Did you know that?
The results of a Harvard University study rate the “home reading environment” as the single most important factor affecting literacy development in children.
Children who grow up in a good home reading environment are much more likely to be strong and interested readers than children who do not, no matter how much reading is encouraged in school.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.

Find out how:        

     • You can better understand your own child’s literacy development
     • You can provide a variety of fun-filled literacy activities for your child
     • You can develop “literacy links” between your home and the school
     • You can help prepare your child for school                 
                                                         
Literacy Links supports parents with pre-school children in understanding how to develop a positive literacy environment in the home setting and make the important links between home and school. Literacy Links is a program in St. James-Assiniboia School Division that is offered May to August and is free of charge to all families of children entering kindergarten in the fall. University students are hired and trained to work as “literacy facilitators”. The literacy facilitators:

• 
  contact families and arrange to meet them for four visits at mutually acceptable times
  
• demonstrate and provide developmentally appropriate and enriching activities that focus on daily reading and writing,  environmental print, math activities and rhyming games,
  
• provide a home package of materials that include literacy information and guides, books, activities and games.
  

In addition to four home visits, families are invited to participate in one of the Rock and Read programs offered at a variety of community sites. Rock and Read is a hands-on family literacy program in which parents and children enjoy rhymes, songs, lullabies, and book sharing together. In these five sessions, children also get to participate in quality play time while parents make a beautiful book for their children.
Remember, there are no costs for any of these programs.
                                                                                                                  
To learn more about how you can be involved in the Literacy Links program, please email literacylinks@sjsd.net or leave a message on the Literacy Links Line at (204) 885-1334, extension 2304, and we will return your call.
Literacy Links is a program of St. James-Assiniboia School Division
Great Schools for Growing and Learning