Parents seek delay to English curriculum revamp

United by frustration about how public schools teach reading and their children’s struggles, parents are petitioning the province to pause its English curriculum rollout.

An updated kindergarten-to-Grade 12 English Language Arts curriculum is scheduled to be released in September.

At the same time, the Manitoba Human Rights Commission is wrapping up an investigation into whether the rights of students who have reading disabilities are being upheld.

“This government claims that they’re a listening government, but they seem to be plugging their ears,” said Alexis Kanu, a mother of two, the youngest of whom has dyslexia.

Kanu said it makes no sense to her that the province would develop an ELA curriculum against the backdrop of an inquiry into complaints that schools are failing struggling readers.

The commission’s “Right to Read,” as it’s often nicknamed, officially began in October 2022. It has been plagued by delays — wildfires led to the latest postponement of public consultations — but recommendations are supposed to be unveiled this fall.

Kanu attended a May 21 forum in Winnipeg to learn more and share the hurdles faced by her 11-year-old.

She said it was at that event where she connected with others who had critiques about status quo teaching, assessments and interventions.

Those discussions sparked a summer letter writing campaign by Caregiver Advocates for Literacy Equity.

Participants are requesting Education Minister Tracy Schmidt pause the release of the K-12 literacy curriculum until she and her colleagues can review the Right to Read findings.

Multiple letter-writers told the Free Press they also want the province to seek out experts on neuroscience, phonics and dyslexia.

“I’d like them to recognize that kids in the school system right now have been failed by literacy instruction. Manitoba has, for too long, funded approaches for literacy that are not evidence-based and that’s harmed our kids. That’s harmed my kid,” Kanu said.

Her family sought out a private clinician to assess her now-Grade 6 student for dyslexia because she said their concerns were dismissed by the local public school.

Dyslexia advocates, citing the neuroscience of how children with the disability learn to read, have been driving a return to back-to-basics instruction across North America.

Structured literacy, the systematic teaching of letter-sound relationships and blending them, has made a notable comeback.

This philosophy is often pitted against whole language and balanced literacy. Those methods place a particular emphasis on the importance of exposing students to diverse, engaging texts with context clues and fostering a love of reading.

Schmidt said Tuesday that, given literacy is foundational for Manitoba students’ success in their schooling careers and after graduation, it’s no surprise parents feel strongly about the subject.

“We’re listening to Manitobans. We are making sure our curriculum takes a universal, wholesome approach,” the minister said, reflecting on the passionate feedback she’s heard throughout her 10-month tenure.

The mother of three said her office acknowledges there’s diversity among learners and curriculum reviewers have spent lots of time looking at practises in Ontario and other jurisdictions.

Schmidt said she’s keen to publish the first draft and review the commission’s results when they are ready.

The human rights commission’s final report will draw on feedback from families, teachers, literacy consultants, school leaders and other stakeholders.

The renewed ELA curriculum will be adjusted accordingly, the minister said, adding she’s been in correspondence with the commission.

Manitoba’s guiding principles for reading instruction, released in June 2023, elicited a mixed response.

A government spokesperson confirmed the education department’s plan is to “fully implement” a new ELA curriculum in 2026-27.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca