Parents take note, the more you expose your children to books, the greater their chances of obtaining the essential life skills that can lead to career success, according to a Statistics Canada study.
The study released Tuesday, concludes that the number of books in a person’s home during their high school years is linked to reading, writing, math and social skills later in life.
Based on an analysis of the literacy and numeracy of Canadian university graduates in 2012, Statistics Canada found that, of those who had less than 10 books at home when they were in high school, 31 per cent were in the lower range for literacy compared with just 9 per cent among those who reported having more than 200 books at home.
A similar pattern was identified between the number of books at home during high school and adult math skills.
The survey, led by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) also revealed a stark contrast between the literacy and numeracy levels of university graduates with the high school dropouts.
The study found that while a quarter of university graduates in 2012 in Canada aged 25 to 65 had a literacy score at the second level or below (out of five levels), 88 per cent of individuals aged 25 to 65 who did not have a high school degree had literacy in the lower range.
Canadian students in more technical fields including technology, engineering, mathematics and computer science were also more likely to score higher in literacy and numeracy according to the study.
StatsCan also concluded that literacy and numeracy did not impact an individual’s ability to get a job but may impact job options.
Canadian-born university graduates who were in the lower range of skills (level 2 and below) were just as likely to be employed as those who were in the top levels of skills (level 3 and above). Those who had a level 2 or below in numeracy skills, however, were less likely than others to work in managerial or professional occupations regardless of age, gender, residence, language or their parent’s level of education.
