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About Us

Our Mission

At the Literacy Centre of Expertise, our mission is to serve as a collaborative hub and trusted resource, empowering EAL (English as an Additional Language) literacy service providers across Calgary, Alberta, and beyond. We foster partnerships and share best practices to support students and instructors, creating a consistent, client-centered approach to literacy that enhances learning outcomes and drives positive change in our communities. 

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Activities

Developing and Sharing EAL Literacy Resources

We create innovative, culturally inclusive tools for EAL literacy instruction, including Indigenous Readers, 40 phonics stories with workbooks, an interactive handwriting tool, and PBLA-compliant modules for all literacy levels.

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Spotlighting Best Practices

We serve as a hub for EAL literacy educators, offering practical tools and curated content. Through partnerships with literacy specialists and active social media engagement, we amplify effective strategies. Each year, we host the national “For the Love of Literacy” Conference, connecting educators and advocates across Canada.

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Delivering Professional Development and Support

We provide customized workshops, ongoing consultation for adult literacy programs, and monthly “Let’s Talk About” sessions (co-hosted with ATEAL). These sessions feature expert-led discussions and open dialogue, fostering a collaborative national community of EAL literacy practitioners.

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Our Team

If you would like to book a PD session, request support, or if you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us!

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Jana Ciobanu

LINC Senior Manager

Bio
A smiling person wearing glasses and a green cardigan stands in front of a wall with alphabet cards, each displaying a letter and corresponding picture—perfect for an inviting About Us page.

Kerry Howard

LINC Program Manager

Bio
A smiling woman wearing glasses and a red vest stands in front of an "About Us" wall with alphabet cards, each displaying a letter and corresponding image, such as a lemon for "Ll" and a stop sign for "Ss.

Donna Clarke

Literacy Centre of Expertise Lead

Bio
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Jeremy Wilson

Literacy Centre of Expertise Curriculum & Project Developer

Bio
About Us: A man wearing glasses and a blue sweater stands in front of a wall with alphabet cards, each featuring a letter and a corresponding picture, such as a jar for "Jj" and keys for "Kk.

John Vasquez

Literacy Centre of Expertise Curriculum Developer & LINC Instructor

Bio

2024 Carolyn Dieleman Award Recipients

The Literacy Centre of Expertise team received the prestigious 2024 Carolyn Dieleman Award from ATEAL. This award recognizes their impactful contributions to innovative and high-quality language and ESL literacy programs in Alberta, acknowledging their dedication to both learners and educators through their innovative resources.

2021 Canada’s Premiers The Council of the Federation Literacy Award Winners:

From their website: “The Council of the Federation Literacy Award recognizes outstanding achievement, innovative practice and excellence in literacy. The awards are presented annually, in each province and territory, to recognize the excellence of educators, volunteers, learners, community organizations and businesses in many areas, including family, Indigenous, health, workplace and community literacy.”

Funder Acknowledgement

The image features the Canadian flag and text: "Funded by: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada" in English and French, highlighting support for the Literacy Centre of Expertise.
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