Illiteracy: Is it the only issue?

Organ, Cyril C. (1991) Illiteracy: Is it the only issue? Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The Department of Education in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador has set a planning target of a 100% increase in the number of literacy trainees over a five-year period. This researcher examined the statistical data used to assess the prevalence of illiteracy in the province and evaluated the effectiveness of one guiding definition as an indicator of illiteracy. Specifically, the indicator “15 years of age and above with less than Grade Nine” was evaluated in the context of results attained on the Vocabulary and Comprehension components of the Canadian Adult Achievement Test by 237 prospective students at Western Community College. -- The results of this analysis suggest that caution must be exercised when employing this indicator as the sole means of assessing the prevalence of adult illiteracy. The data indicates that reading prowess does increase with years of schooling, but the correlations observed between age and years of schooling with reading scores attained on the C.A.A.T. are too weak to permit definitive inferences. -- These findings support an Adult Learning Centre model which is based on the premise that while illiteracy is a significant issue, it is part of a much larger problem of undereducation that must be addressed as well.

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