Family Literacy Day will be celebrated on Friday, January 27, by Great Plains College in partnership with Southwest Literacy Committee. The 2017 theme, Canada 150 (One Country – Together is Better), celebrates Canada’s 150th anniversary.
“This year we would like to highlight the multicultural history of Canada,” said Bula Ghosh, Great Plains College program coordinator. “We encourage families to read to their children in their ethnic or indigenous languages. This is because the development of first languages lays the foundation for learning other languages.”
Children’s author and interdisciplinary Metis artist, Leah Dorion, will read her book, The Giving Tree, in both English and Michif. Readings will take place at Swift Current Mall on Friday, January 27, 2017 at 9 a.m., 10:15 a.m. 12:30 p.m. and 1:45 p.m.
In addition to the book reading at the mall, a family literacy evening will be held at Great Plains College for English Language Learners and their families. Partner organizations, like Swift Current Library, Family Resource Centre and Newcomer Welcome Centre are also hosting events to celebrate the occasion and increase awareness of the integral role family literacy plays in determining quality of life.
Practicing literacy for 15 minutes a day is beneficial for both children and parents. Furthermore, engaging children in playful activities helps them learn while having fun.
Throughout the year, Southwest Literacy Committee initiatives extend into the Southwest Saskatchewan region. One such project—Books for Babies—provides parents or caregivers of a four-month-old with two books, nursery rhymes, local library details, information and assessment tools to assist with a child’s development. The book bags are distributed through Cypress Health Region in recognition that literacy is a determinant of health. This project was started in 2004 and has been an inspiration for starting similar projects in other communities.
Pre-literacy kits were once again distributed in 2016. The pre-school kit contains activities to help develop good motor skills and were distributed through Swift Current Library. Through funding from the Leader-Post’s Raise a Reader Program, the committee will once again have the funds to provide pre-school kits to children in 2017.
“The family is a child’s first teacher and the profound influence that the family has on a child’s literacy is widely recognized,” said Ghosh. “It is important to remember that literacy begins in our homes and activities like playing, reading, listening, talking, singing, storytelling and drawing influence language skills and much of a child’s physical, social and cognitive development.”
“Family literacy is about reading, writing, numeracy, and more,” said Ghosh. “The first language is often the foundation for the development of other languages. As a result, families that have first languages other than English and French, would benefit from cultivating their first languages at home and elsewhere,” she added.
“On January 27, National Family Literacy Day, let us be mindful of this very powerful role of families in our children’s learning.”
For media inquiries, contact:
Elizabeth Heatcoat – Communications Coordinator
C: 306-628-7445
E: elizabethh@greatplainscollege.ca