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e-bulletin November 2009 |
Literacy students: Get your work published in Write On! |
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We want your writing for the January Write On! magazine. If you are a literacy learner and want to see your writing in print, send your story, article, or poem to communications@mb.literacy.ca. Teachers can also send in their students’ writing (with permission of course)! The deadline for submissions in December 15, 2009. Click HERE to read last years Write On! magazines. Or go to: http://www.mb.literacy.ca/write_on.htm |
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LPM’s web resource of the month: http://www.thewclc.ca/edge |
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Looking for an interactive way to help learners think about essential job skills? Visit the Learning Edge at http://www.thewclc.ca/edge. |
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New immigration booklet unreadable by new Canadians |
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Government publications need to be written in Plain Language The government of Canada has just authored a new booklet to teach immigrants about this country before they get their Canadian citizenship. It is called “Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship.” Unfortunately, very few immigrants can actually understand it. It is written at grade 12 level. Literacy Partners of Manitoba tested the “Discover Canada” booklet and found that pages ranged from reading levels of grade 9 to grade 13.9 and averaged grade 12. Most immigrants attempting to become Canadian citizens read at much less than grade 12 levels in English. A much simpler version of this booklet is needed. This is an example of where the government could have saved a lot of tax-payer money by consulting with Literacy Partners before going to the printer. Perhaps, the next time they will get Plain Language advice, before they roll out hundreds of thousands of copies of a booklet that few can read. “Discover Canada” is available online at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/discover.pdf. |
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H1N1 threat exposes need for Plain Language |
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For more than a decade, LPM has been the organization promoting the use of Plain Language in health settings. This H1N1 scare has brought much of our argument to the public’s attention. Why are people so confused about who should get a vaccination? Why don’t they know when to see the doctor? Could it be that the H1N1 information is written at levels too high for average readers? Our Plain Language expert says the following explanations could have saved Manitoban’s a lot of stress, confusion, and money: Get the flu shot, if you:
Go to a doctor if you:
To make your organization’s documents reader-friendly, contact Rob Sarginson |
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The Learner Advisory Meetings in Ottawa |
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MLAN member, Anita Martens, shares the news from Ottawa My name is Anita Martens. I became a member of Literacy Partners of Manitoba’s Learner Speakers’ Bureau in April 2007. I completed 20 hours of training before receiving my Literacy Partners of Manitoba - Public Speaking Certificate. I was an active participant for the two years I was a member of the Learner Speakers’ Bureau. Today I am an alumnus of the Speakers Bureau and a member of the new Manitoba Learners Advisory Network (MLAN). I was asked to be the Manitoba representative on the national Learner Advisory Network (LAN). My first job was to go to the meetings in Ottawa. I have never been in Ottawa before. I was very excited and very nervous at the same time. Sabena Singh, a member of Literacy Partners’ Board of Directors, was also going to Ottawa for the Movement for Canadian Literacy meetings. This was the first time that she had been at these meetings too. Click HERE to read the rest of the article. |
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The Manitoba Learner Advisory Network (MLAN) |
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Introducing Manitoba’s new network of literacy learner/advocates. The Manitoba Learner Advisory Network (MLAN) was established on Saturday, October 24, 2009. It grew from the need to prepare a new Manitoba representative, Anita Martens, to attend the Learner Advisory Network (LAN) meetings in Ottawa. LAN is a committee reporting to the Board of Directors of the Movement for Canadian Literacy (MCL). The Movement for Canadian Literacy (MCL) is the national coalition advancing literacy and essential skills across Canada. Provincial and Territorial Literacy Coalitions support literacy providers in their province or territory. Literacy Partners of Manitoba (LPM) is the provincial coalition for Manitoba. There is one LAN member from each province/territory. The LAN member is appointed by the provincial/territorial literacy coalition. Each coalition has its own way of deciding who to send. LAN members are learners who are attending or who have participated in a program to upgrade their literacy skills. Click HERE to read the rest of the article. |
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Summary of the Movement for Canadian Literacy Meetings in Ottawa |
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LPM board member, Sabena Singh, reports: The meetings were in Ottawa from November 3rd - 6th. Each province and territory was present except Ontario. The Learners Action Network (LAN) also played a part in the meetings. The objectives of these sessions were to:
In order to meet these objectives, a number of federal agencies and other parties attended the meetings. They shared many ideas that were helpful to MCL and the Coalitions. It was a great opportunity to learn about both the successes and struggles across Canada in terms of literacy. Adult literacy programs are still necessary across our country. Coalitions work very hard, with limited resources, to try and meet the needs of their literacy communities. Both the federal government and provincial governments support literacy initiatives, but not to the degree that literacy advocates would like. There are definitely a lot of dedicated and hard-working people in the field of literacy who will help us to move forward in our work to raise literacy levels across Canada.
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Bookmates Inc. turns 25! |
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This represents a quarter century of supporting community based family learning and literacy programming. Bookmates started with the goal of helping “break the cycle of under achievement that often accompanies living in impoverished, inner-city neighbourhoods, and to thwart reading problems by providing preschoolers with early book experiences.” Dr. Bev Zakaluk, a Bookmates founding member, sums up their community focus by saying: “Our focus now is on community development. We have groups from different areas of the city pilot the program and give us feedback and we adapt the program. Then we have a program that fits the different communities better.” Bookmates’ family literacy approach recognizes the key role parents have in the development of the language and literacy skills of their children, particularly in the early years before children enter school. Bookmates’ programs are fun family experiences where adults and children learn together. Today, Bookmates’ training programs have evolved and expanded. They include these popular offerings: Family Learning FUNdamentals, Rock & Read, Alphabet Soup and Alphabet Soup in Motion. These programs are delivered in communities across Manitoba and across the country. “Our goal,” adds Dr. Zakaluk, “is to prevent reading problems so that when children get to school they’re used to story books and are more likely to learn from early reading instruction.” For more information about these and other programs available please call 582-1804 or visit Bookmates’ website: www.bookmates.ca. The staff, board of directors, and members of Literacy Partners of Manitoba offer our heartfelt congratulations on this significant milestone! |
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Government of Canada supports family literacy |
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Kitchener, Ontario, November 9, 2009 Mr. Stephen Woodworth, Member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today announced Government of Canada support to Project READ Literacy Network Waterloo-Wellington. "Family literacy has a strong influence on individual development. Strengthening literacy and essential skills helps provide a home environment that is rich in learning activities, and increases adults' success in finding and keeping employment," said Mr. Woodworth. "Our government is proud to work with partners like Project READ to ensure literacy and essential skills are integrated into training that will help Canadians get jobs and build better futures for themselves and their families." Click HERE to read the rest of this article.
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Literacy Partners of Manitoba's Library News: |
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New resources: Biographies for reluctant readers These biographies are published by Grass Roots Press. We have a number of titles in this collection. There are workbooks to accompany the readers. This collection includes 30 biographies and 7 accompanying workbooks. These biographies are low-vocabulary and high-interest for adolescent and adult learners. The workbooks contain dozens of activities that promote reading comprehension, word attack, and writing skills. New titles from this collection now in our library:
Click HERE to visit our online catalogue - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - RESOURCE CENTRE SATURDAYS Our library will be open on a few upcoming Saturdays from 11:00 to 3:00. If it isn’t convenient for you to visit the library during the week, please make note of these dates: November 28 Our building is locked on Saturdays and Sundays, so it is necessary for you to call ahead at 947-5757 to get into the building. We look forward to your visit … to browse and borrow. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CANADIAN LIBRARY MONTH CONTEST October was Canadian Library Month, We held a contest to encourage our members to browse our resource centre, either online or in person, and borrow materials. Members who borrowed materials also received a choice of a brand new book to keep. Our grand prize was donated by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, a pair of tickets to the Pops March concert! Congratulations to the winner of our Library Month Contest! |
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