Better young readers goal of Sask. program

EAGLE STAFF

Provincial officials plan to start a three-day literacy instruction training program for teachers of students from kindergarten to Grade 3.

The professional learning division of the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation won a contract to provide the instruction intended to improve “early reading achievement levels,” an Education Department statement said.

"Student reading proficiency by the end of Grade 3 is one of the strongest predictors of future academic success and high school graduation," Everett Hindley, the education minister, said in the statement.

The program will be available in English and French and will help in “embedding literacy instruction in daily teaching routine,” the statement said.

The program will set “our youngest learners up for success,” teachers federation president Samantha Becotte said.

“By offering high-quality, professional learning created for Saskatchewan teachers by Saskatchewan teachers, we are building on the strong expertise already in our classrooms and providing opportunities to deepen literacy practices across the province,” Becotte said.

The measure represents one aspect of a 2025 provincial throne speech promise to improve reading skills at the primary level, the statement indicated. The government committed $2 million towards related measures, it said.

During the 2026-27 school year, school divisions and First Nations education authorities are to receive “provincially approved literacy screening tools and resources . . . to help identify students who require additional support so appropriate interventions can be put in place,” the statement added.