Formal meeting situations pose great difficulty for most students. This is not a world many students are used to and some clearly feel uncomfortable "at the table". Written minutes, reports and correspondence are part of a system that can lead to disempowerment and exclusion. To overcome some of these obstacles, the following strategies may be beneficial:

• Use inclusive and plain language. Keep acronyms/vernacular/organizational jargon to a minimum during meetings and in written text.

• Utilize a multi-faceted communication style meeting approach-written/hands-on/verbal.

• Assign meeting pre-work or tasks that will familiarize participants with upcoming subject matter. Participants will be better prepared for the meeting and therefore more confident in their knowledge of meeting topics.

• Rotate presentations and discussion to ensure all participants are engaged in the discussion. Ask each participant to offer a comment, question or opinion on a subject which will ensure all have an opportunity to offer their contribution and no one will have the opportunity to dominate. Like anything else, the more often you do it, the better you get.

• Occasionally, rather than opening the floor for discussion on a topic, try soliciting minority opinions first and allow no one to interrupt until they are finished. Often the most vocal members or most frequently stated opinions receive the focus of our attention in meetings.

International Year of Volunteers provides a wonderful opportunity to share the power and rewards of volunteering with Laubach learners. I volunteer. We volunteer.

By Heather L. Harris

Every year Laubach Literacy of Canada is proud to recognize students who have made great progress in striving for and reaching their personal literacy goals. At this years Learning Achievement Award ceremony held at LLC's Biennial Conference in Charlottetown in May, the following individuals received awards. In attendance were:

Larry Mosher
Humber Literacy Council

Doreen Aubertin
Chateauguay Literacy Council

Elgin Murrin
Humber Literacy Council

Arthur Loiselle
Chateauguay Literacy Council

Theresa Murl
East Prince Literacy Council

Jacquie Palazuelos
Chateauguay Literacy Council

Louie Perry
East Prince Literacy Council

Norman Stacey
Chateauguay Literacy Council

Phil Beakhouse
P.A.L.S.

Tony Gombas
Laurentian Literacy Council

Unable to attend (awards were mailed)

Humber Literacy Council
Jean Blackwood, Donna Mitchell & Keith Pittman

East Prince Literacy Council
Ben Arsenault

Literacy Council of York South
Frankie Dejak, Ana Ferreira, Darryl Hamilton, Becky Henzel, Carla Monk, Gloria Rate, Lana Romic, Lanette Wright, Banafsheh Zeinaly

RECLAIM
Osmond Almarales, Yong-Ho Lee, Cynthia Stephens