"...Literacy is usually only one of many problems for learners, with poverty, racism and other forms of systemic injustice being the greatest obstacles to a better life. [Literacy workers] saw literacy as a possible first step over these barriers, but added that these barriers themselves can block the way to literacy acquisition..."

"...Poverty produces hunger, which interferes with education because it affects one's ability to concentrate on learning..."

"...Poverty can cause worry, tension, stress and instability, which can make it difficult or impossible either to make time for or concentrate on studying..."

"1991 Aboriginal Peoples Survey - Language, Tradition, Health, Lifestyle and Social Issues".

CULTURE AND LANGUAGE

• 35.8% (21.3%) said they spoke an Aboriginal language
• In Ontario, the breakdown of those who identify with an Aboriginal group and who reported using an Aboriginal language is as follows:
  

  	Speaking	Reading	Writing
  	15,485	6,240	4,325
  	20.2%	8.4%	5.8%
  Ojibway	13.9%	5.6%	3.8%
  Cree	5.0%	1.9%	1.3%
  an Iroquoian language	0.7%.	0.4%