National Adult Literacy Database

As part of The Globe and Mail's recent Re:Education series, students from across the country were asked to weigh in with their ideas for improving post-secondary education in Canada.

The Ipsos Reid survey on depression in the workplace is the latest national survey on workplace mental health commissioned and funded by the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace.

The Prince Albert Literacy Network's Child Care Worker Preparation for Certification Program has won the 2012 Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Literacy Innovation Award. The program prepares First Nations, Métis and unemployed learners with lower levels of literacy to pursue child care careers.

With support from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Legacy of Hope Foundation, the Residential Schools curriculum is now a key section of the Northwest Territories Northern Studies course and the Nunavut Social Studies course. The curriculum was piloted in March of 2012 with a select number of schools across the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Employment increased for the second consecutive month in September, up 52,000, mainly in full-time work. There was more employment in a number of industries, including retail and wholesale trade; construction; information, culture and recreation as well as agriculture. Employment rose in Ontario and Manitoba and fell in Saskatchewan with little change shown in the other provinces.

“Take a stand for teachers” is the slogan of World Teachers’ Day 2012 which UNESCO is celebrating along with its partners: the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF and Education International. Taking a stand for the teaching profession means providing adequate training, ongoing professional development, and protection of teachers’ rights.

An adult learning centre agent from Quebec shares his methods for approaching local businesses. The demand for these programs is out there; the key is to let employers and workers know that these innovative training programs are available.

Since 2001, Literacy Nova Scotia has set aside the first full week in November to celebrate, promote and acknowledge the many roles that literacy and essential skills play in the lives of every citizen in Nova Scotia. All friends of literacy are encouraged to take action and to tell others about the importance of literacy and essential skills in everyone’s life.

Author Sheree Fitch is honorary spokesperson for the New Brunswick Literacy Coalition. The coalition initiated the Sheree Fitch Adult Learner Scholarships given out annually from monies raised by Peter Gzowski Invitational Golf Tournaments for Literacy.

For Essential Skills Day on September 21, Literacy Alberta asked practitioners across the province to put on their thinking caps and visualize the nine essential skills in a photo scavenger hunt. Winners were the Centre for Newcomers, the Centre for Family Literacy, and VegMin Learning.

As the country continues to experience skills shortages in key sectors of the economy, Randstad Canada describes the country's growing shortage of highly skilled labour as critical, predicting shortages in the manufacturing, automation and energy and utility industries.

Designed for primary and secondary schools in Britain, No Pens Day is for speaking and listening and reflects the increased focus on embedding speech, language and communication into all subjects.

ABC Life Literacy Canada has announced the 2012 Life Literacy Award winners in recognition of outstanding achievement in adult literacy and essential skills. Awards were presented in the categories of community literacy, workplace education, journalism and corporate excellence.

Each month NALD releases Library user statistics in a feature known as the Top 20 downloads. The report examines the number of NALD Library documents which are viewed and downloaded by visitors to the websites NALD.

Clear Language and Design's Sally McBeth has selected two "humble items" from her household mail to illustrate the benefits of choosing clear language in writing. The first piece she has rewritten for the sake of clarity; she is offering the second one as an exercise to help mark International Clear Language Day.