Literacy resources for physicians

National organizations

• ABC Life Literacy Canada is a non-profit organization that inspires Canadians to increase their literacy skills.
• Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation promotes and develops literacy initiatives, champions literacy partners across Canada, and empowers people to build literacy skills in their homes and communities.
• The Centre for Literacy supports best practices and informed policy development in literacy and essential skills by creating bridges between research, policy and practice.
• The Encyclopedia of Language and Literacy Development provides early learning and child care practitioners, teachers, policymakers, and parents with reliable, evidence-based information to answer questions about children’s language and literacy.
• Frontier College supports children, families, community groups and organizations in high-needs areas through training, workshops, conferences and volunteer placement. 
• The Handbook of Language and Literacy Development offers accessible and refereed resources with evidence-based information on children’s language and literacy development.
• Le Réseau pour le développement de l’alphabétisme et des compétences (RESDAC): Le RESDAC est le chef de file du mouvement pour le développement de l’alphabétisme et des compétences dans une perspective d’apprentissage tout au long de la vie. 
• Reach Out and Read: A national U.S. non-profit organization that promotes early literacy by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud in paediatric exam room. ROR also provides a number of resources for use in the clinical setting, including handouts such as Developmental milestones related to reading.  

Provincial/territorial organizations

Alberta

• The Centre for Family Literacy offers a variety of programs including books for a babies, adult tutoring, and support for families to encourage reading and writing at home.

British Columbia

• Decoda Literacy Solutions is the provincial organization that promotes and supports literacy and learning in British Columbia.

Manitoba

• Manitoba Reading Association is a provincial council of the International Reading Association. MRA includes over 500 teachers, parents, students and others committed to the promotion of literacy and to the improvement of reading and writing instruction throughout Manitoba.

New Brunswick  

• The Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick is involved in literacy research, improving access and outreach, improving co-ordination and information sharing, improving public awareness and developing learning materials.

Northwest Territories

• The NWT Literacy Council Resource Library’s online catalogue has more than 1500 items, including books, kits, videos and software. All resources are available to NWT Literacy Council members.

Nova Scotia

• The Read to Me, Nova Scotia Family Literacy Program allows trained family literacy practitioners to meet with families in hospital within 24 hours of giving birth, with information about early brain and language development and the benefits of talking, reading and singing to babies from birth. Every family receives a free tote bag with two high quality infant board books, a resource booklet, a CD of nursery rhymes and lullabies, a video, an invitation to the public library and coupons for books.

Nunavut

• The Nunavut Literacy Council promotes literacy and supports literacy initiatives in the four official languages of Nunavut—Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, English, and French.

Ontario  

• Child and Family Programs: The Ministry of Education funds several child and family programs including: Ontario Early Years Centres, Parenting and Family Literacy Centres, Child Care Resource Centres and Better Beginnings, Better Futures programs. 
• Action for Family Literacy Ontario (AFLO) is a provincial working group of the Ontario Literacy Coalition, committed to developing a plan to move family literacy forward in Ontario. AFLO works in areas such as advocacy, communication and coordination, professional development, and research.
• The AlphaPlus Centre serves practitioners (including include tutors, instructors, trainers, volunteers, and researchers) and organizations that work in the deaf, Aboriginal, francophone, and anglophone literacy field in Ontario. They work to help users find relevant resources and information to enrich the learning of adults in literacy programs. 

Prince Edward Island

• The PEI Literacy Alliance advances literacy for the people of Prince Edward Island. Programs include tutors and education for adults, tutors for children, homework clubs, reading circles and reading tents.

Quebec

• Le Regroupement des groupes populaires en alphabétisation du Québec a pour mission: la promotion, la défense et le développement de l’alphabétisation populaire; la promotion, la défense et le développement des groupes populaires d’alphabétisation; la défense des droits collectifs des personnes qui sont lésées par leur niveau d’alphabétisme.
• The Literacy Foundation provides contacts for individuals or organizations wishing to participate in improving life for adults with low reading and writing skills.

Saskatchewan

• Saskatchewan Literacy Network is a provincial network of literacy practitioners, literacy learners, volunteers, community-based groups, regional colleges and SIAST campuses, schools, Aboriginal organizations, regional literacy coalitions, Libraries, government departments. 

Yukon

• The Yukon Literacy Coalition is a Yukon-wide literacy organization that is community governed and committed to supporting and encouraging literacy in all the languages of the Yukon.