About Us

The Centre for Literacy is a centre of expertise that supports best practices and informed policy development in literacy and essential skills by creating bridges between research, policy and practice. We do this through learning events (including institutes and workshops), action research projects and publications, and also through our library services and website.

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What's New

Accredited online course on Health Literacy now available to everyone

A continuing medical education online course with content created and recently revised by The Centre for Literacy is now available online through MDcme.ca. You will need to register with MDcme.ca from the front page of the course. Registration is free of charge.

Summer Institute 2013: Learning from IALS, Preparing for PIAAC - June 26-28, 2013

The Institute will examine and compare the learning from IALS and ALL across Canada and other countries, and explore how we can make most effective use of soon-to-be released PIAAC results.

Meeting Expectations: Measuring the Impacts of Workplace Essential Skills Training - Executive Summary

Measures of Success (MoS) was a national research project designed to assess the outcomes of workplace literacy and essential skills initiatives beyond immediate end-of-program results. This is the executive summary of the final report for the project.

Support for Pikwadin Project

The First Nations Human Resources Development Commission of Quebec (FNHRDC) has commissioned The Centre to select LES documents and resources to support LES training for their learners in four First Nations communities as part of the Pikwadin project.

Uncharted Territory: Can Social Innovation Revitalize Literacy and Essential Skills Programs?

This research brief summarizes the paper of the same title posted in February 2013. It highlights what is known about social innovation, describes and analyzes the different forms of social innovation and considers if and how it might apply in the context of literacy and essential skills in Canada.

April 2013 Research Scan

The April 2013 Research Scan includes summaries of:

  • OECD working papers on the PIAAC component “problem-solving in technology-rich environments"
  • Updates on and critiques of Social Impact Bond pilot projects
  • A study of recruitment and retention of learners in workplace programs in New Zealand
  • and more…