Addressing this gap requires thoughtful curriculum design that is both evidence-based and responsive to diverse learners. Curricula should integrate explicit phonics instruction alongside rich opportunities for comprehension, vocabulary development, and engagement with meaningful texts. Moreover, inclusive pedagogical practices must be prioritized to ensure all students especially those from marginalized or linguistically diverse backgrounds receive tailored support that respects their unique needs and learning styles.

The data also calls for systemic collaboration among educators, families, and communities to create supportive environments for literacy development. This includes ongoing teacher training on assessment and intervention, access to resources, and policies that promote early detection and assistance. By focusing on these areas, Canada can work toward closing the literacy gap, ensuring more students achieve grade-level reading proficiency and a stronger foundation for lifelong learning.

To add on to my first submission:

School systems play a critical role in making literacy support equitable and sustained by providing ongoing professional development, resources, and intervention frameworks. Equitable literacy instruction requires schools to identify and close gaps caused by socioeconomic disparities, language barriers, or disabilities. Effective systems implement tiered support models, such as Response to Intervention (RTI), to monitor progress and intervene early. Moreover, leadership commitment to literacy prioritization, family engagement, and community partnerships ensures that support extends beyond the classroom, creating a consistent and inclusive environment where all students can achieve literacy success over time.

Fragmented Equity: The paradox of advanced education systems that replicate inequalities.

Insufficient teacher training: Many pedagogy programs prioritize theory over diagnostic practice, leaving teachers without tools to identify dyslexia or weak phonological domains.

Fictitious Sustainability: Sporadic interventions without continuity, as you point out to students who are lagging behind in a cumulative manner.

Note: Archer, A.L. & Hughes, C.A., 2011, 'Exploring the foundations of explicit instruction', in Explicit instruction: Effective and efficient teaching, pp. 1-22, The Guilford Press, New York, NY.

Maia, M. G. B. ., & Fiorentini, D. (2023). Aprendizaje conceptual y didáctico sobre el sentido numérico: resultados de un estudio de clase en una escuela pública de Sobral. PARADIGMA, 44(2), 241–267. https://doi.org/10.37618/PARADIGMA.1011-2251.2023.p241-267.id1419

A comprehensive strategy to enhance early literacy involves several interrelated components. Central to this approach is the expansion of Early Childhood Education (ECE), particularly in marginalized and underserved communities. Community-based centers play a pivotal role in creating supportive learning environments that foster early literacy development.

The use of mother-tongue instruction in the early grades has proven effective in strengthening comprehension and building foundational literacy skills. Additionally, the development and implementation of learning assessment tools are essential for monitoring literacy progress and identifying learning gaps.

Teacher education is a critical element in this framework. In-service training programs equip educators with the necessary skills in child-centered pedagogy, inclusive teaching practices, and effective literacy instruction. Ongoing curriculum reforms further support this by integrating modules focused on early literacy, language development, and classroom management.