Program Introduction to the Family Literacy Certificate Course

A 15 hour Introduction to the Family Literacy Certificate course is being run in August at Conestoga College. This course will introduce you to the basics of Family Literacy and will serve as a springboard for participants who are interested in taking the Family Literacy Certificate Program which will be run through Conestoga College this fall.

Click on this link to the Early Childhood Professional Resource Center at Conestoga for registration information for this and other courses of interest.

RAPP Packs

Kingston Literacy and Skills has created a number of manuals for use in family literacy programming.

According to KL&S:

"The Reading and Parents Program (RAPP) Resource Manuals are intended to help literacy organizations introduce a family literacy component to their existing programs. They include information on how to use a variety of different books and related activities in your family literacy program. The books, combined with the activies, are referred to as RAPP packs. Each RAPP pack includes:

• a selection of reading and language hints


• a craft idea and the materials to complete the craft


• a selection of poetry based on the theme of the book


• children's fine motor activities (for both younger and older children)

RAPP packs are designed to encourage family reading and to help parents support their children's emergent literacy skill development. RAPP can easily be adapted to produce packs that are tailored to suita ll families with children ages 0 to 10 years."

KL&S has three differnt RAPP collections for sale - RAPP Spring and Fall Collection, RAPP Classics Collection and RAPP Early Years Literacy Collection.

Click on this link to the Kingston Literacy and Skills website to find out more about RAPP packs and the other excellent resources this organization produces.

Call for Members

Do you provide family literacy programming? Are you passionate about family literacy? Are you committed to moving family literacy forward in Ontario? If the answer to any (or all) of these questions is yes, then AFLO is looking for you! AFLO is currently seeking new members who are as passionate about family literacy as we are.

Join a progressive group of like minded professionals and help to develop family literacy policy and programs across Ontario. We are looking for members from across Ontario from Windsor to Thunder Bay to Ottawa. The more members we have, the louder our voice as advocates for family literacy.

For more information about how you can join AFLO email familyliteracy@projectread.ca

Partnership Framework for Integrated Family Literacy Planning

The Ontario Literacy Coalition has recently released this draft document that looks at funding models and policies surrounding family literacy in Ontario. The report shows that there is support to increase children's literacy levels but a gap exists in support for literacy services for parents and caregivers.

You can acccess the report on the OLC's site.

New Policy Paper from FRP Canada

A new policy paper from FRP Canada has been released addressing concerns about the current direction of early childhood policy that focuses on the expansion of kindergarten programs.

The paper supports the need for community delivered programs which not only support the child but also the family. Family literacy is highlighted as an essential support for families with young children. In the realm of full day learning and the alignment of child care falling under the Ministry of Education, it also supports the need to develop the whole child and, in turn, support the family. This will equate to greater gains not only for the child in terms of development and learning but also social needs are better met when the parents are involved and the family is engaged.

This is the exact message we are trying to foster and promote in Family Literacy Programs across Canada.

The report - Family is the Foundation: Why Family Support and Early Childhood Education Must be a Collaborative Effort - can be found here.

"Learning is Growing" Conference

Stratford ON is the location of the 1st Annual "Learning is Growing" Conference on Saturday, October 1, 2011. Professionals working with children 0 - 6 are welcome to attend.

The link to the registration form is here.

4th Annual Bogglemania Fundraiser for Literacy 2011

On Sunday, January 30, 2011 Project READ Literacy Network Waterloo-Wellington will be hosting the 4th Annual Bogglemania Tournament at Conestoga Mall (550 King Street North, Waterloo) from 11:00 - 3:00 pm. Boggle is a word game where participants need to create as many words as possible from the letters displayed.

Participants need to pre-register with Project READ at www.projectread.ca. The cost is either $25 or a minimum of $25 in sponsors.

The grand prize is a $250 gift certificate from Conestoga Mall and there will also be a prize for the most sponsors. All participants are guaranteed 3 games.

There will be a Children's Boggle competition and an Adult Boggle competition, both recreational and competitive divisions.

Come join us for what is sure to be a great time for the entire family.

For more information contact:

Lorri Sauve
519.893.7597
familyliteracy@projectread.ca
www.projectread.ca

Family Literacy Day Event

On Sunday, January 30, 2011, Project READ Literacy Network Waterloo-Wellington and community partners who offer intergenerational literacy programs will be hosting the 13th Annual Family Literacy Day. Events include "The Record Breaking Read In" at 1:00 pm, the Bogglemania Tournament for both children and adults at 11:00 am, entertainment by Erick Traplin and interactive activities at various booths.

The event will be held at Conestoga Mall in Waterloo, 550 King Street North.

Last year over 1000 people of all ages attended some or all of the events. Come join us for what is sure to be a great time for the entire family.

For more information contact:

Lorri Sauve
519.893.7597
familyliteracy@projectread.ca
http://www.projectread.ca/

Report on a National Survey of Family Literacy Activities in Family Resource Programs

The Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs and the Federation quebecoise des organismes communautaires Famille have prepared a report on family literacy activities at family resource centers across Canada. Their goal was to highlight the practices of family support programs in relation to the enrichment of family literacy. Their study reveals that family resource programs have a strong committment to the support of emerging literacy practices in all age groups.

The report includes information on partnership practices between organizations, as well as data on financing literacy programs and activities.

Read the full report here.