By Lory Rochon
We use literacy skills every day (and all day).
Just a quick look at any one day makes it easy to see just how many times we all depend on our literacy skills.
In the morning, we rely on clocks to get up and out of the house in time.
Once out of the house, we read road signs and understand the meaning of traffic lights. We might also have to enter codes to buy gas or coffee on our way.
We continue using our skills when we get to our destination, as we fill out time sheets, read memos or compose e-mails on the computer.
At the end of the day, we are still using our literacy skills to calculate and measure ingredients and to adjust the temperatures at which we cook our dinner.
Finally, what about all the digital appliances that are in most of our homes?
There are scores of red, green or blue lights on home electronics that ask when, how much, how often, what channel, what time, and a host of other questions.
Are your literacy skills up to the challenge?
Literacy skills (reading, writing, numeracy, technology, communication) help us to successfully complete all of these tasks as well as many others.
The stronger our literacy skills, the quicker we can complete tasks, the more we will understand, and the easier tasks become.
Knowing this, think about how much of an impact literacy skills will have on your child’s future. Help them to develop strong literacy skills so they can be successful. Practise using literacy skills as a family to strengthen the skills you (and they) already have.
This year’s theme for Family Literacy Week (Jan. 24-31) is 15 Minutes of Fun! So, take 15 minutes each day to learn and practise literacy skills together with your family.
There are many fun activities available to develop and strengthen literacy skills. You can play a game together (board, card, or dice); take turns reading a book; do puzzles or riddles; tell “knock-knock” jokes; play with homonyms or synonyms; write a play; or take turns making up a story.
Many more ideas can be found at www.abclifeliteracy.ca. For more information, contact Cariboo-Chilcotin Partners for Literacy (CCPL) at www.caribooliteracy.com or contact Lory (Literacy Outreach) at 250-395-0655 or lory@caribooliteracy.com.
Lory Rochon is the CCPL literacy outreach worker based in 100 Mile House.