Support from the Faculty of Education has helped the Essex County Library system add materials that will foster literacy among emergent and struggling readers.

The library had received a grant from the International Dyslexia Association to fund the purchase of decodable books: texts that have specific letter-sound relationships that have been directly taught and encourage children to sound out words. The Faculty of Education doubled the grant, allowing for the addition of hundreds of high-quality materials to their circulation.

The books will support the application of skills which are being taught, says education professor Kimberly Hillier, who teaches Language Arts Methodology.

“Having access to this resource is significant in that it provides families with resources that are accessible and directly support their learning,” Dr. Hillier says. “These books will give users further opportunities to practise and apply what they have been explicitly taught, beginning with foundational word reading skills and progressing to more complex reading skills.”

Manuela Denes, manager of community services at Essex County Library, expresses gratitude to the faculty for their generosity.

“Their donation enabled us to buy additional materials we would never have been able to otherwise,” she says. “Now we can offer these high-quality materials through our branches, making them accessible to families across the entire community.”

Denes adds that the library will be able to better support educators: “Teachers can send their kids here to borrow these valuable resources, reinforcing classroom instruction.”