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- calendar_today October 27, 2026
Surrey Student Founds Literacy Program for Peers
Helen Liu, a Grade 12 student from Surrey, British Columbia, has launched a free literacy program designed to address growing concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on student learning and critical thinking. Since its launch in January 2026, 'Tales with Teens' has reached over 300 participants, offering them alternative ways to sharpen their literacy and reasoning skills.
Inspiration Behind 'Tales with Teens'
Liu was inspired to start the program after volunteering to help new eighth-grade students at her school, where she observed many struggling with puzzles and trivia. Noticing an increased reliance on AI tools among her peers and a parallel decline in independent thinking, Liu decided to create an education program encouraging direct engagement and critical analysis. "It feels like the more I use [AI], the more I have to rely on it," Liu explained, citing concerns for younger students who are still developing foundational student literacy skills.
AI’s Impact on Canadian Student Learning
Recent research highlights the challenges posed by widespread AI usage in education. Adam Dubé, an associate professor at McGill University, published an analysis showing that Canadian students who use AI every week can be as much as two years behind in learning compared to those who rarely or never use AI. Dubé’s findings, based on data from approximately 24,600 students across 897 Canadian schools, reveal that 19% of teens report using AI daily in school, whereas 18% use it weekly to generate texts for assignments. Meanwhile, 21% say they almost never use AI in their learning.
How the Program Works
'Tales with Teens' employs around 30 high school student volunteers who run online workshops, boot camps, and guided lessons. The program is designed to foster critical thinking and creative analysis through group discussions, novel studies, and other interactive activities. By focusing on independent reasoning, the initiative aims to help students break free from dependence on external technologies for their learning needs.
Participating Students Reflect on Their Experience
Grade 7 student Shreya Banka participated in the program’s summer boot camp. She shared that the exercises helped her identify themes such as foreshadowing in literature and media. "It really makes you think about things you would just ignore completely before," Banka said. Like many of her peers, she has observed classmates relying on AI for assignments and believes 'Tales with Teens' could help others avoid similar patterns of dependency.
Expert Perspectives on Literacy and AI
Stuart Poyntz, a professor at Simon Fraser University with expertise in youth and media literacy, called the program "incredibly encouraging." He observed that as AI becomes more integrated into classrooms, students risk losing opportunities to develop judgment, sequential reasoning, and retention skills if they depend on AI for their thinking. Poyntz emphasizes that while learning and struggle are intertwined, the ability to analyze and create independently is central to personal growth and the development of young people’s voices.
Program's Future and Broader Implications
Liu hopes to expand 'Tales with Teens' to engage more students in Canada. As classrooms continue to adapt to technological changes, initiatives like hers highlight the importance of maintaining a balance between digital tools and traditional learning strategies in youth education.
Source: cbc.ca.
