In addition to the services provided by Literacy Alberta and the Centre for Family Literacy, the Further Education Society of Alberta (FESA) provides family literacy programming. Founded in Calgary it now provides curriculum and training for family literacy programming across Canada. It bases its services on Literacy and Parenting Skills (LAPS). LAPS provides literacy and parenting skills training to at-risk parents.

A variety of approaches to family literacy is used across the province, including:

• parent involvement – parental involvement in child literacy is encouraged through joint caregiver-child sessions
• intergenerational – both caregivers and children receive direct literacy instruction
• focus on primary caregiver – adults are the primary participants and the focus is on ways in which to develop children’s literacy at home either directly or indirectly; childcare may be provided while caregiver participates in program; literacy and parenting skills (laps), for example
• activities for the general public – focus is on public awareness, informal participation (e.g., reading tents)
• resources – materials (often created by program staff) that support the idea of family literacy are made available (e.g., books for babies).

References

• Key informant interview. Janet Lane. Executive Director, Literacy Alberta. May 2007.
• The Centre for Family Literacy website: www.famlit.ca
• The Parent-Child Strategy (PCLS) Backgrounder. Retrieved from www.advancededucation.gov.ab.ca/other/literacy/PCLSBackgrounder.pdf July 2007.
• Parent Child Literacy Strategy Progress Report. Community Programs Branch, Alberta Advanced Education: 2006.
• Family Literacy: A Key Partner in Albert’s Second Century. Centre for Family Literacy: 2007.
• Linda Phillips, Ruth Hayden and Stephen Norris. Family Literacy Matters: A Longitudinal Parent-Child Intervention Study (Excerpt). Canadian Centre for Research on Literacy, University of Alberta: 2006.