National Adult Literacy Database

The first step is often the hardest, but once someone takes that step, they never look back. Just ask Tammy, an adult learner in Edmonton. “It just takes one little step - a phone call to a library or literacy centre. And then they’ll help you through it. It’s all worth it.”

“Ministers of education recognize that Canada works best when all citizens have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed,” said Ramona Jennex, Minister of Education for Nova Scotia and current Chair of CMEC. “This means there can be no one left behind: young people, adult workers, Aboriginal Canadians, new immigrants, and those with differing abilities. All must have access to quality educational opportunities to ensure their success.”

Adult learning in Canada and around the world since the Second World War owes a great deal to a handful of Canadians who continue to provide leadership today. Although adult education has been practised in Canada since the early 19th century, it wasn’t until after the war that it developed its own formal field of study.

For the 10th anniversary of International Adult Learners' Week in Canada (IALW) 2012, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO would like to stress the urgent need to reach a broader public. Better synergy among stakeholders facilitates the sharing of lessons learned, as well as its giving greater visibility to learners across the country, the organization says.

Take part in the celebration of International Adult Learners’ Week by practising your literacy skills - read about a new hobby, complete a crossword, word jumble or Sudoku puzzle, or sign up for a professional development program at work.

Grass Roots Press specializes in high-quality books for adults with low-literacy skills. Among the new titles is the Maple Leaf Series in which images illustrate the text, making the words easy to decode, and sentence patterns are repeated, making the text easy to read.

AlphaPlus outlines steps you can take to learn more about IALW, how you can get involved and what's happening in a community near you.

ACCC, in collaboration with Nova Scotia Community College, will host the World Congress of the WFCP in Halifax. Driving the Global Economy will stimulate dialogue on the profound influence of education on societies, economies and urban and rural communities.

The Learner Supports Conference: Helping the Struggling Learner: What Works and How? will be held April 26-27 in Truro, NS. Registration is open to practitioners including volunteer tutors, instructors, and program coordinators of the community-based learning organizations.

Those involved in the preconference will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the complex, fluid, and multiple nature of literacies and to discuss the opportunities this affords for research and teaching in adult literacies.

Before 1852, the Prince Edward Island education system was underdeveloped and there was a shortage of funding. Although it was regularly reviewed by government, the quality of education was inadequate. Teachers generally had poor wages and pay was sporadic, which often kept the finest instructors away from Island classrooms. By 1851, the public had grown unhappy with the status of education and pressed government to implement change.

In observance of International Adult Learners’ Week in Canada, NALD offers several handy tips for engaging learners in the education process.

March 24 to April 1, 2012, is International Adult Learners' Week. Members of Canada's literacy and essential skills community want to know how YOU continue to learn throughout the years.

Bilingual immigrants are healthier than those who speak one language, according to a new study from Rice University in Houston. Sociologists at the school rated the English and native-language skills of nearly 5,000 immigrants from China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Mexico, Cuba and Puerto Rico, then asked them to rate their own health.

Frontier College is observing 100 years of being a cornerstone of literacy support in Quebec, as well as the rest of Canada. Trained volunteers work with children, youth and adults in homework clubs, reading circles, and one-to-one tutoring. As well, Frontier College teaches other community organizations how to improve their clients' literacy skills.