The Adult Literacy Educator Certificate Program
The Certificate Program has been designed to address the training needs of Adult Literacy Educators. It provides an in depth exploration of key principles, practices, concepts and issues that shape the role of the literacy educator in the delivery of literacy and basic skills programming. It was developed with input from both experienced literacy educators and those who were relatively new to the field. Their experiences represented a variety of program settings and their work with learners who have a variety of literacy skills and learning needs.
You can download “The Program at a Glance” and “So – What's in it for Me?". These two documents provide a good summary of all the information you’ll find on the website.
The Certificate Program allows course participants to gain the skills and knowledge needed to work in the literacy field. Successful completion of the program will give you the ability to:
- Demonstrate the sensitivity and knowledge needed to be able to respond to the needs of adult literacy learners.
- Apply “hard” skills to develop and implement a course of action to meet the specific goals of individual learners.
- Understand literacy delivery in an outcomes-based environment in variety of settings and milieus.
- Act in the best interest of the adult learner; respect the rights of the individual and acknowledge the central role of the adult learner in the learning process.
- Demonstrate an awareness of the opportunities for professional development, and the need to keep abreast of new developments and participate in self-assessment and lifelong learning.
There are seven courses, or modules, including a Fieldwork Placement in the Certificate Program. The courses are:
- The Adult Literacy Learner
- Assessing and Evaluating Literacy Learning
- Planning for Literacy Learning
- Foundational Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy Instruction
- Applied Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy Instruction
- Fieldwork Placement
- Choice of Four (4) Electives:
- Professional Pathways in Adult Literacy,
- Making It Work: Workplace Basics for Adult Education,
- Learning Disabilities and Adult Literacy, and
- Planning Programs for Employment Outcomes
To qualify for the Certificate you must successfully complete all the courses and the field placement.
If you aren’t currently working or volunteering in the literacy field, we strongly recommend that you establish contact with one or more literacy programs in your area. To find out where the programs are in your community go to www.nald.ca and click on Literacy Organizations and then click on Provincial and Territorial Organizations.
