The International Survey of Adult Skills 2012: Adult literacy - Gov.uk

161 Pages·2013·1.57 MB·English

BIS RESEARCH PAPER NUMBER 139
The International Survey of Adult Skills
2012: Adult literacy, numeracy and
problem solving skills in England
OCTOBER 2013
The views expressed in this report are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of
the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
1 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0ET
www.gov.uk/bis

Research paper number 139

October 2013
Contents
Report Authors and Acknowledgements ...................................................................12 
Executive Summary......................................................................................................15 
1.  The International Survey of Adult Skills – Background and Overview............19 
1.1  Introduction.......................................................................................................19 
1.2   The International Survey of Adult Skills in the context of England...................19 
1.3  Aims and objectives..........................................................................................22 
1.4  Description of the survey..................................................................................22 
1.5  The development of the survey........................................................................26 
1.6  What the International Survey of Adult Skills measures...................................27 
1.7  Proficiency scales and levels............................................................................31 
1.8  Interpreting differences between countries.......................................................38 
1.9  Survey administration.......................................................................................41 
1.10  England sample................................................................................................42 
1.11  Organisation of the report.................................................................................42 
1.12   Report conventions...........................................................................................42 
2.  Distributions of adult skills in England...............................................................44 
Key findings.................................................................................................................44 
2.1  Introduction.......................................................................................................45 
2.3  Differences between highest and lowest achievers..........................................52 
2.4  Adult skills and gender.....................................................................................60 
2.5  Adult skills and age...........................................................................................62 
2.6  Adult skills and educational attainment............................................................79 
2.7  Adult skills and employment status..................................................................81
2.8  Adult skills by self reported disability................................................................86 
2.9  Adult skills, country of birth and language first spoken as a child....................86 
2.10  Adult skills by ethnicity......................................................................................90 
3.  Adult skills and work in England.........................................................................93 
Key findings.................................................................................................................93 
3.1  Introduction.......................................................................................................94 
3.2  Adult skills and industry....................................................................................94 
3.3  Adult skills and occupation...............................................................................97 
3.4  Adult skills and salary.....................................................................................100 
3.5  Skills use in the workplace.............................................................................101 
4.  Adult skills in everyday life................................................................................110 
Key findings...............................................................................................................110 
4.1  Introduction.....................................................................................................110 
4.2  Everyday literacy practices.............................................................................111 
4.3  Everyday numeracy practices........................................................................119 
4.4  Use of ICT......................................................................................................123 
5.  Characteristics of people with low proficiency in literacy, numeracy and problem
solving.........................................................................................................................127 
5.1  Introduction.....................................................................................................128 
5.2  Factors affecting the probability of having low proficiency in each domain....133 
5.3  Conclusions....................................................................................................142 
6.  Comparisons with IALS......................................................................................145 
Key findings...............................................................................................................145 
6.1  Introduction.....................................................................................................145 
6.2  Changes in demographic characteristics since IALS .....................................148 
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6.3  Comparing changes in the distribution of literacy skills..................................151 
6.4  Comparing education levels and literacy skills...............................................156
A bibliography is provided at the end of the report and set of appendices in a separate
document.
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List of tables
Table 1.1 Skills assessed in the International Survey of Adult Skills, ALL and IALS.........25 
Table 1.2 International Survey of Adult Skills literacy proficiency levels and typical tasks.33 
Table 1.3 International Survey of Adult Skills numeracy proficiency levels and typical tasks
...........................................................................................................................................35 
Table 1.4 International Survey of Adult Skills problem solving in technology-rich
environments proficiency levels and typical tasks..............................................................37 
Table 2.1 Mean scores for England in each domain..........................................................48 
Table 2.2 Literacy scores in participating countries...........................................................49 
Table 2.3 Numeracy scores in participating countries .......................................................50 
Table 2.4 Problem solving scores in participating countries..............................................51 
Table 2.5 Average scores in literacy, numeracy and problem solving by region................52 
Table 2.6 Spread of attainment (percentiles).....................................................................53 
Table 2.7 Spread of attainment – Percentage of adults at each level................................56 
Table 2.8 Spread of attainment – Percentage of adults at each level by age....................64 
Table 2.9 Literacy scores by age and international rankings.............................................67 
Table 2.10 Numeracy scores by age and international rankings.......................................72 
Table 2.11 Problem solving scores by age and international rankings..............................76 
Table 2.12 Literacy and numeracy skill level by highest level of educational attainment...80 
Table 2.13 Problem solving skill level by highest level of educational attainment..............80 
Table 2.14 Literacy levels by current employment status..................................................82 
Table 2.15 Numeracy levels by current employment status...............................................83 
Table 2.16 Problem solving levels by current employment status.....................................85 
Table 2.17 Average scores in literacy, numeracy and problem solving by self reported
disability.............................................................................................................................86
Table 2.18 Average scores in literacy, numeracy and problem solving by place of birth
(whether born in UK or not)................................................................................................87 
Table 2.19 Literacy levels in England by place of birth (whether born in UK or not)..........87 
Table 2.20 Average scores in literacy, numeracy and problem solving by whether
language first spoken as a child is the same as the language of the survey .....................88 
Table 2.21 Average scores in literacy, numeracy and problem solving by whether
language first spoken as a child is the same as the language of the survey .....................88 
Table 2.22 Average scores in literacy, numeracy and problem solving by interaction of
country of birth and language first spoken as a child.........................................................89 
Table 2.23 Interaction of country of birth and language first spoken as a child on literacy
levels in England................................................................................................................90 
Table 2.24 Average scores in literacy, numeracy and problem solving by.........................90 
Table 2.25 Literacy skills by ethnicity.................................................................................91 
Table 2.26 Problem solving skills by ethnicity....................................................................92 
Table 3.1 Average literacy, numeracy and problem solving scores by industry sector......96 
Table 3.2 Average literacy score and distribution of proficiency levels by occupation.......98 
Table 3.3 Average numeracy score and distribution of proficiency levels by occupation...99 
Table 3.4 Average problem solving score and distribution of proficiency levels by
occupation.......................................................................................................................100 
Table 3.5 Average literacy, numeracy and problem solving scores by monthly salary in
deciles..............................................................................................................................101 
Table 3.6 Average literacy, numeracy and problem solving scores by how often influencing
skills are used at work .....................................................................................................103 
Table 3.7 Average literacy, numeracy and problem scores by the proportion of time spent
cooperating at work .........................................................................................................104 
Table 3.8 Average literacy, numeracy and problem scores by how often planning and
organising skills are used at work....................................................................................105 
Table 3.9 Average literacy, numeracy and problem solving scores by how often simple and
complex problems are solved at work..............................................................................106 
Table 3.10 Average literacy, numeracy and problem solving scores by ICT use at work 107 
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Table 3.11 Average literacy, numeracy and problem solving scores by reading skills use at
work (prose and document texts).....................................................................................108 
Table 3.12 Average literacy, numeracy and problem solving scores by numeracy skills use
at work (basic and advanced)..........................................................................................108 
Table 3.13 Average literacy, numeracy and problem solving scores by learning at work109 
Table 4.1 Everyday reading practices of adults in England.............................................112 
Table 4.2 Everyday use of reading skills by scores in each domain................................114 
Table 4.3 Everyday writing practices of adults in England...............................................117 
Table 4.4 Everyday use of writing skills by scores in each domain..................................119 
Table 4.5 Everyday numeracy practices of adults in England..........................................120 
Table 4.6 Everyday use of numeracy skills by scores in each domain............................122 
Table 4.7 Everyday ICT practices of adults in England ...................................................124 
Table 4.8 Everyday use of ICT skills by scores in each domain......................................126 
Table 5.1 Percentage of adults at each proficiency level in each domain (England/OECD)
.........................................................................................................................................129 
Table 5.2 Category/Characteristic and Reference categories..........................................132 
Table 5.3 Baseline probability for low proficiency in each domain...................................133 
Table 5.4 Characteristics significantly associated with low proficiency in each domain...143 
Table 6.1 Participants by age band (weighted)................................................................149 
Table 6.2 Proportions at different education levels by age bands in IALS.......................150 
Table 6.3 Proportions at different education levels by age bands in the International
Survey of Adult Skills.......................................................................................................150 
Table 6.4 International average scores for IALS and the International Survey of Adults
Skills................................................................................................................................153 
Table 6.5 Literacy scores by age band............................................................................154 
Table 6.6 Literacy proficiency levels................................................................................155 
Table 6.7 Scores by education levels (and proportions)..................................................157
Table 6.8 Average scores by education levels and age bands in IALS ...........................158 
Table 6.9 Average scores by education levels and age bands in the International Survey of
Adult Skills.......................................................................................................................158 

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