Early Learning and Literacy

Research shows that children who are most successful in school are those who were nurtured, encouraged, and stimulated in their early years — whether at home or in early-learning and child-care settings.

The following presentations bring together just some of the research and promising practices in early learning and literacy under way in provinces and territories across Canada.

To learn more, browse the presentations below.

  • Dr Fraser Mustard Literacy: Passport to Prosperity — Dr. Fraser Mustard
    Speaking from the Saint John site of the forum, Dr. Mustard began his presentation by outlining the evolutionary history of human beings to explain his conviction that in order to have a healthy, literate, and prosperous population in the 21st century, all societies must invest in early child development programs linked to primary schools.
    Webcast
    Presentation (PDF)

     

  • Investing Early for Lifelong Literacy — Dr. Rob Santos
    We cannot start too early in building healthy, resilient, and literate Manitobans. This presentation uses provincial data collected using the “early development instrument” to demonstrate the critical importance to Manitoba and its future workforce of investing in the healthy development of young children.
    Webcast
    Presentation (PDF)
  • Brighter Futures: A Community Approach to Early Childhood and Family Development — Mary Ann McGrath, Lorna Wesaquate, and Teresa Seel
    This session provides an overview of the Regina Early Learning Centre’s successes and challenges in developing and implementing a model for early childhood programming, with particular focus on Aboriginal families.
    Webcast
  • Early Literacy Panel — Hannah Natomagan, Bernice Lariviere, Rebecca Galloway, and Kathy Abernethy
    This panel presentation brings together representatives from northern Saskatchewan communities and the Saskatchewan ministry of education’s Early Learning and Child Care Branch who are involved in early-literacy programming initiatives. Hannah and Bernice are literacy-committee members of the Pinehouse community. Rebecca is Kids First Program Manager for ELCC in LaRonge. Kathy is responsible for the pre-kindergarten programs.
    Webcast