Early Learning
Canada
Do you know a group of parents who could benefit
from the Early Learning Canada program? Are you interested in
being trained to give Early Learning Canada workshops in your
community?
Early Learning Canada
is an eight-module program to help parents understand learning
and discover ways to help their young children learn.
Those who work with children and families
(e.g., speech-language pathologists, audiologists) will be given
workshop leader training so that they can facilitate the program
in their communities.
We will be offering workshop leader training
in nine sites across Canada from January to March 2000. In order
to set up those training sites, we need to know who is interested
in being trained.
During the course of the project, workshop
leaders will:
- be given intensive training (free of charge)
over a weekend January-March 2000;
- work in pairs to set up and deliver eight
workshops in their community (free of charge) between April
2000 and January 2001;
- receive the Early Learning Canada resources
for themselves and their workshop participants;
- be given a $500 honorarium to cover costs.
If you are interested
in being trained as an Early Learning Canada workshop leader,
please contact Xania Gordon at the CCCF.
- Phone (613) 729-5289, ext. 24 or 1 800
858-1412, ext. 24
- fax (613) 729-3159
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Early Learning
Canada is sponsored by five organizations:
Canadian
Child Care Federation
Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs
Canadian Association of Speech-language Pathologists
and Audiologists
Learning and Reading Partners, Adult Learning System
Learning Disabilities Association of Canada
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Early Learning Canada is
a family literacy program designed for parents and other adults
who work with young children from birth to age six and their
families. CASLPA is pleased to announce its participation in
this exciting national literacy initiative. Those who are interested
in learning more about this program are invited to read the
executive summary:
EARLY LEARNING CANADA - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Early Learning Canada is a family literacy
program designed for parents and other adults who work with
young children from birth to age six and their families. Developed
in the knowledge that the definition of "family literacy"
is far broader than teaching reading and writing skills to families,
Early Learning Canada facilitates lifelong learning. It recognizes
the power of early intervention, the importance of strengthening
families and communities, and the necessity of an engaged community
in all parts of Canada for implementation, support, and sustainability.
Early Learning Canada is based on the understanding
that learning requires four interactive processes: thinking,
attitude, language, and knowledge. It recognizes that parents
and other adults who work with young children and families need
to understand the essential learning processes and incorporate
them into their daily activities. It acknowledges that learning
process approach, encouraging children to transfer knowledge
from one situation to another and to make connections that facilitate
learning.
Five non-profit organizations will partner
to develop and implement the project: The Canadian Child Care
Federation, the Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs,
the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and
Audiologists, the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada,
and Learning and Reading Partners, Adult Learning Systems. These
organizations represent 25,000 individuals working at the grassroots
level in their communities as child care providers, family resource
program staff, special education teachers, public health workers,
speech-language pathologists, audiologists, nursery school teachers,
community centre staff, playgroup supervisors, teachers' aides,
and parent volunteers.
The Early Learning Canada project will produce
flexible, community-based resources to enable community volunteers
to enhance early learning through workshops for parents and
those who work with young children and their families. A 170-page
learning guide containing 80 practical strategies has already
been drafted (HRDC funding); two training guides will be developed
(one for workshop leaders and one for workshop leader trainers)
as well as supporting course materials. All resources will be
pilot-tested and revised within the scope of the project. Learning
and Reading Partners, Adult Learning Systems will develop the
resources; the other partners (plus any other identified by
possible funders) will review the materials and provide training
sites and participants for the program.
Early Learning Canada uses a train-the-trainer
model based on community development principles to enable self-sustaining
grassroots delivery of the program. People who have heard about
the project are already self-identifying as willing participants
for the training.
The five partnering organizations are confident
that the time is right to mobilize their infrastructures to
help children to the best start for lifelong literacy. Early
Learning Canada is helpful for all parents and adults who work
with children and families, but will be particularly beneficial
for families where children are at risk of not developing sufficient
literacy and learning skills to be equal participants in Canadian
society as adults. It will have significant benefits for parents
with low literacy skills.
At the end of the 30-month project, over 200
individuals will have been trained to deliver the program in
their communities. The program will have been delivered in 75
communities nation-wide to more than 1,000 parents and adults
who work with young children and families.
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