Welcome to our section dedicated to sharing and continuing the experiences and learning that took place at the Spotlight on Learning: Literacy Takes Centre Stage conference held at the Delta Chelsea Hotel in Toronto, 2008.

Here you will find podcasts, summaries and pdf. files on the many excellent presentations, discussions and resources shared at the conference. You can also help us build content on this site that continues the spirit of the Spotlight on Learning conference by contributing to the knowledge base, skills and expertise of everyone interested and engaged in the literacy field. Throughout this section, we invite you to share your thoughts, comments and resources, and to ask questions and begin new dialogues.

You might want to start exploring this new section by listening to or reading the transcript of the podcast found on this page, which offers an overview of the conference proceedings. The podcast features an interview with Lesley Brown, Executive Director of the Ontario Literacy Coalition. In this interview, Lesley gives the OLC’s perspective on the Spotlight on Learning conference.

Use the menu bar on the left as a roadmap to more detailed information on the content of the conference presentations and workshops. Throughout these pages, you will find in-depth information on the resources shared at the conference as well as opportunities to contribute your thoughts and information on additional resources.

About the Conference

About 300 delegates gathered at the Spotlight on Learning: Literacy Takes Centre Stage conference to share and learn the latest literacy strategies, tap into relevant. . .

About 300 delegates gathered at the Spotlight on Learning: Literacy Takes Centre Stage conference to share and learn the latest literacy strategies, tap into relevant resources, and network. It was attended by a wide range of people – administrators, practitioners, researchers, adult literacy learners and other stakeholders – with diverse perspectives. Conference sessions covered seven major themes: Professionalism/Marketing, Labour Market Initiatives, Research and Policy, Family Literacy, Technology, Applied Learning, and Learner Leadership.

These sessions have been repackaged into six sections to help browsers locate information from the conference workshops: Literacy and Communities, Labour Market Literacy, Professionalism in the Literacy Field, Literacy Instruction, Literacy Program Management, and Building Learner Leadership. The sessions offered fresh perspectives on literacy practices and the latest research. They explored recent case studies and offered opportunities for hands-on learning. They were led by experts, academics, practitioners, government and business representatives, and others whose experience and know-how made them valuable resources for the delegates. The two plenary presentations featured presentations that set the stage for a dialogue surrounding what professionalism means in the literacy field. Dr. Allan Quigley’s keynote address reflected on how we think about professionalism in the field of literacy in terms of the head, the hand and the heart – knowledge, skills and values requirements. Scott Murray’s keynote address examined how we can draw from demographic data to improve our practice, target our programming and quantify literacy’s importance, in order to move the markers in achieving higher literacy levels in Ontario.

The conference also highlighted the importance of adult learner voices, offering a track of sessions specifically for adult learner delegates. In the Adult Learner Leadership Forum workshops were offered to help adult literacy students build their leadership skills. These specially invited delegates from across Ontario gathered to share their experiences and to acquire tools and information they can use to further increase awareness of literacy issues in their own communities.

Many delegates took advantage of the conference trade show to learn more about literacy tools, organizations, resources, and services available at the local, provincial and national levels. The trade show displays offered delegates the chance to informally network with one another and to see and hear new approaches to literacy such as using Hip Hop as a learning tool!

“I really enjoyed the Hip Hop display/organization. What an interesting and creative way to teach literacy! Had they not been present, I would never have learned about them.” – conference delegate

What Delegates Said about the Conference

A huge and highly accessible event, the Spotlight on Learning conference had something for everyone who works in or cares about literacy. No wonder it attracted presenters. . .

A huge and highly accessible event, the Spotlight on Learning conference had something for everyone who works in or cares about literacy. No wonder it attracted presenters and delegates from across the country.

Here is just a sampling of what delegates had to say about their experiences at the conference:

“This kind of conference helps people to look to the future, talk to colleagues, improve their work and be inspired…”

“We adult learners are not always aware of the leadership role we play in the community and our own lives. In my opinion the leadership forum provided the recognition of the right and the power of our voices and our contributions.”

Thank You Conference Sponsors

Have Your Say. . .

As you can see from the evaluative comments on the conference, participants provided both qualitative and quantitative feedback. The Spotlight on Learning conference, through its keynote addresses, offered qualitative and quantitative perspectives on the value of literacy work. What do you think are the pros and cons of describing the value of literacy work in qualitative terms? In quantitative terms? What are your experiences?

Post on our blog!