Language & Literacy
A major focus of the Montreal Fluency Centre is early intervention and prevention in the areas of language and literacy. Reading and writing are forms of language processing. Children with early speech and/or language difficulties are therefore at risk for later difficulties in literacy. Given this connection, children can be identified early by speech-language pathologists and intervention can begin; thus preventing or minimizing later literacy problems.
Literacy skills develop along a continuum, beginning long before reading, writing and spelling develop. Emergent Literacy skills are the precursors to conventional literacy skills. The main indicators of emergent literacy are oral language, emergent writing, print knowledge, alphabet knowledge, and phonological awareness. These skills have been found to be among the most important in preparing children for later success in reading (National Early Literacy Panel, 2009).
The History of Summer Language Camp
In 1998, Karen Evans, a senior speech-language pathologist at the Montreal Fluency Centre had a vision. She wanted to offer an alternative to individual therapy and believed a summer program would help children maintain their language skills and learn new language skills while developing important social skills at the same time. With this in mind, Karen and a group of clinicians at the Centre developed different theme-based weeks and made their first attempt to offer Summer Language Camp. It was an instant success. It filled a need that Parents were looking for by offering a more intense, well-rounded language therapy program. For the children, the group setting allowed them to practice and model skills with their peers in a fun and creative way.
Bursaries
Like all of our therapy programs at the MFC, bursaries are available to help subsidize the cost of camp. All families can request a bursary application form and those who qualify will receive a subsidy towards the cost of each weekly session.
The MOSD-MFC Partnership
The MFC and MOSD share a vision to provide quality services to children with communication challenges and their families. We are proud of this community collaboration and look forward to welcoming children from MOSD, MFC and the wider community to our summer language camp 2011.
 The Montreal Fluency Centre and the Montreal Oral School for the Deaf are non-profit organizations.
The summer language camp program is partially funded by donations. |
Donations: If you would like to make a donation to our Summer Language and Literacy Camp, please click here for more information.