by Anne Brodgesell

Created on: April 14, 2009

Canada's literary rate has dropped and we need to find out why, and how to fix it. If we don't, it is predicted that by 2031 nearly half of Canada's population will have low literacy skills. 48% of adult Canadians currently have below-standard skills. How is this possible? We pride ourselves on our education system but we are obviously failing to actually teach our children.

A comparative adult literacy rate for adults aged 16 to 65 was determined by conducting The International Adult Literary Survey (IALS) in 1994. There were additional surveys done in 1996, 1998 and in 2003.

Categories of Literacy

Prose literacy: the ability to understand and use information from texts such as news stories, poems, stories, etc.

Document literacy: the ability to locate and use information from documents such as job applications, payroll forms, maps, graphs, bus schedules, etc.

Quantitative literacy: the ability to perform math functions such as completing an order form, balancing a cheque book or calculating a tip.

If adults are not literate then they are not able to function properly in society and the economy. Although many who graduate from high school or university may have adequate literacy skills, these skills will erode if they are not used. Employers are spending minimal amounts on basic skills training. If adult literacy skills are not improved through the promotion of lifelong learning, Canada's literacy rate will fall even further behind.

Adults who cannot read are not able to fill out job applications or read directions on prescription bottles. If they are unable to calculate their own earnings or read their pay stubs how can they be expected to plan for their futures, their retirement? If adults are unable to read or write, how can they help their children and ultimately it's the children who will pay the price.

Probably the worst program brought into schools in North America is the Whole Language Program.

Prior to this system being introduced, children were taught to read using phonics a system that allows them to learn what words are made up of and sound them out. The phonics system has worked for generation after generation of children and upon leaving school; these children could read and write.

The Whole Language Program is based on the idea that children are learning whole texts of literature and natural language experience (whatever that truly means). In other words, the children don't have to know how to spell a word or even learn the alphabet. The premise

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