Why a literacy awareness campaign needs to engage youth

March 24, 2010

If you are putting together an literacy awareness campaign, whether it focuses on adult literacy or any other kind (numeracy, financial literacy, health literacy, technology literacy… you get the idea) it is important to engage youth in the process too. Why? Two reasons. First off, they are the adults of tomorrow. Secondly, we have seen trends where youth influence and educate adults on major shifts in thinking. Where adults get entrenched, youth and teens have open minds.

Let’s look at a couple of concrete examples.

1970s: The Metric System

Sarah Eaton literacy speaker keynote researcherIn the late 1970s metric was introduced to Canada. A major campaign was launched at all levels, including youth. I know this because I was a youngster growing up in Canada at the time. In school were given rulers, measuring cups and spoons to take home. I remember teaching my Mom how to use the new measuring spoons and cups. We looked at recipes together and figured out how to translate old measurements into new and vice versa. I wasn’t alone. My classmates were doing the same thing. The children of that era engaged their parents on what metric was and how it worked. Now metric is an integrated part of Canadian life.

1990s: Recycling

Sarah Eaton Calgary education literacy speaker keynote researcherIn the 1990s, a similar thing happened with the recycling movement, not only in Canada, but in the U.S.A. and various other countries, too. While the end objective was to get families and adults to recycle, the movement was actually led by the youth and teens who learned about it in school and took action. They educated their parents and other adults about the need for recycling.

Now that generation is now in their 20s, possibly approaching their 30s, and they have changed the way all of us think about our environment.

21st Century: Literacy

In the first half of the 21st century, literacy is our focus. We are reinventing our notions of literacy like never before in history. Any literacy Alphabet building blockscampaign that does not engage youth is incomplete. It is the youth who will lead the adults into new ways of thinking and acting. They will not only de-stigmatize literacy, they’ll make it “cool” to know about literacy and value it. And once it is “cool”, engagement levels will skyrocket. Literacy as a stigmatized issue will become a memory.

Literacy awareness campaigns, promotions and marketing should engage young people in as many ways as possible. It is they who will take new – or renewed – ideas and put energy into making them issues of importance. The youth will be agents of change when it comes to literacy in the 21st century, not us more mature folk.

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

2 Comments | Communication, leadership, Literacy, marketing, youth | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

How to Market Your Language Program – Idea #3 – Set reasonable goals

March 7, 2010

Use the SMART approach to reach marketing goals for your language or literacy program:

Specific – For many language and literacy programs increasing enrollments is a general goal. Make it specific by knowing how many students you have had in the past 3-5 years. If you do not know how many students you had enrolled in your courses over the past year (or 2 or 5), now is the time to find out. This is the kind of information you want at your fingertips so that when you are conversing with colleagues and business associates, you can mention both your current enrollment and your plans to increase it. From there you can set a specific target for increasing your enrollments.

Measurable – A Generally a 10% to 20% growth rate per year is an attainable goal for increasing student enrollments, providing there are no market crashes or other circumstances outside your control that could affect this growth. So, if you currently had 200 students, you could set your goal to 220 or 240 students.

Attainable – If you set the bar too high, you won’t be able to reach your goal. I have found that many “higher ups” in educational institutions insist on goals that are not easily attainable. One university language program director told me that the institution’s V.P. had imposed a goal of 300% increase in ESL enrollments in one academic year, or the program would shut down. Setting this kind of goal sends people (especially program staff) off into a panic. You can set goals, high and still keep them attainable. They key is motivation. In order for goals to be reached, people must believe they can be reached. Your staff have to be motivated to reach the bar you set for them. Ask yourself if the goals you have set motivate your staff to try and reach them. If the answer is yes, your goal is attainable.

Realistic – A realistic goal is one you can reach within a given time frame. If there were currently 10 students registered in your program, it would be unlikely that you could raise that to 1000 students in one year. Generally, the smaller your program, the more capacity for growth you have. It would not be unreasonable to expect a 100% increase in enrollment in one year if your program had only 10 students. However, if you are already at 200+ students per year, you will need to set a realistic goal for growth through your marketing program.

Imagine saying to your colleague, “Last year, we had 150 students. Our strategic marketing plan includes a 10% growth rate. We are expecting to reach 165 students enrolled before the end of the year.” Doesn’t that sound good? Well, that could be you talking in your next business encounter, providing you have your figures straight. That 10-second elevator speech is powerful, clear and conveys strong leadership.

Timely – Set a time frame for figuring out your goals. This can be by calendar year, academic year, semester or month. The time frame itself is less important than your consistency in using it as a measuring tool. For educational programs, yearly goals are common.

For the first year, set modest goals for your marketing program. Let your entire administrative team and teaching staff know what the program’s goals are. An example might be, “Did you know that last year we had 200 students enrolled in our program? It is our goal to increase that number by 20% this year. We’re going for a total enrollment of 240 students and two extra classes. Ask us how you can help!”

This post is adapted from an excerpt from 101 Ways to Market Your Language Program

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

2 Comments | 101 Ways to Market Your Language Program, Communication, education, goals, languages, Literacy, marketing, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Formal, non-formal and informal learning: The case of literacy and language learning in Canada

February 16, 2010

This new research report is freely available in e-format (.pdf).

Executive Summary

This research report investigates the links between formal, non-formal and informal learning and the differences between them. In particular, the report aims to link these notions of learning to literacy and essential skills, as well as the learning of second and other languages in Canada.

Philosophical underpinnings of this research are:

  • There is value in learning of all kinds.
  • Learning is a lifelong endeavour.
  • An interdisciplinary approach is valuable.

Notions of formal, non-formal and informal learning may be briefly outlined as:

Formal learning – This type of learning is intentional, organized and structured. Formal learning opportunities are usually arranged by institutions. Often this type of learning is guided by a curriculum or other type of formal program.
Non-formal learning – This type of learning may or may not be intentional or arranged by an institution, but is usually organized in some way, even if it is loosely organized. There are no formal credits granted in non-formal learning situations.
Informal learning – This type of learning is never organized. Rather than being guided by a rigid curriculum, it is often thought of experiential and spontaneous.

– (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development / Organisation de Coopération et de Développement Economiques (OECD), n.d.; Werquin, 2007)

Examples are given for literacy and essential skills, as well as second and other languages for each of the categories mentioned above.

Finally, the examples of systems developed value different types of learning using asset-based approaches are given. The tools developed by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada are explored for the case of literacy. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages developed by the Council of Europe is considered for second and other languages.

Copies of the report may be accessed through:

National Adult Literacy Database (Canada)

http://library.nald.ca/research/item/8549

or

European Association of Education for Adults (Helsinki, Finland)

http://www.eaea.org/news.php?aid=17397&k=2088&%20d=2010-02

or

National Library of Canada – Online Archives Collection (Canada)

http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/003/008/099/003008-disclaimer.html?orig=/100/200/300/eaton_intl_consulting/formal_non/Literacy_languages_and_types_of_learning.pdf‘

or

The Encyclopedia of Informal Education

http://www.infed.org/archives/e-texts/eaton_formal_nonformal_informal_learning.htm

or

Global Literacy Foundation

http://globalliteracy.org/Eaton

or

Centre for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA) (United States)

http://www.cal.org/CALWebDB/ESLResourceDB/ (Resource #0274)

New! August, 2010 – Check out the companion report: Formal, Non-Formal and Informal Learning in the Sciences.

Related posts:

Formal, non-formal and informal education: What Are the Differences?

Formal, Non-formal and Informal Learning (Infographic) https://wp.me/pNAh3-266

Formal, Non-formal and Informal Learning: A podcast

Breathtaking Impact of Volunteers’ Contribution to Non-formal and Informal Literacy Education in Alberta

Formal, Non-formal and Informal Learning in the Sciences

The many faces of non-formal learning

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

11 Comments | Communication, education, languages, Literacy | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Literacy and Essential Skills (video)

February 12, 2010

Here’s a new video that I just posted on Literacy and Essential Skills, as defined by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada:

Related posts

Canada’s 9 Literacy and Essential Skills http://wp.me/pNAh3-qi

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

2 Comments | Communication, education, Literacy | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Tips for success at educational trade fairs

February 10, 2010

Here are some tips I’ve used myself at educational trade fairs. They could just as easily apply to business trade shows too, I would expect, but since my experience is in the educational sector, I’ll stick to what I know. A few of them were passed on to me by others who were seasoned veterans of the fair circuit, so let me publicly thank them for helping me out when I was a rookie. I’m happy to share all these tips with you:

Think “first aid kit”. First aid kits are full of little things you need in emergencies. Your “trade fair kit” should include tape, push pins, “fun tack” (sticky putty that holds posters to the wall without marking the wall) business cards, markers, pens, elastic bands, a couple of large envelopes, a note pad and a pair of scissors. Bring everything you need to make your booth beautiful. Bonus tip: Using clear packing tape, I always tape a business card to the handle of my scissors so if anyone asks to borrow them, they will remember who to return them to. It’s amazing how many things get lent – and then lost – at a trade fair!

Stay hydrated. Exhibition halls can get hot and usually don’t have a lot of fresh air. You may get dehydrated more quickly than usual. Keep a bottle of water handy and drink from it often. Coffee, tea and colas will dehydrate you (and they’ll look terrible if they spill on your clothes.) If you’re travelling in a foreign country remember to buy bottled water. Make sure the bottle is sealed when you get it. Otherwise, it may have been refilled with local tap water which may contain bacteria that is not agreeable to your system.

Dress for comfort. You’re on the go for 10, 12, maybe 14 hours (or more). You need to look professional, but you also need to be comfortable. If your shoes hurt your feet, leave them at home. If your favorite suit is a bit snug these days, forget it. The bottom line is that if you’re not thinking about what you’re wearing, you’re more likely to concentrate on your work. Bonus tip: Bring some stain remover. In Canada, for example, you can buy a box of individually wrapped stain-wipes and I expect you can get them in many other countries, too. They are great for travelling. If you spill something on yourself, you may not have time to run back to your room to change.

Be a know-it-all. People are more likely to remember you if you are helpful to them. Before the doors crash open and people flood the hall, make a point to find out where the closest bathrooms, exits, water fountain, information booth and cafeteria are. No, it’s not your job to direct traffic, but if you can be helpful to others, they will appreciate it and you’ll leave them with a positive impression.

Smile, smile, smile! Once students, agents and parents fill the hall, this is your time to shine. Make a point to smile to as many of them as possible. Sometimes, people start concentrating on answering questions or focus on how tired or jet lagged they feel. The tough reality is that students and parents have no idea how you feel and most of them won’t care. They will care, however, if you make them feel good. A smile always makes people feel good.

Be a farmer. Trade fairs are a place to plant seeds that will grow later. Collect as much contact information as you can, so you can stay in touch with people later. This is called “harvesting information”. One way to do this is to offer a draw for something that people are really keen on. Free tuition is always a hit. Then, use your entry forms to follow up with people when you get home. Plant the seeds. Nurture the relationships that germinate at trade fairs and some of them will blossom into registrations for you.

Warning – Don’t eat alone. Trade fairs mean networking. Valuable meetings can happen over meals or coffee. Use this time to build relationships with other professionals, agents or a new contact. Remember that the best way to network is to make yourself an excellent resource for others. Be ready to offer your own tips, ideas and information. Doing so will help others remember you – warmly.

(This post is a reprint of an article originally written by the blog author in the October 6, 2003 edition of the “weekly e-newsletter for subscribers of marketinglanguageprograms@yahoogroups.ca”.)

Related posts:

How to find a good ESL agent: Tips from the trenches

Tips for finding ESL educational agents

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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