History
Learn more about the inspiration for and development of Alberta’s reading benchmarks.
Laying the Groundwork
The Alberta Reading Benchmarks (ARB) project began in January 2010 when members of the various literacy and adult learning organizations in Alberta, along with relevant government departments, came together to form an advisory committee on adult literacy in the province.
The ARB Advisory Committee depended on the expertise of leaders in teaching, learning, and assessment in adult reading to guide the development of the ARB. This highly consultative approach shaped the nature and direction of the ARB. It began with research and consultations, including:
- a comprehensive survey of adult literacy benchmarks from Canada, and examples from other countries, to help with the initial drafts of the ARB.
See Approaches to Benchmarks Frameworks for Adult Literacy Programming by Mary Norton;
- an extensive round of consultations with community literacy, family literacy, Aboriginal literacy, and college basic-education programs to inform the development of the Alberta Reading Benchmarks.
See Reading Benchmarks Support Resources Consultation by Pamela Crosby; and
- an extensive consultation with community-based Aboriginal literacy programs in both urban and rural areas of Alberta that puts forward a set of “wise practices” for literacy instruction and using benchmarks for Aboriginal learners. See Aboriginal Adult Reading Literacy Benchmarks Consultation by Monica Kreiner;
Making the ARB Accessible to Practitioners in the Field
With such diverse program delivery models in Alberta’s foundational learning system, the committee was sensitive about how to approach implementing the benchmarks. The intent was to support and strengthen the current resources, tools, curricula, and assessments that programs already use, not replace them. To determine how the benchmarks could be implemented in literacy programs, eleven literacy practitioners from seven sites participated in a nine-month pilot to identify meaningful applications of the benchmarks in adult literacy programs, family literacy programs, community learning programs, Aboriginal colleges, and community colleges. Following the pilot, an evaluation was conducted to pinpoint the key findings of the pilot and make recommendations.
- ARB Pilot Evaluation Report by Marina Niks and Joy Page
Drawing on the expertise of the pilot practitioners and the findings of the ARB Pilot Evaluation, the ARB underwent a revision and work began on developing an on-line training tool that is accessible to practitioners from across the province.
Practitioners from across Alberta now have access to the materials, instructional videos, and teaching resources on the Alberta Reading Benchmarks website.
Making the ARB Accessible to Practitioners in the Field
With such diverse program delivery models in Alberta’s foundational learning system, the committee was sensitive about how to approach implementing the benchmarks. The intent was to support and strengthen the current resources, tools, curricula, and assessments that programs already use, not replace them. To determine how the benchmarks could be implemented in literacy programs, eleven literacy practitioners from seven sites participated in a nine-month pilot to identify meaningful applications of the benchmarks in adult literacy programs, family literacy programs, community learning programs, Aboriginal colleges, and community colleges. Following the pilot, an evaluation was conducted to pinpoint the key findings of the pilot and make recommendations.
- ARB Pilot Evaluation Report by Marina Niks and Joy Page
Drawing on the expertise of the pilot practitioners and the findings of the ARB Pilot Evaluation, the ARB underwent a revision and work began on developing an on-line training tool that is accessible to practitioners from across the province.
Practitioners from across Alberta now have access to the materials, instructional videos, and teaching resources on the Alberta Reading Benchmarks website.