Many Canadians lack the foundation skills to meet the needs of the changing workplace and to take advantage of education and training opportunities. Differences in literacy levels are due to a number of factors including years of formal education, the quality of that education and literacy practices at home and in the workplace. Literacy is a continuum Literacy is not simply a matter of whether or not one can read or meet some minimum standard of numeracy. Literacy should be seen as a continuum with benefits related to each successive level of literary achievement. While the patterns vary slightly from country to country, for example, both the proportion of unemployed and the proportion in the lowest level of income decline as the literacy level increases.
Literacy strongly influences individual and social well-being.
The relationship between education and literacy Adults with higher levels of education, on average, are more literate than those at lower levels but the relationship is not always that clear-cut. Practice, practice, practice Literacy is maintained and strengthened in daily practice. Literacy practices at home and in the workplace are crucial to literacy. What you don't use you lose. The IALS suggests that the skill requirements of the workplace and the actual skills possessed by workers may be connected in a complex way.