Helping students build strong foundational reading skills begins with understanding their early learning needs. This September, the Government of Saskatchewan will be providing provincial reading screeners for Kindergarten to Grade 3 students. The screeners are part of its Actions to Improve Early Literacy initiative and will help teachers identify students who may need additional help with foundational reading skills.
"Strong reading skills open doors for students throughout their education and beyond," Education Minister Everett Hindley said. "By providing provincial reading screeners and expanding supports for teachers, we are ensuring Saskatchewan's youngest learners receive the high-quality literacy instruction they need to become confident readers."
Provincial reading screeners are brief, evidence-based assessments aligned with Saskatchewan curricula and developed by internationally recognized literacy experts. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 will participate in reading screening, ensuring educators are able to identify students who might need additional supports and respond quickly to provide targeted supports when they can have the greatest impact.
The Actions to Improve Early Literacy initiative includes curriculum renewal, professional learning opportunities for teachers, reading screeners and intervention supports. These coordinated efforts will enhance classroom literacy practices and ensure students receive timely, targeted interventions. To support implementation, the Ministry of Education is providing resources such as instructional videos for educators for each provincial screener and intervention materials in English and French for students who require additional support.
The Government of Saskatchewan remains committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to become a skilled and confident reader through evidence-based literacy instruction and early intervention. More information is available at saskatchewan.ca/earlyliteracy.
