Adult Literacy Curriculum

May 26, 2009 — ontarioliteracycoalition

The Adult Literacy Curriculum (ALC) Initiative is an undertaking supported by the Learning Ministries of the province of Ontario – Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.

When completed the Adult Literacy Curriculum is expected to foster greater quality and consistency of instruction in the LBS Program.  It is intended to lead to improved outcomes for literacy learners, including more and easier transitions to further education or training and more successful transitions to employment.

The Ontario Literacy Coalition (OLC) is involved in a number of OALC related projects including participating on the ALC Work Group, and taking a lead with the validation of the OALC with stakeholders external to the literacy field but still impacted by the curriculum (business, labour, settlement services, etc). Finally, the Ontario Literacy Coalition will be working closely with the Regional Literacy Networks to support the literacy community’s transition to this new curriculum.

What will a new Adult Literacy Curriculum mean for the field? Will a curriculum add credibility and professionalism to the field?

There are many questions surrounding the development of the Adult Literacy Curriculum and the OLC would like to know what questions you have surrounding this initiative. Let us talk, as a field.  Share your hopes and any thoughts surrounding the ALC with rest of your colleagues in literacy.

Posted in Adult Literacy Curriculum, Government News, Literacy Field Information, Professionalism, Uncategorized. 1 Comment »

Expressions of Interest

May 7, 2009 — ontarioliteracycoalition

The Ministry of Education, supported by its partners, the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, is developing Adult Learning Centre Demonstration Projects. The purpose of these projects is to produce coordinated, accessible and effective adult education and training programs and services. The core of the Adult Learning Centre Demonstration Projects is improved integration of services.

School boards, colleges and community agencies (funded by the aforementioned ministries) that currently deliver adult secondary school credit programs, adult non-credit ESL/FSL language training program, and adult non-credit literacy and basic skills training are eligible to lead an Adult Learning Centre Demonstration Project.

As a partnership development organization promoting adult literacy across Ontario, the Ontario Literacy Coalition (OLC) would like to applaud this multi-partner, multi-year initiative. (The ‘Template’ and full ‘Call for Expressions of Interest’ are available on the OLC website. )

Multi-year initiatives allow organizations in the field to better plan and execute initiatives as well as develop relationships of substance with community partners, which can only serve to benefit adult learners across the province.

After gathering feedback from past calls for proposals, the ministries are also providing funding for the proposal process. This step recognizes the resources that go into developing proposals and meeting all criteria.

There are many positive changes in this proposal process (implementing feedback, funding for proposals) and there are areas for further development. The Ontario Literacy Coalition is providing this forum to hear your thoughts on the current Call for Expressions of Interest as well as on the overall idea surrounding Adult Learning Centre Demonstration Projects.

As always, we will provide the Ontario Government and its ministries with feedback based on your comments.

Posted in Adult Learning Centres, Government News, Literacy Field Information, Literacy's History. 4 Comments »

New Funding for Literacy Programs

March 27, 2009 — ontarioliteracycoalition

After a long and difficult decade of static funding, literacy programs in Ontario are set to receive an injection of $90 million over the next two years.

Finance Minister Dwight Duncan announced the additional funding for literacy and basic skills programming in the Ontario Budget 2009, released on March 26, 2009. The funding also re-introduced an emphasis on workplace literacy, an important focus for the province as it moves through these turbulent economic times.

The OLC was invited to attend the budget lock-up and OLC Executive Director, Lesley Brown, was able to ask questions of public officials and Ministry staff in advance of the Finance Minister’s speech.

The OLC will keep on top of this issue as it develops and we will be sure to keep you posted.

For more information on the LBS funding increase and refocus on workplace literacy, please see the following:

  1. OLC Press Release – Ontario Literacy Coalition welcomes Government of Ontario New Investment in Adult Literacy Training
  2. Full Details of the Ontario Budget  – Ontario Budget 2009

The Ontario Literacy Coalition worked in partnership with their Public Relations Committee to raise literacy and basic skills as a priority in meeting the growing demands for training and skills development within the province.

Members of the Ontario Literacy Coalition’s Public Relations Committee:

AlphaPlus Centre
Coalition ontarienne de formation des adultes
Deaf Literacy Initiative (DLI)
E- Channel Strategy
Laubach Literacy Ontario
Literacy Link Niagara
Literacy Northwest
Ontario Literacy Coalition
Ontario Native Literacy Coalition
Project READ Literacy Network Waterloo-Wellington
PTP (Adult Learning and Employment Programs)
QUILL Learning Network

Also consulted with:

CESBA
College Sector Committee
Community Literacy of Ontario

Posted in Announcements, Funding, Government News, In the News, OLC News. 5 Comments »
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