Learners’ Corner

Learner speakers trained and ready
by Judith Hayes

The end of March marked the last in a series of seven workshops designed for the Learner Speaker Bureau Training.   Letters have also been sent to field practitioners who supported learners in the training, thanking them for their participation and enclosing a gift certificate from a bookstore as a token of appreciation.

There are now a total of eighteen participants who have attended this training. The topics included Practicing Your Speech, Speakers’ Tips, Meeting with the Media, Presenting Literacy Information/Statistics, and Presenting a Professional Image. Our facilitators included Emily Johnson (Salvation Army), Marg Rose (LPM), Diane Skelton (Toastmasters), and Louise Charette (CBC Radio).  The learners were very enthusiastic regarding the training and have requested further sessions to practise. 

A Recognition Ceremony will be held on May 6 and the following learners will receive certificates of completion for participating in speaker training. Their referring instructors will be invited to attend. These learners are from Winnipeg, Interlake and Southern regions and represent learners from ten literacy programs: Ken Gessel, Dan Deurbrouck, Sherry Campbell, Russel Sinclair, Sayid Alli, Grace Campbell-Ruck, Sim Sellers, April Courchene, Avril Chartrand, Aloma Zastre, Bella Berens, Eleanor Lambert, Abe Friesen, Marlene Ditchfield, Lynne Charette, Rosemary Arnaud, Sheldon Toews, Joe Dutra.

One of the new speakers, Russell Sinclair of Winnipeg Adult Education Centre, presented his story to over 40 people at the Gilbert Park Housing Project Food bingo event. Three other new speakers will be hosting/introducing workshop speakers at the Winnipeg Learner Conference at the end of April.  The Manitoba Learner Representative, Abe Friesen, is also scheduled to bring greetings from LPM at the Learner Conference.

The West Region has requested a repeat of the Learner Speaker Training event held in Brandon in February with 21 learners. At their Learner Conference to be held April 28/29, two learners, Ken Gessell and Lynne Charette, will play key roles in delivering the workshop with the Bureau Coordinator. Marissa Smoke of Samaritan House spoke enthusiastically of the initial West Region Speakers training:
“I learned quite a few things about myself at this workshop. I think that staying at home for so long has made me even more shy than I ever was. I learned I speak better when I am sitting, and read better when I am standing. I would still be the centre of attention, but I would feel that I am more relaxed. If that isn’t weird enough, I also like to challenge myself. When I choked at my first attempt to speak, I found that wasn’t good enough for me. I had to do it again. If I could have, I would have got up there for a third time, trying to make it better to satisfy myself. I found the speaker tips most useful.  For example, Ken said not to look at anyone’s face or you’ll get distracted. We should look over their heads.  Just skimming over the crowd makes it look like you are speaking to everyone and not just one person. If you were to make eye contact and someone were to crack a smile at you, you would lose where you were in your speech.  I thought it was fun to be at the workshop.”

Marissa has offered to be a learner speaker at the Western Regional conference to challenge herself again. Congratulations to all who stepped forward. LPM believes in this project’s ability to raise the confidence level of learners, build speaking teams for program outreach and visibility efforts, and link to the public to put a face to the literacy field.

The month of April will be spent providing one-on-one support to learner speakers as they prepare to present their stories for the Completion Ceremony, preparing certificates, sending invitations and planning the event. The Learner Speakers’ Bureau is always looking for opportunities for learner speakers to help to raise awareness around literacy issues. If you know of any speaking opportunities please call the Learner Coordinator, Judith Hayes, at 697-3133 before June 10, 2000.

Learners’ Writings

The response to our request for learners’ submissions has been very encouraging. Unfortunately, we are able to include only a sample of the material submitted. We will feature more stories in the next issue. Congratulations and thanks to all the learners who submitted pieces of writing, and to their instructors for encouraging them.

My Mother by Vorn Lorn, Winnipeg Adult Education Centre

My mom is 58 years old. She has black hair and brown eyes. She has short fingers, but her nails are very long. When she was young, she was beautiful, friendly and kind to me. She spoiled me and gave me all that I wanted. Everyone in my family enjoyed being with her and loved her very much. She took care of me and my siblings and made us feel comfortable. She is a very good cook and seamtress. She and I are the same weight and look alike in many small ways.