Northwest Territories Literacy Council

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Adult Literacy

Literacy Definitions

There are many definitions for literacy. Which one do you like most?

Literacy is the ability to understand and employ printed information in daily activities, at home, at work and in the community. It is not about whether or not one can read but how well one reads. (Literacy BC)
To be literate means that you have the skills to understand what you read, communicate with others and engage fully and confidently in life’s activities and opportunities – at work, at home and in the community. (ABC Canada)
Literacy involves a complex set of abilities to understand and use the dominant symbol systems of a culture for personal and community development. The need and demand for these abilities vary in different societies. In a technological society, the concept is expanding to include the media and electronic text in addition to alphabets and numbers. Individuals must be given life-long learning opportunities to move along a continuum that includes reading, writing, and the critical understanding and decision-making abilities they need in their communities. (The Centre for Literacy of Quebec)
All Nunavummiut have the right to participate fully and be included in their community. Literacy is much more than reading and writing, it also means being connected to your language and culture. Literacy involves everyone and is fundamental to the development of health and well-being. Literacy is fostering and nurturing understanding, knowledge and wisdom. (Developed at a literacy summit in Arviat.)
Literacy is the lifelong development of a broad range of skills with one of more of the NWT official languages for the purpose of expanding an individual’s potential for optimal health, personal success and positive participation in community wellness and development. (Literacy Strategy for Government of the NWT)
Literacy, numeracy and problem solving are essential to function in today’s world. For individuals, they are the key to realizing their full economic and social potential and the foundation upon which they acquire additional knowledge and skills throughout adulthood. They are strongly associated with individual outcomes and enable people to participate in their communities, make wise consumer decisions, and construct social networks. (International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey)

What is adult literacy?

Adult literacy refers to the skills that a person needs to communicate and handle information in everyday life.
Adults with low literacy skills often attend adult literacy programs. Adult literacy can involve both informal or formal learning. Informal learning is when we learn outside the classroom at home, at work or in the community. Learning from Elders, or going out on the land, would be considered informal learning. Formal learning is classroom based or through a formal programming. Adult upgrading or trades programs would be considered formal learning.

Why is it important?

Approximately 42% of adults aged 16 to 65 have literacy levels below the level they need to function in today’s society. This is the same as the Canadian average, but it means 4 out of 10 people face literacy challenges. The gap between the literacy levels of the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations is significant. Approximately 69% of the Aboriginal population has low literacy compared to 30% of the non-Aboriginal population.
Considering these numbers, adult literacy and adult education programs are of vital importance in the NWT. People with low literacy skills have a fundamental right to have opportunities to return to school to improve their literacy skills.

How does the NWT Literacy Council support adult literacy in the NWT?

The NWT Literacy Council supports adult literacy by developing adult learning resources that reflect the culture and traditions of the NWT. We have developed a wide-range of learning materials for instructors and learners. You will find these resources in our Resource Section. We also provide support to adult educators and literacy providers.

Other ways that we support adult literacy:

Develop and deliver a wide-range of workshops and training for adult literacy educators and literacy providers
Promote literacy
Monitor government policy and funding for adult literacy
Conduct research in the adult literacy field

What is workplace literacy and essential skills?

Workplace literacy refers to the skill set and training needed for an employee to do his or her job. Workplace literacy programs improve an employee’s basic literacy or ‘essential skills.’ Essential skills are the skills needed for work, learning and life. They provide the foundation for learning all other skills and help people in their jobs and adapt to workplace change.

What are the essential skills?

Reading Text
Document Use
Numeracy
Writing
Oral Communication
Working with Others
Thinking Skills
Computer Use
Continuous Learning
Understanding Essential Skills [PDF - 417 KB]

Essential Skills Fact Sheets

Community Essential Skills (PDF - 122 KB)
Families Essential Skills (PDF - 122 KB)
Health Essential Skills (PDF - 122 KB)
Justice Essential Skills (PDF - 124 KB)
Workplace Essential Skills (PDF - 118 KB)

The Northern Edge

One of our most popular resources is The Northern Edge, an online newspaper for adult learners. The topics and stories reflect people’s lives North of 60. We have developed six editions so far and plan on developing another in 2008-09. We have also developed two study guides to accompany the online newspaper. These study guides provide a wide-range of activities including instructor notes, learning activities, and handouts for learners. You can find these study guides in our Resource Section.

NWTLC Adult literacy resources