is published by

Metro Toronto
Movement for Literacy
344 Bloor St. West
Suite 306
M5S 3A7

Tel.: (416) 961-4013
Fax: (416) 961-8138

E-mail: glennp@mtml.ca
web: www.mtml.ca

Metro Toronto
Movement
for Literacy
is a network of organizations and
individuals who are
involved in and support adult literacy. We are an
independent
non-profit organization.
We provide leadership
and work actively to
develop and promote
adult literacy in Toronto
and
York Region.

The articles in Incoming do not necessarily reflect the views of
MTML.

Update from the Executive Director

Guy Ewing

Are you reading someone else's copy of Incoming? Would you like to receive your own copy of Incoming? Send in the following form to become a member of MTML.

For a membership form
click here

The Writing Circle:
Literacy and You

The Writing Circle, developed by the Red Lake Adult Learning Centre, was based on the Writing Out Loud Program developed by Deborah Morgan. This manual outlines the steps taken and recommended to host an on-line writing group and provides practical information on how to get one started. The manual will be available online from NALD by the end of the month and is available to borrow at AlphaPlus. If you have questions about this handbook or would like to order your own contact them at phone: (807) 727-3207.

Learning Disabilities Training: A New Approach

This resource from Literacy Link South Central was intended to provide literacy practitioners with information on how to:
• Identify potential learning disabilities.
• Screen for potential learning disabilities.
• Develop effective training plans for individuals with suspected learning disabilities.
• Implement effective instructional strategies.
The training has been developed in five modules which were also made available online through the Centra system. Module 1: Characteristics of adults of with Learning Disabilities and Understanding the Initial Screening Process. Module 2: Assessing Individual Strengths and Struggles: The Foundation for an Effective Training Plan. Module 3: Building an Effective Training Plan: Incorporating Learner-Centred Strategies. Module 4: Accommodations, Self-management and Transition Planning: Keys for Success. Module 5: Effective Instructional Methods They distributed one copy of this resource to each LBS program in Ontario. If you have any feedback or would like additional copies or more information you can contact Literacy Link South Central at phone: (519) 681-7307 or email: literacylink@bellnet.ca

Managing the Classroom to Improve Student Commitment

This report from the College Sector Committee builds on their What Works: Recruitment and Retention of Ontario Works Clients (January 2001) and Retention Through Redirection (March 2002). The emphasis of this report is on identifying practical classroom strategies and program policies to improve student commitment. The report is posted online on the College Sector Committee’s website at www.collegeupgradingon.ca

Adult Education in Canada and Sweden: Policy Differences
Nayda Veeman, formerly executive director of the Saskatchewan Literacy Network and a past president of the Movement for Canadian Literacy, is currently a doctoral student at the University of Saskatchewan and working with Professors Keith Walker and Angela Ward on a research project that compares adult education in Canada and Sweden from a social policy perspective.

The project addresses the question: What are the similarities and/or differences in Canadian and Swedish adult education policy? Work has already been done in Saskatchewan and Sweden, and the researchers now want to include other parts of Canada in the study. As part of her February 23 - 27 visit to Toronto, Nayda will be making a presentation of the project’s findings so far. She would also like to discuss the following issues with participants: • recent changes in program demand and delivery
• program delivery versus program funding and reporting time allocation
• effects of government or institutional policies on delivery and learner access.

This event is co-sponsored by the Festival of Literacies and MTML. It will be held at the MTML office, 344 Bloor Street West, Suite 306, (North side of Bloor, just west of the Spadina subway station) on Monday, February 23, from 2 to 5 p.m.

Voluntary Sector Knowledge Network
The Voluntary Sector Knowledge Network has easy-to-read mini-tutorials on a wide range of topics affecting nonprofits such as fundraising, community and government relations, people management, evaluation and much more. They offer management assistance for the staff and volunteers who lead Canada’s nonprofit and voluntary organizations.

VSKN is a web-based service intended as a resource that assists managers of non-profit organizations. It is intended to be of specific interest to smaller, organizations such as those that are volunteer led.
It is an interactive learning site which offers knowledge and support in three ways:

The Read About It component offers a vast array of information and materials about a topic gleaned from scouring the web for the “best sites”;

The Talk About It component gives visitors to the site an opportunity to discuss areas of mutual concern with colleagues though interactive discussion forums;

The Ask a Mentor component offers one- on-one sessions, for a limited time, with experts in the various areas of non-profit management.

Check out their website at www.vskn.ca

Free Income Tax Clinic
This free income tax clinic is for low income earners. It runs from March 1 to April 23. Appointments can be booked beginning on Monday, February 16. The tax clinic is located at Central Eglinton Community Centre, 160 Eglinton Avenue East. Phone: (416) 392-0511.

The YWCA of Toronto offers a variety of programs but the Life Skills and Community Support program has a Professional Facilitator Resources Department that may be of special interest to members of the literacy community.

The Professional Facilitator Resources Department is committed to improving the skills of group leaders and coaches through dynamic training and publications. They offer professional development and personal growth rooted in the experiential Life Skills group model. Some of their upcoming workshops include:
• Effortless Presentation Skills (Feb 25)
• Introduction to Facilitation Skills (Mar 29-30)
• Coaching Possibilities (Mar 1)
• Building a Coaching Business (Mar 12)
• Creative Problem-Solving (Jun 7)

Visit their website: www.ywcator.org It has some useful information and links like the online Life Skills Coaching Community. The website is set up differently than most sites and can be tricky to navigate so you may want to go directly to the Life Skills/Community Support program at: www.ywcator.org/lifeskills/index

MTML would like to run another Learners’ Conference this spring or early summer. Our staff time is limited this year, and we do not have any funding for this event, so it will have to be simple. But simple doesn’t necessarily mean boring - the feedback from last year was terrific.

To make the Learners’ Conference happen, we will need a committed steering committee. Would you be interested in helping to organize the Learners’ Conference? If so, please call the MTML staff.

Giving free clothing for men and women entering the workforce in Toronto since 2000, Dress Your Best is committed to providing a service that empowers men and women to seek employment. Dress Your Best gives each client an average of 5 outfits - 20 to 30 articles of clothing - including shoes and various accessories. The clothes and accessories are meant to provide the client with a complete quality wardrobe for interviews and ongoing employment. Their wardrobe coordinators offer a one-on-one service, in which they work together to choose outfits that will best fit the client’s needs and individual style.

Clients are referred through various non-profit agencies. They are a volunteer driven organization so the best way to contact them is through email: dressyourbest@sympatico.ca. For more information visit their website at www.dressyourbest.ca