LPM in the news!

In September, LPM received coverage in the Winnipeg Free Press on at least four occasions – including two multi-page spreads.

On September 23, the literacy supplement to the Raise-a-Reader edition featured the struggle of Learner Speakers’ Bureau’s Meta Nana Tschiovo and her family.

A week later, an in-depth report on literacy in Manitoba entitled “Literacy Matters” by Mia Rabson gave the statistical story of literacy development in the province.

Another article featured Carin Crowe, our “volunteer” volunteer coordinator, and Jan Graham.

A photo of Debra, Ron Robinson and the Word Monster at our Raise-a-Reader corner and our logo even appeared on CanWest’s Thank-You to Donors and volunteers in the Winnipeg Free Press.

As a result, Rob Sarginson (acting executive director at LPM) has been invited to speak to various groups about the literacy profile of Manitoba. “The more people know about literacy, the more they support our work,” says Rob.

Here are two of the Winnipeg Free Press articles that featured LPM:

Promoting literacy becomes her passion

By: Erin Madden

Three years ago, Carin Crowe found her passion in life.

It happened when the West Kildonan resident volunteered at a Literacy Partners of Manitoba Speaker's Bureau, a program that assists literacy learners in writing and delivering speeches. Recruited to volunteer by her good friend Jan Graham, an employee with the organization, Crowe said up until that point, she was unaware of the problems faced by those suffering from low literacy.

"I had no idea how many people were unable to read," said Crowe, a retired mother of two. "I never even thought of it."

Read more here...

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Reading matters

By: Mia Rabson

OTTAWA -- Two years ago, Anita Martens suddenly lost her clerical job at a Winnipeg hospital.

After spending most of her adult life struggling with spelling, the single mother of three decided enough was enough and went back to school.

Read more here...

Resource Centre Saturdays

LPM is opening our Resource Centre on a few Saturdays in November and December.

You are invited to browse, sign out materials or do preparation for your classes.

Please mark these dates and times on your calendar:

• November 7, 11:00 - 3:00
• November 21, 11:00 - 3:00
• November 28, 11:00 - 3:00
• December 5, 11:00 - 3:00

Take advantage of this opportunity to use our Resource Centre during these extended hours.

Many new materials have been added to our collection. Come and take a look!

Remember to call ahead for access to the building: 947-5757.

Plain Language needed!

According to the Winnipeg Free Press, 44% of Winnipeggers read at lower than grade 8 levels. The Free Press cited statistics from a newly released Canadian Council on Learning Study.

For the past 5 years, LPM has said that the number of level 1 and 2 readers was about 40%. The Canadian Council on Learning calculations reflect the increases in the number of recent immigrants, aboriginal inflow from rural areas and the numbers of seniors.

These population groups tend to have the greatest literacy needs according to the CCL.

Many immigrants and aboriginal adults are making rapid strides in literacy upgrading or English as an Additional Language classes. However, it may take years before even the most dedicated adult student reaches grade 8 reading levels. It takes a lot more effort to master the content in a new language, so well as to certify in a profession or a trade.

What can be done to help these low reading groups in the meantime?

One solution is for institutions and agencies to use Plain Language at the grade 5-8 level in public communications – especially in brochures, forms, applications, bills and letters. With simpler text, people with basic command of English / French can get important information using the skills they have.

LPM has surveyed common documents (health, consumer, legal and financial information) that are so necessary for new residents. We found more than 60% were at levels that only high school and university graduates could read.

This is a problem if new arrivals are just learning to read in English. They are put at a disadvantage due to the writing level in those public documents.  They are systematically being denied access to health, consumer, legal, social, employment and financial information that other Manitobans can read.

This issue also deeply affects seniors and aboriginal people, who tend to have lower education levels than other Manitobans because of historical and geographic factors.

The level of reading that would be most useful to these populations is about a grade 5-6. This is about half the level of what most information at the WRHA or available in government websites and brochures is at currently.

At present, most newspapers, applications and consent forms are beyond the grasp of many Winnipeggers.  Hospitals and clinics struggle with patient safety and patient non-compliance. But, the real issue might really be readability.

Commercial agreements that people sign with financial institutions, contractors or salesmen are often at levels too high for comprehension. The small print might be at grade 17 level.  Plain Language and same sized fonts for legally binding materials might save many Winnipeggers from unfortunate financial consequences.

LPM’s Financial Literacy page is available to help practitioners find resources that are classroom ready.

Click on the link below to visit the LPM Financial Literacy Page:
http://www.plainlanguage.mb.literacy.ca/healthlit.htm.

Online delivery systems ineffective in the North: LPM study concludes

A research study by LPM has concluded that agencies that rely on the internet to deliver programs are not reaching their target audiences.

The study which looked at examples of government, economic development and health websites, discovered that in most cases the language used on the websites was not at levels that average readers in the region could use.

Other factors that limited the number of people who could use online material included:

• lack of computers in homes,
• lack of consistent or inexpensive computer service
• dependence, in many remote areas, on dial up connection.

Current web sites have “bells and whistles” that require a long time to download.  The desired information often has embedded graphics, photos and video components that make downloading difficult in areas where only dial-up service is used.

Long downloads are prohibitively expensive in remote areas. The expense of computer equipment, installation and servicing also discourages users who generally have low incomes. As a result, household computer use in remote communities is often limited to non internet activities such as games and word processing. 

LPM’s recommendation as a result of the study:

To improve effectiveness, online information aimed at aboriginals and small rural communities should be put into simpler formats and wordings that promote easy comprehension and rapid downloads.

Raise-a-Reader a smash hit!

Once again this year, LPM staff and friends bravely went into the traffic from 7 - 9 a.m. to sell newspapers for this year’s Canwest Raise a Reader campaign.

Staff and ace broadcaster, Ron Robinson, cajoled drivers into donating spare change for a special “literacy” edition of the Winnipeg Free Press.

Many commuters had to pause and think about why these orange-shirted, crazy people were risking life and limb amid the construction barriers and closed turning lanes. Was an accident imminent?

Staff wondered the same thing.

The effort seemed well worth the risk.

We received more than $700 in donations but with more than 20 street corners covered in Winnipeg, the Canwest Raise a Reader Day raised about $17,000. All of this goes to helping children and their parents get a good start on reading and writing.

Volunteers, besides Ron, Connie, Debra, Lindsey, Jan and Rob (from LPM) included learners: Curtis Tymko and Meta Nana Tschiovo.

It was the dashing Curtis who donned our Word Monster costume. He gave a 7 foot-high “Thank-you wave” to motorists.  Meta sold newspapers and was featured with her young sons, Duku and Sabry, in a 2 page article in the Literacy insert in the Free Press.

With matching donations from various agencies, the total donated in Manitoba was more than $50,000.

LPM membership drive was a success!

Thanks to all who renewed their membership by September 30!

CONGRATULATIONS! to our prize winners . . .

1st Prize: Portage Learning & Literacy Centre, Portage (Canadian Footwear $50, Young’s food goods & other goodies)

2nd Prize: Laverne Morrisseau Adult Education Centre, Dauphin (Stuart McLean CD, Subway $5 & other goodies)

3rd Prize: Women’s Health Clinic, Winnipeg (Terry Fox book, Subway $5 & other goodies) Photo Credit: CTV News.ca

Goodbye Gary, hello Greg

At a packed Convention Centre backed by blasting rock music and a lightshow, Greg Selinger won the right to replace Gary Doer as Manitoba’s Premier.

The atmosphere was electric and the applause was deafening as more than 2000 delegates stood and honoured their past and future leaders. Doer and Selinger!

What changes will this mean for Literacy in Manitoba?

Gary Doer was always open to ideas that incorporated literacy as a theme in policy.  Marg Rose and Rob had consulted with Gary Doer and his caucus back in 1998, before they became the government.  They talked of the need in Northern and Rural areas for literacy supports as a way to help with health problems, economic development and with social decay.

Two MLAs responded vigorously and asked pointed questions – One was Steve Ashton! Mr. Ashton really understood that the basis for development in the North was involving native people in the economy and that would take a lot of education supports –including basic literacy.

When he became the highways minister he instituted a Plain Language policy for departmental communications.  He was the first Minister to do so, but he wasn’t the last.

MLA, Gord MacIntosh, when he became Minister of Justice, instituted a Plain Language policy for documents coming out of his office.  His awareness and support for literacy initiatives continues in the Housing and Family Services portfolio.

Over the years, Doer himself showed himself to be a champion of literacy.  He and his inner circle of ministers (including ex-LPM Board Member and literacy instructor, Jim Rondeau  and ex Social Work professor, City Councillor and graduate of the London School of Economics, Greg Selinger) established a department of Literacy in his government. This innovation, a first in Canada, has led Advanced Education and Literacy, Diane McGifford to bring forward Manitoba’s Adult Literacy Act to ensure the existence of literacy upgrading services across the province.

Over the years, LPM has had several very positive meetings with Mr. Selinger. We feel that we have been instrumental in helping the cabinet decide to increase allocations for adult literacy and training in the province.

In the last ten years, this government has invested more money into basic education than any other in Manitoba’s history. Mr. Doer leaves a fine legacy.

Mr. Selinger when he was a professor of Social Work wrote penetrating papers on the importance of Literacy as a tool to break the poverty cycle. His awareness has made him a willing and able ally around the cabinet table.