In terms of planning curriculum and content, the student must be consulted as to needs and how best to meet them. If a student wants to learn about parenting, health, nutrition, budgeting, or any other non-traditional academic area, we must try to provide the information. Time to provide the class with the non-traditional information, the dollars to purchase special interest material, and the professional development of the instructor to turn any topic into curriculum are necessary to meet the needs of students.

A variety of programs are needed in communities. Programs are needed in institutions, such as community colleges and correctional centres, and in the community. The needs are as varied as the people who gain access, and programming in only one setting is not going to meet the needs of every adult.

Finally, to meet the needs of adults, both women and men, who come to upgrading, funding must be stabilized and increased. Few programs in our province have stable funding. Each year they have to apply for the few dollars that are available and each year the request for more programs grows. Special interest groups, such as literacy for the mentally challenged or literacy for seniors, are also seeking the same dollars. More and more people are coming to the programs requesting help with literacy needs. Yet no new commitment to funding for literacy has come about.

Summary

In summary, a holistic approach to literacy programming is essential if we want to meet the needs of all individuals. Programs must be flexible with time and curriculum. Students must be consulted when curriculum is being planned, and teachers must be trained in curriculum planning. Teachers must also be given counselling training in order to assist those students who need them as the first step to long term counselling. A variety of programs are needed within a community to meet the varied needs of individuals. Dollars must be stabilized and increased to adequately meet the growing demand from the public for basic education upgrading.