Lever of Change

Early Learning and Care

The ability to read and understand and then apply that knowledge enables people to navigate through life. As such, literacy and education are critical components of poverty reduction.

At age 3, children need to develop the vocabulary they need to be school-ready at age 6, and to be able to successfully make the shift at age 9 from learning to read, to reading to learn—so they can succeed in school and in life.

Early learning influences adulthood success, so one of our greatest assets against adulthood poverty is early education.

Left Unread is a movement emphasizing the importance of childhood literacy, declaring that our children deserve the opportunity to realize their full potential. The campaign leverages data from The Case for Literacy in Alberta to make evidence-based recommendations to the community and policymakers all with the goal of advancing childhood literacy. As we work together to fill our communities with that message, no child will be Left Unread.

Each lever of change links to one or more of the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Early Learning and Care links to #1, #2, #4, #8, #55, #70, #71, #75, #81, and #82.