About 15 local parents, with children up to five years old, are taking part in a nine-week pilot training literacy program entitled Nourishing Foundations for Literacy Development (NFLD).

NFLD shows parents how to become more aware of the significant role they play in nurturing early literacy skills in their children. The program is being developed by the Conception Bay North Laubach Literacy Council (CBNLLC) through federal and provincial funding agreements.

Parents meet for two hours every Thursday night at Holy Redeemer Elementary School in Spaniard's Bay.

Calvin Butt, program developer, firmly believes that, "training and then engaging the help of thousands of parents to nourish foundations for literacy development in their children has tremendous potential for promoting the revolution in literacy that is so necessary in this province and elsewhere, especially in our rapidly changing world economy."

Butt has worked closely with the CBNLLC over the past year to formulate awareness and training modules for parents with children up to five years old.

Paul Littlejohn, one of the parents participating in the program, said the training is, "very informative and one which all parents should enjoy and partake in for the benefit of their children." His wife Tammy feels she has already witnessed positive responses from their four month old child as they read books which are provided on loan through the program.

Mark Noseworthy, the father of two children aged nine and two, feels he will better perform his role in literacy development with his two-year-old. He didn't know how fully he could participate in his child's reading development. He feels these days it's harder to get children to realize the importance of reading, "because they watch so much TV".

Recognizing that motivation is the primary role any parent should play in nourishing foundations for literacy development in a child, Noseworthy feels that, "by reading to children a lot you can't go wrong."

Research in the area of early literacy development certainly supports Noseworthy's sentiments, and the CBNLLC believes that family literacy programs help create a learning culture within the home.

William Bishop, CBNLLC chairperson, wishes all parents would adopt this view and create the type of learning environment and level of interest within the home which will be maintained beyond a child's school-age years. Bishop is particularly encouraged by the number of fathers who are attending these sessions on a regular basis, as literacy development in children has predominantly been a female role.

Once the nine-week piloting stage is completed and the training component is revised on the basis of participant feedback, his council will be making application for phase two of the project - implementation at the provincial level.