View From the Legislature

February is “I Love to Read Month” in Manitoba as schools place a renewed focus on encouraging a love of reading in their students. They are joined by a number of community groups and organizations that also plan special reading events during this month.

Reading is one of the fundamental building blocks to learning. It is the most basic way in which we acquire information. The ability to read at a high level helps set the stage for academic success in other areas and is important to success outside of school and in the workforce. The importance of reading has been the focus of a number of media reports in recent years as tests conducted across Canada have shown that Manitoba students are not doing as well in reading as those in other provinces.

Of course, this is a significant concern as it hurts the ability to learn generally but also negatively impacts the quality of life of those who struggle to read. While the education system looks for ways to make improvements to literacy ability, parents are also encouraged to foster reading at home as well. Regular reading at home and talking about what your children have read helps to build the love and proficiency of reading.

Once again this year, I look forward to visiting elementary schools in my constituency and donating books to their school libraries for students. If you have children in your home who are just learning or developing in their reading skills, take the time to encourage and participate with them in reading, not just this month, but every month.