Family Literacy
There are many organizations and groups involved in promoting family literacy across Canada (and beyond!). This webpage is a growing list of websites with information, resources, or colleagues in the literacy field. If you know of one we missed (we’re still building this resource!), contact us and let us know!
For more information about literacy in Saskatchewan, visit this page https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/education-and-learning/literacy-in-saskatchewan
Useful family literacy websites
- ABC Life Literacy Canada / ABC Alpha pour la vie Canada develops and supports the use of high-quality introductory learning materials and resources written in clear language. They envision a Canada where everyone has the tools and opportunities they need to improve their literacy and essential skills. ABC Life Literacy Canada started and runs Family Literacy Day in Canada, and has many family literacy resources, including through their Family Literacy First program.
- Active for Life / Actif pour la vie – raising physically literate kids. Free resources available in multiple languages.
- Centre for Family Literacy – many resources, including book liksts, for parents and literacy professionals
- Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation / Fondation pour l’alphabétisation des enfants canadiens – promoting and developing literacy initiatives, championing literacy partners across Canada, and empowering people to build literacy skills in their homes and communities.
- Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development, a project of the Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development (CEECD) supported by Université Laval and Université de Montréal (Quebec, Canada). International experts gather, synthesize, and comment on scientific knowledge on the development of young children from conception to age five.
- United for Literacy (was Frontier College) / Littératie Ensemble (Collège Frontière) is a national literacy organization that works with volunteers and community partners to give people the skills and confidence they need to reach their potential and contribute to society.
- The Teachers’ Corner offers you games and resources to teach citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism subjects.
www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadians/celebrate-being-canadian/teachers-corner.html - NWT Literacy Council – has many family literacy resources including How-To Kits, information on Indigenous Languages and Literacy, Resources for Families, and Parent and Family Activity Cards
Family Literacy and Early Learning
- Early Learning Portal: https://earlylearning.edonline.sk.ca
- The Hanen Centre focuses on “three areas of expertise, each concerned with promoting the communication development of a particular group of children with specific needs.” Click on the links to learn more about their work in these areas:
- Serve and Return:
- Serve and Return video from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
- Zero to Three outline that “the first three years of life are the most important for lifelong mental health and well-being” and they help translate the science of early childhood development into real impact. Many resources, including around early development, early learning, and parenting
Multilingual Resources
- Multilingual Collection: the Provincial Library and Literacy Office (PLLO) has more than 70,000 books in over 25 languages, including almost 9,000 children’s books in over 20 languages. The multilingual collection includes fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults. If you’re interested in borrowing multilingual books, you can place a hold with your public library card or contact your local public library branch. Need a library card? Contact your local public library for more information. More about the multilingual collection is here: https://mlb.libguides.com/multilingual
- CMAS – an organization funded through Citizenship and Immigration Canada, CMAS has a number of multilingual brochures https://cmascanada.ca/cnc/resources/parents-and-families/
Books
- Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – “a free book gifting program devoted to inspiring a love of reading in the hearts of children everywhere. Each month, enrolled children receive a high quality, age appropriate book in the mail, free of charge. Children receive books from birth to age five.”
- First Book Canada / Premier Livre Canada – focused on providing equal access to quality education for kids. This connects to their First Book Canada Marketplace where members can get discounted (and, at times, free!) books and learning resources for children and youth.
- Books Over Borders (was Institute for Cross-cultural Exchange) promotes children’s literacy and cross-cultural education, at home and abroad.
- In 2022, the SLN received copies of “The Clever Boy and the Terrible, Dangerous Animal” by Idries Shah from Books Over Borders. Please contact us if you would like copies to give families in your program. For more information about this book: hoopoebooks.com/the-clever-boy-and-the-terrible-dangerous-animal