Come to the Edge
March 12th, 2009Our facilitator just closed our Halifax session with an inspiring and thought-provoking poem. Watch the video:
Challenges and solutions in Aboriginal communities
March 12th, 2009Our final formal presentation of the day here in Halifax just finished, and it was a wonderful way to conclude the day. Kay Desborough spoke on behalf of the Mi’Kmaw Kina’Matnewey community and told the group about some of the wonderful programs that have been established, specifically in the past 5 years. Before retiring and volunteering in this community Kay worked in education and health, two fields that she feels lend themselves to partnership with family literacy development.
Her work focuses on families and bringing literacy and language awareness to them early in life, especially in the first 5 years when learning is so critical. Kay described a number of programs that have been working in this community as well as some that she and her colleagues hope to implement during the coming years.
Watch Kay’s presentation:
Read to Me! - Literacy development begins at birth
March 12th, 2009Currently speaking is Carol McDougall, who represents the Read to Me! Nova Scotia Family Literacy Program. Read to Me! is a program that ensures that parnets and babies are given literacy kits at the hospital within 24 hours of birth. This encourages parents to begin to read to their children right from the start, which in turn develops positive habits and routines.
The Read to Me! program is a great example of positive programming happening at the grassroots level in the Nova Scotia community. Watch a short clip from Carol’s presentation below.
Early literacy intervention - It can be done!
March 12th, 2009We just heard a wonderful personal story from Erica Baker, Ph.D., Registered Psychologist, Ann Krane & Associates Limited. Erica has a wealth of professional expertise to share in the areas of language and literacy, but was present to discuss her own personal experience with the development of her sons’ language and literacy skills. Her family has experienced both ends of the spectrum in regards to language development and received fantastic support from community organizations which led to successful intervention for your younger son.
Creative Thoughts to Date
March 12th, 2009After 2+ days of presentations, several creative thoughts have emerged:
1) Universality of access to early childhood information and programming
a) Print format
b) DVD or Video format
2) Exposure to ECD priniciples at the prenatal phase or right in the hospital at birth
3) Use the prenatal system and public health nurse system to first share ECD priniciples and programs with parents. Make ECD instruction to parents as important, as natural as prenatal classes.
4) Stop being so nice. The literacy community has been good at what it has done for the last 20 years and we take their role and literacy for granted. It’s time to get active, to get angry and to use new media to drive a social movement to get to full literacy.
Hello Halifax!
March 12th, 2009Halifax! Day 3 of our public consultations and the contrast from the snowy greeting to the sunny blue sky day we have in front of us is stark!
Our distinguished panelists have already demonstrated their ability and interest in engaging with our presenters.
The first clear recommendation of the day from Dr. Victor Glickman involves using a framework of 14 questions to evaluate the efficacy of reading assessment tools across the country. Often reading assessment tools do not accurately measure what they profess to measure.
We were later reminded of the importance of the library system in early childhood literacy development with a passionate presentation from Angela Reynolds.
We are learning that progressive library systems have either become or are becoming community centres of literacy development and information. People use the library to learn, to attend programs, to seek information - which may have been tradiational. A more intriguing development is the number of individuals and families who seek out the library because they find a welcoming community in these progressive libraries.
Edmonton Media Coverage
March 12th, 2009Please see this wonderful clip from Edmonton’s City TV newscast!!!!
Other media coverage from Edmonton included a visit from CBC Radio, CBC Television (French), NAIT Newswatch and an interview with CBC Radio-Canada. Check below for links to some of the coverage:
Edmonton Examiner - Literacy consultation session passes through city
Halifax - An inspiring start to the day
March 12th, 2009We have just begun our third of the eight public consultations. This morning we are in Halifax, and after a snowy evening we woke this morning to bright sunshine and an inspiring introduction to the day from our facilitator, Randy Boissonault.
Getting the story straight from the source
March 9th, 2009We just heard a presentation from the Further Education Society (FESA), who brought in some special guests to illustrate the need for family literacy development. FESA provides grassroots literacy and family-based programming to parents, especially those with children aged 0 to 16. They work to find the context of where families are in terms of development and need and then how to reach them to help develop the parent’s and children’s literacy skills.
Joining the representatives from FESA were James Sargent and his children Winter and Wind. James is a FESA success story who came to the group as a service user with his daughter Winter, and now works with FESA to find communities and families who can benefit from the organization’s programs.
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Edmonton Welcome
March 9th, 2009This morning we will be beginning our public consultation in Edmonton, and with an impressive slate of panelists from the region as well as presenters all signs point to it being a very successful day.
