leadership | Learning, Teaching and Leadership

Why literacy teachers need digital literacy

April 1, 2010

It drives me crazy people who are in leadership positions who somehow feel they’re now exempt from the need to learn further. People who work in literacy and languages know their stuff. At least they know it when it comes to traditional literacy. I am baffled by the number of people who work in that sector who lack technological literacy.

These are trained teachers, dedicated tutors and people who really make a difference in the world. Yet, when it comes to technology they flap around giving excuses not unlike their very own learners, trying to mask their own lack of skills. How about, “Oh, I don’t have time,” or “I don’t get all that stuff” or “What good is it going to do me?” or my personal favorite, “I’ve gotten along just fine until now, thank you very much.”

In today’s world where we use tools like the International Adult Literacy and Life Surveys Skills IALSS to demonstrate an individual’s strengths, it seems to me that this very scale should also apply to those who work in the industry, not just the learners.

It’s not enough to know how to turn on your computer and use your mouse. Maybe that would count as Level 2 on the IALLS scale? In today’s world, if we are talking about functional ability to use technology to interact and prosper, we’re looking at the need for skilled leaders – say Level 3 minimum, though even better, Level 4. That means knowing what social media is (and knowing how to use it), exchanging ideas with other professionals in a discussion forum and possibly even knowing how to Skype so you can connect with others far away at a low cost.

So, if you were to score yourself on the IALLS scale for technology, where would you rank?

If it’s good for the learner, it’s good for the leader. How are you supposed to lead by example if you’re not living what you want your learners to live?

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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.

3 Comments | IALSS, leadership, Literacy | Tagged: digital literacy, essential skills, IALSS, leadership, Literacy, teachers, teaching | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

ESL Marketing Tip: Identify your target market

March 31, 2010

Identifying your target market is a key piece of the marketing puzzle. If you don’t know who you’re promoting to, how can you promote your language or literacy program effectively? How do you, as educational leaders and program directors, identify your target market?

Start by asking yourself, who do you want to register in your program? For example, if your program caters to students 18 years of age or older who have completed high school, then that’s your target audience. You need to appeal to both them and their parents, depending on who is footing the bill. In such a case the actual “target market” would include both the prospective students and their parents, since both may be involved in the decision-making process. You’ll want to gear your marketing materials to both groups.

If your programs are filled with workers sponsored through workplace learning programs, your target market would include both the workers (your prospective students) and the companies who sponsor them.

Most language school owners or managers intuitively know who they’d like to have in their programs. The trick is to let everyone on your team in on your vision – especially the people who create your marketing materials. By clearly articulating – even in writing – who your target market is, you’ll make it easier for everyone at your school to promote your programs. The act of writing it down will also help you stay on track when tempting, but ultimately unproductive opportunities come your way.

When it comes to marketing materials, rarely does one size (or shape or colour or format) fit all. Once you have identified your target market, the next step is to create marketing materials designed for each group. For example, if you have a program designed for seniors, it is unlikely that your web marketing will be the most effective tool for them, unless they are a particularly techno-savvy group of elders. A good, old-fashioned brochure, printed on good quality paper and placed in libraries and seniors’ centres, may be an excellent marketing tool for that group. But for students and young professionals, web marketing is essential.

Also, you may want to consider the language you are using for different groups. A group of high-achieving professionals may be more interested in the end result of registering in the program, so using words like “results”, “benefits” and “achievement” may be appropriate. On the other hand, students looking for a holiday tour with a language study component may be more interested in the “experience”, the “immersion” and the “fun”.

Once you identify your market, you can tailor your marketing materials to that target group watch how it impacts your registration.

This post is adapted from Idea #4 in Dr. Eaton’s book 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, languages, leadership, Literacy, marketing, target market, Uncategorized | Tagged: 101 Ways to Market Your Language Program, English as a Second Language, ESL, language, language programs, languages, leadership, Literacy, literacy awareness, literacy awareness campaign, literacy programs, marketing, target market | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

The Plight of the ESL Program Director

March 29, 2010

Are you a frustrated ESL program manager?

I presented a paper a few years ago at the University of Prince Edward Island called The Plight of the ESL Program Director. It reveals findings of a research study I did about English as a Second Language program directors and managers at the university level.

Here are the two main highlights:

Many English as a Second Language (ESL) program managers, are charged with the responsibility of marketing their programs and recruiting students internationally, often with little or no training (Eaton, 2005).
Not only are they set forth ill-prepared, the repercussions for insufficient revenue generation may be harsh, including having to fire instructors or having their programs may be closed by the very institutions they serve (Mickelson, 1997; Soppelsa, 1997; Staczek, 1997), many of which regard such programs as lucrative (Rubin, 1997).

Building on the work that has been done in this field to date, this research adds in the voices of three language program directors that I interviewed for this study. All of them directed different ESL programs, housed in different academic units at the same university. They offer commentary and insight into matters of importance for ESL administrators.

At the end of the paper, I offer some recommendations on how things may be improved for the future.

The full-text paper in .pdf format is available free of charge through the ERIC database.

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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.

1 Comment | education, language program administration, languages, leadership, marketing, recruitment, Uncategorized | Tagged: additional language, administration, EAL, education, English, English as a Second Language, ESL, keynote, language, language program managment, language programs, languages, leadership, management, marketing, presenter, recruitment, Sarah Eaton, Sarah Elaine Eaton, second languages, speaker | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

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 researcher In 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

In 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 campaign 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: awareness, education, essential skills, formal education, leadership, Literacy, literacy awareness, literacy awareness campaign, literacy programs, marketing, youth | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Nigeria launches national literacy awareness campaign

March 22, 2010

Nigeria has invested big dollars in a nation-wide literacy awareness campaign. Just last week it was announced that the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education in Nigeria is launching a massive, national literacy awareness campaign across that country’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Their plan (and a good one, I think) is to launch a radio awareness campaign. Literacy awareness campaigns differ from traditional marketing because they need to focus less on printed brochures, advertisements and other word-based forms of promotion. A radio campaign is a brilliant idea.

The country has invested 96.5 Million Nigerian nairas to fund this campaign. If I’ve done my math right, this translates into approximately $650,000 Canadian dollars, which is about $643,000 USD. Critics are saying this isn’t enough of an investment. Others are applauding the initiative.

I count myself among the second group. This is a tremendous initiative. A national campaign such as this requires a tremendous amount of planning, organization and coordination. I will be watching with interest as this unfolds.

Learning, Teaching and Leadership

Why literacy teachers need digital literacy

ESL Marketing Tip: Identify your target market

The Plight of the ESL Program Director