ABC Life Literacy Canada

Non-profit celebrates 20 years of elevating life literacy cause at home, at work and in the community

(Toronto, ON – September 8, 2010) – In honour of the 20th anniversary being celebrated today, ABC Life Literacy Canada is pleased to offer 20 literacy tips that anyone can use in various aspects of their life.

“Looking back on 20 years of proactive literacy engagement, we are proud of the achievements realized on behalf of all Canadians, partners and champions within the literacy field,” commented Margaret Eaton, ABC Life Literacy Canada president. “Programs and resources such as Family Literacy Day, Look Under Learn, Essential Skills Day, and Good Reads are examples of how we are actively engaging governments, business and labour organizations to help millions of individuals from coast to coast.”

A recent Ipsos Reid poll showed that 90% of Canadians believe that improving literacy levels in Canada is key to improving the country’s economy. Furthermore, approximately 95% of Canadians agree that literacy training is critical to improving job prospects for Canadians.

The Government of Canada identifies nine essential skills (reading; document use; numeracy; writing; oral communication; working with others; thinking; computer use; and continuous learning) that are important for everyone to possess in order to live a fully engaged life.

“We encourage all Canadians to upgrade their literacy skills on a daily basis, as just 15 to 20 minutes a day spent reading, writing or even playing games can help boost literacy skills used in everyday life,” said Eaton.

With that in mind, here are 20 top life-long learning tips that can be used easily in your day-to-day life:

20 Top Life-Long Learning Tips

Set aside some quiet time each day to read a book, magazine or newspaper. You will feel a sense of accomplishment when you finish. You will also serve as a reading role model for those around you.

Embrace curiosity. Constantly questioning what we think we already know leads to greater learning.

Instead of sending an email, pick up the phone or visit your co-worker for a face-to-face conversation. Not only does this help increase your physical activity, it also helps with oral communication.

Do crossword puzzles, word jumbles or sudoku puzzles. They are a fun way to help keep your mind sharp and grow your vocabulary.

Start a book club with your friends or neighbours. Read and discuss the books together.

Take a professional development course through your employer or local library.

Practice your writing skills by updating your resume, handwriting a thank you note to a co-worker, salesperson or neighbour, or writing a “to learn” list.

When cooking, follow a new recipe – it’s a fun way to practice reading, math and comprehension as well as enjoy a new meal option.

Boost baby's brainpower by reading aloud. Infants love the sound of a parent's voice and the closeness of sharing.

Let children count out the change when making a purchase. This helps reinforce the importance of math in everyday life.

Keep teens reading by providing them with books, magazines and safe Internet sites about things that interest them – like music, movies, TV and computers.

Create a game night once a week and invite another family over for a challenge. Depending on the game selected, you will be practicing critical thinking skills, reading, numeracy and even working with others.

Act as a mentor to friends or family on a subject you enjoy such as sports, knitting, cars or painting, to name a few. You can learn through teaching.

Think about going back to school to learn a new language, pursue a hobby or even pick up a musical instrument. If you don’t have time for in-class study, create your own study plan by doing research at your local library or through the Internet.

Give the gift of words – make a donation to a literacy organization in your community – or consider giving books as gifts to friends and family.

Learning a new sport or taking up a new physical activity helps you both physically and mentally; keeping you young in body and mind.

Purchase gently used books and magazines at garage sales and second-hand stores as a cost-effective way to continuously add to your library.

Question your child about the story you’re reading together (what do you think happens next?) to make sure they understand and to stimulate thoughts.

Car trips can offer great opportunities to enhance literacy skills. Plan a new route to work to keep you thinking of alternatives or, if travelling as a family, read signs, billboards and licence plates together and show your children the proper way to read a map.

Use it or lose it! The more we stimulate our brains through new learning experiences, the stronger our thinking and remembering muscle becomes.

ABC Life Literacy Canada continues to actively work with organizations and partners across the country providing access to programs and resources for adult learners. Continuing to improve one’s literacy skills is an important step to help live a fully engaged life. As we look forward towards the future, ABC Life Literacy Canada is proud to be celebrating September as Life Literacy Month with all Canadians.

Canadians can become active participants and join ABC Life Literacy Canada’s vision of a nation where everyone has the literacy skills they need to live a fully engaged life by supporting life literacy programs and initiatives with an online donation.

To learn more about literacy and lifelong learning please visit www.abclifeliteracy.ca.

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About ABC Life Literacy Canada:
ABC Life Literacy Canada is a non-profit organization that inspires Canadians to increase their literacy skills. We mobilize business, government and communities to support lifelong learning and achieve our goals through leadership in programs, communications and partnerships. ABC Life Literacy Canada envisions a Canada where everyone has the skills they need to live a fully engaged life. For the latest news and information on adult literacy please visit www.abclifeliteracy.ca, follow us on Twitter or join our Facebook page.

For more information, please contact:
Nadia Flaim, Communications Manager
ABC Life Literacy Canada
Tel: 416 218-0010 x122
nflaim@abclifeliteracy.ca

Ashley Tilley, Communications Co-ordinator
ABC Life Literacy Canada
Tel: 416-218-0010, ext. 127
atilley@abclifeliteracy.ca