The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, JANUARY 26, 2000 PAGE 5 Family Literacy Day is Jan. 21 Just 11 per cent of Durham residents read well A.J. GROEN/Statesman photo Adult and Continuing Education teacher from left, Fardousa Jama, Julina Peerzada Rosita Bacchus, standing, helps students, and Adriana Vasquez. Adults 'brave' to attend literacy program BY LINDA WHITE Staff Writer The statistics are startling. An estimated 22 per cent of the population in Durham Region Region "finds it hard to make decisions decisions based on what they read," which means it's difficult difficult for them to determine such things as how much medicine to give a child, how to pay bills or how to read signs in the grocery grocery store, the Literacy Network Network of Durham Region reports. reports. Another 33 per cent have limited reading skills. They can "read simple clear materials but not well. They would have difficulty difficulty reading long paragraphs of solid text and they would have trouble reading a job application application form or a bank deposit deposit slip," the Network notes. Another 35 per cent have basic skills, leaving just 11 per cent with a wide range of reading reading skills. "Most of us think we can identify the person who lacks reading and writing skills... down and out, a slovenly appearance, appearance, a crude manner and probably a raw attitude," Network Network executive director Wanda Pitchforth notes in a presentation. presentation. But that's not the case. "The truth is, we all fall on the continuum continuum somewhere, ranging from quite limited skills to very high skills," she explains. ■ She is concerned with the "complicated and diverse" effects effects of low literacy skills. "No one can possibly know how a life could have been altered had the person developed literacy skills as expected by society." However, those with low literacy literacy skills often experience lowered self-esteem, high levels levels of stress because they're afraid someone will find out and they will be embarrassed and a sense of failure. "People are very self-conscious self-conscious about their lack of literacy literacy skills," Ms. Pitchforth maintains. "There is a certain stigma associated with low literacy skills. Everyone else can read, so the illiterate feel they're all alone... "They have been trying to hide for years. Most have found great ways to accomplish this. They don't give themselves credit for the other skills they may have," she believes. "Some may be musicians, carpenters, athletes. They have been able to gain skills by listening, listening, watching and doing. They don't realize just how smart they are. What they do know is they have been cover ing up for years." Yet, the effects of illiteracy are wide-ranging. Ms. Pitchforth Pitchforth points to parents unable to help their children with school- work. And "households where parents have low literacy skills tend not to put an emphasis on education and reading," she notes. Poor literacy skills can also "sabotage medical treatment...They treatment...They are more likely to mistake one medication for another another and to take incorrect dosages at incorrect intervals," reminds Ms. Pitchforth. She points to research indicating indicating 65 per cent of inmates in Canadian prisons lack literacy skills, while those who are illiterate illiterate are also more likely to be injured at work and are more apt to be unemployed than those with more advanced For a mother of four, attending attending a literacy program is an important important step toward becoming more involved in her children's education. "My children like that mommy goes to school," admits Julina Peerzada, 25, who is also looking forward to gaining skills that will make her more employable. employable. The Ajax resident attends the Durham Catholic District School Board's Literacy, Numeracy and Academic Upgrade Program at the Ajax-Pickering Adult and Continuing Education Centre. Ms. Peerzada, whose first language language is Persian, came to Canada seven years ago and completed English-as-a-Second-Language courses. She has been attending the literacy program since October October and is pleased to do her homework alongside her seven- year-old son. skills. The blame for illiteracy can be placed on any of a number of factors, including learning disabilities, a need to leave, school early to support a fami-' ly, difficulties at home, poor school attendance, disinterest in learning and so on. Reading is also a "use-it-or- lose-it" skill, notes Ms. Pitchforth. Pitchforth. "If people don't read and make use of the skills they have acquired, then they will lose them." A number of literacy programs, programs, including the Literacy Network of Durham Region, are offered here and are dependent dependent on volunteers. Call the Literacy Network at 905-728-4786 or the Literacy Literacy Council of Durham Region at 905-434-5441 for more information. information. The people attending the program program come from a variety of backgrounds, notes instructor Rosita Bacchus, who developed the program seven years ago with just five students. Today, an average of 15 students attend each class. Ms. Bacchus applauds applauds their decision to return to the classroom. "They are quite brave to come here," she maintains. maintains. "There's still a stigma about illiteracy. They're adults returning to school and it's tough." For the teacher, the challenge lies in determining each student's need. "The learning environment has to be conducive to different levels (of literacy)," Ms. Bacchus Bacchus explains. "You really have to get to know the students to know how to adjust the program, to relate to them and make them feel like a person." Students can join at any time. j ABC Canada offers the fol- Ignl lowing tips in its battle against ' O illiteracy: ' Start early. It's never too i UIU 6 ing place for your children and their books. • Make every day a learning experience by asking your kids to help you make a shopping list, read recipes and make a calendar calendar of weekly activities. • Every place is a learning place. Families on the go can create a travel kit of books, newspapers, magazines, pencils, pencils, markers and paper for use in the car. Read maps and signs along the way. • Keep teens reading. Give your teens books, newspaper articles articles and magazines about things that interest them, such as music, TV, movies and computers. computers. Talk to them about their in terests. Attend parent-teacher Study results expected later this year STUDY from page 1 leukemia and Down's syndrome syndrome in the population surrounding surrounding the Pickering plant, but were regarded as inconclusive. inconclusive. U.S. studies have linked higher breast and prostate cancer rates with living living near nuclear power plants, yet the weight of scientific scientific opinion is that no clear causal connection has been demonstrated. The AECB announced announced the latest cancer monitoring program last summer, but the site for the pilot has only now been chosen. chosen. Durham council, Pickering Pickering council and Ajax and Pickering residents' groups all asked the board to make Pickering the site for the initial initial study. The monitoring is being undertaken in response to public concerns about nuclear nuclear facilities, says Suzana Fraser, an ÀECB epidemiologist. epidemiologist. Ms. Fraser expects results results from the pilot study will be available in mid-2000. No decisions have yet been made on exactly how the pilot project project will be conducted. It will be followed by a public consultation process that will give citizens and governments a say in how the long-term national monitoring monitoring system will work. That system will likely be in place within about three years. AUSTRALIA from $1349.00 nuMiftowsic Bowmanville Travel 19 King St. W. Tel: 623-3182 "Bowmanville's Travel Professionals since 1950" Carol Dodsworth Francine Fortier Alison Van Loosen PHOÏOCOPKS • l AMIN AI ING • BINDFRY • GRAPHIC DESIGN FAXING SEND important documents anywhere in the world I • Know that it was received with a printout confirmation • RECEIVE documents • well let you know as soon as it arrives! JAMES PuldtiJuMG, 66 King St. W., Bowmanville (905) 623-8001 Fax: |905) 623 0216 printing 6 jamespublishing.net RUBBER STAMPS • BUSINESS CARDS • IE TIE RHE AD • ENVElOPfS Oshawa Little Theatre presents NO SEX PLEASE WE'RE BRITISH A farce by Anthony Marriot & Alistair Foot Feb. 3-5, 10-13, 17-19 at 8 pin Sun. Feb. 6 at 2 pm 62 Russett Ave., Oshawa Advance tickets, $12.00, available at United Way Information Kiosk Oshawa Centre For more info: (905) 723-0282 Produced by special mwpieni with Samuel French (Canada) Lui. Police report is a 'blueprint' says chief POLICE from page 1 some significant issues." Asked by a reporter after the presentation to elaborate, Ms. Bibb said there were mostly "petty issues" raised by officers during interviews and discussion groups. "We found no serious problems at the front-line level." Terry Ryan, president of the Durham Regional Police Association, expressed anger over the comment and snapped, "I'd classify them as major issues." Mr. Ryan said he was disappointed by the report. "It just gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling, really. really. It certainly doesn't address address the problems we want addressed." The association has had long-standing concerns about understaffing, low morale, poor communication with management and outdated outdated equipment, among other things. Chief Kevin McAlpine hailed the report as a "blueprint" "blueprint" outlining the future of the department. School board 'bewildered' SCHOOL from page 1 cemed that this stance by the board chair is taking away from the work the board has ahead of it." Dr. Galt's comments mystified Ms. Tozer. "I'm bewildered about why a • local MPP would be so disappointed a provincial commission gave the local school board such a strong commendation," commendation," she said. EIC co-chairman Ann Vanstone says the EIC has not ranked the province's school boards on the basis of how they did on the review. But, "There's no doubt in my mind that it's an excellent report," she adds. "This board, from the very beginning of the process, is out ahead of the pack and is doing very well." Because boards were each reviewed using the same criteria, Ms. Tozer said; there are plenty of "points of compari-; son. Everybody is going to look at how- we did compared to other boards." At a board meeting held last week,; Director of Education Dick Malowney; explained boards were given checkmarks checkmarks in progress reviews for exemplary- practices. KPR received 12 checkmarks. checkmarks. "We did check the number of check marks other boards got and we do think we got the highest," he told! trustees. The EIC did point out some' areas for improvement. Ms. Tozer said, the board is taking the EIC's recommen-' dations seriously. "Six days after the commission's report was released, we (trustees) asked about an action report to look at the three issues outside of governance." governance." Board staff is expected to bring the action plan back in the weeks ahead. Ontario Child Care Supplement for Working familieg © Ontario Helping Working Fctmili • Monthly payments under this Ontario Government program have been increased • Up to $1,100 a year for each child under age seven • Designed for low-to-middle-income families (working, in school, or one parent stays home to care for their children under seven) • 220,000 families with 365,000 children are eligible to benefit Apply now for your Ontario supplement. It's as simple as completing an application form each year and returning it promptly to the Ministry of Finance. For more information call toll free: 1-800-263-7965 (teletypewriter: 1-800-263-7776)