NSEL

Yesterday’s public consultations in Toronto helped to crystallize a number of themes that will influence the content of the NSEL:

Teacher training: The vast majority of teachers across the country receive little to no training in reading instruction in university or college.

Presenters shared with us a range of perspectives on the efficacy of systematic phonics and the balanced literacy approach.

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After 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.

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Halifax! 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.