Family Literacy Programs

Family Literacy Programs funded through Advanced Education and Technology in 2007/08.

Please note: Every effort is made to keep information current, however, changes do occur over the course of a year with location of programs, telephone and e-mail information. Should you run into difficulty connecting with any of the programs, please call Deborah Landry, Parent-Child Literacy Strategy Manager, Advanced Education and Technology at (780) 427-5704 or e-mail deborah.landry@gov.ab.ca.

Instructions: The programs are listed below by location of the program service delivery organization. Specific communities served are listed in the project description. There are a number of family literacy programs offered by Aboriginal organizations that are specifically for Aboriginal families and communities. For your convenience, these are located in a separate listing at the end of this document. To access the Aboriginal Family Literacy Programs listing, simply click on "Aboriginal Family Literacy Programs" below (or scroll down to the end of this document).

Aboriginal Family Literacy Programs

Sorted alphabetically by location. Click on a letter to jump to your city/town or scroll down the listing.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

City/Town, Project Title Host Organization/ Service Delivery Organization Phone Email	Project Description
Airdrie Family Literacy Rocky View School Division No. 41/ Rocky View Adult Education Telephone: (403) 945-9520 RVAE@execdir@rockyview.ab.ca	The family literacy program offered is a Rhymes That Bind and Literacy and Parenting Skills (LAPS)combination. Communities served: Municipality of Rocky View.
Barrhead Rhyme Time and More! Pembina Hills Regional School Division #7/ Barrhead & District Reading & Writing Program Telephone: (780) 674-7532 croberts@phrd.ab.ca	Rhyme Time Plus more is a family literacy program which includes ideas gleaned from other models such as Books For Babies or from the COW bus. It supports parents in their role as their child's first teacher. Communities served: Barrhead, Fort Assiniboine, Dunstable, Meadowview and Neerlandia.
Bashaw Bashaw and Area Family Literacy Project Bashaw Adult Learning Council/ same Telephone: (780) 372-3648 balc@persona.ca	Rhymes That Bind and Books for Babies are programs delivered in a group setting that model reading and other literacy activities. Both programs run in Bashaw.
Bon Accord Rhythm and Rhyme Family Time Sturgeon County/ Sturgeon Literacy Telephone: (780) 921-3589 l-mcdonald@shaw.ca	Building Blocks is an in home family literacy support program which supports parents in their role as their child's first teacher. Rhythm and Rhyme Family Time is a group-based program delivered at the Edmonton Garrrison. Communities served: Sturgeon region.
Calgary Bowmont Family Literacy Project Calgary Family Services Society/ same Telephone: (403) 205-5258 susangarrow@shaw.ca	Rhymes That Bind promotes oral language development in babies and toddlers and provides a positive, supportive environment for parents through group-based delivery. Communities served: Bowness, Montgomery, Bowcroft, and Greenwood.
Calgary Cross-Cultural Parent-Child Literacy Program Calgary Immigrant Aid Society/ Immigrant Services Calgary Telephone: (403) 538-8361 wendya@immigrantservicescalgary.ca	This community-based family literacy program provides parent-child activities, parent workshops and early childhood educational activities and special off-site events for immigrant and refugee families with preschool children. Communities served: O.S. Geiger School, Colonel J. Fred Scott School and Mosaic Centre.
Calgary Pebbles in the Sand: ESL Literacy for Women & Children Calgary Immigrant Women's Association/ same Telephone: (403)263-4414 language@ciwa-online.com	Family literacy curriculum and activities for immigrant women and children. Four 10-week sessions each year are offered in a minimum of five different communities. Each session includes good quality children's books, craft and writing activities, numeracy lessons, and songs for both adults and children. Communities served: Forest Lawn, Marlborough, Rundle, Wild Wood, Beltline, Albert Park and the Downtown core.
Calgary Magic Carpet Ride CanLearn Society for Persons with Learning Difficulties/ Calgary Learning Centre Telephone: (403) 686-9300 anne.price@calgarylearningcentre.com	Magic Carpet Ride is a program comprised of interactive play activities, circle stories, music and rhyme time and group discussions that teach parents strategies for supporting their children's learning at home. Communities served: Falconridge, Martindale, Taradale, Thorncliffe, Huntington Hills, Greater Forest Lawn.
Camrose Camrose Family Literacy Society of Camrose and Area Community Learning Council/ Camrose Family Literacy Telephone: (780) 672-8754 sharilyn@camrosecalc.com	Family Literacy Initiative Fund to provide: Rhymes That Bind include rhymes, finger plays, songs, crafts and story based on a weekly theme; Building Blocks is a home visitation program instructing parents on emergent literacy activities to do with their children; Literacy and Parenting is a parenting program with a high literacy component; Pillow Slips/Story Sacks is a community made bag filled with 2 books 1 fiction 1 non-fiction and activities associated with the story's themes. Communities served: City and County of Camrose.
Cardston Cardston & District Family Literacy Project Westwind School Division #74/ Cardston & District Community Adult Learning Program Telephone: (403) 653-4991 Kathy.Richards@westwind.ab.ca	A-LAPS (Aboriginal Literacy and Parenting) is a family literacy program for Aboriginal people that provides them with support in assisting their children with language development. Communities served: Cardston.
Coronation PCALC Family Literacy County of Paintearth/ Paintearth Community Learning Council Telephone: (888) 578-3817 Kimberley@aroundpaintearth.com	Building Blocks, an in-home literacy support program, and Rhymes that Bind are delivered. Communities served: Paintearth County, Castor, and Coronation.
Drayton Valley Pulling Families Together Drayton Valley Adult Literacy Society/ same Telephone: (780) 621-1722 dvlit@incentre.net	Come Read with Me is a program based on B.O.O.K.S., delivered in conjunction with other programs in Drayton Valley. Rhymes that Bind is also offered. Communities served: Drayton Valley, Lindale, and Breton.
Drumheller Building Blocks Olds College / Drumheller and District Further Education Council Telephone: (403) 823-3669 ddfec@magtech.ca	Building Blocks is a home visitation program that teaches parents how to provide learning and literacy opportunities to their children. Communities served: Drumheller, Nacmine, Rosedale, Lehigh, Cambria, East Coulee and may also serve Munson, Morrin, and Carbon.
Edmonton Books Offer Our Kids Success (BOOKS) Centre for Family Literacy Society of Alberta/ same Telephone: (780) 421-7323 kim_chung@familit.ca	Each Books Offer Our Kids Success (BOOKS) program consists of eight two-hour sessions. Program space, transportation, childcare, and nutritional support will be provided. The program serves diverse language and cultural groups including English as a Second Language parents and Aboriginal parents. Communities served Edmonton - various ABC Head Start Programs, NorQuest College, Aboriginal Parent Link and Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society.
Edmonton Literacy Connects Families Connect Society: Deafness Education Advocacy & Family Services/ same Telephone: (780) 454-9581 #243 smccullough@connectsociety.org	The Connect Society offers family literacy services to families impacted by deafness. Programs offered include child/parent playgroups, Books for Babies, Storysack building, and LAPS based on the needs of participants. All programs will be held at the Connect Society in Edmonton.
Edmonton Early Language-Early Literacy Project Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation/ Early Head Start Telephone: (780) 426-3666 222 llema@e4calberta.org	A program for low income families with children birth to 3 1/2 years consisting of a mixed approach of home visits and centre-based programming to enhance literacy within the family that focuses on enhancing the child's development and supporting the family as primary educators of their children. Communities served: Rio Terrace, McArthur Elementary School, Allendale, Clareview.
Edmonton Multicultural Language and Literacy Enhancement Program Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers/ same Telephone: (780) 423-9682 dneves@emcn.ab.ca	Four programs are hosted by the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers and delivered through a multi-faceted collaboration with Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative and ASSIST Community Services. The programs target immigrant families who have preschool children. The four programs are Enhancing Parenting and Literacy Skills, Enhancing Settlement and Literacy Skills, Raising Children Through Songs, Stories and Books, and Literacy On The Go.
Edmonton Family Literacy and Learning Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre/ same Telephone: (780) 471-3737 bevp@ncfrc.ab.ca	Books for Children provides centre-based activities for parents and children, and parent groups through workshops followed by home visits. The home visitation component builds on skills acquired in the workshops and ensures that the home is a rich literacy environment. This program is offered at the Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre and in the Sprucewood Public Library.
Edmonton Books, Babies and More Terra Association/ Terra Association - Meeting the Challenge of Teen Pregnancy Telephone: (780) 428-3772 terra@terraassociation.com	Variations of the Books, Babies and More program are offered at four different sites for Terra clients and clients attending Braemar School. Communities served: Edmonton.
Edmonton Family Literacy Connections The Candora Society of Edmonton/ same Telephone: (780) 474-5011 trina.keiver@candorasociety.com	Parent-child literacy programs are offered throughout the year and include Books for Babies, Rhymes that Bind, LAPS, and Books Offer Our Kids Success (BOOKS). Communities served: Northeast Edmonton.
Edson The Edson Family Literacy Program Edson and District Community Learning Society/ same Telephone: (780)723-3630 edsonlit@gyrd.ab.ca	Family literacy projects offered in the area are: Books Offer Our Kids Success (BOOKS), Books for Babies, Literacy and Parenting Skills (LAPS), Rhymes That Bind, and Storysacks. Communities served: Edson, Marlboro, Robb
Foremost Rural Parent-Child Mother Goose Program Forty Mile Community Adult Learning Association/ same Telephone: (780) 867-3973 writebreak@fortymile.ab.ca	The ESL Parent-Child Mother Goose program, a group-based program focusing on orally delivered songs, rhymes and stories, is offered primarily to Low German Mennonite Families. Communities served: Bow Island and Burdett.
Fort Saskatchewan Family Literacy Connection Fort Saskatchewan Families First Society/ same Telephone: (780) 998-5595 #223 heatherb@familiesfirstsociety.ca	Rhymes and Storytimes Parent-Child Mother Goose program is available to families with infants and toddlers in Fort Saskatchewan. This program is designed to promote positive, language-based interactions between parents/caregivers and their children. Parents gain skills and confidence which can enable them to create positive family patterns during their children's crucial early years.
Grande Prairie Family Literacy Program Grande Prairie Council for Lifelong Learning/ same Telephone: (780) 539-6077 Holly_Handfield@familit.ca	Family literacy programs offered: Books for Babies; Let Loose with Mothergoose (based on Rhymes That Bind/Parent Child Mothergoose); Books Offer Our Kids Success (B.O.O.K.S.)- Together and Story Sacks. All family literacy programs offered support families in developing early literacy and language experiences and promote healthy family relationships. Programs are done in partnership with existing agencies and groups that support families. Communities served: Grande Prairie, Sexsmith, Hythe, Clairmont and Beaverlodge.
Grande Prairie Home-Words The Grande Prairie Family Education Society/ Healthy Families Program Telephone: (780) 830-5300 betty.miller@pchr.ca	Home-Words, the new family literacy component of the Home Visitation program, teaches parents/caregivers strategies to foster their preschool children's oral language development and emergent literacy skills. Communities served: Grande Prairie, Beaverlodge, and Valleyview.
Hanna Building Blocks Hanna and District Association for Lifelong Learning/ same Telephone: (403) 854-2099 Heather.ward@plrd.ab.ca	The Building Blocks program (an in-home inter-active family literacy program) is available to families in the Town of Hanna and surrounding communities such as Delia, Youngstown, Craigmyle, Victor, Sunnynook, Scapa, Garden Plain, and Cessford.
High Level High Level Family Literacy Initiative Chinchaga Adult Learning Council/ same Telephone: (780) 926-2950 calc1@telus.net	Rhymes That Bind - Promotes oral language development in babies and toddlers and provides a positive supportive environment for parents. It helps parents learn enjoyable ways to interact with their children using language, touch, eye contact and laughter. BOOKS - a facilitator works with the group of parents modelling book sharing and extension strategies. Communities served: High Level, Rainbow Lake and Zama.
High River Building Blocks Family Literacy Program Municipal District of Foothills #31 Literacy for Life Foundation/ same Telephone: (403) 652-5090 litlife@telus.net	Building Blocks is an in-home family literacy support program. Communities served: the Municipal District of Foothills #31, including High River, Okotoks, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, and Longview.
Innisfail Henday Family Literacy Project Henday Association for Lifelong Learning/ same Telephone: (403) 227-2866 henday@rttinc.com	SEEDS is a family literacy program that includes elements from Rhymes That Bind (RTB), BOOKS, Story Sacks, Magic Carpet Ride, and storytelling classes within one session. Interaction between parent-child to help language and literacy development; RTB/BOOKS - is a post-natal program for new parents that are referred to this program by Public Health and Healthy Families. Communities served: Innisfail, Sylvan Lake, Spruce View, Penhold/Springbrook, Bowden, Benalto, Elnaro, and Delburne.
Lac La Biche Lakeland Family Literacy Project Town of Lac La Biche / Lakeland County Library Board/ (same) Telephone: (780) 623-2477 llbpal@hotmail.com	Building Blocks is an in-home interactive family literacy program where builders work with parents and children to foster literacy development. The Rhymes that Bind/ELAPS is for Russian Orthodox believers and their children and helps participants learn English while also learning Russian rhymes. Communities served: Town of Lac La Biche and Plamondon.
Lamont P.A.L. (Play and Learn) Program Lamont County/ Lamont County Community Adult Learning Council Telephone: (780) 895-2874 adultlearning@tclamont.ca	The P.A.L. program is based on Rhymes that Bind and LAPS, as well as a Lunch and Learn segment that centres around the preparation of a nutritious lunch. Communities served: Lamont.
Lethbridge Rhyme Time Lethbridge Public Library/ same Telephone: (403) 380-7323 lradley@lethbridgepubliclibrary.ca	This project provides the Parent-Child Mother Goose family literacy program in three areas of the city. Communities served: various locations in Lethbridge.
Lloydminster A Gift to Our Community - Embracing Family Literacy Lloydminster Learning Council Association/ same Telephone: (780) 875-5763 l-learn@telusplanet.net	Books for Babies, 1-2-3 Rhyme With Me, and Come Read with Me are delivered to parents and their preschool children. Communities Served: various locations in Lloydminster.
Medicine Hat Family Literacy Programs LEARN - The Medicine Hat & District Further Education Council/ same Telephone: (403) 529-3878 cgerl@mhc.ab.ca	Growing Child... Growing Parent is a program based on Rhymes that Bind, LAPS, B.O.O.K.S., and Storysacks. Rhymes that Bind is also offered. Communities served: Medicine Hat.
Rocky Mountain House Rocky Family Literacy Program Rocky Community Learning Council/ same Telephone: (403) 845-4544 dreid@rockyclc.ab.ca	Books for Babies encourages parents of infants from birth to 12 months to share books with their babies; Rhymes That Bind is an oral language development program that promotes positive parenting; BOOKS both parents and workshop leader meet weekly for 6 weeks to read and share good quality children's books, talk about ideas and themes in books, do crafts and writing activities around a story's theme. Communities served: Rocky Mountain House, Caroline, Condor and Leslieville.
Ryley Beaver County Family Program Beaver County / Beaver County Adult Learning Council Telephone: (780) 663-3730 calc@beaver.ab.ca	Offering facilitated Books for Babies, Rhymes That Bind, Books Offer Our Kids Success (BOOKS) and Building Blocks in four small rural communities. Communities served: Tofield, Ryley, Holden, and Viking.
Slave Lake Raising Readers Family Literacy Program Slave Lake Adult Education Committee/ same Telephone: (780) 849-8626 urquhartm@northernlakescollege.ca	Raising Readers is an in-home family literacy program based on Building Blocks and Books for Babies. Communities served: Slave Lake area, including Widewater, Wagner, and Kinuso.
St. Paul La main dans la main/123 Pret-a-conter Societe des parents pour l'education francophone de St-Paul et region/ same Telephone: (780) 645-5050 lreidy@atrium.ca	Story Sacks is a family literacy program for parents who have difficulty reading but are looking for an enriching reading activity to undertake with their child; Growing with Books is a workshop to propose to parents means and resources that respect their individual needs and re-enforce their abilities in literacy. Communities served: St. Paul and Mallaig.
Stettler Stettler and Area Family Literacy Initiative Stettler & District Community Adult Learning Council / same Telephone: (403) 742-2999 r.hall@telus.net	Programs delivered include Magic Carpet Ride in which parents and their preschool children learn theme-based songs, crafts, stories, and games and Busy Bags, which is based on Storysacks. Communities served: Stettler and Big Valley.
Taber Families Learning Together Taber & District Community Adult Learning Association/ same Telephone: (403) 223-1169 executivedirector@taberadultlearning.com	The Families Learning Together project integrates the delivery of B.O.O.K.S., and Rhymes that Bind programs into a seventeen (17) week English as a Second Language (ESL) program for Low German Mennonite families. Communities served: Grassy Lake, Vauxhall, and Taber.
Three Hills Kneehill READ Family Kneehill Adult Learning Society/ same Telephone: (403) 443-5556 read4me@telus.net	Provides family literacy services to parents and children in conjunction with the existing READ Project adult literacy program. Building Blocks and Rhymes that Bind will be offered. Communities served: Acme, Carbon, Linden, Three Hills, and Trochu.
Valleyview Family Learning Initiative Valleyview and District Further Education Council/ same Telephone: (780) 524-4323 jsmith@northernlakescollege.ca	Family Literacy programs offered include Books for Babies, Rhymes that Bind, LAPS, B.O.O.K.S., Books for Babies in-home visits and a Family Literacy Sampler at Northern Lakes College. Communities served: Valleyview, Twilight Hutterite Colony.
Vegreville Building Blocks and Family Start Community Association for Lasting Success/ same Telephone: (780) 632-3225 cals@digitalweb.net	Building Blocks - 10 wk in-home family literacy program which supports parents in their role as their child's first and most important teacher Family Start - 1.5 hr interactive parent/child playgroup with a focus on early language, literacy and numeracy skills. Communities served: Vegreville, Warwick, Lamont, Two Hills, Andrew, Mundare, Willingdon and Chipman.
Vulcan Building Blocks Family Literacy and Time for Rhymes Programs Rainbow Literacy Society/ same Telephone: (403) 485-3107 coordinator@rainbowliteracy.com	Programs offered include Building Blocks and Time for Rhymes. Some programs are tailored for German-speaking Mennonite families and others for the Siksika First Nations community. Communities served: Vulcan, Arrowwood, Lomond, and Siksika First Nation.
Westlock Learn With Me/Read With Me Project Each One Teach One Literacy Society/ same Telephone: (780) 349-6333 tpankonin@hotmail.com	Rhymes That Bind is an interactive, oral program designed for parents with children ages of 0-3 years of age; Literacy and Parenting/PACT is a parenting and literacy based program that provides a variety of educational sessions and a positive, supportive environment for parents to learn various literacy activities; Magic Carpet Ride, Garden of Active Living and Story Sacks. Communities served: Westlock, Busby, Lyde, Dapp, Pibroch Colony, Vimmy and Jarvie.

Aboriginal Family Literacy Programs

City/Town, Project Title Host Organization/ Service Delivery Organization Phone Email	Project Description
Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement Ayamicikewen Program Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement/ same Telephone: (780) 689-2170 mdaniels@buffalolakemetis.com	The Ayamicikewen Program is based on the Building Blocks program. Using books, stories, crafts and objects found in the home, a trained facilitator visits individual families to model behaviours and activities that encourage the development of their early and emergent literacy skills (reading, talking, listening, singing, speaking and playing with preschool children). Community served: Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement.
Edmonton Otenaw Iyniuk Literacy Project Ben Calf Robe Society/ same Telephone: (780) 477-6648 marg@bcrsociety.ab.ca	Two programs are offered: Kiskinwahamakewin and Auntie's Storytime. Kiskinwahamakewin is an adaptation of the Rhymes That Bind and Books Offer Our Kids Success (B.O.O.K.S.) programs. It includes rhymes, songs, stories and books. Auntie's Storytime is an adaptation of Magic Carpet Ride and Books for Babies and is delivered to families in their homes. In this model parents engage their children in language and literacy experiences through oral story telling, reading stories and making related crafts. Communities served: central, north-central, and northeast Edmonton.
Edson Storysacks Edson Friendship Centre/ same Telephone: (780) 723-5494 efc99@telus.net	Parents and a trained family literacy coordinator meet once a week for 8 weeks and together construct a storysack which, when complete, will be filled with a storybook, a related non-fiction book, props, characters, activities and games for parents and children to use together. They will use Aboriginal-themed books and bring in Elders to share their knowledge. Communities served: Edson and Marlboro.
Fishing Lake Acimowins Fishing Lake Metis Settlement/ same Telephone: (780) 943-2661 flmsahs@fishinglake.ca	The Acimowins Program is based on the Books Offer Our Kids Success (B.O.O.K.S.) family literacy model. Parents and facilitator meet three times a week for 10 weeks to learn parenting techniques and good literacy practices to incorporate into activities with their children. Elders will be involved in the program. Communities served: Fishing Lake Metis Settlement.
Kikino Families Reading Together Kikino Colony 7E Council Association/ Kikino Early Intervention Program Telephone: (780) 623-4131 kiyouth@telusplanet.net	Families Reading Together will provide a positive, supportive environment for parents to enhance their literacy and parenting skills while fostering oral langage and early literacy skills development in their children from birth to 4 years of age. The program will be delivered to 15 families in both in-home and group settings over the course of the year. Community served: Kikino Metis Settlement
Lac La Biche Aboriginal Family Literacy Program Lac La Biche Canadian Native Friendship Centre/ same Telephone: (780) 623-3249 ed@nativefriendship.ca	The program delivered is an adaped Building Blocks program in which facilitators provide ideas, model them, and help parents use techniques/activities that fit easily into a familiy's life and are related to oral language development; early reading; early writing; and early math. The program consists of both in-home and group sessions including collective kitchens (in which elders also participate) and visits to the library. Communities served: Lac La Biche
Lac La Biche Rhymes That Bind Lac La Biche Regional Awasisak & Family Development Circle Association/ same Telephone: (780) 623-4742 deandar@telus.net	Rhymes That Bind will provide a positive, supportive environment for parents to develop their own literacy skills and foster language and literacy skills development in their children from birth to 4 1/2 years of age. Elders will participate in the programs promoting cultural awareness, traditional knowledge, and Cree language practice. The program will be delivered to families in group settings. Communities served: Kikino Metis Settlement, Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement, and Lac La Biche.
Rocky Mountain House Aboriginal Literacy & Parenting Skills (ALAPS) Rocky Native Friendship Centre Society/ same Telephone: (403) 845-2788 dschroeder_1@hotmail.com	Parents and an ALAPS facilitator meet once a week for 9 weeks learning parenting techniques and good literacy practices to incorporate into activities with their children. An Elder will be involved in the program. Community served: Rocky Mountain House.
St. Paul St. Paul Family Literacy Project Portage College/ same Telephone: (780) 645-6489 marvin.bjornstad@portagecollege.ca	Programs delivered include Building Blocks, in which facilitators visit families in their homes to model literacy strategies and encourage skill development, and Rhymes that Bind, an oral language development program that promotes positive parenting. Programs are delivered by an aboriginal facilitator and incorporate aboriginal materials and stories as much as possible. Communities served: St. Paul region.

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Aboriginal Family Literacy Programs