LISTN Lower Mainland Regional Meeting Minutes
Date:
Time:
Location:
Chair:
Secretary:
Sept 16, 2014
9:30 – 12:00
Vancouver Community College
Room: B1227 (new blding)
1155 East Broadway
Susan Schachter
Vania Ganacheva
Present: Nina Miller, Sheryl Zehr, Wes Schroeder, Susan Schachter, Wei Wei Siew, Diana
Smolic, Louise Thorburn, Christine Woods, Julia Tajiri, Marcela Manciller-Fuller, Ryan
Drew, Janet Theny, Elise Emnacen, Ann Bonham, Rajeeta Samala, Diana Ospina,
Jessica Hannah, Katie Graham, Donna Woo, Brenda Lohrenz, Shawna Williams and
Vania Ganacheva.
Regrets: Andrea Solnes, Marta Batory, Mark Batt, Tara Ramsey.
1. Welcome/Introductions - Welcome to all in attendance.
2. Approval of Agenda - Moved by Louise, seconded by Julia. Motion Passed.
3. Approval of the Minutes - Moved by Julia, seconded by Wes. Motion Passed.
4. LISTN Update – Brenda Lohrenz
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IRC Report – Shawna Williams
Professional Development Opportunities
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LISTN IRCs have visited a number of sites to present at PD days and to work with
teachers and coordinators. If you would like to book an IRC to come to your site,
contact Kathryn at krockwell@listn.info or Shawna at swilliams@listn.info. See the
attached list of topics for details about the workshops offered.
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We are updating our Moodle courses and will make them available asap.
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Our next webinar will be about action-oriented feedback. Please watch our
mailouts for dates and times.
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The BCTEAL Conference will be on November 22nd at Vancouver English Center and
the theme is celebrating our learners. Please consider presenting and/or attending.
http://www.bcteal.org/conferences/
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There is still room available for the Lionel Laroche workshop titled Bridging the
Cultural Gap in the EAL Classroom coming up through BC TEAL on Oct. 18th. Please
see this link for more information
http://www.bcteal.org/conferences/lionel-laroche-workshop.
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The LearnIT2Teach training sessions so far have been very successful. We have had
over 100 people attend Stage 1 sessions. In the current contract period, we are
considering another session for the Lower Mainland and one for Vancouver Island.
Please watch for dates and registration details.
Realize! The National Online Forum for EAL/ESL Professionals, organized by
EnglishOnline, is on January 23 and 24, 2015. Call for presentations is open until
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Monday, October 6, 2014. Keynote speakers will be Paul Holmes and Nikos
Theodosakis. For more information visit www.realize.myenglishonline.ca.
LISTN Resources
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The theme for the Fall/Winter Newsletter is blended learning, and publication is
targeted for mid-November. The Call for Contributions to the newsletter has been
sent out with a deadline of October 18th. Please email your contributions to Kathryn
at krockwell@listn.info.
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The Spring (Reduce your Photocopy Footprint) and Summer (Teaching Listening)
Bulletins are available on our website at
http://www.listn.info/site/resources/resourcebulletins
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First Peoples: Learning Materials for Newcomers is available on our website
http://www.listn.info/site/resources/resources-for-teachers/elsa-netresources/first-peoples-learning-materials-for-newcomers.
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We are in the process of updating our Formative and Self-Assessment Toolkits
(Lit-CLB 8). Watch for updates in our mailouts.
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ED Report - Brenda Lohrenz
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We are working on a new LISTN member form as per our updated bylaws. We
will distribute it soon by organization, not per site. More information to come.
Integration Summit – The person who is on the contract should have received the
invitation. Please check with your EDs. Nina Miller and Susan Schachter from this
group are invited as language experts. Mainstream employers has been invited as
well to give input. The goal is feeding into the CFP next year, most likely before
the summer.
Q: We should’ve received this invitation? - Yes, please check your Junk mail, it
might be waiting there.
National update – There are plans for updating LINC curriculum within next 2-3
years (not Ontario-centered).
The National PD working group sent survey to the sector. Due date today (Sept.
16th).
LISTN new website is ready – www.listn.info
o Job postings – please email a PDF file of the posting to
resources@listn.info
o Members’ page – updated. New password – BCLINC.
o Resource page – new section added “Updates” and a new page for First
Peoples: Learning Materials for Newcomers. Two new YouTube videos
from Citizenship and Immigration Canada were also posted - Language
Training for Canada and Advancing Foreign Credential Recognition
o Teacher’s Resource Page – “Highlights” section with recent resources and
most accessed links
o Find School page – new and improved. Please review your school
information and send the updates to resources@listn.info
o LISTN page – new sections added with information about Instructional
Resource Coordinators and LISTN Staff
o Child Care page – for ECE resources and support please visit
www.cmascanada.ca
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o
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Elsa Net website (www.elsanet.org ) will be active until end of October,
2014.
Moodle Site - updating access as needed for ELSA 3, 4, 5 Progress Writing Tests
and ELSA Progress and Exit Tests. If you need to update your contact person
email Vania at vganacheva@listn.info
5. Childcare Report – Brenda Lohrenz
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Naznin Dhanani (naznindhanani@cmascanada.ca ) is CMAS contact for licensed
providers. She will provide support for resources and site visits.
Helen Crouch from CMAS will support transition for unlicensed childcare.
Q: Could it be connected with SWIS workers? – Brenda - They said no.
There was email information distributed to all providers. If you have not received
any, probably the email went to your ED.
There will be 2 day training for the new staff in November.
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CMAS is reviewing the current Provincial Manual to identify the gaps.
CMAS will have a newsletter submission for our fall issue.
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6. LINC Program Offerings
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ISS negotiated 2 additional classes: Richmond CLB 1 and Tri-Cities CLB 4 based on
our recommendation (waitlist, evidence).
North Shore – level 2 evening class and level 6-7.
MOSAIC – Construction Language Training program - Stage 5-8 learners (Occupationspecific language program); evening class - blended (2 evening in class and 3 hours
online).
Wes – Let the Assessment center know about new programs and classes.
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S.U.C.C.E.S.S. – Vancouver - 5 classes; Richmond - 2 classes.
VCC – Blended classes - 3 classes.
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Collingwood – 1 class - English for Workplace
Burnaby SD – none
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Educacentre – Applied for lower classes in Surrey but it was rejected.
Little Mountain – 1 class – CLB 4-5
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Nina – All those classes are only until March 31st, 2015.
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7. Emerging Issues
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LISTN Priorities (Board Committee Report) – Julia Tajiri – The committee looked at
AGM Roundtable Compilation; review key themes and choose 3 priorities for follow
up with CIC-BC Regional, identify secondary themes / topics that may be broached
at the Integration Summit (or via other means):
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Work Place
o more employment services within language training context
o Work BC and other service providers are not equipped to help newcomers
with language barriers
o where does federal funding stop and provincial funding pick up?
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Training (with an emphasis on impact of PBLA)
o the role of LISTN in providing PD opportunities, dissemination of information
o funding for release time for teachers and prep time, funding for training
o more training is needed for literacy teachers
o training one lead PBLA teacher is problematic because what if teachers
retire, move away...etc?
o support staff training is needed
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What we value about BC model and don’t want to change/would like to retain
o keep LISTN
o PD opportunities
o wide range of providers
o consistent policy and procedures guidelines with flexibility in the regions
o standards and best practices
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Other points to keep in mind
o Related to regional delivery
o Related to groups that are underserved
o Related to contracting
Brenda – As a next step the committee needs to do research and build context.
Impact of School Board Strike
- Little Mountain created a strike camp for the children of LINC students for 3
hours only while parents are in class.
- BELC – strike was a big problem for our school.
- Wes – At the Assessment Centre there is drop in applications because of the
strike.
iCARE – Louise – When students finish LINC 3 class, in order to sign them to LINC 4,
students have to be taken out from iCARE and re-enter them back to the new level.
There is a need for transfer function. Brenda will follow up.
Contract related – Is the prep-time still an issue?
- Louise – LEAD teachers for PBLA – 5 hrs/week is not enough for the training.
- Nina – 15 min prep-time it is not covering at all the teachers’ time.
- Brenda – this came up on a National Level too, coordinators from other provinces
have the same concern, so not only in BC.
- Nina – The suggestion to raise the salary to offset prep time does not work as it
doesn’t meet Employment Standards (i.e. to ask teachers to work more hours
than you pay them for.)
Policy Guidelines – pending additions – Brenda
Progression and Exit Testing (pg 4/5)
3) Student progress reports from CIC pending.
No change to above comment in guidelines doc, but please note the following
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CIC agreed to hold off use of ESL Student Progress reports as it was confirmed that
the ESL student progress report is being phased in with PBLA. When Lead Teachers
go for PBLA training, they will be given notice to begin using the report and Lead
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Teachers will also be the ones giving go ahead to the remaining teachers on when to
begin use of the report.
Also confirmed that the ESL student progress reports are meant to be given to the
student to be included in their Language Companion. The progress report is meant
to be a report card and used as a communication tool between the student and the
teacher regarding the student’s progress.
Student Records (pg. 5)
LINC service providers are responsible for keeping non-financial records for the duration of
the contract plus 5 years (refer to Contribution Agreement, section 6.5 -Program
Monitoring Information and Reporting Requirements).
NEW - Retention of a Student File which contains information on student intake and exit;
student certificates should be retained on file so that providers have a record of date of
issue. Student progress reports (once implemented through PBLA) should be kept in the
Student File with a copy given to the student. The organization can choose to retain a copy
of the progress report on file after the student exits, but CIC will not require it.
Attendance-Guidelines (pg. 6/7)
III. Attendance Expectations
4) Child care attendance should be maintained at a minimum of 70%. (See Integration
Programs Schedule 1- Statement of Planned Activities and Intended Results
document, page 2, Expected Project Outputs/Targets, point #6.) It is recommended
that written guidelines be given to LINC students who are receiving ancillary child
care services.
NEW - 4) CIC currently does not have a policy in place for childcare attendance.
However, please be advised that continuous low attendance in childcare may be
monitored by the officer, in discussion with the service provider.
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Other – Just wondering what others are doing when you have a student with only
one or two of the four skills improved and they have to stay in the same class. Do
you use LINC certificates? – Yes, but it is time consuming and too many certificates
are confusing for our students.
Suggestion – Instead of LINC certificates, you could consider using the progress
report on Tutela under tools.
8. PBLA Update – Lisa Herrera, PBLA Regional Coach
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There are 3 regional PBLA coaches in BC. Most of the LINC providers from our
province are in cohort 2. The training is based on the key principles of PBLA.
Lead teachers, who are attending the training, are learning the key principles and
practices of PBLA. Your Lead teachers need coordinator’s support.
PBLA implementation is not optional; everybody needs to make the required
changes. You might have challenges and resistance from long serving teachers who
might want to continue doing what they have done for years. Implementation of the
new methodology is important. It takes time, but has to happen.
Lead teachers have a lot of things to do during their training and need your support
now. They will have one Face to Face meeting and online meetings as they are
starting to build that COP. They are also building resources and sharing them on
Tutela.
They will start in full speed with their classes in January and will need the Language
Companion for each student. Start talking with your SO now in order to be ready
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with the Language Companion for January 2015. The plan is full PBLA
implementation for BC to start in January 2016.
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Q: In terms of the roll out, IRCs as lead teachers would work better, but this was
not communicated.
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Comment – There is a huge communication gap – no information to coordinators.
Need to engage them in the conversation.
Lisa will bring it back the questions and comments to CCLB.
Comment – Line of communication should go from the manager down to the
teachers. As it is now, managers have to ask their teacher for information which can
create logistical and other challenges.
Q: How can we support people if we have no idea what is happening at all?
Comment - Information is coming very late, often with no lead time for arranging
substitutes. We need more advance notice.
Suggestion – There is an administrator group on Tutela; questions and information
could go there. Response: No one seems to be monitoring or responding to that
page.
Comment – Site managers need to know the details.
Ryan – All concerns and issues have been taken to the project managers of PBLA and
they are working on it.
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9. Assessment Centre Report – Wes Schroeder
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Stats details distributed during the meeting.
Very low wait period due to school strike.
There is no drop in application volume when comparing to year 2013.
For the 5 month period from April to August 2014 there is around 6% drop than the
last year due to the School Board teachers strike.
The 8 month period from January to August 2014 has a reduction of ~2% when
comparing with the same period last year.
There is no iCARE report on referrals.
From April we are noticing a drop (~60%) in referrals comparing with assessments;
before around 90% of assessments were turning into referrals. North shore clients,
for example, do not come back for referrals (~10% of the total clients from North
Shore)
Q: When students are coming to do the test, do you give them any information? – No
Q: Is there any way they can access this information?
Suggestion to put link to that information in the letter with results which the
Assessment Centre is sending to the client.
There is a concern that we are losing a number of students now as the Information
session was removed. ESL Directory was not funded and it is becoming outdated.
It would be great if CIC fund developing a resource with LINC schools information
and offerings.
Suggestion: Wes to add URL to “Find schools” page on LISTN website.
Ryan – A number of high level 7/8 students have come to VCC and we are sending
them to ISS as they have those classes.
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Comment – There continue to be students who think that the placement assessment
will suffice for citizenship
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Comment – CIC – WelcomeBC website is not updated. Response (Lucy) – Now the CIC
website has been updated.
Wes – Course description in iCARE is not correct for some classes. You need to put
CLBs which are taught in the course, not which students need in order to attend
that class.
Brenda – Suggestion to add this clarification to our policy guidelines.
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10. Citizenship and Immigration Canada - Lucy Swib, Western Region CIC
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Sophia Lee is pregnant and leaving in November.
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Language Transition in BC – The direction was to start using LINC curriculum in
September, but taking in consideration the feedback received at June regional
meetings and other avenues, CIC decided BC to continue to use ELSA curriculum
until new LINC curriculum update is available.
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Consistency in Contribution Agreements (CA) for Language Services – There was a lot
of inconsistency in the language of CAs. CIC worked on improving the language and
made it more consistent.
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In August there was a Call for amendments/adjustments to CAs based on waitlists
and needs in the regions.
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Brenda – The call came in third week of July with perhaps a 10 day window – short
turnaround. Perhaps next year providers could be made aware in advance. In other
provinces I’ve heard this also happens in January, can we expect another call then?
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Lucy – keep your Settlement Officers (SO) aware of the needs as they arise.
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Lucy – You cannot move funds between the fiscal years. Slippage cannot be used to
offset the 7%.
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Brenda – There is a report on provincial landings coming in January and the funding
decision is usually made in February. Is there possibility to remove the 7% reduction
based on that? - Lucy – No, this is not going to affect the 7% reduction.
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Q: In the CA we have built potential wage raises (for our union environment). This
was removed and we were told to re-negotiate when time comes. What is the
process? – Lucy - Look at your slippage first and build the case further to your SO.
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CMAS has sent email messages about training in November, and will be conducting
site visits.
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CIC monitoring is starting this week. SOs are going out on visits. Your SO should be
contacting you if you are on the list for the next 4-5 months.
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Brenda – There is a concern in regards with access to the PBLA Language
Companion. Are we certain to receive it on time?
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Comment – We have monthly intake for our classes and will need new copies for the
new students every month.
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Lucy – CIC is printing and going to put in storage in Ontario the Language Companion
copies. They will be ready for BC in January.
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Q: How do we order them? - Lucy – they will send a certain number to each
provider. It will be sent to each organization directly.
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Q: CIC will provide the actual package and we will provide the binders? - No, CIC
will provide the binders as well.
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Brenda – Issues with PBLA communication. Providers are not receiving information
and managers are not aware of the process or the needs of their lead teachers.
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Provider – There is disconnect between the teachers and their direct supervisor
which creates a number of challenges.
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Language Assessments in Remote/Small Communities - Need for training of new
assessors in some areas. CCLB is working on a pilot for remote language assessments
this fiscal year.
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Overseas CFP – The deadline is on September 25th.
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Brenda – Are you going to synchronize the CFP process at some point? - Lucy – Over
time it will be synchronized in one national CFP.
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National CFP 2015 still is going on next Spring/early summer.
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BC Summit is on November 4th and 5th in Richmond. There will be a couple of
workshops on language. We are expecting up to 200 participants. There are some
additional seats for language experts.
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Express Entry – CIC is planning to start it in January 2015 for skilled immigrants as
per each province’s economic needs.
11. Other Business – none
12. Next Meeting – January 20, 2015 (Tuesday) from 9:30 pm at VCC.
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