AN AWARD-winning
North Vancouver-produced
tabloid is helping thousands
of adults, who are learning
to read, hone their reading
skills with current news
stories re-written in
simplified form.

By MICHAEL BEC

Since inception in 1981, when a
group of English as a Second Lan-
guage (ESL) teachers decided to
act on.a perceived need for easily

read current news articles, the
Westcoast Reader has become a
world leader for ESL readers and
adults learning to read.

Westcoast Reader editor Joan
Acosta. was recognized for her
work last year in Washington,
D.C., when she received a $5,000
Leaders of Readers award from
U.S. Secretary of Education
William Bennett. The award was
accompanied by a !etter of con-
gratulation from Ronald Reagan.
The newspaper was the only Ca-
nadian project to win one of four
awards available.

Earlier this year Acosta was
awarded — for her achievements
in providing reading education to
new Canadians — lifetime
membership in B.C. TEAL, the
provincial association of ESL
teachers.

Acosta works part-time as an
ESL teacher at Capilano College
and single-handedly produces the
four-page newspaper once a
month. She gleans local and inter-
national news stories from various
publications and reworks them to
three levels of reading difficulty,
making the paper accessible to a
variety of learners, The easiest to
read articles are identified with a
star at the beginning of the piece;
the next level up are marked with a
checkmark; the most difficult are
marked with double checkmarks.

Acosta believes presenting learn-

- ing readers with stories about real

King

dio. Wednesdas, March fo, [esa

Respect
her
refusal

PAGE 4

Narth Shore News

wa oe ee See
Sot eu ye

: uy

NEWS photos Mike Wakefleld

WESTCOAST READER editor Joan Acosta simplifies the daily news for people who are learning to read, The monthly newspaper is available
throughout B.C. and the Yukon for adults tearning (o read English for the first time.

and current events is more relevant
than textbook fiction, She sees the
paper as a logical bridge to other
newspapers.

“T get a lot of enjoyment from
the feedback I get from teachers
and students,’’ Acosta said. But
she’s happiest when a_ reader
begins finding the Westcoast
Reader too easy to read.

With a circulation of 40,000,
Acosta estimates actual readership

/15 year guarantee. Limited quantities.
Once Only Sale

Twin..........56'x84”

Large Twin/3%4  66''x84"'
Double - 80x84” Z
Queen 86’x84" 139.98

102"x84" 159.98

Also: Cotton Beach Towels Now In. Priced from $5.99.

for the paper at between 75,000
and 100,000.

The project is funded through
the B.C. Ministry of Education
and operates with a budget just
over $70,000.

The paper is heavy on graphics
for quick comprehension, uses
large easy-to-read print and in ad-
dition to the news offers lots of
handy information about living in
B.C. and Canada.

and baffled.

89.98

Special pull-out sections, funded
by private sector companies and
organizations, give broader scope
to issues.

Capilano College provides the
paper with an office, telephone ac-
cess to production and printing

and accounting facilities.
The Westcoast Reader is

distributed free of charge to col-
leges, school boards, immigrant
service agencies, libraries and pro-
grams involved in teaching English
and reading.

* Sure, and it’s
the ultimate
white sale!

ALL IRISH LINEN
20% OFF

3 DAYS ONLY
March 17th, 18th and 19th

} The Other Place

Specialists in fine linen

At both locations:

Park Royal North, Wes! Vancouver
6007 W. Boulevard (on 44th), Kerrisdale
personal shopping only, all sales final