Best Practice Statements for the NWT
In 2002, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Aurora College
and the NWT Literacy Council began the Best Practices in Action Project. Representatives
from these three organizations were selected to be part of a Best Practices
in Action Working Group that would guide the project.
The idea was to create a comprehensive framework of best practices that would
encourage literacy providers to reflect on their practice and learn from others.
The framework has three tools:
- A self-assessment tool for programs
This tool consists of 17 best practice statements, followed by several key
elements and indicators. Each statement describes a key concept that we have
identified as integral to effective programs from current research and from
practitioners in the field in the NWT and elsewhere.
One or more key elements and a range of indicators follow each best practice
statement. When implemented, these will help achieve that best practice. Instructors
can check off each key element and indicator as a way to gauge the strengths
of their programs, and to identify areas where they want to make improvements.
This selfassessment tool will serve as a means to continuously improve programs.
At the end of this tool, readers will find a summary of research on the evolution
of literacy best practices, and on how various jurisdictions in Canada and
elsewhere address them.