ABC Life Literacy Canada

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• Family literacy refers to the many ways families develop and use literacy skills, from enjoying a storybook together at bedtime and during the day, to playing with word games, singing, writing to a relative or friend, sharing day-to-day tasks such as making a shopping list or using a recipe, and surfing the Internet for fun and interesting sites (Family Literacy in Canada: Profiles of Effective Practices, Adele Thomas, Soleil Publishing Inc., 1998).

• Researchers estimate that over the lifetime of participants in an early literacy intervention program, returns to the public are $7.16 for every dollar invested (Schweinhart et al., 1993).

• Differences in young children's development are largely attributable to differences in socialization, with heredity playing a small role (Literacy Skills for the Knowledge Society, IALS 1997 page 62).

• The National Center for Family Literacy's long-term research with 2,000 families that attended family literacy programs shows that literacy intervention reduced participants' full dependence on public assistance from 67% to 11% (Literacy BC).

• Seventy-four per cent of young Canadians who graduate from high school have strong literacy skills. The remaining percentage can handle simple reading and writing tasks. Those who leave school before graduation generally have lower literacy skills.

Parental Influence

• Research shows children have a better chance of becoming fully literate adults if reading is encouraged in the home (Literacy BC).

• Many studies have shown that improving parents' skills directly and positively affects the language development of children (Literacy Skills for the Knowledge Society, IALS 1997, page 62).

• Studies show beyond dispute that children's achievements in school improves with increased parent involvement in education (Henderson, 1998).

• Connections between parents' levels of educational attainment and children's academic scores have been established in a number of studies. The connections have also been made between socio-economic status, education and literacy levels of parents and of the children of those parents (Literacy Skills for the Knowledge Society, IALS 1997 pp. 30-31).

• Quality of life for families, including income levels and employment status, is directly related to the literacy levels of parents (IALS 1995/97).

• Children raised in literate households are likely to enter grade one with several thousand hours of one to one pre-reading experience behind them (Literacy BC).

• For a child, the more time spent with a parent reading aloud increases his or her level of attachment, enhances a sense of security, and imparts the knowledge that their parent feels they are worthwhile people with whom to spend time (How to Raise a Reader, 1987).

• Having a parent or other caring person read aloud with their children helps children learn listening skills, vocabulary and language skills, as well as develop imagination and creativity (Family Literacy Foundation, 2001).

• Parents should pay careful attention to three potential reading slump times that can hinder a child's reading development: when a child enters kindergarten; at grade 4; and when a child enters high school (How to Make Your Child a Reader for Life, Paul Kropp, 2000).

Family Literacy Impacts Lives

• Simple things like reading and telling stories to a child at 18 months are powerful stimuli for brain development in the early years (Early Years Study Final Report: Reversing the Real Brain Drain, Government of Ontario, 1999).

• Reading to children more than once a day has a substantial positive impact on their future academic skills. In addition, research indicates children with early exposure to books and reading are better at performing mathematical tasks (National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, Statistics Canada, 1996-1997).

• Children aged 2 to 3 who are read to several times a day do substantially better in kindergarten at the age of 4 and 5 than youngsters who are read to only a few times a week or less (National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, Statistics Canada, 1996-1997).

• Some experts say that for 80 per cent of children, simple immersion in reading and books will lead to independent reading by school age (How to Make Your Child a Reader for Life, Paul Kropp, Random House Canada, 2000).

• Increased literacy levels among parents mean more reading and literacy-building activities in the home, preparing their children for success in school and encouraging a lifelong love of reading and learning.

• Establishing a culture of learning encourages an exchange of ideas, enriches family relationships, and bolsters confidence and independent thinking.