Quebec Literacy Working Group VOX Newsletter

Quebec English Literacy Alliance Reveals Impact of Federal Budget Cuts

The Quebec English Literacy Alliance, comprised of English school boards and community- based literacy groups across the province of Quebec, recently revealed the impact of the budget cuts made by the Harper government on literacy in Quebec. The cuts target both the French and English sectors; no one is spared. The lack of federal funding will greatly affect literacy services across the province and throughout Canada. Those organizations specializing in providing training and informationsharing activities as well as advocating for the advancement of literacy in the province have literally been dismissed as non-essential by the Conservative Government. “This is totally unacceptable”, stresses Carolyn Marsh, Coordinator of the Quebec English Literacy Alliance. “It is completely astounding that the government is telling 49% of the population that they don’t matter.”

By cutting funding to the members of QELA (who are all literacy providers) they will no longer be able to provide training, literacy program development and the coordination of literacy programs. This will directly affect the learners.

Excerpts from a Press Release issued by QELA at the end of October, 2006

	QELA HOSTS THE 2006 PETER GZOWSKI INVITATIONAL (PGI) GOLF TOURNAMENT FOR LITERACY
Full Story and pictures on pages 4 and 5.

QLWG’s Working for You:

QWLG Prepares to Test Distance Education Competency-Based Literacy Thematic Units

Notice to all literacy teachers! QLWG is currently completing the development of 27 competency-based thematic units for literacy distance education. Funding willing, we will be testing the units with literacy teachers across the province as part of our 2006—2007 project.

As the project is paper based (and not on-line), it will be useful to teachers in regular literacy classrooms as well. Competency-based learning meets the needs of all learners. It is important to keep in mind, however, that all learners are different. In order to address the needs and interests of all learners, units have been divided by Essential Life Skills and Individual Life Skills. (continued on page 2…)