This fact sheet offers 30 suggestions for building interest in reading. While the document focuses on nurturing reading in First Nations communities, the ideas would be valuable in any setting.
This report looks at various ways of sourcing books, and providing access to books for First Nations communities. While the report focuses on efforts in Hobbema, a primarily First Nations community south of Edmonton, Alberta, the ideas it contains are relevant in many situations.
Storysacks are resources that encourage parents and children to read together. A storysack usually contains a picture book, props or costumes for acting out the story, an audio recording of the story, a non-fiction book, and an idea card with suggested activities. Storysacks may also be based on oral stories and legends.
Little Chefs is a cooking program for family literacy groups. The program is designed to be offered over 15 sessions, each focusing on a particular book, with recipes, activities, and crafts related to that book.
The Northwest Territories “Books in the Home” program provides parents with tools to help their children with reading and writing. Each week, parents study a children’s book and take the book home.
This resource manual is one of two developed for the program and focuses on what the authors describe as northern books: ones about the culture and life in the North, many of which reflect First Nations, Métis or Inuit culture.
The Northwest Territories “Books in the Home” program is based on the belief that parents are children’s first and most important teachers. Throughout the program, parents study a children’s book each week, then take the book home with them.
Featuring Kate Nonesuch, Literacy Educator and Curriculum Writer
In this video, literacy educator Kate Nonesuch explains a technique to help adult learners get more out of their reading.
When a person reads a text, some of the information is right there on the page, she points out. Other information emerges because the person thinks about the text and questions its meaning.
A Resource manual for literacy programs and teachers of young children
The Reading And Parents Program (RAPP) was designed to encourage family literacy and help parents support the development of their children’s literacy skills. Program materials can be adapted to produce packs that are suitable for lending to families who have children aged from birth to eight years.
A storysack consists of a book with props, games and ideas for activities to engage children in reading. This video shows a little boy discovering Eric Carle’s “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” through a storysack.
The adult reading the book aloud uses toy food items from the sack to keep the toddler’s attention. As well, she pauses frequently to let the boy respond to the story.
