FOREWORD

For literacy workers, learners, and friends who have participated in the Circle of Learning Levels 1 and 2, this document is the realization of a five-year investment in developing a tool for quality literacy programming in Saskatchewan.

Development of the Circle of Learning Benchmarks for Levels 1 and 2 was born out of work undertaken by the Provincial Literacy Steering Committee established in 2001 by Saskatchewan Learning to develop a “provincial literacy strategy for Saskatchewan”. For the first time in two decades, this represented a new opportunity to assess what was happening in literacy, to define strengths and gaps, and finally, to figure out what was needed. As the provincial literacy strategy took shape, the Steering Committee realized the value in laying the foundations for benchmark development, even before the strategy was completed. The Saskatchewan Literacy Network, with funding and support from the National Literacy Secretariat and Saskatchewan Learning, hired staff and established a Benchmarks Advisory Committee in 2002.

Comprised of learning sector representatives that included practitioners, administrators and employers, the Advisory Committee also included two learners, Lynda Richards and Ngeune Selinger, and Elder Irene Jacques from Standing Buffalo First Nation. To guide our ^{Footnote 1} work, each meeting began with a prayer in Irene’s own language. In an interview, Elder Irene explained:

… Before I start meetings, I always like to start with a prayer, that’s where I offer tobacco to the four directions, to the Grandfathers, to accept my tobacco in a good way and help us out, whoever is at the meeting – that we talk about is good, that what we want to know that we share our information in a good way – we’re all working toward one goal and I always…when the meetings are over that we all go our own ways, different directions. Get these people home safe, that they’ll see their home again. Bless everyone that they get home well – that’s the prayer that I ask. And for everybody’s help, prayers mean a lot.

The Committee was entrusted with the task of developing literacy benchmarks to be used in a variety of formal and non-formal learning contexts and communities. The benchmarks also had to dovetail with Level 3 of the Adult Basic Education Re-design model. Of particular concern was how we could develop a system of Literacy Benchmarks that were relevant to Aboriginal stakeholders. Irene’s presence and her prayers helped to guide our discussion. Through her teachings and our conversations within the group, we strengthened our understanding of the significance of the circle, its power and importance in First Nations’ culture, identity and spirituality:

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