Did you know that you can teach coding skills to young children without a computer? It can be fun! Kindercoding Unplugged: Screen-free Activities for Beginners is a new book that shows how to encourage computational thinking through a Reggio Emilia lens and emergent curriculum. It contains more than 80 unplugged coding activities for ages three… Read more
The December issue of The Westcoast Reader is available now! There are articles about the December holidays, the American and BC elections, a special cat, and more. You can find the Teachers’ Notes for this issue online. Bonus: Free access continues for digital issues from January to June, 2020. For subscription information, or to find… Read more
There are 14 common marks of punctuation in English. For a refresher, visit the Punctuation Jungle. Use these quizzes on punctuation for practice. Text messaging has introduced a different perspective on punctuation. Learn new guidelines in How to Use Punctuation In Text Messages. Here’s some Friday fun. If you were a punctuation mark, which one… Read more
Do you have adult students who are curious about self-employment? They might find the stories in the Working for Myself series interesting and relevant. In this new series from Grass Roots Press, each story portrays a small business launched with little capital but much determination. Students will learn that energy, problem-solving skills, planning, and preparation… Read more
Adult students can encounter several barriers to participating in community literacy programs. This year the barriers are particularly evident due to the impact of COVID-19. Financial assistance can help address some barriers. Have you heard of the PACE (Pacific Association of Continuing Education) Community Access Fund? The purpose of this fund is to help remove… Read more
Today is National Child Day. It marks Canada’s adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). There are 54 articles in the Convention that outline children’s rights and the obligations of adults and governments. What do you know about children’s rights? Do children have the right to play? If in… Read more
Are you helping someone online with their digital literacy skills? Here are three places you can find helpful resources that are free. Northstar Digital Literacy Northstar Digital Literacy is a program of Literacy Minnesota. Their 1:1 Digital Literacy Skills Volunteer Tutor Plan provides a basic outline for a virtual tutoring session, including teaching tips for… Read more
Many literacy practitioners are familiar with the Grass Roots Press readers and workbooks. Among the most popular loans from the Decoda Library, these publications are learning resources for adults who are working on their reading skills. An added bonus is the Canadian content. Have you visited the redesigned Grass Roots Press website? Did you know… Read more
Looking for outdoor play and learning resources? Thrive Outside is a new outdoor learning and play resource portal developed by the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada. It includes resources for parents, caregivers, early years educators, teachers, and recreation professionals. Whether you’re getting started with outdoor learning or already comfortable with it, there are resources… Read more
Culture can impact our values about money, our traditions around money, our attitude about money, our ideas about who makes financial decisions, and our trust of financial institutions. When creating financial literacy resources and programming, culture is an important factor to keep in mind. The following culturally relevant financial literacy resources were developed by Indigenous… Read more