CONTENTS
Introduction = ix
Highlights and Note to Readers = xiii
Chapter 1 Skills for the Twenty-first Century = 1
1.1 Introduction = 1
1.2 Structural Changes in the Knowledge Economy = 1
1.3 Iimpact on the Demand for Skills = 8
1.4 Conclusion = 11
References = 12
Chapter 2 Population Distributions of Adult Literacy = 13
2.1 Introduction = 13
2.2 Patterns of Adult Literacy Skills = 13
2.3 Literacy Skills and Education = 22
2.4 Conclusion = 25
References = 25
Chapter 3 How Literacy is Developed and Sustained = 27
3.1 Introduction = 27
3.2 Home Background and Literacy Outcomes = 27
3.3 Literacy and Education by Age = 33
3.4 Literacy and Work = 34
3.5 Literacy and Formal Adult Education = 36
3.6 Literacy, Culture and Civic Skills = 49
3.7 Self-assessed Literacy Skills = 52
3.8 Factors Explaining Literacy Proficiency = 54
3.9 Conclusion = 58
References = 60
Chapter 4 Outcomes and Benefits of Literacy = 61
4.1 Introduction = 61
4.2 Literacy and the Labour Force = 62
4.3 Education, Literacy and Experience 70
4.4 Windows into the Socio-economic Benefits of Literacy = 77
4.5 Conclusion = 83
References = 85
Chapter 5 Future Developments
5.1 Introduction = 87
5.2 Methodological Advances = 87
5.3 Main Findings = 89
5.4 Issues for Further Analysis = 90
References = 91
Annex A Definition of Literacy Performance on-Three Scales = 93
Annex B Survey Methodology and Data Quality = 107
Annex C Note on International Comparability of IALS Data = 123
Annex D Data Values for the Figures = 131
Annex E Source Database for the International Adult Literacy Survey = 179
Annex F Principal Participants in the Project = 183
