Literacy for life : further results from the adult literacy and life skills survey

390 Pages·2011·3.46 MB·English

by  OECD

Literacy for Life
Further resuLts From the AduLt LiterAcy And
LiFe skiLLs survey
Literacy for Life
Literacy for Life is the second report from the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey. It presents
additional results on the nature and magnitude of the literacy gaps faced by OECD countries and
Further resuLts From the AduLt
how these gaps have evolved over the medium term.
LiterAcy And LiFe skiLLs survey
It offers new insights into the factors that influence the formation of adult skills in various settings
– at home and at work – for the eleven countries participating in the first and last round of data
collection between 2003 and 2008. The study offers comparative evidence on the impact of various
factors on the supply of skill. The study offers a special focus on numeracy skills and problem
solving skills. It explores the relationships between numeracy and key socio-demographic factors as
well as labour market outcomes and earnings.
It highlights the importance of problem solving skills by defining this foundational skill and by
exploring its determinants as well as its relative role in influencing important labour market
outcomes.
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The report offers also an analysis of performance across multiple skill domains. It investigates the it
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skill profiles of various population groups defined in terms of the demographic and socioeconomic r
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characteristics of those who score at levels deemed to be low in one or more skill domains and c
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explores the resulting consequences. f
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The report concludes by investigating the issue of skill mismatch in the labour market and its L
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relationship to adult learning. The extent and distribution of mismatch between the day-to-day e
literacy related requirements of workers and the literacy skills they have obtained is an important F
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issue that is being explored in this study. rt
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Please cite this publication as: s
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OECD/Statistics Canada (2011), Literacy for Life: Further Results from the Adult Literacy and Life Skills iL
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Survey, OECD Publishing. s s
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264091269-en u
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This work is published on the OECD iLibrary, which gathers all OECD books, periodicals and statistical e
y
databases. Visit www.oecd-ilibrary.org, and do not hesitate to contact us for more information.
Second International ALL Report
isbn 978-92-64-09125-2 -:HSTCQE=U^VWZW:
87 2010 02 1 P

Literacy for Life:
Further Results from
the Adult Literacy and
Life Skills Survey
Second International ALL Report
Ottawa and Paris
Statistics Canada
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
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This work is published on the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD and the Minister
responsible for Statistics Canada. The opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily
reflect the official views of the Organisation or of the governments of its member countries, or those of the
Minister of Industry, Canada.
This document and any map included herein are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any
territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city
or area.
Please cite this publication as:
OECD, Statistics Canada (2011), Literacy for Life: Further Results from the Adult Literacy and Life
Skills Survey, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/9789264091269-en
OECD ISBN 978-92-64-09125-2 (print)
OECD ISBN 978-92-64-09126-9 (PDF)
Catalogue no. 89-604-XWE-2011001 (PDF)
Statistics Canada ISBN 978-1-100-19847-7 (PDF)
Catalogue no. 89-604-XIE-2011001 (HTML)
Cette publication est disponible en français, La littératie pour la vie : Nouveaux résultats de l’Enquête sur la
littératie et les compétences des adultes, (no 89-604-XWF au catalogue), http://www.statcan.gc.ca.
Corrigenda to OECD publications may be found on line at: www.oecd.org/publishing/corrigenda.
© Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
and Minister of Industry, Canada, 2011
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction 13
Note to Readers 19
Acronyms 20
Chapter 1 Antecedents and Objectives of the ALL Survey 21
1.1 Goals of the ALL Survey 23
1.2 Antecedents of the ALL Survey IALS 23
1.3 Objectives of the ALL Survey 27
1.4 Changes in skill from IALS to ALL 28
References 31
Chapter 2 Comparative Profiles of Adult Skills 33
Summary 33
2.1 Overview and highlights 35
2.2 Comparative distributions of adult skills 36
2.3 Changes in skill profiles from IALS 1994 and 1998 to ALL 2003 and 2008 46
2.4 Skills and demographic characteristics 50
Endnotes 58
References 58
Annex 2 Data Values for the Figures 59
Chapter 3 Skills and Valued Economic and Social Outcomes 77
Summary 77
3.1 Overview and highlights 79
3.2 Skills and valued economic and social outcomes 80
3.3 Using skills to predict economic and social outcomes 80
3.4 The earnings and employment advantage 82
3.5 Skills and participation in community activities 94
Endnotes 101
References 102
Annex 3 Data Values for the Figures 103
Chapter 4 Adult Numeracy Skills 141
Summary 141
4.1 Overview and highlights 143
4.2 Defining numeracy in the ALL context 144
4.3 Predictors of adult numeracy skills 145
4.4 Gender and affective response to numeracy 152
4.5 Numeracy and labour market outcomes 154
Conclusion 159
Endnote 159
References 160
Annex 4 Data Values for the Figures 161
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Literacy for Life: Further Results from the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey
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Chapter 5 Adult Problem Solving Skills 171
Summary 171
5.1 Overview and highlights 173
5.2 Defining problem solving in the ALL context 174
5.3 Comparative distributions of adult problem solving skill 176
5.4 Factors predicting problem solving skills 177
5.5 Problem solving skills and labour market outcomes 187
Conclusion 191
Endnotes 191
References 192
Annex 5 Data Values for the Figures 195
Chapter 6 Performance in Multiple Skill Domains 209
Summary 209
6.1 Overview and highlights 211
6.2 Performance in multiple skill domains 212
6.3 Defining low performance in multiple skill domains 213
6.4 Disadvantage in one or more skill domains 214
6.5 Characteristics of low skilled adults 215
6.6 Disadvantage in all four skill domains – an adjusted model 222
6.7 Labour market consequences of multiple disadvantages 225
6.7 Multiple disadvantage and other personal and social outcomes 231
Conclusion 235
Endnotes 235
References 236
Annex 6 Data Values for the Figures 237
Chapter 7 Skill Mismatch in the Labour Market and Adult Learning 273
Summary 273
7.1 Overview and highlights 275
7.2 Skill mismatch in the labour market and adult learning 276
7.3 Why skill mismatch matters 277
7.4 Extent of skill match-mismatch on the labour market 277
7.5 Who is matched or mismatched? 279
7.6 Participation in adult learning and skill mismatch 283
Conclusion 291
References 292
Annex 7 Data Values for the Figures 293
Conclusion 305
Endnotes 310
References 310
Annex A A Construct-Centered Approach to Understanding What
Was Measured in the Adult Literacy and Life Skills (ALL) Survey 311
Annex A Scale Estimationand Linking Methods 349
Annex C Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey Methodology 361
Annex D Principal Participants in the Project 381
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List of Figures
Chapter 1
Figure 1.1 IALS and ALL participating countries 25
Figure 1.2 IALS, ALL and PIAAC an evolution 26
Figure 1.3 Skills triangle (from the Premier’s of Ontario council report) 27
Figure 1.4 Changes distributions of skills scores 29
Chapter 2
Figure 2.1 Multiple comparisons of skills proficiencies 37
Figure 2.2 Comparative distributions of skills scores 40
Figure 2.3 Comparative distributions of skill levels 42
Figure 2.4 Changes in distributions of skills scores 45
Figure 2.5 Changes in distributions of skill levels 47
Figure 2.6 Age and adult akills 51
Figure 2.7 Skills-age profiles controlling for education and language status 52
Figure 2.8 Gender differences in skills 54
Figure 2.9 Recent versus established immigrant status by skill level 55
Figure 2.10 Native versus foreign language status of immigrants by skill level 57
Chapter 3
Figure 3.1 Distribution of the highly skilled and highly educated 81
Figures 3.2.1 Earnings premiums for holding medium to high levels of
to 3.2.4 education and skill 83
Figures 3.3.1 Distribution of the population earning half the median
to 3.2.5 earnings or less by skill 86
Figures 3.4.1 Likelihood of medium to high skilled adults earning more
to 3.4.4 than half the median earnings 89
Figures 3.5.1 Likelihood of medium to high skilled adults being employed
to 3.5.4 full-time for the previous year 92
Figure 3.6 Distribution of the population engaged in community groups or organizations 95
Figures 3.7.1 Likelihood of medium to high skilled adults engaging in community
to 3.7.4 groups or organizations in the previous 12 months 96
Figure 3.8 Distribution of the population engaged in unpaid volunteer activities 98
Figures 3.9.1 Likelihood of medium to high skilled adults engaging in unpaid
to 3.9.4 volunteer activities in the previous 12 months 99
Figures 3.9.3 Likelihood of medium to high skilled adults engaging in unpaid
and 3.9.4 volunteer activities in the previous 12 months 100
Chapter 4
Figure 4.1 Numeracy proficiency and educational attainment 146
Figure 4.2 Numeracy scores by educational attainment and years spent beyond school 147
Figure 4.3 Numeracy scores by post-secondary education status and age 148
Figure 4.4 Low performers among secondary graduates 149
Figure 4.5 Gender differences in numeracy proficiency 151
Figure 4.6 Gender differences in numeracy by age groups 151
Figure 4.7 Gender differences in anxiety about performing calculations 152
Figure 4.8 Gender differences in numeracy engagement at work 153
Figure 4.9 Unemployment rates by numeracy levels 154
Figure 4.10 Numeracy in occupational categories 156
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Chapter 5
Figure 5.1 Correlation of problem solving and prose literacy within literacy levels 176
Figure 5.2 Comparative distribution of problem solving skills 177
Figure 5.3 Correspondence between prose literacy and problem solving 178
Figure 5.4 Problem solving and educational attainment 179
Figure 5.5 Problem solving and years of schooling 180
Figures 5.6.1
and 5.6.2 Problem solving and educational attainment 181
Figure 5.7 Gender differences in problem solving skill 183
Figure 5.8 Problem solving and the knowledge intensity of jobs 185
Figure 5.9 Maintenance of problem solving skill by education, occupation and age 186
Figure 5.10 Problem solving skills and employment 188
Figure 5.11 Problem solving skills and income 189
Figure 5.12 Problem solving ability and earnings of the self employed 190
Chapter 6
Figure 6.1 International comparison of multiple disadvantage 214
Figure 6.2 Age and multiple disadvantage 216
Figure 6.3 Gender and multiple disadvantage 217
Figure 6.4 Language status and multiple disadvantage 219
Figure 6.5 Socioeconomic background and multiple disadvantage 220
Figure 6.6 Educational attainment and multiple disadvantage 221
Figures 6.7.1
and 6.7.2 Demographic characteristics and multiple disadvantage 223
Figure 6.8 Unemployment and multiple disadvantage 226
Figure 6.9 Labour force participation and multiple disadvantage 227
Figure 6.10 Income from work and multiple disadvantage 228
Figure 6.11 Upper secondary educational attainment and multiple disadvantage 229
Figure 6.12 Participation in tertiary education and multiple disadvantage 230
Figure 6.13 Participation in adult education and multiple disadvantage 231
Figure 6.14 Health Status and multiple disadvantage 232
Figure 6.15 Community Participation and multiple disadvantage 233
Figure 6.16 ICTs and multiple disadvantage 234
Chapter 7
Figure 7.1 The distribution of skill mismatch 278
Figure 7.2 Skill mismatch by gender 280
Figure 7.3 Skill mismatch by age group 281
Figure 7.4 Skill mismatch by immigration status 282
Figure 7.5 Skill mismatch by occupation 283
Figure 7.6 Participation and skill mismatch 284
Figure 7.7 Gender, participation and skill mismatch 286
Figure 7.8 Participation, source of financing and skill mismatch 288
Figure 7.9 Effect of match-mismatch on participation in adult education 289
Figures 7.10.1
and 7.10.2 Determinants of participation in employer financed adult learning 290
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Annex B
Figure B.1 Expected proportions of correct responses for different
groups of proficiency 352
Figure B.2 The relationship between estimated proportions (vertical bars)
and conditional probability (line) 352
Figure B.3 Parameters of an item response function 353
Figure B.4 Examples of an unconditioned likelihood function (solid line),
a conditioning function (dashed line) and a conditioned likelihood
function (dotted line) 355
Figure B.5 Distribution of 8 blocks in 28 booklets 357
List of Tables
Chapter 2
Table 2.0 Rankings of countries by mean scores across the IALS 1994 and
1998 and the ALL 2003, 2006 and 2008 49
Table 2.2 Mean scores with .95 confidence interval and scores at the 5th, 25th,
75th and 95th percentiles on skills scales ranging from 0 to 500 points,
population aged 16 to 65, 2003 and 2008 59
Table 2.3 Per cent of population aged 16 to 65 at each skill level, 2003 and 2008 61
Table 2.4 Mean scores with .95 confidence interval and scores at the 5th, 25th,
75th and 95th percentiles on skills scales ranging from 0 to 500 points,
population aged 16 to 65, IALS 1994 and 1998 and ALL 2003 and 2008 62
Table 2.5 Differences between IALS 1994 and 1998 and ALL 2003 and 2008
in the percent of adults aged 16 to 65 at each skills level 64
Table 2.6.1 Mean scores with 0.95 confidence interval and scores at 5th, 25th, 75th,
and 95th percentiles on the document scale, population aged 16 to 25,
26 to 45 and 46 to 65, 2003, 2006 and 2008 65
Table 2.6.2 Per cent of population aged 16 to 25, 26 to 45 and 46 to 65 at each
level on the document scale, 2003 and 2008 66
Table 2.7 Relationship between age and literacy scores on the document literacy
scale, controlling for education and language status, 2003 and 2008 67
Table 2.8.1 Standard score differences in mean skills proficiencies between men
and women on the prose, document, numeracy and problem solving
scales, 2003 and 2008 69
Table 2.8.2 Standard score differences in mean skills proficiencies between men
and 2.8.2 and women on the prose, document, numeracy and problem
solving scales, 2003 and 2008 70
Tables 2.9.1 Per cent of population aged 16 to 65 at each skill level, by recent
to 2.9.4 versus established immigrant status, 2003 and 2008 71
Table 2.10 Per cent of adults aged 16 to 65 at each literacy level on the prose
scale, by whether their native tongue is the same or different from the
official language(s) of host country, 2003 and 2008 75
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Chapter 3
Table 3.1.1 Percentage distribution of the population aged 16 to 65 years by skill
levels, ALL 2003 and 2008 103
Table 3.1.2 Percentage distribution of the population aged 16 to 65 years by
education level, ALL 2003 and 2008 104
Table 3.2.1 Regressions of the log of annual earnings on education and prose skills,
controlling for experience, gender, community size, nativity and
parents’ education, ALL 2003 and 2008 105
Table 3.2.2 Regressions of the log of annual earnings on education and
document skills, controlling for experience, gender, community size,
nativity and parents’ education, ALL 2003 and 2008 109
Table 3.2.3 Regressions of the log of annual earnings on education and numeracy
skills, controlling for experience, gender, community size, nativity and
parents’ education, ALL 2003 and 2008 113
Table 3.2.4 Regressions of the log of annual earnings on education and problem
solving skills, controlling for experience, gender, community size,
nativity and parents’ education, ALL 2003 and 2008 117
Table 3.3.1 Percentage distribution of the labour force populations aged 16 to
65 years with low earnings by skill level, ALL 2003 and 2008 121
Table 3.3.2 Percentage distribution of the labour force populations aged 16 to 65 years
with low earnings by education level, document skills, ALL 2003 and 2008 122
Table 3.4.1 Binary logistic regressions predicting the odds of earning more than half
the median earnings by education and skill level, controlling for experience,
gender, community size, nativity and parents’ education,
prose skills, ALL 2003 and 2008 122
Table 3.4.2 Binary logistic regressions predicting the odds of earning more than half
the median earnings by education and skill level, controlling for experience,
gender, community size, nativity and parents’ education,
document skills, ALL 2003 and 2008 126
Table 3.4.3 Binary logistic regressions predicting the odds of earning more than half
the median earnings by education and skill level, controlling for experience,
gender, community size, nativity and parents’ education,
numeracy skills, ALL 2003 and 2008 129
Table 3.4.4 Binary logistic regressions predicting the odds of earning more than half
the median earnings by education and skill level, controlling for experience,
gender, community size, nativity and parents’ education, problem
solving skills, ALL 2003 and 2008 133
Table 3.5 Adjusted and unadjusted odds ratios showing the likelihood of medium
to high skilled adults being employed full-time in the previous 52 weeks,
ALL 2003 and 2008 136
Table 3.6 Percentage distribution of the population aged 16 to 65 years by
engagement in community groups or organizations in the previous
12 months, ALL 2003 and 2008 137
Table 3.7 Adjusted and unadjusted odds ratios showing the likelihood of medium
to high skilled adults engaging in community groups or organizations in
the previous 12 months, ALL 2003 and 2008 137
Table 3.8 Percentage distribution of the population aged 16 to 65 years by
engagement in unpaid volunteer activities in the previous 12 months by
skill level, ALL 2003 and 2008 138
Table 3.9 Adjusted and unadjusted odds ratios showing the likelihood of medium
to high skilled adults engaging in unpaid volunteer activities in the
previous 12 months, ALL 2003 and 2008 139
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