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Home > Facts & Figures > Literacy in BC | Why Literacy Matters | Useful Resources 
January 27, 2010, was Family Literacy Day
Data Angel Report: Addressing Canada's Literacy Challenge, A Cost-Benefit Analysis (PDF) Literacy & Beyond raises $33,000 for Literacy BC Literacy BC's 2008/09 Annual Report is now online (PDF). New TD Bank Report: Helping Newcomers Unlock Their Potential (PDF) Listen to Barbara Adler's poem, "Florence" Report: Canada's Hidden Deficit: the Social Cost of Low Literacy Skills Visit www.youthliteracy.ca for resources to help youth overcome literacy challenges |
January 15, 2010: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Literacy BC Celebrates Family Literacy DayOn January 27, 2010—Family Literacy Day—everyone at Literacy BC will take a few minutes to join together in song. This year’s Family Literacy Day theme, Sing for Literacy, resonates with us for three reasons. One, singing promotes literacy skills. Supporting and promoting literacy and life-long learning is our mission. Two, 2010 is Literacy BC’s 20th anniversary. What better way to celebrate than through song? Three, from the spirituals of the deep south to the folk music of the sixties to the fundraiser “We are the World” in 1985, singing has always been a way to express solidarity and commitment to a cause. Our cause? The belief that literacy affects everyone and everyone has a part to play in raising literacy levels. Reading, writing, arithmetic and problem solving are the basic tools that allow people to learn, grow and contribute to society. We begin developing these skills in childhood and continue learning throughout our lives. That is why family literacy—paying attention to the skills of all family members, not just children—is so important. Parents and caregivers are children’s first and most important teachers. Thirty percent of BC’s children do not have the skills they need to succeed when they start school. To help children learn basic skills, we must start with families. It is true that children benefit when adults read with them and support their learning. But what of adults who struggle to read? Forty percent of British Columbians do not have the literacy skills to fully participate and succeed in today’s knowledge-based economy. Fourteen percent of British Columbians struggle with basic text. Singing improves basic literacy skills. You need to read the lyrics, count the beats, pronounce the words and understand the meaning of the song. These crucial skills enable full participation in society. Singing also unites us. This Family Literacy Day, raise your voice to support literacy in British Columbia. Visit www.literacybc.ca to find out how you can make a difference. Sincerely,
About Literacy BC: Literacy BC, a provincial not-for-profit organization, has been promoting and supporting literacy and lifelong learning in British Columbia since 1990 by: supporting adult learners and their families; promoting innovation in practice; raising public awareness; building capacity; and partnering in policy development. To learn more about Literacy BC, visit www.literacybc.ca.
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