults in our communities who need the support that Community Adult Learning Programs (CALPs) offer. Adults with literacy skills at level 1 and below are the foundational learners CALPs are mandated to serve (individuals at level 1 can “understand short texts and organised lists when information is clearly indicated, find specific information and identify relevant links. Those below level 1 can at most understand short, simple sentences” Survey of Adult Skills 2023: Canada).
CALPs are often the only place in a community that can support adults in building their literacy and numeracy skills through intentional and deliberate skill development. CALP staff are well positioned to do this work, and PIACC results have once again shown that learners in Alberta depend on it.