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Overview
Albertans take part in national and international literacy events throughout the year. These events help reinforce the importance of literacy in our lives.
To learn more about these and other literacy events in your area, contact your:
The Council of the Federation Literacy Award
The 2022 call for nominations is now open.
The annual Council of the Federation Literacy Award was created in 2004 by Canada's premiers to recognize literacy achievements in every province and territory. The award recognizes:
- outstanding achievement
- innovative practice
- excellence
Each year, an organization in Alberta is honoured for their work helping adults gain and build on the literacy and foundational learning skills they need to enrich their lives.
Alberta has celebrated learners and educators in community, Indigenous and family literacies.
Help us celebrate and recognize the work and leadership of a community literacy organization by completing and submitting a nomination package (PDF, 247 KB).
For more information, visit the Council of the Federation.
Nominations close June 3, 2022.
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2021 Literacy Award Recipient – Alberta
The Immigrant Education Society (TIES)
Operating in Calgary since 1988, The Immigrant Education Society (TIES) offers language training, employment training, and settlement assistance. TIES also offers many programs that have made a positive impact on the literacy, foundational learning, and essential skills of adult learners. TIES has consistently raised awareness about literacy and foundational learning in its community and serves as a collaborative hub and information centre. TIES is committed to reducing barriers so that learners can access programs and services, and it partners with other community organizations in order to provide the best service to learners in their community.
See all of the 2021 award winners.
Previous award winners include:
Family Literacy Day
January 27 is Family Literacy Day across Canada
Family Literacy – it only takes 15 minutes of fun!
Doing an activity together as a family for just 15 minutes a day can help develop long-lasting literacy skills in children and strengthen the literacy skills of adults.
Family Literacy Day was created in 1999 by ABC Life Literacy Canada. The day raises awareness of:
- the importance of reading
- doing other literacy-related activities as a family
Activities can be as easy as:
- reading or making up a story together
- playing a board game
- singing a song while cleaning the house
- reading signs while riding in the car
Events take place in communities across Alberta. Visit ABC Life Literacy Canada to learn how you can celebrate Family Literacy Day.
International Literacy Day
International Literacy Day is on September 8, 2021.
One in five Albertans aged 16 and older struggles to understand and use information from books, news stories and instruction manuals.
International Literacy Day raises awareness of and concern for literacy issues around the world. The day was adopted in 1965 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Find more about International Literacy Day.
Literacy awareness videos
Use these videos to explore and share the importance of literacy, programs that help Albertans build their literacy skills and where to find information about available programs in your community.
Benefits of literacy
Reading and writing are important for you and your family in these ways:
Literacy success stories
Meet:
- Jennifer who went back to school and got her General Equivalency Diploma (GED)
- Danny who learned how to read and is now a champion for literacy
- Pedro who became the first person in his family to graduate from high school and post-secondary
- the Siksika Nation and how they’re building a love of learning in their community
Promoting literacy learning
These short videos promote literacy learning in communities throughout Alberta:
- find literacy resources
- supports for English as a second language learners
- literacy resources in your community
- finding the help you need
- learning at any age
- learn on your schedule
Explore literacy learning at community adult learning programs near you.
Contact
Connect with the Public Awareness Branch:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-643-6393
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]
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