KidsAbility
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What is KidsAbility Centre for Child Development's role in early literacy?
Who do we serve (our target population)?
Where can you find us?
How do we provide early literacy support for families/caregivers?
How do we provide early literacy support for service providers?
- KidsAbility's identifies, assesses, and provides intervention for children with communication delays aged 0-5 yrs (prior to Senior Kindergarten)
- It is recognized that children with communication delays are a significant "at risk" group for literacy development
Who do we serve (our target population)?
- Children with suspected or identified communication delays ages 0-5 yrs and their families/caregivers
- Families may self-refer by calling 519-886-8886 ext 1214
- Others may be referred with parental consent
Where can you find us?
- Speech/Language Services offered in Waterloo and at satellite offices in Cambridge and Kitchener
- Assessment can occur at a KidsAbility office or in licensed child care settings upon request of caregivers through Speech-Language, Physical, and Occupational Therapy (SPOT) Program
How do we provide early literacy support for families/caregivers?
- Assessment of speech, language, communication and literacy by a Speech/Language Pathologist
- Intervention includes home programming, parent training through a variety of workshops, individual and group sessions
- Workshop examples: Beyond the Book, Let's Talk about Language and Literacy, and Litera-cise
- Augmentative Communication services at KidsAbility offers some highly specialized workshops for children with communication delays who may have physical and/or developmental challenges (e.g. 'Adaptations to Support Shared Reading' and 'Developing and using Conversation Books')
How do we provide early literacy support for service providers?
- Assessment and consultation to child care providers in licensed settings
- Education to service providers (e.g. through SPOT workshops, community education, ECE Student lectures)
- Sample workshop: Speech and Language Development, From Birth to 3: Connections to Early Literacy Learning
