Family Literacy

What is family literacy? 

Family literacy is all the ways in which family members communicate, interact and learn together. When families take part in literacy activities, they acquire and develop lifelong and life-wide literacy skills and practices to use  at home, at school, at work and in the community. 

Family is where oral language and literacy skills are learned, first in early childhood and progressing through life.  Through daily interactions, the family provides an important context in which all members develop foundational literacy skills to communicate, learn, access knowledge, make decisions and grow.  The extent to which various family members play a role in literacy development of younger family members is unique to each family.  In families with young children, the primary focus is often on the early literacy and language development.  Parents, siblings, grandparents, extended family members, friends and caregivers all play a role in helping children to learn, prepare them for school and participate in society. 

Also unique to each family are literacy practices that are grounded in culture, context and the many different traditions in which oral and print communication skills and other literacies are passed on from one generation to another.  Cultural values and experiences frame our ways of learning and perceiving the world, and are integral to how individuals learn, acquire language and express themselves.  Daily activities and experiences shared within the family, whether through preparing meals, helping with homework, reading bedtime stories, story-telling or participating in family game nights, provide opportunities that contribute to strengthening the overall literacy development of family members.

Family Literacy Programs

Structured family literacy programs provide literacy practitioners, families and community members with learning opportunities that promote the value and benefits of family literacy.  Community-based organizations and schools offer a wide variety of family literacy programs.  The kind of family literacy programming offered varies, depending on the program model, resources and community needs. 

Well designed family literacy programs involve families and community partners.  They consider all members of a family as individuals, yet recognize the developmental stages of families, providing participants with educational strategies and skills to support development of age-appropriate activities.  Through these programs, individuals also learn about:

• The role that family members can play in fostering a literacy-rich environment in the home; 
• Ways that family members can use daily activities to strengthen literacy skills; and 
• Resources available to them through libraries and community.

Family Literacy – Provincial Resources

For more information on family literacy program models, program standards, resources and training, contact the Saskatchewan Literacy Network at 1-888-511-2111 or go to: www.sk.literacy.ca/pages/familyL.html  

For information on Aboriginal family literacy program models, resources and training, contact the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Literacy Network at (306) 934-2632 or go to: www.aboriginal.sk.literacy.ca/ 

For information on francophone-based family literacy programs, contact Service fransaskois de formation aux adultes (SEFFA) at (306) 648-3129 or go to: www.seffa.sk.ca/

For information on early learning and childhood development initiatives in the Ministry of Education (i.e., licensed child care, Prekindergarten programs and services, and the KidsFirst Strategy) go to: www.education.gov.sk.ca/ELCC

Contact us:     

Provincial Library and Literacy Office
(306) 787-2514
saskliteracy@gov.sk.ca

Family Literacy – Professional Development Opportunities

The Saskatchewan Literacy Network offers many opportunities for literacy practitioners and stakeholders to develop their professional skills and knowledge, including a bursary for applicants interested in obtaining a Family Literacy Certificate from Vancouver Community College.  For more information, go to: http://www.sk.literacy.ca/pages/bursary.html

Contact us:

Provincial Library and Literacy Office  
(306) 787-2514
saskliteracy@gov.sk.ca