Programs

Some of our programs include:

POWER UP TO READ: The primary purpose of Power Up To Read is to help children improve their reading comprehension skills.

Power Up to Read is an engaging multimedia reading program with universally designed features to help all levels of students learn reading comprehension strategies. The program is available online, in print and on CD.

Power Up To Read is designed to support the academic learning standards for the English Language Arts as set forth by the International Reading Association (IRA).  It also addresses technology standards developed by the International Society of Technology Education (ISTE).

Leveraging the latest research-based approaches to reading instruction, Power Up To Read helps students improve reading comprehension, build enthusiasm for reading, and develop essential technology skills. The program is based on two books written in a reader-friendly folk-tale format.  Research has shown folk tales to be an effective way to help students clearly understand what they are reading.  Each of the folk tales has companion educational text that further supports the subject matter.

Program content is geared toward 4th- and 5th-grade students as they transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” Children at this grade level are expected to rely on their reading skills to gather information about other subject areas. But if reading skills are poor, they often fall behind in other subjects.  Power Up To Read provides positive direction at a very critical point in the education process.

Students can be expected to build a stronger vocabulary, strengthen word-recognition skills, and develop fluency.  Together, these three components serve as the foundation for the development of comprehension skills critical to success.

Progress is measured through a worklog and also through a feature known as Quick Checks. The worklog automatically records student responses to Stop and Think prompts in the text.  Quick Checks enables tutors and students to measure a student’s understanding of the text.

Power Up to Read has user-friendly interface and step-by-step supports to help students, tutors, and parents get started right away.

To obtain more information on this program, please contact:
Nova Scotia (Karen.dunphy@aliant.ca)    
Prince Edward Island (Karen.dunphy@aliant.ca)
New Brunswick (Candace.salkey@aliant.ca)
Newfoundland & Labrador (shawn.brown@aliant.ca)

PROJECT:CONNECT features a series of seven interactive games that span the curriculum in grades 4-7. These games are provided without charge to schools and community groups by the Aliant Pioneer Volunteers. Each game includes:

• A student-friendly user guide with built-in instructions on how to play the game.
• A facilitator guide featuring detailed step-by-step instructional procedures keyed to content learning objectives and national education standards.
• A technical glossary and integrated instruction and game simulation approach.
• On-screen “gurus” that feature the Pioneers of telecommunications technology, providing help your students can understand.

To request a complimentary Logon ID for your school or community group – please click here.

HEART PILLOWS - We hand make each one of our red heart pillows. We distribute close to 3,000 each year to hospitals in Atlantic Canada. These pillows have proven to be effective therapy for those recovering from surgery. During 2004, we launched the first Pioneer version of the children’s in Canada. Over 100 of these tiny heart pillows are expected to be distributed to young patients this year.

COMPUTERS FOR SCHOOLS - The highly esteemed and multiple-award winning Computers for Schools program expects to reach an incredible goal during 2008 - that of reclaiming, refurbishing and recycling 1,000,000 used government and business computers for needy schools and libraries! The spectacular achievements of this program, the result of an incredible, dedicated partnership effort between the TelecomPioneers of Canada and Industry Canada exceeded everyone's expectations and have in fact raised the bar in terms of overall Pioneers partnership performance going forward. Bundled in with the PCs distributed are some 400,000 software packages, bringing the total savings to the education system in Canada to an estimated $150 million -- and counting! Here in Atlantic Canada, we expect to hit the 75,000th computer donation during 2008.

HUG-A-BEARS - One of our most popular programs ever. Since we introduced this program here in Atlantic Canada over fifteen years ago, we have distributed tens of thousands of these cuddly toys. Our Hug-a-Bears have traveled all around the world! They are primarily for use by police, fire and emergency relief units in comforting children and older adults in traumatic situations.

AUDIO LOOPS – This decades old project assists the hard of hearing. Our Aliant Pioneer Volunteers install “Audio Loops” to work with existing Public Address (PA) systems. These loops improve the sound quality of PA systems for people that wear hearing aids. Our “loops” can be found in churches, meeting rooms, theatres, and classrooms around Atlantic Canada.