The Westcoast Reader

10/10/2026

Today is World Mental Health Day.

What is one small thing that helps you feel calm?

Mental health means how we think and feel. Everyone has mental health.

Free help in BC: call or text 9-8-8, any time, day or night.

Teachers and LOCs: Words to know: stress, support, wellbeing. Talk about it:

10/09/2026

Learning disabilities do not go away when school ends.
Many adults still remember feeling left out in class. That memory can make it hard to ask a question.

Teachers and LOCs: Small things help.
• Let people listen first
• Offer another way to answer
• Make it easy to come back after missing a class
• Ask, "What helps you learn?"

Decoda's self-advocacy guide helps learners name their strengths.

For Learning Disabilities Awareness Month, explore loneliness, belonging and practical ways literacy programs can welcome learners while respecting their strengths and choices.

10/08/2026

This week is Science Literacy Week.

Science is part of everyday life: cooking, weather, gardening, health.

Want to learn more? Visit Science World in Vancouver. It's the big silver dome by the water! Find out more at scienceworld.ca.

Teachers and LOCs: Ask learners, "What is one thing in nature you have always wondered about?" Use the answers for a reading or writing activity. A class trip to Science World is a great idea too. Words to know: experiment, predict, result.

10/07/2026

Is this message a scam?

Scam messages often:
• say you must act NOW
• ask for a password or code
• have a strange link
• say you won a prize

Teachers and LOCs: Bring in a fake scam text (make one up). Learners circle the warning signs.
Words to know: scam, link, suspicious, password.

Homepage of the Government of Canada Get Cyber Safe campaign. Find out where the risks are, how to protect yourself and how to protect your devices.

10/06/2026

Free money you might be missing.

The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit was paid on October 5. The next payments are in January and April.

How do you get it? File your taxes every year. You don't need to apply. New to Canada and haven't filed yet? You can apply to the CRA.

Teachers and LOCs: Words to know: benefit, tax return, file, eligible. Talk about it: Why does filing taxes matter even if you don't owe money?

10/06/2026

October has four special months:
• Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
• Health Literacy Month
• Canadian Library Month
• Cyber Security Awareness Month

Teachers and LOCs: ask your learners to pick one.
What do they already know about it?
What do they want to learn?
Each week we'll post news, words to know and free help you can use in class.

10/05/2026

Today is World Teachers' Day.

Thank you to every teacher and tutor who uses The Westcoast Reader in class.

Class idea: Ask learners to write a short thank-you note to a teacher from any time in their life. Words to know: grateful, patient, encourage.

10/05/2026

Local elections in BC are on Saturday, October 17.

You can vote for:
Mayor
City or town council
School trustees (board of education)
Regional district directors

Who can vote?
You must be a Canadian citizen, 18 or older, and have lived in BC for at least 6 months.

Free help: there is a Voter's Guide to Local Elections in many languages, and a guide for voters living on reserve.

Teachers and LOCs: Words to know: candidate, council, trustee, ballot.

Talk about it:
What is one thing you want your community to change?

Elections are on October 17th. Find resources to help students learn about local elections in BC.

09/30/2026

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

It is also Orange Shirt Day.

For more than 100 years, Canada sent Indigenous children to residential schools. Many children were taken from their families. They were not allowed to speak their languages. Many children never came home.

Today we remember these children. We honour the Survivors and their families.

Many people wear orange today. The orange shirt comes from Phyllis Webstad. She was 6 years old when she went to residential school. The school took away her new orange shirt.

How can you take part?
✔ Wear orange
✔ Learn the history
✔ Go to an event in your community

Need to talk? Call the Hope for Wellness Helpline any time: 1-855-242-3310

09/28/2026

Reading starts early!

On Quadra Island, families go to Parents and Tots. It is a free program for children from birth to 3 years old and their parents or caregivers.

Families play, sing songs and read stories together.

Carly Smythe went with her daughter, Helen. Helen made friends there. Later, starting preschool was easier for her.

Singing and reading with young children helps them learn words. It helps parents and caregivers meet other families too.

Does your community have a family literacy program? Tell us in the comments!

Quadra Literacy’s free Parents and Tots program brings families together through play, stories and friendship while nurturing children’s confidence and love of learning.