News
February 21, 2012
The Community Learning Network, in partnership with eCampus Alberta, is hosting the Forever Learning Luncheon 2012 on March 28 to celebrate International Adult Learners' Week.
Literacy, learning, government and community leaders and learners will be attending the luncheon, which starts at 11 am at the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald, in Edmonton.
The reception and served lunch will be followed by an...
February 13, 2012
The Literacy and Learning Symposium 2012, with the theme Sharing Stories, Changing Lives, will be October 17, 18 & 19, 2012 at the Radisson Hotel, Edmonton South.
Visit our Symposium section for news.
Share your ideas for topics and speakers on SHARE, Facebook and Twitter thread #lls2012.
Information coming soon to www.literacylearning.ca soon....
February 6, 2012
A report out today says preventing poverty would save Alberta billions. It also points out that investing in solutions will generate a strong return on investments. Literacy skills development is identified as a key component to poverty eradication.
The Edmonton Journal article states that the current poverty 'alleviation' focus on food banks, shelters and welfare payments would be better spent...
February 6, 2012
Janet Lane took Literacy Alberta's message about the benefits of investing in literacy and essential skills to the Edson and District Community Learning Society and the Grande Yellowhead Public School Division in January.
"It pays to build literacy and essential skills," Lane told the meeting, adding that when literacy skills are improved by just one per cent, productivity is improved...
January 27, 2012
The Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) released the new Plain Language version of its popular Household Emergency Action Plan Friday, Family Literacy Day. The brochure provides information on what individuals can do to protect themselves and their families in an emergency. CEMA worked with Literacy Alberta to produce the Plain Language brochure.
“We welcomed the opportunity to...
January 24, 2012
The statistics show - and attending a local literacy event will prove it - that the majority of literacy workers are women, and often older women, who have been in the non-profit and literacy field for a long time. This brings a number of positives to the field. However, there is a growing surge of involvement from young people - as participants and leaders - and this too is positive.
46% of...
January 12, 2012
The UK's Guardian newspaper website hosted an online live blog debate about digital literacy and women in today's society. Experts from Aberystwyth University, the Open University, and developers' network Young Rewired State also asked 'how much digital literacy do young people need?'.
The sub-debate on the field's terminology, the meaning of literacy and how to make materials 'learner...
January 5, 2012
Stats Canada has released the second installment of its Literacy For Life: Further Results from the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey. The results highlight what environmental factors affect how adults learn. Numeracy and problem solving skills assessments form a key part of the report. In the conclusion it looks at 'skill mismatch' in the labour markets and how this impacts on adult learning...
January 2, 2012
It is the beginning of a new year and a new opportunity to face our literacy challenges with renewed energy. But, where to start? There are a few websites with ideas on how to get started - and keep a focus on 2012 goals.
2012 is the last year in the United Nations Literacy Decade. The reports generated by this decade will be helpful to everyone in the field - as facts, resources for...
December 20, 2011
The term 'tradtional Christmas' is as fluid as the cultures celebrating this season. In creating a broader sense of community and sharing, being seasonally literate requires knowlege of many cultures and practices. However, no matter where people are gathering at this time of year, literacy plays a role. Here is a look at headlines from around the globe this season about blending cultures,...
December 13, 2011
Social technology can play a pivotal role in raising funds and awareness. Four organizations battling literacy issues have chosen one platform to help them make a difference. The battle is huge, global and needs continuous support. At first glance these groups may not have a lot in common geographically - Canada, India and Bangladesh. But, they share a vision - and now a website.
Teachers...
December 1, 2011
This fall Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney proposed changing the way new citizens' language abilities are assessed. The changes would require adult citizenship applicants to provide 'objective evidence' of their language ability - in English or French. The goal is outlined, and the methods listed. However, some of the information may be confusing to...
November 30, 2011
Calgary-based filmmaker Matt Palmer made 'Pay Dirt' in 2005, which aired on CBC. The oilsands documentary, exploring many issues and options around energy, prompted him to question the public's 'understanding' of energy, terms like 'green', fossil fuels, and other lingo associated with this important field.
How much do we know and understand about this complex, politically charged, important...
November 23, 2011
We might not associate literacy with food, but NAIT and SAIT are trying to increase new chef students' understanding of the process from 'field to plate'.
Julie Van Rosendall's article in the Edmonton Journal looks at how new trends, sustainability issues and closer relationships between producers and food preparers are helping create a new language for chefs.
Students are improving their...
November 21, 2011
The Calgary Herald Project Calgary examines community multiculturalism this week. Using maps of the city, they outline the ethnic diversity of Calgary communities. Questions are asked about trends and people profiled. It is important in any society for people to talk about ethnicity, culture and communities. But, are we literate in the language of culture?
Immigrants – people who move or migrate...
November 16, 2011
The number of elections seems to keep rising, while the number of voters continues to decrease. An innovative BC literacy project is facing the challenge head-on by promoting voting and giving people the skills and knowledge to exercise their rights.
BC's Literacy Now Cowichan group implemented the project to raise awareness and participation in upcoming local elections....
November 15, 2011
Many literacy practitioners look for creative ways to promote learning. This often leads to interesting and innovative partnerships. The Pet Therapy Society of Northern Alberta has teamed up with some Edmonton Public library branches with their new Paws for a Story project, encouraging young learners to read to pets.
The Paws for a Story premise is that reading to a pet...
November 9, 2011
The stats are striking. In just two years, according to reports on The Canadian Press survey carried out by Harris-Decima, both the number of and age of social media users is growing. Why? People want to communicate, stay connected and be part of a community. The same reasons as always, just new media.
The Harris-Decima survey of at least 1,000 Canadians found that 68 per cent of them used social...
November 7, 2011
Sam Terry built a school for Sherpa children in Nepal, is outfitting another, and had raised $32,000 all before she was 15 years old. What inspired this Barnwell, Alberta teen charity champion? A story about literacy.
Shelley Youngblut reports in the Globe and Mail that once Sam had seen the video on the Room to Read international literacy project, founded by John Wood, a former Microsoft...
November 2, 2011
Alberta Conservative MP James Rajotte is supporting November - Financial Literacy Month by introducing private member Motion 269, so the issue can be debated in the House of Commons.
With activities to raise awareness about Fianancial Literacy Month happening across the country, we can all lobby to have this higher on the political agenda. With the world's financial crises, continuing...
