Title: Workplace Literacy Assessment Tools
Author: Maurice C. Taylor, Algonquin College, Adult Basic Education
Complete Text:

In setting up a workplace basic skills program one of the most important elements is the assessment of the individual employee. Because this field is still evolving, research on different instruments used in these programs is sketchy. However, evaluating the appropriateness of existing literacy instruments for use in workplace basic skills programs may provide some insight into further test development strategies. A technical review of three such instruments is presented here.

The impact of adult illiteracy in the Canadian workforce has become increasingly visible. There now exists a growing gap between the demands needed in the workplace and the skills resident in the workforce. In order to move towards helping Canadian workers obtain the necessary skills needed for full productivity several key questions require discussion. Of particular interest to this investigation are the following two questions: what are the basic skills required for an adaptable workforce and how do employers and workplace literacy providers determine which employees require basic skills training? In an attempt to provide relevant information on these issues, this investigation examined the appropriateness of frequently used literacy-related assessment tools for workplace basic skills training.

Because the literacy demands of the workplace are different from general literacy requirements, researchers have begun to identify the basic skills individuals need in order to enter and progress in the workplace. For example, Hull and Sechler (1987) examined the nature and extent of adult literacy needs in several major U.S. corporations. Results from the study indicated that basic literacy skills often serve as prerequisites to the learning of more technical knowledge. This knowledge is specific to types of equipment and industries but the underlying skills tend to be somewhat generic. Company managers, instructors and union trainers reported that the types of skills needed to enter and progress on the job could be classified into five major categories: mathematics, reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Basic workplace research conducted by the American Society for Training and Development and the U.S. Department of Labour also examined the skills needed in the workplace. Carnevale, Gainer, and Meltzer (1988) indicated that more recently employer complaints have focused on serious deficiencies in areas that include problem solving, personal management, and interpersonal skills. In a pioneering attempt to conceptualize the skills employers want, the researchers developed a framework which consists of seven skills groups. These groups include: l) learning to learn, 2) 3R's, 3) communication, 4) creative thinking and problem solving, 5) goal setting - personal and career development, 6) negotiation, teamwork, and 7) leadership. The authors propose that this framework is a prescription for a well-rounded worker who has acquired a number of discrete skills and who has the ability to acquire more sophisticated skills when necessary.

Recently, in a Canadian context the Ontario Ministry of Skills Development surveyed 329 employers across nine industrial sectors ranging from manufacturing to service hospitality. According to Shields, Embree, Taylor, and Wallace (1989) the purpose of the investigation was to develop a training profile reflecting the skills, competencies, and tasks actually performed in the workplace. The goal of the project was to develop an integrated curriculum accommodating the basic training needs for client groups bound directly for employment and those wishing to qualify for skills training, apprenticeship or post-secondary programs. Occupational literacy skills needed to enter and progress on the job were classified into five major categories: communications (reading, writing, and other linguistic competencies), mathematics, science, computer literacy, and work adjustment.

Together, these studies provide a clear indication of the basic skill categories required of trainees and employees to either enter the labour market or perform effectively on the job. There also appears to be a general consensus that within each major category or group there are articulated lists of specific skills. As Hull and Sechler (1987) point out skill lists are critical tools for personal managers, industrial trainers, and workplace literacy instructors. Basic skill lists help these people relate to a) changing job requirements to needed employee skill levels, b) assess the skill levels of job applicants and existing employees to determine how well those skills match the job requirements for hiring and advancement, c) identify both group and individual basic skill deficiencies in order to plan workplace literacy training programs, and d) analyze the effectiveness of such courses or programs. Based on the findings of the previously discussed research on workplace literacy requirements, an attempt has been made to develop a Basic Skills Profile (Figure 1). This profile is a compilation of the major skill categories with examples of specific skills drawn from evidence in the Ontario workplace. The full range of specific skills are not included here but rather only some of those most frequently cited by employers. The profile may serve to provide a conceptual framework for examining the following tests.

In setting up a workplace basic skills program one of the most important elements is the assessment of the individual employee. Because of the recent Canadian developments in this area, research on the different assessment tools used in workplace basic skills programs is sketchy. To date no Canadian tests have been developed to identify proficiencies or deficiencies of employees for workplace basic skills training. However, evaluating the appropriateness of existing instruments for use in such programs may provide some insight into further test development strategies. Ten instruments frequently used in adult literacy and basic education programs in adult education centres, technical and vocational schools, community colleges, school boards, and other literacy organizations were reviewed in the full report. Three will be presented here. These tests include: The Canadian Adult Achievement Test (CAAT); Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE) - Forms 5 and 6; and The Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT) - Canadian Edition. In the full report, each test was reviewed under three categories - test content, test development, and test usability. The purpose of the test and type of items or subtests employed was described under the heading test content. The procedures used to develop the test norms, grade equivalents, reliability, and validity evidence were presented under the heading test development. An evaluative statement was made under the heading test usability. It indicated the appropriateness of the instrument in the assessment of the essential basic skills for the workplace as discussed in the preceding section. An abridged version of that discussion appears here. The test reviews are based on information from the actual test, the test manuals and administrator's guidelines, technical bulletins, a literature search, the Mental Measurements Yearbook, and interviews with instructors in adult literacy and basic education programs.

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