Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 11/02) - Northern communities are learning how to promote and develop family and adult literacy programs.

Throughout October and November, the NWT Literacy Council has been travelling to Northern communities to conduct literacy workshops.

The latest workshops were held in Norman Wells for 21 people from the Sahtu from Oct. 21 to 25 and the next will be held in Yellowknife for the Dogrib community from Nov. 18 to 22.

"We're delivering information to the communities on family literacy and specifically on how to form family literacy programs," said Lisa Campbell.

Campbell is the community literacy facilitator with the NWT Literacy Council.

There are three programs the literacy council is helping to facilitate.

The first program is 1-2-3 Rhyme with Me, which is designed for parents and young children.

The program teaches rhymes, songs and stories to parents, hoping to foster reading and provide an opportunity for families to spend time together.

Secondly, is the Books in the Home program. Used throughout Canada, the program works on the philosophy that parents are children's first and most important teachers.

The program teaches parents how to make reading with their children fun.

Lastly is the Families First program. This program is aimed at adult learning to improve literacy and parenting skills.

The objective is met by using parenting materials to teach literacy.

The hope is the program will allow parents to pass on a zest for lifelong learning to their children.

The council is also working on the development of a family literacy video.

"The goal is to develop a video that talks about family literacy that is unique to the North," said Campbell.

The video will feature interviews of Northern families regarding the importance of literacy.

Funded through the Department of Education, Culture and Employment's Healthy Child Initiative of the South Slave, the video will be available by the spring.

For more information on workshops or services contact the NWT Literacy Council or visit its Web site at www.nwt.literacy.ca.