reading the reports

Recently a group of literacy workers and researchers came together to apply their expertise and analysis to two reports that could inform education policy decisions in Canada.

Learning Literacy in Canada: Evidence from the International Survey of Reading Skills, was released by Statistics Canada in January 2008. It used data from the International Survey of Reading Skills (ISRS) to offer information that can help “policy makers, researchers and practitioners” decide “how to plan and deliver appropriate and efficient reading instruction for different adult learners” (p. 19).

Reading the Future: Planning to meet Canada’s future literacy needs is a synthesis of work by a number of researchers who were involved in developing IALSS. This report, released by the Canadian Council on Learning in July 2008, offers program recommendations, practices, and strategies for improving the skills of the low-skilled readers identified by the ISRS.

We have created Reading the Reports (PDF download) to let you know what they are saying. We hope you find this brief summary of their discussion helpful and informative.

The group is: Tannis Atkinson (editor of Literacies), Dr. Pat Campbell (Grass Roots Press / Education for Change), Dr. Richard Darville (Carleton University), Brigid Hayes (Brigid Hayes Consulting), Dr. Nancy Jackson (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto), and Tracey Mollins (publisher of Literacies).

What conversations have you been having about these reports? Let us know your thoughts, ideas and questions.