National Adult Literacy Database

March 12, 2007

This week, we have a story from Calgary, Alberta. The author, Fatima Al-Nasrawi, is enrolled in literacy classes at LAPS, coordinated by the Further Education Society of Alberta (FESA).

Story

by Fatima Al-Nasrawi

I started the Literacy and Parenting Skills Program one year after I came to Canada. When I saw a poster for the [Women in Need] Centre I just wanted to find what it was about. I was pregnant with my first baby.

I used to come to Mother Goose. There was a special teacher come to play with the kids. They really like her. Every week they are excited to come here.

I wanted to learn English, if I work there is nothing without language. They said to study, learn to study, it gives you something to do. They make you happy and relaxed. They teach us how we learn our kids, how to sing songs with them, how we respect them they will respect us. They give us activities to do with our kids at home. They learn how to share with other children.

They help us how to learn to cook. Sometime we make dinner or supper and everyone is happy eating together and we will take the recipe home to make it. The [LAPS] program helped me for listening, speaking. It was easy for me to go to school and start with intermediate one. When I went to school I wasn’t worried about my kids, like crying, or not getting along when they went to Day Care. They were very happy. They were playing with kids here, that’s why it was easy to go.

I want my kids to feel they want to learn more and more. I want to continue study for my English. It is easy to find job. I’ve made lots of friends from many countries. When I see new woman I tell her come to the centre. It will help you. You will have lots of free time. It is like a second home to me.

[This story was taken with permission, from FESA News, January 2007.]