Family Literacy in the North

Warm-up ActivityStand-up if you:

◦Read to your children◦Travelled to get here◦ If you are from out of province◦Are a parent◦Are a grandparent◦Want to share a rhyme with us?◦Are wearing green today◦Like wild meat◦Like to dance◦Have run a family literacy program before◦Have learned new things at the conference

The NWT

What do you know about the NWT?Population?Capital of the NWT?Aboriginal population?Languages?Industry?Weather?Communities?Distance from Edmonton?Government?Bugs?

About the NWTPopulation? 43,439 Capital of the NWT? YellowknifeAboriginal population? 50%Languages? 11 official languages (9

Aboriginal)Industry? Government and Diamonds used to

be GoldWeather? Cold in the winter!Communities? 33 communities – about half are

fly-in onlyDistance from Edmonton? 1600 kmGovernment? ConsensusBugs? Yes!

About the NWT Literacy Council

The NWT Literacy Council works with individuals and groups to promote and support literacy and essential skills in all the official languages of the NWT.

We are a non-for-profit organization.

We have been working with communities for 20 years now…

We have been doing family literacy for 13 years…

We promote literacy, do training and workshops, develop resources and do research.

Why Family Literacy?Family literacy makes

sense in the northern context.

Small northern communities are very family orientated.

Events need to be family focused.

Northern communities have really embraced the concept of family literacy.

In some ways it is ‘community literacy’

Family Literacy in the North

Our ApproachThe NWT Literacy Council

promotes and supports family literacy through a community development approach.

What do we mean by community development?Community Development is when

community members come together to take action and come up with solutions to common problems.

The most important outcome of community development is improved quality of life.

How we got started?Way back in 1997 we started our

family literacy project.We asked communities if they

were interested in having free workshops and training in family literacy.

Some said yes and we started!

Tools for Community BuildingIn 1999 we started a project called

Tools for Community Building.This project worked with 4

communities – doing a 3 day workshop on family literacy, project planning and proposal writing.

Results varied2 communities hired family literacy

coordinators – still have the position after 9 years…

Family Literacy Training InstituteWe held our first

Family Literacy Training Institute in 2001.

Since then we have held over 15 institutes and trained over 500 people in family literacy.

The institutes are free and we help pay for people to attend.

What’s involved with the training?We have developed several

family literacy programs:◦Books in the Home◦1-2-3 Rhyme With Me◦Families First: Literacy and Parenting ◦Family Tutoring◦Bookmaking

Other TrainingFamily Literacy and Aboriginal

LanguageMusic and LiteracyTalking Books (using PowerPoint)Introduction to Family LiteracyEarly Childhood TrainingStorysacks

Training

One Community’s Perspective

Mary Ann Vital is from DelineI attended the Family Literacy

Training Institute (2001)Since then I have been to many

training events and workshopsAnd now I am a presenter at the

Council’s training eventsI have been running family literacy

programs on and off for almost 10 years

What programs do I offer in my community?Books in the HomeCraft nightsCulture and language1-2-3 Rhyme With Me Family Literacy Nights (using

How to Kits)

SuccessesLots of participantsMore reading in homesChildren more prepared for

schoolChildren are familiar with booksSlavey programsBooks into people’s homes

ChallengesLack of fundingCommunity support (leaders)Really need a full-time literacy

coordinatorNot enough time to organize

activities (from side of my desk)Getting resources – books, crafts,

etc. (everything has to be shipped)

How it has affected my communityChildren used to go to school with no book

knowledge at all – children who attend the family literacy program now have some experience with books and reading…

Children are more prepared for schoolParents are more comfortable with booksParents are more comfortable going to the

schoolParents have a better understanding of the

importance of learning together as a family

Resources we developedBooklets for Preschool children, in

slavey with colors, numbers, shape and different objects

Literacy quilt with parents and children.

Family booklet in slaveyBook bag for the children at

preschool  Storysacks

Plans for the futureMore family literacy activities!Try different programsContinue to get more training

from the NWT Literacy Council Keep going and keep trying…

NWT Literacy Council Resources

We have developed a wealth of resources◦50 How-to-Kits◦Family Literacy programs◦Family Literacy activities◦Adult Literacy resources◦Essential Skills resources

CDs for everyoneLet’s check it out!

WebsiteYou need to check out our

website: www.nwt.literacy.ca

Most of our resources are online – all you need to do is download and print!