With just three weeks under my belt as the new Family Literacy Coordinator Trainee, I’ve already had so many opportunities and learning experiences with the Council.
I enjoyed presenting our Science Fun and Little Chefs Family Literacy resources at the Early Childhood Symposium organized by the Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Education, Culture and Employment. It gave me a chance to meet some of our early childhood educators in the territory while getting more familiar with the Council’s family literacy materials. I was able to attend the Ecology North session on Early Childhood and Nature, presented by Rose Marie Jackson, and Merrill Dean’s session on self-regulation. These were phenomenal learning opportunities for me!
The excitement continued with a trip to Whitehorse with Kathryn, our Executive Director, and Amanda, our Youth Coordinator. We met up with our friends over at the Yukon Literacy Coalition and spent the week learning how to embed literacy and essential skills from former NWT Literacy Council staff member, Lisa Campbell. After two and a half days of Lisa’s guided workshop, we created our own mini course that we presented to our fellow learners.
Embedding literacy is including and teaching some of the nine essential skills (reading, writing, numeracy, document use, oral communication, working with others, thinking, computer skills, and continuous learning) while teaching a task or other subject or skill.
For example, if you’re teaching a cooking class you can embed literacy and essential skills by having participants double the recipe (numeracy and thinking skills), work in groups (working together and oral communication), make a class blog showing what they made (writing, computer skills, and working together) and follow a recipe (reading).
All nine essential skills are used in different combinations, for different tasks. At work, we need and use essential skills in various duties and responsibilities that come with our job. They are the building blocks needed to learn new skills.
This week participants from various NWT communities are in Yellowknife for our Family Literacy Training Institute. September wraps up with NWT Literacy Week. Whew! I’m relishing the fast pace, challenges and fabulous learning opportunities in my new job with the NWT Literacy Council.
-- Charlotte Upton
