Adult Literacy SIG

Adult literacy has long been one of the focus areas within the Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education (CASAE). This has been evident in the publications featured in the journal (including one special issue in 2001) as well as the presentations at the annual conferences. Canadian adult literacy pioneer, Alan Quigley, even received CASAE’s first lifetime achievement award! However, since the mid-2010s, the federal government has withdrawn its funding for adult literacy and also shifted adult literacy towards essential skills (CUPE, 2018, 2019; Elfert & Walker, 2020). The result is that researchers see much fewer funding opportunities, hence reducing the research output on adult literacy (Crooks et al., 2021). Another outcome from the policy shift on adult literacy is the diminishing visibility of practitioners within research. It is against this disheartening policy background that we put forward the proposal to establish a special interest group (SIG) on adult literacy within CASAE.

As a group of researchers interested in adult literacy both as an area of research and also as a cause for social justice, we believe that the creation of a SIG on adult literacy would help keep a spotlight on the issues concerning the field of adult literacy. CASAE has long been a leader in taking a critical perspective on adult education, and the ongoing struggle with the policy shifts in adult literacy means that it is as important as ever for CASAE to play its part in ensuring the sustainability of adult literacy education and research in Canada.

Purpose and Focus

The purpose of the Adult Literacy SIG includes the following:

• to foster the exchange of ideas in adult literacy across Canada.
• to provide a forum for discussion of adult literacy in a Canadian context.
• to encourage and showcase scholarly work in adult literacy.
• to bring together researchers, practitioners and other individuals interested in adult literacy who share a common interest in advancing adult literacy in research, practice and public policy.

The Adult Literacy SIG is primarily interested in supporting research and practice in the field of adult literacy as related to the following:

• Critical literacy
• New literacy studies
• Multiliteracies
• Adult literacy policy (in Canada and in comparative perspective)
• Research-in-practice

Audience and Membership

As a SIG within CASAE, the membership of the Adult Literacy SIG will be managed through CASAE. As CASAE members sign up for new or renewing membership, they will be provided an option to join the Adult Literacy SIG on the Membership Form.

We would like to propose to CASAE to add a “practitioner/community” category for the 2024 annual conference in order to expand the appeal of CASAE to a broader audience. Many of us in adult education actively collaborate with practitioners and community members, and we strongly believe that it is advantageous for CASAE to broaden its reach to this group. In addition, we hope to use the provision of “practitioner/community membership” for the Adult Literacy SIG to attract practitioners to be part of the SIG, who may have little existing connection with research activities conducted through universities at this point. Through the “practitioner/community membership”, we hope to lower the barrier for practitioners to join the various activities at the SIG and also at CASAE.
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The SIG membership fees will be used to offset expenses related to providing refreshments at events, etc. The SIG organizers are all volunteers in the SIG and receive no payment for their work on the SIG.

Activities

Started in June 2024:

• The Adult Literacy SIG holds an annual meeting with its membership as part of the annual conference of CASAE.
• Four times a year, the Adult Literacy SIG hosts a one-hour call for SIG members via Zoom (or other online platform), to be facilitated by one of the SIG organizers with the purpose to share updates and news about the adult literacy field and to maintain connections with each other.
• The Adult Literacy SIG maintains a WhatsApp channel for its membership where updates are shared.
• As the SIG adds more members, we review the above and further develop a communications plan to be shaped by the interests and the talents of its membership.

At the 2024 CASAE conference:

• The Adult Literacy SIG presented a panel discussion on the status of the field. A proposal has been submitted to the conference.
• The Adult Literacy SIG organized a casual gathering for SIG members and those interested in joining the SIG.
• The Adult Literacy SIG organized an informal meet-and-greet with local adult literacy practitioners in Montreal.
• The Adult Literacy SIG helped the adjudication for the Adult Literacy Grant for Graduate Students.

For the 2025 CASAE conference (as contemplated by the current SIG members at the moment, which is subject to change as more join the SIG with their ideas):

• The same activities planned for the 2024 CASAE conference.
• The Adult Literacy SIG hosted one preconference event for researchers and practitioners to network with each other.
• The Adult Literacy SIG ran one conference session (with three paper presentations).
• Any other activities proposed by SIG members.

Contact Info

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Suite 305
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7E4

Telephone: (613) 241.0018

Fax: (613) 241.0019

Email: admin@casae-aceea.ca

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