National Adult Literacy Database

The Activity Calendar for Canadian Families 2013 includes more than 30 learning activities for parents to do with children up to five years of age. The content supports early language development, early numeracy, pre-reading and pre-writing skills. Adult ESL and adult literacy learners would also be able to use the calendar to improve their language skills.

The Golden Oak program makes it possible for adult learners to build necessary skills, and also creates an environment where new readers of any age can discover the pleasure of reading a good book. The mandate of the Forest of Reading program has always been to foster a lifelong love of reading, and of course it’s never too late to begin.

Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty has introduced in Parliament Bill C-45, the Jobs and Growth Act, 2012. The Act implements key initiatives from Economic Action Plan 2012 to help grow Canada’s economy, fuel job creation and secure Canada’s long-term prosperity.

Halloween isn’t just about dressing up and trick-or-treating. ABC Life Literacy Canada offers 10 tips, tricks and treats for the whole family to enjoy this Halloween – all in the name of learning.

The Homelessness Partnering Secretariat and the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills have worked together to develop a guide which highlights easy-to-use literacy and essential skills tools available through HRSDC. Learn about the new guide during a teleforum on October 25 beginning at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time.

The implementation of revised international System of National Accounts economic accounting standards resulted in a slight downward revision to Canada's average annual growth in business sector labour productivity over the period 1981 to the second quarter of 2012.

Join the party to celebrate one of Canada’s most prestigious book awards, The Scotiabank Giller Prize, at the Scotiabank Giller Light Bash, in support of Frontier College. This year, there are parties held from coast to coast. You can celebrate in Halifax, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver. On Tuesday, October 30, join the action by watching the Scotiabank Giller Prize! Each party will have its own special fun.

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.

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.

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.

The Canadian Library Association is pleased to announce that October has been designated as Canadian Library Month. The idea for a month dedicated to library and information services in Canada was developed by library partners from across the country to help raise public awareness of the valuable role that libraries play in the lives of Canadians.

Ontario is making it easier for post-secondary education graduates to get their start in life by extending the grace period for repaying student loans for those who take their first job post-graduation in the not-for-profit sector.

Over the past 18 months, the Canadian Literacy and Learning Network (CLLN) has been engaged in a series of research projects exploring the links between literacy and earnings, resulting in the complex Literacy and Earnings Project.

Some of the fastest growing jobs in the coming decade have yet to be identified. In fact, the term “new job” itself is changing. It can refer to a job that did not previously exist, or a job that carries the same name but requires such different skills as to render it changed. In either case, the need for skilled employees to fill these positions is increasing.

“Ministers of education are pleased to add their voice to the global call for greater literacy for all peoples,” said Ramona Jennex, Chair of CMEC and Minister of Education for Nova Scotia. “We recognize that literacy is one of the pillars of an open and democratic, economically strong, and socially inclusive society.”