Forum Highlights
Highlight presentations from each of the nine forum sites are showcased below. From solo to panel presentations, and from slam poetry to musical entertainment, the highlights vary from site to site. Click on a location on the map below to access local highlights or scroll down to choose your site.
Vancouver
Communities Working Together for Literacy
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In Conversation with Expert Panel
Leona Gadsby, Anne Cooper, John Boraas, Erica Johnson
Three talk-show style panel sessions explore the importance and experience of community in terms of effecting social change and draw out reactions to the keynote presentations. Panel members will reflect on community-based literacy development and discuss next steps.
Webcast Part I
Webcast Part II
Webcast Part III
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Shane Koyczan
Shane Koyczan is one of the world’s premier spoken word artists. He has performed at events around the world, including the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the Vancouver International Writers Festival, and the Nuyorican Poets Café in New York City. Shane’s lyricism inspires audiences and readers alike. He has won the US National Poetry Slam and the Canadian Spoken Word Olympics. His 2005 book of poems, Visiting Hours, was hailed as a “Books of the Year Selection” by the Guardian (UK) and the Globe and Mail (Canada). This archived presentation was Shane’s creation for the Vancouver site of the CMEC Pan-Canadian Interactive Literacy Forum.
Webcast -
Sylvia Tyson
Sylvia Tyson first made her mark in the 1960s with the folk/country duo Ian &Sylvia, which recorded 13 albums while at the forefront of the North American folk movement. Following the breakup of Ian &Sylvia in 1977, Sylvia released seven solo albums and hosted CBC radio and television music programs. Sylvia Tyson received the Order of Canada in 1995 and is one of the founders, past presidents, and honourees of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Sylvia was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2003.
Webcast
To continue the conversation, go to www.bcliteracyforum.ca.
Edmonton
Literacy: Never Too Early, Never Too Late
Alberta deputy ministers of education provide context and identify some of the challenges that need to be addressed.
Literacy learners in Alberta share their stories - their successes and challenges.
To learn more about literacy in Alberta, click here.
Whitehorse
Building Literacy Communities through technologies
Regina
Aboriginal Literacy
Winnipeg
Literacy Works! Building a Skilled and Resilient Workforce
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Igniting the Power Within
A panel made up of the Igniting the Power Within Steering Committee outlines this remarkable partnership between First Nations, Métis and government that’s delivering a series of four-level certification workshops focusing on workplace Essential Skills and PLAR-related information and training tailored specifically for an Aboriginal audience.
Webcast
Arviat
Literacy: The Path to Success
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Somebody’s Daughter (Inuktitut)
Somebody’s Daughter is a cultural healing and learning program for women, survivors of residential schools, and those affected by the residential school experience. It takes place on the land and incorporates literacy development and healing exercises through writing workshops.
Webcast
Toronto
Literacy for Life!
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Results without Rancour or Ranking: Ontario’s Improvement Strategy
Dr. Avis E. Glaze, Ontario's Education Commissioner and Senior Advisor to the Minister
The Province of Ontario has made the improvement of literacy and numeracy the centrepiece of its mandate. Clear achievement targets have been established for elementary and secondary schools. Human, financial and material supports have been augmented to support the initiatives. In this presentation, Dr. Glaze outlines the key strategies that have been used to bring about improvement in schools across Ontario. The focus has been on engaging teachers and principals and on building capacity at all levels of the system. Ontario is committed to achieving both excellence and equity.
Webcast
Montreal
Vision, Innovation, Participation
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Workshop 1: A Vision for Adult Literacy in Quebec
This workshop deals with Quebec’s vision for adult literacy and its effects; with the sharing of efforts in the struggle against illiteracy; and with the search for effective solutions to help enhance and retain basic skills.
Webcast (French) -
Workshop 2: Low Literacy Challenges — Health and Aging of the Population
The discussions of this workshop focus on raising stakeholders’ awareness of the challenges created by low literacy in terms of health and the aging of the population, in order to implement joint remedial measures.
Webcast (French) -
Workshop 3: How Adults Express Training Needs and How to Adapt Services Accordingly
Participants were asked to suggest new approaches to promoting literacy services that are adapted to the characteristics of the target population and the ways in which training needs are expressed.
Webcast (French) -
Workshop 4: Retention of Reading and Writing Skills — A Collective Responsibility
This workshop addresses possible concerted action on the part of social, economic, and cultural stakeholders to promote the retention of reading and writing skills through everyday activities.
Webcast (French) -
Interview with Nicole Roy and Céline Gaudreault, recipients of the Council of the Federation Literacy Award.
Webcast (French)
Saint John
Literacy: Passport to prosperity
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Rural Literacy Challenges
Dr. Robert Greenwood
Presentation from expert panel on literacy programming alternatives, formal and nonformal, to provide quality and accessible literacy programming and support to individuals in rural communities, recognizing the strengths, interests and concerns of communities and their members.
Webcast
Presentation (PDF) -
Confronting Canada’s Literacy “Problem”: New Insights from the Data Front
T. Scott Murray
This presentation, from the expert panel on the need to promote workplace/workforce skills, examines the importance of learning partnerships between business, labour, government and community that yield benefits for individuals, companies and the economic prosperity of the Atlantic region.
Webcast
Presentation (PDF)
