Wednesday, January 27 has been proclaimed Family Literacy Day in Prince Edward Island by Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Doug Currie.
“Family Literacy Day reminds us of the great things that happen when families read and learn together,” says Minister Currie. “The way that reading is valued and practiced in the home can have more influence on a child’s learning than anything else.”
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is providing $50,000 this year to support projects that draw families together in activities that foster a love of reading. One of the 24 family literacy grants was recently awarded to a group of Cornwall partners to offer the Spring into Reading program. With the support of the department, this program has been offered in several Island communities over the years. It has achieved excellent results in helping children learn to read and in coaching parents to support their children’s literacy development at home.
Spring Into Reading was offered this year to kindergarten, grade 1 and grade 2 students and families in Cornwall. The project was a partnership of Cornwall early childhood centres and kindergarten programs, Westwood Primary School, the Westwood Home and School Association, the public library and the Town of Cornwall. Participants say the project surpassed their expectations to strengthen the children’s literacy skills and the parents’ ability to support their children’s learning.
“Improving literacy in our One Island Community is a key priority of government,” said Minister Currie. “Reading is the foundation skill for all learning. We are very pleased to support family literacy because it is an important link to a child’s success throughout the school years, to the health of Islanders, and to the future prosperity of the province.”
For information about family literacy programs, contact the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development at www.gov.pe.ca/eecd or the PEI Literacy Alliance at www.pei.literacy.ca.