Introduction

A Summary of Adult Literacy and Basic Education in the NWT

In the north, the history of adult literacy and basic education spans about fifty years. During that time, many changes have occurred in adult programs as a result of an on-going process of developing, reflecting on, and reviewing goals, activities and outcomes.

In recent years, there have been significant changes, too, in the field of literacy. These include defining literacy more broadly, developing new forms of programs, and promoting the importance of literacy more vigorously. These changes stem partly from interventions related to literacy, such as:

• The Government of the Northwest Territories’ (GNWT) Literacy Strategy
• The GNWT’s Early Childhood Development Framework for Action, with its emphasis on the role of parents in children’s literacy development
• The GNWT’s Aboriginal Language Strategy
• The NWT Literacy Council’s focus on family literacy
• The increased emphasis on literacy in schools
• The involvement of the private sector in support of literacy.

The changes have brought new opportunities for adult educators to tie programs more closely to learners’ needs by expanding the types of programs offered in the north. Today adult literacy programs include: