Literacy skills in this ‘picture’ province of ours are down; in fact, I’ll be so bold as to say the picture is not pretty. For me, as a New Brunswicker who grew up challenged by ‘special needs’ before they became fashionable in the school system to ‘be’ special needs, reading was something that was encouraged in my home. In fact, my father enrolled me in a monthly book club - Companion Library, with their double sided books - all the classics books were a huge part of my childhood world and are still a significant part of my adult world, in spite of declining vision. One memory created by books was thanks to my eldest sister, Maureen, who, newly married in 1966, visited me at the then Forest Hill Centre for Rehabilitation, books in hand — “The Anne Books” — the L.M. Montgomery series was a huge childhood favourite — exercising my legs in aid of improved ambulation and exercising my intellect to improve my quality of life as I grew up. Living an independent life as a person with disability was and is critical, and fundamental to that was a skill set that included proficiency in reading and writing. The small print of hard bound books and paperbacks have been supplemented with the ‘ease of reading’ font boosting tablet with back lighting.
From The Bobsey Twins, the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew to age-appropriate magazines — reading material was readily available throughout childhood home. It saddens me to know that so many children today don’t experience the true joy of getting lost in books because they cannot read well enough and give up or they’re so absorbed in technology that seems to do it all for them. There’s lot to be said for what technology can bring into a child’s world with regard to learning, but as with all things, moderation is critical. A steady diet of that medium stunts imagination.
Key to changing that is for parents or other significant adults in the home to read TO the child. If the adult’s own literacy is compromised, then a different approach is necessary as it’s possible that they are embarrassed by their own deficiencies and are unwittingly compromising their child’s learning and future. Parents trapped by illiteracy do not want that for their child, but they’re rather like a hamster on a wheel — they feel stuck and they need help — IN the home. Ensuring confidentiality and dignity is important.
Successive governments and Ministers of Education have been talking the talk - talk, talk, and more talk, spending tax payer dollars on studies that were and are redundant. The time has finally come, after decades, to DO something. To act. The first attack and plan of action NEEDS to begin in the home, where the children grow up and live, day to day to day. Earmarking literacy enhancement funds for and in schools is all well and good, but what happens with and for the child at the end of the day and on the weekends when that influence is not active. Nothing! The government and all of us who make use of services must do our part to ensure that those who are less able to access available programs have the services brought TO them or, alternatively, they are brought to the services. Perhaps the development of ‘after hours’ adult with child reading programs in schools, churches, libraries, book stores, barber shops, food courts is one solution. Wherever people gather - how about a gathering of books and story tellers. Then watch it grow.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Canada, a book of the month club, not unlike what I experienced all those years ago as my own childhood library was developed and grew, CAN make a difference but only if adults in the world of the child get involved and do THEIR part. A child cannot adequately decide for himself what tools in life are important; he relies on his parents for that. A good place to start is for educators and administrators all across the province to do the math, crunch the numbers and encourage parents to register their child with Imagination Canada.
As of this date, there are 14,216 Canadian children, of eligible age, registered; that number is far too low!! Across the countries involved in the program, Canada, the United States, the UK and Australia, there are 914,366 children registered. Is it possible that what is stopping parents from getting involved is that they are not themselves readers of any depth - leisure readers, as example. Certainly, we need reading skills for many jobs - enhanced reading skills to match the job requirements. Bare-bones literacy ‘just to get by’ doesn’t cut it anymore. Parents not being able to read about Imagination Canada and how it will benefit their child could be a significant impediment to enrolment. That’s where it’s incumbent upon others in the child’s world to step up and get involved. With Christmas, a popular occasion to give and receive books fast approaching, how about beefing up the numbers of registrants for Imagination Canada. Do you know a child who is eligible? What a gift you’d give by registering those who may need help getting started. To coin a popular phrase from an old television advertisement - READING is FUN-DA-MENTAL.
Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with Miss Lexie, a rambunctious Maltese and Mr. Malcolm, a boisterous Havanese. She can be reached via Carla MacInnis Rockwell
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