The Regroupement des groupes populaires en alphabétisation du Québec (RGPAQ) regretfully noted on December 12 that in the space of a decade, the proportion of people with low literacy skills has increased in Quebec, according to the results of the Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) unveiled on December 10 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Among other things, PIAAC measures adults' literacy skills. In 2012, 19% of the Quebec population aged 16 to 65, or more than a million adults, had major difficulties with the written word (literacy level below 1 and level 1). A decade later, this proportion had risen to 22%.

The 5 literacy groups (ability to read, understand and use written information in everyday life) are described as follows by the Quebec Literacy Foundation:

Level 0 or 1 - Know basic vocabulary

Level 1
The person signs his/her name, decodes a word he/she recognizes from time to time, but is unable to read an instruction manual.

Level 2
Can read newspaper headlines, but not articles. Limited vocabulary.

Level 3
Can read and understand information. This is the minimum skill level required to graduate from high school and hold a basic job.

Levels 4 and 5
The person can process complex information.

Functional illiterates 

19% of Quebecers are illiterate (literacy levels -1 or 0 and 1), and 34.3% have severe reading difficulties and are at literacy level 2. The latter are often referred to as functional illiterates. 

10% are aged 16 to 25

39% aged 26 to 46 (of parenting age)

51% aged 46 to 65

In Quebec, 4% of the population is associated with literacy level -1, i.e. 218,240 people, as many men as women; and 62% of these people have not completed high school.

La magie des mots

Since 1986, La magie des mots, a community organization based in Coteau-du-Lac, has been helping adults learn the French language in the Soulanges area.

According to Executive Director Jocelyne Hudon, “we've come a long way in literacy in recent years, but there's still a long way to go. Literacy consists in understanding, interpreting and using the terms of a given subject”, she explains.

“Problems related to understanding, interpreting and using certain vocabulary exist even at university level,” she adds.

Hudon confirms that her organization is receiving more requests than ever before.

“We offer three health literacy workshops: we teach the basics, the meaning of disease prefixes and suffixes to understand what we're talking about. We show people how to prepare for their medical appointments; how to be prepared to answer questions like: since when? what kind of pain? etc.,” she describes. A nurse delivers some of these workshops.

Literacy workshops in the food, digital and financial sectors are also offered. Here, too, we start from the basics: specific vocabulary, understanding a label on a food product; talking about debts, life insurance, inheritance, and so on.

Ms. Hudon continues: “In addition to these training courses, we also offer courses in French, French as a second language, etc. Here, it's really family-oriented, with groups of 6 to 10 people; people can express their reality easily and feel at ease".

“All our trainers are volunteers: the mission of La magie des mots is based on volunteering. There are several retired teachers on our team,” she specifies.

“In 2024, 207 people used the services of La magie des mots, 25% of whom were over 50. It encourages people to continue taking the necessary steps, to stay active, which is very positive in their lives,” she concludes.

Courses are given face-to-face, individually or in small groups. They can also be given remotely, on an individual basis.

Face-to-face courses are usually given on the organization's premises. Occasionally, certain courses are offered in premises loaned by a municipality.

Individual courses are organized according to the learner's availability and preferences.

Course duration varies according to the subject matter: one hour, one and a half hours or two hours.

La magie des mots can be reached at 450-763-1331 or at E-340, chemin du Fleuve in Coteau-du-Lac.