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Part I: Understanding and teaching native adults. - Part II: Theme units (outlines the organization and use of theme units and includes 12 sample units). - Part III: Resources (provides a wide range of classroom materials for use in basic literacy courses).

On February 20, 2006, the Legislative Assembly agreed that the Select Standing Committee on Education be struck to examine, inquire into and make recommendations with respect to finding effective strategies to address the specific challenge of adult literacy and, in particular, to conduct consultations to consider successful strategies from other jurisdictions on the promotion of adult literacy and specific strategies to improve literacy rates among aboriginal people, English-as-a-second-language adults, and seniors. This report defines adult literacy, describes BC demographic profile, provides lessons from other jurisdictions, and suggests homegrown proposals and recommendations to improve adult literacy level in BC.

This discussion paper focuses on family learning activities as they relate to the continuing education divisions of the public educational institutions of British Columbia. The first section provides an overview of families in transition, specifically the topics of kinds of families and family learning. Results of a needs assessment follow. Derived from secondary sources, including Statistics Canada Census data and other existing research reports, the needs assessment outlines family trends in Canada as a whole and in the province of British Columbia. Data are provided on number and size of families, changes in family types, urban/rural differences, and educational levels of families. A review of current public educational institutional activities in family learning is divided into continuing education activities in the public educational system of British Columbia and community organization program activities. Some specific program delivery models for family learning activities are highlighted to portray some of the approaches and variations that exist at the local levels. The final section summarizes the salient points and makes recommendations to the Ministry of Education, British Columbia Council for the Family, and the Boards of the Colleges and School Districts. Sixteen statistical tables are appended. (YLB)