How Talking Together At The Dinner Table Builds Literacy & Confidence
When most people hear the word “literacy,” they think of reading and writing. But literacy is much more than that. It’s also about speaking, listening and understanding—the everyday conversations that shape how we communicate and connect with the world. That’s why this year’s Family Literacy Day theme, ‘Make mealtime family learning time’, reminds us that the simple act of sharing meals can be one of the most meaningful ways to learn together. Family Literacy Day takes place across Canada on January 27, and it’s a great time to use fancy words like “literacy”!
Learning together is important, because it’s not just children who can benefit from developing our speaking, listening and understanding skills: adults also benefit from these connections and strengthen the essential skills needed at work and in life, what are called “Soft Skills” these days. Even a simple question, asked over the dinner table, like “What was the best part of your day?” gives children and adults the chance to practice organizing thoughts into a sequence (first this happened, then that happened). It gives everyone a chance to describe something so that others understand it, and a chance to practice empathy when listening to others answer the same question. This can be a gentle and supportive way to boost everyone’s confidence when speaking up in a group (either a classroom or a meeting or a job interview).
It’s also a chance to expand vocabulary! Try looking up a new word and using it in your mealtime conversation, or ask an elder what words they would have used in their youth. “By turning mealtimes into moments of dialogue, adults also reinforce their own literacy practices—from expanding vocabulary to sharing ideas—while modeling the value of language”, according to ABC Life Literacy, where you can find great resources to celebrate Family Literacy Day. Connections Adult Learning Centre in Sharbot Lake will also be offering an activity sheet for a “Kitchen cupboard scavenger hunt”, which you can pick up at our new office at 14202 Road 38 in the village. We offer different types of helpful, free, adult literacy training, at our locations in Sharbot Lake and Northbrook. Check it out at www.ncalc.ca!
Happy Family Literacy Day everyone!
