Yellowknife (Mar 10/06) - Reading skills in the NWT are on par with the national average.

That's according to the International Adult Literacy and Skills survey.

Deanna Blackduck and her four-month-old daughter Aleyna read a book together at the Healthy Baby Club. The club meets once a week in the Women's Centre in Yellowknife to discuss baby nutrition, health issues and literacy. - Jessica Gray/NNSL photo

This is despite the report's statistics, which show almost 70 per cent of aboriginal people score much lower than the national average.

"Because of Yellowknife's size and many people come here from the south to work, on the whole literacy rates are higher here," said Kate Sills, executive director of the NWT Literacy Council.

In the report, about 42 per cent of people aged 16-65 are able to understand text, forms, and basic math. Nova Scotia, Manitoba, PEI, Ontario and Quebec share the ranking with the NWT.

Sills still feels literacy rates in the NWT and Canada as a whole are not where they should be, especially for aboriginal people.

"We're trying to raise awareness of this issue," she said.

Many in Yellowknife believe the issue of adult literacy is more alarming than anyone realizes.

"There is a huge untapped pool of people who have difficulty with reading, but are hard to reach," said May Theissen, co-ordinator for the Literacy Outreach program at Aurora College.

Theissen organizes two adult literacy programs - a morning and afternoon drop-in class and a family literacy program at the Yellowknife Women's centre.

The morning program helps those with learning difficulties.

The number of people attending the classes varies, but it's usually around six or seven.

The number would be larger, but she says many people fear the stigmas attached to illiteracy.

Theissen said she has taught people who don't meet the adult basic education standards. These standards are the equivalent of a Grade 7 or 8 education in math and English.

One way to improve reading skills within Yellowknife is to promote reading in the home, say literacy advocates.

The Healthy Baby Club at the Women's Centre has added a focus on literacy to their Wednesday meetings this week.

By teaching moms about children's books and nursery rhymes, the lessons will be passed down to their children as they develop reading and writing skills.

"I don't read very often, but I'm trying to get into reading so I can read to my sons," said 34-year-old mom Elizabeth Avadluk. She has three sons - Sebastian, nine months, Elijah, 11, and Mick, 13.

She thinks it's important for her children to learn to read and write well because it will help them excel in school.