Literacy and Basic Skills College Sector Committee

WHO?  WHY?  HOW?

 Welcome to the Ontario Community College Preparatory Programs Web site designed by the faculty at Cambrian College in Sudbury!

 WHO are we? 

 There are 25 Community Colleges in Ontario - 22 English and 3 French - all of whom  deliver academic upgrading to adults needing to improve their academic skills in order to access better employment or educational opportunities. The largest of these programs is the provincially funded Literacy and Basic Skills Program offered at 24 of the 25 colleges. For a complete listing of the colleges and the preparatory contacts go to College Sector Committee. 

Why was this web page developed? 

During the past 5 years,  the Workplace Preparation Branch of the Ministry of  Training Colleges and Universities ( MTCU ) has been leading an extensive updating of preparatory programming in Ontario. In addition to colleges, programming is also offered by community based and school board programs for English, French, Native and Deaf students.  This comprehensive system is supported locally by a system of 14  Regional Literacy Networks and provincially by  the AlphaPlus Centre and four umbrella groups. For a more complete description of the infrastructure in Ontario go to. 

A major part of this updating has been a move to a learning outcomes approach.  Teachers across the province have been engaged in developing learning demonstrations appropriate to a wide range of learner goals.  In the fall of 1999, college teachers came together regionally to share their experiences and make recommendations.  College teachers across the province wanted a web site where they could share demonstrations in three subject areas or domains - Communications, Numeracy and Self Management/Self Direction. To see brief descriptions of these demonstrations or to add your own go to Demonstrations.

 How can this web page help teachers and students? 

In the demonstrations pages ,  it is an opportunity to see what other College teachers have developed and to make contact with them. MTCU and the National Literacy Secretariat ( NLS) support the improvement of programming by funding many projects. To see brief descriptions of these projects go to Projects. The College Sector newsletter is published quarterly and provides updates on activities in the College Sector and around the province. For the most current newsletter go to “College Matters”. Finally, the Links page,  provides an opportunity to immediately access provincial and national web pages designed to help and inform literacy teachers.  Go to College Networks, Regional Networks, and Other Networks.