This manual has nine sections. This “How To” section describes what is included in each section and how to use it. This manual has been designed so that you do not have to be a trained family literacy facilitator to run Get Set Learn. For words or concepts that you do not understand, please see the “Glossary” section for clarification. If you are a trained family literacy practitioner or have experience in family literacy, this curriculum may add to your repertoire.
You may decide that you want to use only the “Lesson Plans” section of this manual. Being a seasoned family literacy facilitator, you may only want new lesson plan ideas. If you are new to family literacy, you may need to use all of the curricula to set up your own Get Set Learn program. Either way, you may use the sections pertinent to your needs.
Section A, “ Introduction” provides an overview of the Get Set Learn program. This section is designed to give you the background knowledge necessary to determine if Get Set Learn is the family literacy program that would best suit the needs of your clients.
Section B, “Ready, Set, Go!” provides the organizational information necessary to set up your own Get Set Learn program. This section focuses on everything that you will need from hiring facilitators to run the program to finding the host sites for eight weeks.
Section C, “Evaluation” has all of the evaluations that are used in Get Set Learn. An explanation of evaluations; their importance and their use is included. An explanation of who completes what evaluation is also included.
Section D, “Kits” provides all the information you will need to create kits for Get Set Learn. It includes the actual books and educational toys you may use to set up your own kits, as well as crafts that you would implement with the families who participate in your program. The appendices at the back include templates for facilitators to photocopy and distribute to the families while doing the crafts.
Section E, “Lesson Plans” has an overview of the 16 lessons as well as detailed lesson plans used in Get Set Learn. This section will provide you, the facilitator with ways to extend or modify your classes should you encounter parents who have different literacy skills than those for which the curriculum was developed (Ontario Works clients with low literacy skills). The theoretical background for each lesson as well as the essential skills focused on, extensions or other information that you may incorporate into the lessons are also included.
Section F, “Glossary” is a section for the facilitator to refer to when concepts or words are new and unfamiliar.