You can, with your bosses, co-workers, board members, ask funders for what you want and get it! Learn six reasons people won't ask for what they want and the ten benefits of asking. Learn who to ask, what to ask for, how to deal with rejection, and the anatomy of the ask.

If you are a visionary thinker wanting to move your CALP ahead then you will want to attend this session.

Presenter:

Jane Brenner has 36 years of experience working in Adult Education. In this time, she went from working part-time as a one-person office to full-time with 25+ staff managing eight programs. Starting with a budget of less than $20,000, Jane grew it to a budget of over a million dollars. Now retired, Jane loves to teach others how to unlock the potential of asking for what you need to make a difference for adult learners and your community.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn who to ask, what to ask for, and how to ask for what they want and get it
• Participants will learn strategies for successfully moving their CALP to greater heights and possibilities
• Participants will take away the confidence and strategies to ask for what they and their learners and CALP need

Primary Session Thread: Budget & Finances

Target Audience: Community Adult Learning Program Staff, Adult Literacy Practitioner, Board Members of Community Adult Learning Program

Recommended Participant Experience: Any level of experience

Beginner-level (L2) learners often lack the ability and confidence to produce sounds they are unfamiliar with.  A new online resource will introduce shadowing as a technique that will help empower your learners in class and encourage independent pronunciation practice that focuses on supra-segmentals, rhythm, stress, and intonation.

Presenters:

Elsie Johnson has worked in the field of adult second language literacy for 25 years and is currently teaching in the foundations program at Sacred Heart School. Elsie is also a Portfolio Based Language Assessment Lead.

Karen Bradley has worked in the LINC program at Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers (EMCN) for over 10 years. She also developed training material, instructed and co-facilitated job training for the First Steps to Integration Program at Multicultural Health Brokers Co-op (MCHB) in Edmonton.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will understand the pronunciation technique of shadowing, and why we have modified it for adult ESL literacy learners
• Participants will learn various pronunciation features such as word stress, rhythm, vowels and consonants
• Participants will walk away with shadowing resources that have been adapted for adult ESL literacy learners

Primary Session Thread: English Language Learning

Target Audience: Adult Literacy Practitioner, Volunteer Tutor

Recommended Participant Experience: Any level of experience

Would you like to learn strategies for creating engaging content on Instagram? This session will show you tips to use Reels, Stories and current trends to create content that is creative and gets noticed! This session is best suited for those responsible for posting content on social media.

Presenter:

Nicole Levesque recently celebrated her 10-year anniversary with Literacy for Life. She began as a Program Coordinator and has been in the ED position since early 2020. She enjoys meeting the needs of the learners in the beautiful Foothills County in Southern Alberta.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn ways to use Instagram at its fullest potential by exploring Reels, Stories and Trends
• Participants will learn how to create more engaging content
• Participants will leave with knowledge of how to better use Instagram as a marketing tool

Primary Session Thread: Marketing & Social Media

Target Audience: Community Adult Learning Program Staff

Recommended Participant Experience: Any level of experience

Join us for an overview of immigration pathways. Attendees will learn about family, work, and refugee programs. We’ll discuss struggles and approaches to supporting adult learners based on status or journey. We’ll also look at why Ukrainian immigrants are not considered refugees and what that means while they are in Canada.

Presenters:

Erin Wight is the Director of MacEwan International and a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. She works with a dedicated team that facilitate access to international and intercultural learning in Canada and abroad.

Nataliya Oliferchuk is the Manager of International Student Services and a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. She oversees international advising and retention at MacEwan, which blend academic, immigration, and engagement guidance for international students and refugees.

Learning Objectives:

• To provide an overview of Canadian immigration programs
• How students can struggle while navigating their immigration status or a specific program
• Approaches to better understanding and supporting adult learners in their immigration journey from our community of practice

Primary Session Thread: Newcomer Supports for English Language Learners

Target Audience: Community Adult Learning Program Staff, Adult Literacy Practitioner, Volunteer Tutor

Recommended Participant Experience: Any level of experience

Did you know algebraic thinking is one of the first numeracy skills individuals develop as early as infancy? Join Lara as she overviews some considerations and examples of ways to make algebraic thinking less scary and more accessible and relevant to adult learners of all backgrounds.

Presenter:

Lara Ripkens is an instructor with Portage College and has previously served with the Alberta government, Alberta Teachers Association, and Northern Lights School Division in multiple roles. Her passion is making education accessible and engaging for all learners in all areas.

Learning Objectives:

• To support CALP staff and volunteers in engaging adult learners in numeracy development
• Participants will learn (or reinforce learning) on algebraic thinking skill development for adult learners and how it connects to other areas of learning and life
• Participants will build competence and confidence in supporting learners in numeracy development

Primary Session Thread: Numeracy

Target Audience: Community Adult Learning Program Staff, Adult Literacy Practitioner, Volunteer Tutor

Recommended Participant Experience: Any level of experience

Motivation is not a character trait. Lack of motivation is not a personality flaw. Instead, motivation is a biochemical process that happens in the body. Motivation is linked to the reward system in our brain, fueled by neurotransmitters and chemical messengers, and there are ways to improve one's motivation.

In this session, you will learn:

• What motivation is
• The assumptions society holds about motivation and how they can hold us back
• The biochemical messenger system that is responsible for motivation
• Simple and effective ways to improve motivation

Presenter:

Allison McKee is a wife and mom to three. If she has a spare moment, she'll be somewhere outside. She’s an avid hiker, gardener, camper, and backpacker and finds great joy and awe in nature. She is a lifelong learner. So much so, that she went back to university as a pandemic time filler and is almost finished with her psychology degree. In her studies, she’s focused on cognitive psychology, adult learning, adult development, developmental psychology, and awe and happiness. Her desire and purpose are to share what she learns so that others can learn, develop, and grow - living lives that feel good.

Learning Objectives:

• To bring awareness to the concept of motivation as a biochemical and adaptable concept rather than a personality trait
• Participants will learn what motivation is from a scientific perspective
• Participants will take with them tools to 'hack' their motivation and feel confident in setting themselves up for success

Primary Session Thread: Mental Health & Learning

Target Audience: Community Adult Learning Program Staff, Adult Literacy Practitioner, Family Literacy Program Practitioner, Board Members of Community Adult Learning Program, Volunteer Tutor

Recommended Participant Experience: Any level of experience

Join Elder Dave Matilpi and Lori St.Cyr as they take you on a journey where wisdom is shared within the scared circle. Discover the roles of Elders as storytellers, teachers, protectors, and healers – a space where community, knowledge and tradition come together to create a space of understanding and connection.

Presenters:

Elder Dave Matilpi is originally from Alert Bay BC, and a member of the Kwakiutl nation. He is an in-resident Elder at the Sagitawa Friendship Centre and has worked in the area for more than 25 years helping people find spiritual strength and understand their cultural teachings. As an Elder Dave knows the only power he has is the voice of the people, the people guide him as a pipe carrier, sacred Fire Keeper, Sacred Eagle Fan and the Knowledge of our Elders, children and Ancestors. Elder Dave has worked within the CALP system for many years and has a broad understanding of the work we do.  

Lori St.Cyr is a Metis from Peavine Metis Settlement and she is land steward with a commitment to preserving Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Lori is dedicated to raising Indigenous voices and fosters understanding by sharing of culture and traditions, and she takes time to cultivate allyship for Indigenous people.

Learning Objectives:

• To expand participant’s knowledge about Elder Teachings
• Participants will be emerged in the process of circle
• Participants will take away a greater understanding of Elder Teachings and the power of circle

Primary Session Thread: Indigenous, Metis and/or Inuit Learning and Learners

Target Audience: Community Adult Learning Program Staff, Adult Literacy Practitioner, Family Literacy Program Practitioner, Board Members of Community Adult Learning Program, Volunteer Tutor

Recommended Participant Experience: Any level of experience

This session will examine the various ways to talk about literacy. From citing statistics to telling stories, literacy practitioners need to be nimble in make the case for literacy, especially for community-based literacy.

Presenter:

Brigid Hayes provides strategic planning and policy consulting in adult literacy and skills. Previously, Director - Labour, Canadian Labour and Business Centre and for 14 years Program Consultant, Business - Labour Partnerships, National Literacy Secretariat, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will understand the range of ways to discuss/promote literacy and how best to use each of those ways
• Participants will gain an understanding of the importance of storytelling; information about the upcoming PIAAC report; and how to craft their own message
• Participants will work on developing the outline of their own messages, which they can take with them to develop further once they are home

Primary Session Thread: Adult Literacy

Target Audience: Community Adult Learning Program Staff, Adult Literacy Practitioner, Board Members of Community Adult Learning Program

Recommended Participant Experience: Any level of experience