From the SLiC Archives. This article was originally published in School Libraries in Canada, Volume 3, Number 1, Fall 2013. Financial literacy continues to be a focus in Canadian schools, and re-publication of this article is timely, on the eve of tax season. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has kept all of the resources mentioned in this article current and relevant for today’s context.
By Tammy Pauls
Regional Outreach Program Officer Canada Revenue Agency
As technology advances, so do the resources available to Educators and support groups in the field of Financial Literacy.
With the assistance of curriculum writers, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has recently revised three educational products within the CRA’s Financial Literacy program, providing information about Canada’s tax system and how to prepare an income tax and benefit return.
Educator-led and Self-study products provide access to Learning about Taxes, Teaching Taxes and Responsible Citizenship, which are easily incorporated into Financial Literacy curriculum requirements.
Self-Study Products
- Learning About Taxes
- Learning about Taxes is a self-study course that provides students with the skills and knowledge to deal effectively with tax issues throughout their life. They will learn the history and administration of our tax system, how to complete a basic tax return, and will gain awareness of the tax system and their role in it.
- Educator products – Teaching Taxes, and Responsible Citizenship and Canada’s Tax System.
- Teaching Taxes
- The Teaching Taxes Program provides useful tools and information for educators to teach the basics of taxation to students. It introduces students to Canada’s tax system and provides them with the life skills necessary to deal effectively with basic taxation issues throughout their lives. The materials provided offer simple straightforward tax examples designed to build understanding and confidence. Teaching taxes promotes and develops critical thinkers who are able to apply their learning in making sound personal choices.
- Teaching Taxes has been revised to meet current pedagogical approaches with emphasis placed on instruction that promotes and develops critical thinkers. Word walls, instructional processes, and 3-2-1 journal entries have been included.
- Students receive the practical real-life skill of preparing a simple tax return and an increased awareness of Canada’s tax system.
- Educators are provided a flexible 180 minutes of in-class instruction and student exercises, easily taught in economics, accounting, business, mathematics, consumer education, social studies, and second language courses.
- Responsible Citizenship and Canada’s Tax System
- Responsible Citizenship and Canada’s Tax System is an online program available to educators, to help Canadian students learn and understand where their tax dollars go; it includes basic information about the tax system. There is an emphasis on instruction that promotes financial literacy and develops critical thinkers who are able to apply their learning in making sound personal choices and in becoming responsible citizens.
- Educators are provided a flexible and customizable 180 minutes of in-class instruction and student exercises to meet a wide range of teaching and learning preferences. It is easily taught with Teaching Taxes.
Educators and support staff can access specific program information,order electronic or print training programs and Educator guides online. These products are free of charge, easy to understand, and promote financial literacy.
In addition, Educators can access a series of online tax information videos and webinars through CRA’s Video gallery as a supplement to classroom training. Online tools and services are available 24-7, making it convenient for anyone to access or research. Video series that may be of benefit to students include:
Canadian Students and Income Tax This video series gives information that helps students understand their responsibility to Canada’s tax system. The video introduces students to a form TD1 – Personal Tax Credit Return, explaining the impact that it has on the amount of income tax that will be deducted from their pay check.
Preparing Your Income Tax and Benefit Return This video is intended for people who may never have filed their own income tax and benefit return, or who are filing for the first time. In this video, general information is provided on preparing and filing an income tax and benefit return.
Stay connected!
To receive updates when new information is added to our Web site, follow the CRA on Twitter.
Be sure to visit our CRA YouTube Channel for tax-related videos.