Literacy - École Oceanside Elementary School

École Oceanside Elementary School

Qualicum School District

980 Wright Road, Parksville, BC, V9P 2B3| Phone: 250-248-4662| Contact Us

Literacy

Welcome to Our Literacy Resource Hub!

At Oceanside Elementary, we believe that every child is a reader—and every family can be part of the journey. Whether you're looking for engaging read-alouds, French literacy support, or interactive games and videos, we’ve gathered a collection of trusted, kid-friendly tools to spark curiosity and build strong literacy skills at home and in the classroom. There’s something here for every age, interest, and reading level—all designed to support you and your young learners in both English and French. We know that digital tools are helpful, but they don’t replace the power of reading a good physical book together. Curling up with a story, turning the pages, and sharing that quiet time is still one of the most powerful ways to build a love of reading.

🎥 Watch this TEDxYouth talk by Luke Bakic entitled

The Power of Reading

English Resources

Epic is a digital library designed for children aged 12 and under. It offers access to a vast library of over 40,000 books, audiobooks, and learning videos. It's available for both at-home and classroom use, with features like personalized reading recommendations, progress tracking, and interactive elements like quizzes and rewards. Epic makes reading fun, engaging, and accessible for children, while also providing valuable tools for educators and parents.

Storyline Online is a fun, free website where famous actors read picture books out loud, bringing stories to life with voices and animations. It’s a great way for kids to enjoy books anytime—at home or in the classroom. Each story also comes with a simple activity guide to keep the learning going!

Libby is a free app that lets you borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines from your public library—right from your phone, tablet, or computer. All you need is a library card! It’s an easy and fun way to read or listen to books anytime, anywhere.

The Sora digital library from the parent company, OverDrive has thousands of fiction and non-fiction eBooks (and some audiobooks) for all ages to read on any device (computer, phone, tablet). Log in through "My Site" and start reading!

Vooks is a streaming library of animated, read-aloud storybooks designed for children ages 2 to 8. It brings picture books to life with gentle animation, narration, and music—creating an engaging screen-time option that supports early literacy. Perfect for classroom use, storytime, or quiet reading at home!

French Immersion Resources

Oceanside Reads en français is our school’s very own French Immersion home-reading website, designed to support families on their reading journey. We know helping your child read in French can be a challenge, so we’ve gathered a mix of traditional resources and fun audio stories to make it easier. Our goal is to build confidence, boost literacy, and make reading together a joyful part of everyday life!

Boukili is a free French literacy app designed to support young readers through interactive and leveled books. Kids can listen to stories, read independently, and answer questions to check understanding—all while earning rewards and tracking progress. It’s a fun, engaging way to build French reading skills at home or in the classroom!

Les As de l'info is a French news website made just for kids, helping them explore current events in a safe, age-appropriate way. Articles are written in simple language and cover topics from around the world, encouraging curiosity and critical thinking. It’s a great tool for building media literacy and keeping young readers informed!

Storybooks Canada is a free online resource that offers a collection of illustrated stories with text and audio in French (and many other languages), perfect for young readers. The stories are organized by reading level and are available to read online or download as PDFs and audio files. It’s a great way to support literacy and language learning at home or in the classroom!

TFO is the digital hub of Ontario’s French-language public media—offering thousands of

quality, ad-free videos, games, series, and learning activities for kids and schools .It’s curriculum-aligned (K–8), and perfect for reinforcing French language and culture through fun, interactive content like Mini TFO and Flip TFO.

CBC Zone des petits is a free, ad‑free app from Radio‑Canada perfect for preschoolers (ages 3–5), offering a treasure trove of videos and games featuring beloved characters and shows from the Zone des petits lineup . Designed for young kids to explore safely and independently, to learn French through fun, engaging media at home or on the go!

CBC Zone Jeunesse is Radio‑Canada’s go-to digital spot for kids aged roughly 6 to 12. Packed with free, ad-free shows, videos, games, apps, and activities—from science and arts to puzzles and storytelling—it’s fun, safe, and perfect for home or class use .