To shine a light on the importance of literacy, schools, families, and community organizations will be celebrating Family Literacy Week from January 22^nd – 29^th, 2023.

Literacy is a necessary life skill that enables people to access knowledge, express themselves, and participate in their communities. Reading and writing are key components of literacy and developing these skills also means there is the ability to effectively listen, speak, think, and even use technology. Opportunities to participate in related learning is core to a students' day within the classroom. Literacy Week is a way to inspire all those involved in a child's learning to keep literacy front and centre. For example, oral language is critical to literacy development so getting creative with conversation at home is one way for parents and guardians to engage in the learning journey.

SD47 has a diverse population of students, and our educators aim to meet their needs as they develop and grow through their literacy journeys. We take a comprehensive approach to literacy instruction and believe that students need choice and agency in their reading and writing lives. An important part of our instruction includes a focus on early literacy skills such as phonemic awareness and phonics as they are essential building blocks to successful reading and writing.  We want our students to feel confident in their ability to read and write, have a good understanding of language, and be able to think critically, form and share opinions. We see all our students as readers and writers, and we want to ensure that they, too, see themselves in this way.

School District 47's goal is to improve all student achievement in literacy, within a safe, inclusive, and dynamic environment, which encourages them to be lifelong learners.

Reading is FUN!

Within our schools, Family Literacy Week will focus on creating fun and engaging literacy opportunities for our students, staff, and families. Students will continue to be exposed to diverse stories, experiences, and perspectives. Here are some of the special activities that will be taking place in schools this week:

• Guest readers, including local authors, athletes, and School Trustees
• Local Indigenous storytellers will visit schools and share traditional stories
• Family members will be invited into schools to participate in literacy activities
• School wide Book Swaps
• Book character and "New Word" dress up days
• Unique reading experiences, like "Stop, Drop, and Read", Flashlight Reading, and more
• Spelling and wordsearch challenges
  

Literacy is Everywhere

Taking time every day to read or do a learning activity with your children is crucial to a child's development and can help improve their literacy skills, develop their imagination, and build connection.

Here are some activities you can do with your child to promote literacy at home:

• Take at least 15 minutes a day to actively read with your child and talk with them about the stories and book topic. Ask them open-ended question, for example: "Why did they do that?", "when did you notice this?", "what do you think about that?", "what do you think will happen next?"
• Ask them to help you make the grocery list for the week
• When in the car, have conversations with them or listen to an audio book together
• Invite your child to help you bake and follow a recipe together
  
• Have a family board game night
  
• For more examples, visit Decoda Literacy Solutions
  

Children benefit greatly from participating in learning activities with their parents or guardians. Let's connect our family community and share some of the creative ways you engage your children in literacy at home!

Tag @Schooldistrct47 and #SD47Literacy in pictures and/or videos of your family exploring literacy together.