PRT et PIE SE WESC OTP ay 7 SER Er

Local publication geared for ESL readers

FOR SOME people, having
nothing to read, can be taken
literally,

By Anna Marie D'Angelo

News Reporter

For some of those adults, The
Westcoast Reader, is where they
turn to fo practice reading skills
and bone up on current events.

“Ft’s an adult publication. It's
not childish,” said editor Joan
Acosta.

“What we often forget is that
adults have a lot of knowledge
themselves. They come to the
paper with a lot of background
knowledge, but it’s really hard to
know how much background. You
- don’t want to be patronizing.”

The Westcoast Reader seems to

-have found the right balance of
information for its readership. The
successful publication has been

» around for 13 years with a current

‘estimated readership of more than
100,000 province-wide. —

_ Acosta, editor for the past 10
years, puts together the four- or
- eight-page publication through
Capilano College 10 times a year,
“> A’darge part of the readership

‘includes: ESL students and adult
literacy students (adults beginning
“to read). . a
“Being in touch with your
audience, really knowing you
* audience is the critical aspect of
-writing:-this, maybe for all writ-
'. ing,” said Acosta who “field tests”
her work.’

The free newspaper is distrib-
wied, with teacher's notes, to
schools, group homes, rehab cen-
tres, immigration service agencies
as well as libraries.

Acosta said the hardest part
was to “write simple.”

“What To do is distill the
essence of newspaper articles and
write them in a simple, conversa-
tional way,” said Acosta.

An example of a Westcoast
Reader story includes the follow-
ing John Candy obituary from the
April issue:

John Candy dies

John Candy was a popular
comic actor. He acted in 40
movies. He was also in a TV
series in the 1970s. Candy was
born in Ontario in 1950, On
March 4, he had a heart atlack and
died. (Also included is a picture
of the actor with the caption “John
Candy was a popular actor.”)

Acosta said staries contain
background to put the news event
in perspective. She said graphics
and photos are widely used to
enhance and clarify stories.

(Unlike most newspapers, The
Westcoast Reader does nat carry
opinion pieces.)

Said Acosta, “lam doing a
series on the history of Canada
which students really like. We
think it’s boring, but ESL students
think it’s fascinating.”

Acosta said a recent supple-
ment insert included stories of
families where upwards of 200
readers submitted pictures and
stories in honor of the

Intern. sional Year of the Family.
Among the families chosen to be
depicted in the newspaper were
the Younans, Pakkars, Rosners,
Chins,  Nyguvens, Chens,
Prabhjits, Demelos and the
Romeros,

“You might term that there is a
lot of multicultural content (in the
newspaper). | think that my read-
ers don’t see theniselves reflected
in the mainstream media,” said
Acosta,

“[U's really important that their
lives be validated in some way.”

She said health and safety
issues are regularly included in
the newspaper because many
brachures on the topics are writ-
ten with a high level of English.

Acosta has picked up several
awards for her efforts associated
with the newspaper, The latest
being the Order of B.C. to be pre-
sented in mid June.

Among the other presentations
are included a 1991 “Women in
Media Award” from the
Association af Canadian
Journalists and a Vancouver
Multicultural Society award in
1985,

Despite all the recognition, the
newspaper has experienced fund-
ing problems, especially in the
last two years, said Acosta.

She continues to be dedicated
to the publication which she views
as a bridge to other reading for
students.

“The best thing that | ever hear
is that they have worked up to the
regular paper,” said Acosta,

Ey

\ TPO Es
he CE

_ NEWS photo Nal! Lucente
EDITOR JOAN Acosta of The Westcoast Reader will be receiv-
ing the Order of B.C. for the local publication, which Is pub-.
lished to help adults improve their English reading skills. The
newspaper, which is produced at Capilano College, has been’
around for 13 years and has an estimated readership of more
than 100,000 province-wide. it is published 10 times a year.. -

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