The document summarizes a numeracy development event held at the Maskwacis Cultural College Library. Over 35 participants from various community organizations attended the event. The presenter, Dr. Ozlem Cankaya, spoke about how culture impacts numeracy development and strategies for teaching basic numeracy skills to young children. Attendees found the presentation informative and said they felt more confident supporting numeracy skills at home and in their organizations. The event was successful in raising awareness about early numeracy and distributing numeracy books and resources to families in the community.

1. Numeracy Development
at the Maskwacis Cultural College
Library
Manisha Khetarpal
November 21,2014
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2. Flow of Information
• Creating awareness about early numeracy
skills development
• 35 participants from emergent literacy to
adult literacy
• 6 community partners
• Presenter Dr. Ozlem Cankaya
• Topic: How culture impacts numeracy
• Share strategies, skills and resources
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3. Event Focus
• Basic Numeracy Skills
• Home numeracy experiences and role of parents
and caregivers
• Why numeracy knowledge before Grade 1 is very
important?
• Which numeracy skills children should master in
early childhood?
• How to teach numeracy concepts for parents,
caregivers and emergent literacy practitioners?
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4. Basic Numeracy Skills
• Perceiving quantity
• Rote counting
• Object counting
• Cardinality principle
• Arithmetic with concrete objects
• Recognizing number symbols
• Connection between: quantity, number
symbol and word
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5. Community of Partners
• Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research
• Maskwacis Libraries
• Maskwacis Cultural College
• Ponoka News
• Pipestone Flyer
• Ermineskin Communications
• Community volunteers
• Participants: Early Childhood Development (ECD) students,
Sociology students, Headstart staff, Literacy staff, ECD
faculty, parents, numeracy coordinators, teachers,
journalists, children and librarian
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6. Welcome by MCC President
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7. Presenter Dr. Ozlem Cankaya
Dr. Cankaya is an early
childhood development
expert in literacy and
numeracy development.
Her research focused on the
effects of language, culture
and home experiences on
the acquisition of early
literacy and numeracy skills.
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8. Language and Culture Connection
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9. Pathways to Mathematics
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10. Benefits
• Event increased borrowing of books and resources in the
homes of Maskwacis community members
• 5 Library in a Box checked out
• 200 books distributed
• Mathcatcher Cree stories and other resources shared by
the presenter
• Literacy group wants to bring their participants for a field
trip to the library on December 4th
• All participants mentioned that they learned skills to
support formal and informal numeracy experiences
• Participants more confident in teaching numeracy skills at
home and their organizations (emergent and early literacy)
• An social opportunity to bring people together and to start
a conversation
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11. Literacy coordinator taking resources
for the Samson program
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12. Sandra Denney and her niece taking
resources for their families
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13. Alberta Curriculum
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Journalist Margaret Chegwin sharing ideas about
Alberta Curriculum with Dr. Cankaya

14. Checkout Math Catcher for
Numeracy Stories in Cree
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http://mathcatcher.irmacs.sfu.ca

15. Volunteer opportunity
to distribute books
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16. Feedback from a participant
Bev Teske-Greene, Literacy Coordinator,
Samson Human Resources
“The presentation
was very
informative. I know
that I’m more
geared towards
literacy. I feel better
about using math as
well.”
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17. Feedback from a participant
Teri Foureyes-Awasis, Numeracy Coordinator,
Miyo Wahkohtowin Education Authority
“ I really enjoyed it. I think this
information needs to be
addressed to the community.
What I learned is that if we want
our children to be good in
numeracy then we as a
community need to support it.
Example: Parents. We need to
strengthen the foundations of
math if we want our children to
excel. How can we build a house
if we don’t have a solid
foundation. We need support
from parents, community and
education.”
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18. What I learned
“Today, I learned how important numeracy is
and I have an important role working with
young children 2-4 year olds. I knew it was
valuable, educating young children in all areas
of development. I learned so ways of
providing numeracy experiences. It was a
valuable presentation. After today, we will do
more on numeracy with our children.”
Beatrice Laurreen Ermineskin, Ermineskin Head Start (Source:
Feedback forms at the end of the presentation)
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19. More community feedback
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20. Feedback about Library in a Box and
Reading Program
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21. Event participants borrowed not just
numeracy resources
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22. Numeracy handout
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If you need a copy of this
handout or the
presentation then please
send an email to
mkhetarpal@mccedu.ca

23. Community of Learners
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24. Children listening to the presentation
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25. Parents taking home ideas for math skills
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26. Numeracy Awareness and Resources
• Awareness about numeracy series via posters,
event card and social media, in the newsletter
• Presenter on November 21, 2014
• Electronic copy of the handouts and
presentation distributed to participants after
the presentation. If you need a copy contact
Manisha Khetarpal at mkhetarpal@mccedu.ca
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