FREDERICTON (GNB) – National Family Literacy Day, Jan. 27, is an opportunity for families and communities to extol the benefits of reading and to promote literacy.

“Taking part in reading activities with children is one of the best ways to help them acquire essential reading and writing skills that will enable them to reach their full potential in school, to be competitive on the job market, and to build fulfilling careers,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Marie-Claude Blais. “On the occasion of National Family Literacy Day, I encourage all parents and guardians to dedicate some time to reading with their child every day. It is an excellent way of spending quality time as a family and also a wise investment in our children's future.”

Blais believes that families and community members can play a significant complementary role within the province's public education system by promoting child literacy.  

She took advantage of National Family Literacy Day to participate in the launch of an awareness-raising campaign today for the provincial organization Elementary Literacy/Littératie au primaire at École Marée Montante in Saint-Louis-de-Kent. The campaign is designed to promote the recruitment of volunteer partners around the province in order to improve literacy levels among elementary school children.

Blais also referred to the department's investment of $2.5 million to support the ELF (Elementary-Literacy Friends) / CLEF (Communauté-Littératie-Enfants francophones) program. It is intended to improve elementary school children's reading and writing skills through individual tutoring by volunteers who are paired with children experiencing reading difficulties.

The department also supports various other literacy initiatives such as Born to Read/Le goût de lire, a program that gives books to new parents, including a book for babies by a New Brunswick author. This initiative is funded by donations from foundations, organizations, and individuals.

“Studies show that children's cognitive, language, social, emotional, physical, and motor development from birth to five years of age has a profound influence on their future,” Blais said. “Parents and caregivers are children's first teachers and can have a great influence on their ability to read and write.”

Later, during elementary and high school, young people acquire the skills they need to make a successful transition to adult life. Post-secondary education brings considerable advantages, including higher salaries and increased personal satisfaction, favouring a more solid economy and an improved quality of life.

“Establishing a culture of learning encourages an exchange of ideas, stimulates confidence and independent thinking, and helps to educate a competent, adaptable workforce,” said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Jody Carr. “National Family Literacy Day is an appropriate time to remind New Brunswickers of the free literacy services provided by the provincial library system, which comprises 63 public libraries and three bookmobiles. We encourage all New Brunswickers to set themselves the objective of lifelong learning.”

Blais and Carr thanked the early childhood services sector, the school districts, the schools, the public libraries, communities, and other organizations for the many positive initiatives launched to promote reading.

National Family Literacy Day was initiated by ABC Life Literacy Canada 16 years ago. It is observed every year on Jan. 27 to inform the public of the importance of reading and of taking part in other activities related to reading and writing as a family.

LINKS:

●    Elementary Literacy  
●    Born to Read  
●    New Brunswick Public Library Service


27-01-14