National Adult Literacy Database

Communities in Canada’s North often lag behind the South in terms of educational outcomes, but they are leaders in developing innovative ways to improve educational programming and delivery, according to a new report from The Conference Board of Canada’s Centre for the North.

High school students in Alberta will have greater opportunities to access trades and technology programs and post-secondary credits under a new approach to preparing teachers to specialize in skills training.

Not all francophone minority communities carry the same weight or have the same institutional support. “On the Acadian peninsula of New Brunswick and in certain regions of Ontario, people can easily obtain services in French. They have institutional support whereas in British Columbia it takes people a long time to obtain services in French. It is important to make that distinction,” says Yvon Laberge, a member of the NALD Board of Directors.

According to a recent national survey reporting on nearly 10,000 Canadian classes, one in every six students has an identified learning exceptionality. In addition, more than one in 10 students in these classes have challenges understanding the school's language of instruction. The survey, conducted by the Canadian Teachers' Federation drew responses from nearly 3,800 teachers, the largest number obtained in a CTF online survey to date.

Establishing a culture of learning in the home encourages an exchange of ideas, enriches family relationships, and bolsters confidence and independent thinking. On January 27 across Canada thousands of families, literacy groups, schools, libraries and community organizations gathered in their communities to celebrate the importance of literacy and learning in honour of Family Literacy Day – Canada’s largest family literacy initiative.

Literacy opens doors to the world. It is the foundation for continuous learning and a vital characteristic of the highly skilled population needed for Alberta’s next generation economy.

January 27 was Family Literacy Day and the National Adult Literacy Database (NALD) had the opportunity to speak to Sheree Fitch, award-winning Canadian children’s author, about what the learning journey means to her.

The Hershey Centre in Mississauga is the place to be on Family Literacy Day as the Mississauga Majors and Peterborough Petes battle on the ice on Friday, January 27, at 7:30 p.m. in the name of literacy and learning.

Young Inuit children are growing up with fast-evolving technology but some parents fear their traditional language skills just can't keep up. That's what inspired one Iqaluit father to create educational software for children in the Inuit language.

A First Nations Education Act could arrive before Parliament this year, aimed at breaking the cycle of failure on reserve schools and representing one of the most important and unexpected priorities for the Harper government.

Family literacy programs are offered in communities all over Canada and are directed towards parents to provide them with tools and strategies to support their children’s learning on a daily basis.

“Education is a priority of this government and I need input from people of all ages and backgrounds to ensure this new legislation reflects the values and priorities that Albertans place on their education system,” said Education Minister Thomas Lukaszuk.

A professor at the University of New Brunswick has been named one of the top 10 Canadian news makers in education technology for 2011 by one of the country's leading consulting firms. Steve Pierce, director of the Atlantic Centre for Educational Administration and Leadership with the university's faculty of education, joined the likes of David Suzuki, the British Columbia Premier's Council and digital media company Bitstrips Inc. on Mindshare Learning's second annual list.

A descendant of Irish immigrants, Paul Martin points to himself and other non-aboriginals. "Our ancestors were not treated very well," said Martin, adding that later generations were successful thanks to strong schooling.

Participate in the Family Literacy Day Colouring Contest from now until January 31, 2012, for a chance to win one of 13 Family Literacy Day Raise-a-Reader prize packs! If you haven’t already planned your Family Literacy Day activity for this year, this is a great option for everyone to enjoy on January 27.