Just last week, the French American Academy (FAA) celebrated Literacy Week with a variety of engaging literacy week activities, a highlight for many of our teachers, students, and families. Literacy refers to the ability to read, write, speak, listen, and understand information in order to communicate effectively and navigate daily life.
Literacy Week emphasizes the importance of reading and writing as everyday, habitual practices, not skills confined to the classroom. Rather, literacy is a way to explore new ideas and perspectives, express ourselves through the written word, and serve as a pathway for advocacy and social change.
In this blog, we take a closer look at Literacy Week activities and explore why, and how, reading and writing should be encouraged both in school and at home.
A Look Inside Literacy Week Activities: Celebrating Authors and Their Stories
This year, Literacy Week featured a wide range of engaging activities, including author visits, book fairs, literature circles, virtual meet and greets, and panel discussions.
To begin, our students had the opportunity to virtually meet with award-winning authors and illustrators from the 2026 Prix Albertine Jeunesse, a reader’s choice award celebrating favorite works of Francophone literature for young readers. Featured guests included:
- Marine Schneider, author of Helka & Laki
- Nicolas Wouters, author of Magda, Intergalactic Chef
Several classes also participated in author visits and writing workshops with authors from Le Festival des Auteurs Francophones. Throughout the week, students engaged with twelve different authors:
- Mona Azzam
- Emma Baron
- Evelyne Fallows
- Fouad Grairi
- Marie Marquet
- Brigitte Mascaro
- Aby Mbaye
- Sandrine Mehrez Kukurudz
- Samar Miled
- Aurélie Ramadier
- Elisabeth Simon
- Sophie Turco
In conjunction with these meetings, the French American Academy was proud to host An Evening with Francophone Authors as part of the Festival International des Auteurs Francophones, which returned to New York for its fifth year. The evening featured a panel discussion, book signings, and light refreshments for families. From poets and playwrights to novelists and educators, the invited authors represented a wide range of countries, backgrounds, and literary genres. Many of these internationally published writers bring personal and literary roots from West Africa, North Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and North America, with work shaped by experiences of migration, resilience, and global dialogue. Their stories and experiences were shared both during the event and in the classroom, offering students a unique opportunity to connect directly with authors and deepen their understanding of the writing process.
In both Englewood and Jersey City, students enjoyed a special in-person visit from:
- Dusti Bowling, author of Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus, among many other books
Current fifth- and sixth-grade students in Jersey City previously studied this novel in depth during their Novel Unit in the 2024 – 2025 school year.
In Englewood, student Giti Rao, raised $1,200 in funds for the meet and greet of Dusti Bowling to cover the cost of this visit. In Englewood, student Giti Rao played a key role in making this visit possible by raising $1,200 to support the event. A passionate reader who owns all of Bowling’s books, Giti was deeply motivated to bring the author to the FAA community and worked largely independently to achieve this goal.
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus follows thirteen-year-old Aven Green, who was born without arms, and explores themes of self-acceptance, inclusion, friendship, and empathy. Martha Sebti, a 5th grade English teacher, highlighted the story’s strong connection to the FAA community, noting that Aven’s journey mirrors the experience of many students who relocate and must adapt to a new school environment. She noted that students were especially excited to revisit the story and meet the author in person, another powerful example of how literacy brings deeper themes to life, helping students connect reading and writing to real-world experiences. Giti’s initiative highlights the inspiration that literacy can spark in students, motivating them not only to engage deeply with books but also to take meaningful action within their community.
Finally, Literacy Week concluded with a bilingual book fair at the Downtown Campus.
Why Literacy Matters at the FAA: Learning Beyond Reading and Writing
At the FAA, we promote empathy, inclusion, and multiculturalism as core values, and we believe literacy is a powerful vehicle for teaching these principles. Through reading and writing, students explore different perspectives, experiences, and ideas. Martha Sebti shared that engaging with books, poems, short stories, and prose allows her students to reflect on and reshape the mental picture we have of the world, how it is and how it could or should be, something that cannot be taught explicitly through instruction.
Beyond these deeper lessons, literacy in schools also directly supports the development of foundational skills and prepares students for future success. It is a tool that allows us to develop: (Standen, 2023; “Importance of Literacy,” n.d.; “Nurturing Young Minds,” 2024)
- Stronger academic achievement
- Cognitive skills, including improved critical thinking and problem solving
- Social-emotional growth, such as empathy and understanding diverse perspectives
- Long-term success, including greater career and economic opportunities
- Effective communication skills
- Greater confidence and active involvement in learning
Promoting Literacy At-Home
This journey doesn’t end after Literacy Week or when your child leaves the classroom. For many, reading and writing are enjoyable leisure activities, and they have become increasingly accessible and inclusive thanks to the development of audiobooks and other supportive tools. So parents, what can you do at home to encourage literacy, and, most importantly, foster your child’s love of reading and learning? Here are five simple ways to support reading at home:
- Read aloud to your child as often as possible.
- Encourage reading in everyday life: signs, posters, menus, street names, and labels are all opportunities.
- Provide writing opportunities, such as making grocery lists, sending thank-you notes, or keeping a journal.
- Engage with your child as they read: listen, ask questions, and show interest. Your attention boosts their confidence and strengthens both reading and oral language skills.
- Offer a variety of reading materials, like graphic novels, newspapers, magazines, recipes, and chapter books, allowing your child to choose topics and genres that interest them.
To spark discussion and reflection, try asking questions like:
- “What do you think about the book so far? Why?”
- “Who is your favorite character?”
- “Can you explain ___? I didn’t quite understand that part.”
- “Do you like this author’s way of writing?”
- “Who would you recommend this book to?”
By making reading and writing a shared, enjoyable experience at home, you help your child see literacy not just as a skill, but as a pathway to curiosity, creativity, enjoyment, and lifelong learning.
