Family Literacy
Office hours:
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
What is family literacy?
Literacy is a family affair
Family literacy is about the ways families use literacy and language in their daily lives. Parents and caregivers are their children's first and most important teachers.
Some examples of family literacy are: making a shopping list together, while driving play "I spy games", playing word games, or, it could be as simple as sitting by a campfire and sharing stories.
Does it surprise you that these things are family literacy activities?
How do you incorporate literacy into your home?
Would you like to share your idea?
One grandmother said" I was playing a number game with my grandson while driving one day but I never thought of it as being family literacy, until now".
If you like to share how you incorporate literacy into your life please email us your ideas so we can share with other families.
Email to: edsonlit@gypsd.ca
Family Literacy Programs
Our family literacy programs are run at various times and locations throughout the year. They are designed to enhance the oral language, early literacy and social interaction skills of children aged birth to 6 years. This will enable them to achieve success at home, school and in the community. Additionally, we strive to strengthen and build basic literacy skills of parents. Fostering the involvement of parents in their children's learning and develop enhanced community-based partnerships that support the development of language and literacy skills of families. These family literacy programs target economically and socially disadvantaged families, where the parents have low literacy skills, are English as a second language learners, low income or Aboriginal status.
Facilitators
Our programs
Rhymes That Bind
November Rhymes That Bind
Rhymes That Bind is 6 week oral language development program that promotes positive parenting and runs for 1 hour per week. Parents learn to enjoy rhymes, finger plays, songs and simple movement games with their infants and toddlers in a supportive peer group.
Books for Babies
This program is designed for families with children ages 0-12 months of age. It is a 4 week program that is run in conjunction with other existing programs in the community and sessions run for approximately 1-1.5 hrs/week. We discuss the importance of reading with their babies starting at birth and appropriate books to choose for their babies. An activity is planned for each session and families are able to take a new book home with them each time they attend. The last session usually ending with a tour of the local library.
February Books For Babies Program
Literacy and Parenting Skills (Laps)
Is an innovative family literacy program designed to provide literacy and parenting skills to at-risk parents.
Storysacks
Parents and interested community members create a Storysack that consists of a good quality storybook; props; scenery and characters; a non-fiction book linked to the story; reading tips and activity ideas for parents; word or number games based on the story; and an audio tape of the story.
Storysacks session June 2008 at FCSS
Dad's and Tots Create a Lot
This program is geared to fathers/male caregivers. A facilitator will lead interactive activities each week. As an example, one week they may make forts out of cardboard boxes. This activity uses many of today's essential skills. Additionally the facilitator leads guided discussions around the importance of fathers modeling literacy skills including but not restricted to; oral communication, problem solving, writing, reading, numeracy and working with others.
For more information on any of these programs
please call Trisha 780.723.6247 or email edsonlit@gypsd.ca
