Literacy Spotlight: April/May 2026 Celebrations

Building Literacy Success Together. This Literacy Spotlight highlights our students speaking French as an additional language, and grade 1 – 3 English programs across the Cree School Board (CSB).

French Structured Literacy Project – Grade 1 – 3 Literacy Programs in the CS

Finding Their Voice in French

Upichinaausiun Chiskutimatukimikw and Annie Whiskeychan Memorial School, Grades 1 and 2: Programme de littératie structurée en français (PLSF)

PLSF in short:
Talk. Play. Learn. Grow.

Through the PLSF, students are discovering that learning French can be fun—and that their voices matter.

With smiles (and a little excitement!), students in Chisasibi and Waskaganish elementary schools confidently ordered snacks in French for themselves and their parents during a special school event this year. Families were invited into the schools to take part in this fun activity, where students had the chance to practice what they had been learning all year long.

For many parents, it was a proud moment: seeing and hearing their children speak in French. To form complete sentences, ask politely, and express themselves with growing confidence. The room was full of encouragement, laughter, and applause as students stepped up, one by one, to place their orders. These moments are the best reminders of how much progress our students have made.

How did our Grade 1 and Grade 2 students become so comfortable speaking French?

A big part of their success comes from the work teachers have been doing through the PLSF initiative, implemented this year in Chisasibi and Waskaganish.

The PLSF is a structured literacy approach designed for students learning French as an additional language. It focuses on developing oral language first—helping students build vocabulary, form sentences, and gain the confidence to communicate—while also supporting early reading and writing development.

Throughout the year, teachers integrated the PLSF into their daily literacy block. Students took part in engaging activities where they:

• Practiced speaking and listening in French every day
• Built sentences and learned new vocabulary through interactive lessons
• Played games, sang songs, and took part in collaborative tasks
• Strengthened the connection between sounds and letters

These activities create a safe and supportive environment where students feel comfortable taking risks and using the language.

The initiative was also supported through training, coaching, and classroom modeling provided by Response to Intervention (RTI) consultants, who worked closely with teachers throughout the year. Thanks to this collaboration and the dedication of classroom teachers, students were able to develop strong oral language skills that are already supporting their reading and writing.

Moments like the snack event remind us why this work matters. When students can confidently speak a language, they are better prepared to learn, connect, and succeed.

Structured Early Literacy Programs in the CSB Grades 1, 2, and 3

University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) Foundations (Phonics) and Heggerty (Phonemic Awareness)

The UFLI Foundations program is an evidence-based, structured early intervention program that follows an eight-step routine delivered over two days. Each lesson focuses on building foundational skills to help students become successful readers.

A typical daily lesson is about 30 minutes and focuses on foundational reading skills. This program was first piloted in one community and has since expanded to others. RTI consultants work closely with Grade 1–3 teachers during meetings to provide support and additional resources.

Heggerty is a research and evidence based phonemic awareness program that we’ve implemented in our Grade 1 and 2 classrooms to strengthen the foundational skills students need to become successful readers.

The program is designed to be user-friendly for teachers, engaging for students, and easy to fit into the day, with lessons that run about 8–12 minutes during the literacy block.

The core focus of Heggerty is to help students strengthen key skills. RTI consultants work closely with Grade 1 & 2 English teachers who are using the program, providing support and guidance as they implement these daily lessons.

“Students are exposed to more foundational skills in a fun and interactive way. The lessons are short and given daily during our literacy period”

Next Issue: Lexia Core5 & Power Up & Home Connections

We look forward to featuring more highlights and sharing stories from schools across the CSB. If you have any questions, or a story you’d like to share with us, please email our department at: