The Westcoast Reader

The Westcoast Reader is an award-winning literacy newspaper for beginning adult readers in British Columbia, Canada. Its purpose is to help English as a second language (ESL) and adult literacy learners develop reading skills, while providing interesting and relevant information with an adult focus.

Local, national, and international news stories are adapted from The Vancouver Sun and The Province by the editor for use in The Westcoast Reader. The newspaper also provides information on a variety of topics including health, safety, law, government services, and everyday life.

The editor, Joan Acosta, writes, edits and desktop publishes the newspaper that is published 10 times per year. Articles in the newspaper are written at three levels of difficulty, providing entry points to reading for a variety of learners.

Each issue of The Westcoast Reader is accompanied by Teachers’ Notes that include exercises and activities for learners as well as suggestions and resources for teachers. The notes can be downloaded each month from The Westcoast Reader website.

One article from each issue is read aloud and posted on the The Westcoast Reader website as an audio file. Learners can listen to the text and read along at the same time.

The newspaper and Teachers’ Notes are distributed free of charge in British Columbia to colleges, school boards, immigrant service agencies, libraries and programs involved in teaching English/reading. It has an estimated readership of 125,000.

Funding for The Westcoast Reader is provided by the BC Ministry of Advanced Education. Capilano College in North Vancouver provides support services.

External links

* [http://www.westcoastreader.ca The Westcoast Reader website]
* [http://www.capcollege.bc.ca/about/publications/westcoast-reader.html Capilano College - About The Westcoast Reader]
* [http://www.protocol.gov.bc.ca/protocol/prgs/obc/1994/1994_JAcosta.htm O.B.C. Biography - Joan Acosta]