Where Literacy and Well-Being Meet

For more than 35 years, my work in education has taught me something I believe is easy to overlook: a child’s ability to learn and to feel confident, capable, and connected cannot be separated. Yet we often talk about literacy and well-being as though they are two different conversations. One happens in the literacy block. The other happens when we talk about relationships, belonging, mental health, or student well-being. But what happens when they are actually connected?

When behaviour is telling us something

I remember a Grade 3 student whose behaviour initially appeared to be the problem. She was avoiding work. She was finding ways not to participate. On the surface, some of her behaviours could easily have been interpreted as defiance, disengagement, or simply not wanting to do the work. But when we looked more closely, we discovered something important: She wasn't reading at grade level.

Think about that for a moment. If you were repeatedly asked to do something you didn't feel you were good at, wouldn't you find a way to avoid it? Most of us would. We don't naturally run toward the things that make us feel unsuccessful. We avoid them. We find distractions. We make excuses. We do what we can to protect ourselves from feeling like we can't do what everyone else seems to be able to do. For this student, assessment helped us understand what was underneath the behaviour. had several areas of literacy that needed to be addressed, including significant foundational difficulties with phonological awareness. Once we understood that, her behaviour looked very different. It wasn't simply a child who "wouldn't" do the work. It was a child who couldn't yet do the work successfully - and had found ways to avoid being put in that position. That distinction matters. It changed the question from: "How do we stop this behaviour?" to: "What is this child telling us, and what does she need next?"That is where literacy and well-being meet.

Looking at the Whole Child

Learning to read is complex. Children need strong foundational word-reading skills, but they also need oral language, vocabulary, knowledge, comprehension, and opportunities to use language in meaningful ways. And they need to believe they can learn. When a child experiences success, we often see more willingness to try. a child has the tools to be successful, frustration can decrease. And when a child begins to see themselves as a reader, that identity can become powerful. This is why our conversations about literacy need to extend beyond test scores and reading levels. The question isn't simply: "Can this child read?" We also need to ask: "What is this child experiencing as a learner?" The Ontario Human Rights Commission's Right to Read inquiry reinforces the importance of evidence-based reading instruction, early identification, timely intervention, and appropriate assessment and support. Read the Ontario Human Rights Commission's Right to Read Inquiry Report

This is the Conversation I Want to Explore

This new Substack is where I will bring these ideas together. **Not literacy or well-being. Literacy and well-being.**I'll be sharing practical ideas, research, resources, and conversations for educators, parents, and anyone who cares about helping children thrive. And I don't want it to be a one-way conversation.I want to hear what you're seeing in classrooms, schools, homes, and communities. What questions are you asking? What are you noticing? What has changed in your experience?

Continue the Conversation

I've written the full version of this article, including more about why literacy and well-being belong in the same conversation, on my new Substack.

If this is a conversation that matters to you, I invite you to subscribe for free. You'll receive new articles, practical ideas, research, and conversations as I continue exploring Where Literacy and Well-Being Meet.