Tutor Tips & Online Resources

Hello Dear Tutors!

Should you find yourself wondering how to explain the rule for why we, in English, use “make” and not “do” or what to do about those pesky irregular verbs, then look no further than to this page! The following is a list of FREE websites that can help you supplement your lessons or even plan your lessons – whether you’re working with an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) student or an ABE (Adult Basic Education) student.

I will update this list as I find cool new sites to help make your job a little easier! If you have a site you’d like to share with us, please let me know and I will be sure to add it to the list.

Thanks for ALL you do!

Gina Solomon
ALL Program Coordinator

List of Online Resources for Tutors (updated 02/11/2010)

www.ldonline.org. -  Online newsletter about working with students who have learning disabilities.  Its basis is spelling and it provides research that says spelling helps with reading.  Many of these articles are about children but is useful for adults as well.

http://www.able.state.pa.us/able/cwp/view.asp?A=13&Q=71697 – GED Lesson Plans that were developed as part of a training project.  All lessons follow a similar format and each indicates specific content areas covered as well as the skill level to be developed.

www.nwlincs.org/nwlincsweb/Lessons.htm - Lesson Plans

www.alri.org/harness.html - Harnessing Technology to Serve Adult Literacy Students

www.puzzlemaker.com – Create your own word games and crossword puzzles!  These are great when you need a break from regular curriculum.

www.edHelper.com

www.eslcafe.com – Lesson plan ideas, AND if you click on “stuff for students” you’’’ find FREE, printable ESOL worksheets. 

www.lacnyc.org/resources/workshops/adultinstruction.htm - Lesson plans

www.dys-add.com – Bright Solutions for Dyslexia.

www.nifl.gov – Very useful information here - Links for educators and volunteers.

www.floridatechnet.org –Link to the adult education branch of the Florida Dept. of Education (click on e-library). 

www.scc-fl.edu/adulted/els - Look under “lesson plans” for great ESOL ideas – this is a VERY COMPREHENSIVE site that will direct you to literally HUNDREDS of other tried and true ESL websites.

www.sitesforteachers.com

www.esl.about.com – I recommend signing up for the weekly newsletter; the hints they send out are invaluable

www.lessonplanspage.com/sitesearch.html.  In search box, type subject area you’re interested in (i.e. ESOL, grammar).

www.dltk-cards.com/memory/memory4.asp.  Print out sets of 6 or 12 custom, themed memory cards.  Themes include body parts, time, nutrition and household items.

www.eslflow.com/Picturelessonsandteachingideas.html - Check out “Picture dialogue:  Booking a room at a hotel” and “Find the hazard in the workplace.”

www.ProfessionalStudiesAE.org  - This is an online professional development site brought to you by Pro-Literacy and World Education.  This site provides high quality training for those teaching adults. 

www.usalearns.org – This is an excellent interactive site that includes drills, activities and listening activities – direct your ESOL students here for free online practice, quizzes and even pronunciation assistance!

www.manythings.org – An interactive site the student can use independently or with the assistance of his tutor – again, for your ESOL students.

http://bogglesworldesl.com – Printable ESOL worksheets, quizzes, activities

www.englishbanana.com – Printable ESOL worksheets, quizzes, activities

http://www.studyguidezone.com/gedtest.htm - FREE online GED activities and resources

http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/resourcecollections/abstracts/basicskills/RC_skills_abs29.html   - The Construction Math Toolbox - combines industry-required math lessons with supplemental academic and career guidance information. The toolbox provides instructional tools and ideas, worksheets, additional web links, and other teaching aids that connect mathematical concepts in the context of construction. The material is applicable to ABE/GED and transition classes.

http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/resourcecollections/abstracts/basicskills/RC_skills_abs07.html - Effective Strategies to Improve Writing.

http://www.elcivicsonline.org – Citizenship “stuff” for tutors of students hoping to obtain their US Citizenship

http://owl.English.purdue.edu – This site offers instructional handouts on subjects such as punctuation, spelling, writing research papers and citing sources.  It was originally created for native speakers, but it also has a special section for ESL students that include explanations about the use of articles and the use of prepositions in English.

www.americaslibrary.gov – America’s story from America’s Library was created by the Library of Congress.  It includes games, activities and a reading list of historic collections featured in the Library of Congress.