Resources

Plain Language Resources

Writing in plain language is not only about what is written but also about how your message will be received by your reader. It goes beyond simple words and short sentences. Clear communication is important to everyone from people with English as a second language to busy professionals.

Plain language means no one is excluded.

It is fair, open, and inclusive. The focus is to write to communicate rather than impress. A plain language document is one in which people can:

find what they need
understand what they find
act appropriately on that understanding

Plain language writing is not anti-intellectual, drab, or “dumbed down”. It enhances the message and takes skill and hard work.

Reading Grade Levels

The appropriate reading level for printed material depends on the audience. A technical article written for people with specialized training could be written at a higher grade level than an information pamphlet for the general public. Know your audience!

General Guidelines

Specialized info for informed audience

Material written for the general public

Material written for the general public including people whose first language is not English

General Guidelines Grade Level

Specialized info for informed audience
(9-college)

Material written for the general public
6-8

Material written for the general public including people whose first language is not English
5-6

Grade Level

(9-college)

6-8

5-6

Most newspapers are written at a grade 6-8 readability level.

Checking Readability in Microsoft Office Word

While your Word document is open, click on File, then click Options.
Click on Proofing.
Under “When correcting grammar in Word” select “Show readability statistics” box.
Run the document through Spell Check to see the Flesch Kincaid reading ease and grade level.

Online Resources

Technology Balance

Ten Steps to Successfully Unplug Children from Technology

For ten tips to successfully unplug children from Technology, click here

Technology overuse is related to child attention problems, poor academics, aggression, family conflict, impaired sleep, developmental delays, attachment disorders, impaired body image, obesity and early sexuality. The signs of technology addiction are tolerance, withdrawal, unintended use, persistent desire, time spent, displacement of other activities, and continued use.

Need Help? Get informed by checking out the Zone’in website www.zonein.ca to watch the Reality Check video clip, read the Unplug – Don’t Drug policy initiative, review the research, read loads of articles, and sign up for the Zone’in Development Series Newsletter.

Family Literacy Resources

Tips to Encourage Family Reading and Learning

Learning is fun and should be done at all stages of life. To help promote family Literacy, here are some tips from ABC Life Literacy Canada for children at different reading levels to accommodate and develop everyone’s ability.

For more information, please click here:

• Tips to Encourage Family Reading and Learning.

• Reading Success At Home

Financial Literacy Resources

It can be hard to find good websites that allow students to practice their money skills with Canadian coins. Here are a few I’ve found that work:

Money Master on Math is Fun website: A great game for adding and subtracting coins to achieve a goal value.
Change Maker on Fun Brain website: This site allows you to change the currency and the level of difficulty. Suitable for someone who has learned to make change and is looking to practice.
April 20 is “Talk With Your Kids About Money Day” BMO has put together this website. If you click on “home program” you have access to age appropriate lessons for kids (lessons are in pdf format but some have links to good sites and videos). A good one in the age 8-10 year category is called “Impulse Shopping” and links to a fun little video: “Cha-Ching: Please Little Spender, Think” that reminds kids to think about their spending options and see that trade-offs are made when money is spent.

Money Games

Heads and Tails: This game is played with 2 people. To start, gather a a handful of coins. One player calls either heads or tails, and the other player drops the coins onto a surface such as a table or the floor (either from his/her hand or out of a cup). The person who has heads works with all the coins that land on heads. The person who has tails works with all the coins that land on tails. Each player counts his or her coins, and the one with the coins having the highest value wins the round.
$100 Word Challenge: Each letter of the alphabet is worth $1 more than the letter before it, starting with $1 for letter A. Use word lists or names to find out the total value of each word.This is a simple concept, yet the kids love it! Students who are usually reluctant to do sums are often eager to work out how much their names add up to. Anyone that is lucky enough to have a x, y or z in their name gets very excited!
Coin Wars: Start with the same coins in two different cups (one cup for each player). Start with a small number of coins so your first game doesn’t take too long. Then play the game just like war. Without looking, pick a coin from your cup and put it on the table. Whoever has the highest valued coin gets to keep both coins. Continue and keep refilling your cup with the coins you collect. When you collect all of the coins, you win!

Children’s Books About Money

“Pigs Will Be Pigs—Fun with Math & Money” by Amy Axelrod
“Berenstain Bears, Trouble with Money” by Stan & Jan Berenstain
“One Cent, Two Cent, Old Cent, New Cent: All About Money” (Cat in the Hat) by Dr. Seuss
“The Money Tree” by Sarah Stewart
“The Kids’ Money Book” by Jamie Kyle McGillian
“The $1.00 Word Riddle Book” by Marilyn Burns
“Can I Have Some Money Please?” by Twyla Prindle
“A Chair for My Mother” by Vera B. Williams
“Miss Rumphius” by Barbara Cooney
“A Money Adventure – Earning, Saving, Spending, Sharing” by Neale S. Godfrey