National Adult Literacy Database

Series: Case Studies on Adult Learning

Authors: Valerie Unwin

Palliser Furniture of Winnipeg, Manitoba, is a major manufacturer employing several thousand people, who come from more than 70 countries and speak more than 40 different languages. This document examines how offering educational opportunities has been good for both the business itself and its employees.

With the help of the Government of Manitoba, Palliser offers its employees training in Literacy and Essential Skills (LES), English as a Second Language (ESL), health and safety, computer skills, retirement planning, cultural diversity, and leadership training. In addition, the company supports a broad mix of professional and personal training workshops and courses for both managers and employees.

Key objectives of the Palliser programs include ensuring that employees have the right combination of generic employability skills and job-specific training to perform effectively in their jobs; identifying and developing employees who demonstrate leadership potential; reducing turnover, error rates, and costs associated with wasted material; helping employees meet the changing needs of their jobs; and improving employee morale.

The Palliser experience shows that successful workplace education programs are based on an unwavering belief in the capacity of adults to learn at any time during their lives, coupled with a strong commitment from senior management to engage employees and supervisors in the development and provision of training, says the author.

Added: 2013-01-03

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See also:

• Étude de cas de Palliser Furniture Ltd.

Series: Little Chefs Program

Authors: Eric Carle, NWT Literacy Council

This lesson plan is part of the Little Chefs program, a literacy-based cooking program for children and adults. Each Little Chefs unit includes a book and a recipe linked to the theme of the book, as well as crafts, rhymes and activities. The starting point of this lesson plan is the picture book “Pancakes, Pancakes!” by Eric Carle.

The plan includes instructions and materials lists for games and crafts, as well as a recipe for pancakes made in the shapes of letters.

Added: 2010-06-30

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Series: CONNECT: Canada's Resource Publication on Technology & Adult Literacy

Authors: Connie Belanger

This shareware review from CONNECT describes Paragraph Punch by Merit Audiovisual. This shareware provides learners with help in learning to write paragraphs.

Funders:

• OLES

Added: 2003-07-25

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Authors: Learning Disabilities Association of Yukon (LDAY)

The goal of this guide, prepared by the Learning Disabilities Association of Yukon, is to help parents support their children’s in-school learning by becoming effective advocates for them. The authors point out that parents know under what conditions their children behave well or badly and they are in the best position to make those patterns known to their children’s teachers.

The authors have included tips for communicating effectively with teachers by avoiding generalizations; speaking in a positive, nonthreatening way; and keeping the focus on the child.

Added: 2012-11-20

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A Family Literacy Program

Authors: Betty Knight

The Windermere Valley Family Literacy Advisory Committee chose to design and deliver a series of five workshops for parents and children 3 to 5 years of age to be delivered in three locations during the pilot project year. This program became Parents Reading, Children Succeeding.

This manual is an attempt to present a snapshot of one version of the program. Facilitators who deliver PRCS will bring their own experience and background knowledge to the program. The manual is not meant to be prescriptive but rather a jumping-off point. Facilitators should adapt the content to meet the needs of parents attending their program and incorporate their own knowledge and interests.

Funders:

• 
• OLES

Added: 2006-07-24

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Series: Miramichi Literacy Writers

Authors: Phyllis Johnstone, Miramichi Literacy Writers

This booklet was written in clear language and is suitable for adult new readers. It is part of a series of 24 booklets by Miramichi Literacy Writers. Some of the other titles include:

Ferry Boats of Days Gone By
The Irish of the Miramichi
Native Peoples of the Miramichi
Old Lumber Camps on the Miramichi
The Dungarvon Whooper

Added: 2009-05-08

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Literacy Skill Requirements in the Northwest Territories and the Ability of Aboriginal Peoples to Compete

Series: Adult Aboriginal Literacy Levels and Workplace Skills

Authors: T. Scott Murray

This video is the first section of a four-part presentation by T. Scott Murray on the results of an analysis, completed in 2010, of adult Aboriginal literacy levels in the Northwest Territories, and the effects of those levels on individuals, communities, and the nation. Murray is the president of DataAngel Policy Research, which collaborated with Bow Valley College in Calgary, Alberta, to produce the videos.

In this video, Murray explains why Canadians need to care more about literacy, which he describes as the single most important determinant of economic progress and social development. Ignoring literacy will bring on serious economic consequences.

Global markets are becoming freer, meaning that while Canadian businesses have greater opportunities, they also face greater competition. Countries in the developing world are investing massively in education, which reduces Canada’s technological edge.

The plight of Canada’s Aboriginal people is particularly worrying because on average, they have lower skill levels and work in lower-skilled jobs, yet they will form an increasing part of the net labour force.

Other parts of the presentation deal with how we think about skills and how skills relate to policy; how skills influence outcomes; and skill supply and demand.

Funders:

Added: 2012-06-01

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Series: Literacy Kit for Adults with FASD

Authors: Regina Community Clinic

This document is part of a literacy kit for adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), a permanent brain injury that occurs while the fetus is developing during pregnancy. People with FASD have problems processing information and may struggle to understand what they hear and read.

This module covers a variety of writing and grammar topics, including journaling; sentence fragments; capitalization and punctuation; creative writing; and workplace communication.

For each topic, there is a teacher’s guide that sets out objectives, gives an overview of the concepts covered, and lists materials required.

There are also student handouts and, where relevant, practice exercises. In the module on Workplace Experience, there is also a sample job application, as well as teacher’s notes on job skills, such as the need for plain language.

Added: 2012-04-23

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Series: Literacy Kit for Adults with FASD

Authors: Regina Community Clinic

This document is part of a literacy kit for adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), a permanent brain injury that occurs during pregnancy while the fetus is developing. People with FASD have difficulty processing information and often struggle to understand what they hear and read.

This module includes sections on understanding numeric relationships; money values; budgeting; fractions and volume; time; measuring; and problem solving. Each section includes lessons with an introduction and rationale; a list of materials needed; and warm-up exercises.

There are also student handouts and practice exercises.

Added: 2012-05-02

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Series: Literacy Kit for Adults with FASD

Authors: Regina Community Clinic

This document is part of a literacy kit for adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), a permanent brain injury that occurs while the fetus is developing during pregnancy. People with FASD have problems processing information and may struggle to understand what they hear and read.

In this unit, the objectives are for learners to be able to recognize and read sight words and to be able to read and spell basic one-syllable words. Specific topics include subject and verb; description words; non-action verbs; commands; context clues; using the dictionary; word games to develop memory; and filling out forms.

Because the unit is aimed at people with very low literacy skills, there are no student handouts or formal assignments. Teachers are encouraged to try different approaches to help students learn the material.

Added: 2012-05-09

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