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Australian Council of Adult Literacy (ACAL)
The Australian Council for Adult Literacy promotes adult literacy and numeracy policy and practice. It is an advocate organisation which supports adult literacy practitioners and organisations within Australia and promotes debate on adult literacy issues. http://www.acal.edu.au/
To read the ACAL Position Paper on the 2006 Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey, click here www.acal.edu.au/publications/documents/ALLSACALPPaper.pdf
Queensland Council for Adult Literacy (QCAL)
This site contains some excellent tutoring tips for literacy and numeracy. There is also a feedback session so if you use the tips you can let QCAL know if they were effective.
http://www.qcal.org.au/index.php
Literacy Face to Face
This resource is used in Read Write Now tutor training (Read Write Now was one of the reference groups that contributed to the publication) and has been developed to assist volunteer adult literacy tutors. This publication has been produced by the TAFE NSW Access & General Education Curriculum Centre and was funded by DEST as a 2006 Innovative Project. The full document or the sections that best meet your student’s needs can be downloaded at no charge.
This link is currently down but you can access the .pdf file by clicking here.
Community Adult Literacy Foundation (CALF)
CALF is made up of professionally trained volunteer Read Write Now Coordinators and community members with relevant experience. Gobsmackers books have been written and illustrated by volunteers with many years experience in adult literacy and are intended as fun readers for adults. All the books have been based on real life stories and the tales are all 'gobsmacking'. There are tips for tutors and exercises for each book. The exercises and tips can be downloaded and printed.
http://www.adult-literacy.net/gobsmackers/index.htm
Preston Reservoir Adult Community Education (PRACE)
This group is responsible for the 'PageTurners' series of beginning readers (Mizuri the Cat, The Beach etc) recommended by Read Write Now and available through RWN Coordinators. The site has a number of worksheets based on the books + an on-line story to listen to accompanied by interactive comprehension questions.
http://pageturners.prace.vic.edu.au/
PRACE have also started a new blog at pracepageturners.blogspot.com/, where you can read about the stories behind the stories.
BBC
Great site for learners and teachers, English speaking and English Second Language. There is a huge variety of literacy and numeracy quizzes, vocabulary, grammar, news, cooking, games and lesson plans.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
UK Adult Basic Skills Resource Centre for students and tutors
This incredibly busy site has an extraordinary amount of information and ideas for worksheets. Codes used relate to UK curriculum based resources but if you have the time to work through the site, you will find plenty to look at and use with an adult student. Literacy and numeracy both covered.
http://www.skillsworkshop.org/index.htm
Superteacher Worksheets
Although this site is now membership based, it still has many free printable worksheets. Developed for primary school aged children but if you disregard some of the graphics, perfectly useable for adult learners. Maths including basic operations, angles, geometry, measurement and time; English - grammar, spelling, handwriting, proofreading and editing, phonics and writing; Reading and writing comprehension, alphabet, Puzzles and Brainteasers including Sudoku - you will certainly find something or at the very least, get some new ideas on how to tackle a teaching issue. Consider some of these activities as an end of lesson 'fun' task.
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/index.html
Free vocabulary worksheets provide practice in challenging vocabulary activities and basic language skills. Includes crosswords, word searches, word jumbles, and more. You are free to print these vocabulary worksheets.
http://www.schoolhousetech.com/downloads/worksheets/Vocabulary.aspx
A to Z Teacher Stuff
Lessons, tips and printables. This US site for school aged children has some good ideas which can be adapted for adult learners. For visual learners, worksheets using word shapes and your words can be downloaded.
http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/
SpellingWorks
For learners of any age who have trouble with spelling. Whole class, individual and small group spelling tips, worksheets and sample pages of the book. The book SpellingWorks is written by Clare Harris who has presented workshops for RWN Tutor Conferences.
http://www.hi.com.au/spellingworks/default.htm
Good practice for learners. Clear and traceable worksheets to download.
http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/
Writing Resources
With seven main categories including 'Writing Sentences', 'Writing Paragraphs','Writing Essays', 'Mechanics of Writing & Grammar' + 'Teaching Writing', this site offers free resources for helping students improve their writing skills. There are Power Point presentations, printable worksheets and on-line games. Clear instruction and easy to use.
http://www.time4writing.com/free-writing-resources/
Free Online Talking Dictionary of English Pronunciation
This site has a large dictionary of words and phrases. You can type in what you would like to hear, and you can hear the word quite clearly. If it does not know the word or phrase it will list the "closest'' it has to it.
www.howjsay.com
British Council Learn English
A very good site with a lot of information to look at and use. Different sections include Themes, Fun, Test, Practice and Skills. You will need to have a look through the site quite thoroughly to assess the level of each activity but if you have the time, it will be worth it.
http://www.britishcouncil.org/central.htm
Ted Power English Language Learning and Teaching
This is an excellent site, particularly for tutors of ESL students. A very comprehensive collection of ideas and practice sheets for handwriting, grammar, language and pronunciation which includes specific language common problems, handouts and lessons. Some of the resources mentioned are available in your region.
http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/index.html
Activities for ESL students
A huge number of on-line quizzes, tests, exercises and puzzles for students. This is a project of The Internet TESL Journal (iteslj.org) and has thousands of contributions by many teachers. Grammar, vocabulary, crosswords and bi-lingual quizzes feature + there are Podcasts and You Tube (ESL videos) to access. All levels.
http://a4esl.org/
My Language
MyLanguage provides access to search engines, web directories and news in over sixty languages. MyLanguage is a partnership between the State Libraries of NSW, QLD, SA, VIC, and WA and the NT and ACT Library and Information Services.
http://www.mylanguage.gov.au/
eBooks - Project Gutenberg Australia
Project Gutenberg Australia has around 2000 titles that you can download free of charge. The books and texts can be read on a computer using a simple text editor or viewer. Great for extracting favourite pieces of text for reading or to use in lesson planning.
http://gutenberg.net.au/
The Reading Agency - First Choice Books
First Choice Books is a unique free online searchable database that contains books that are appropriate for work with adult literacy learners. The database holds a combination of mainstream titles and titles specifically written for emergent readers (adults who can read but who have yet to build reading stamina and experience) - such as Quick Reads, New Island, Sandstone and Barrington Stoke as well as audio titles from WF Howes. Adult literacy learners can:
- Use Quick Search to find titles they want to read
- Do a rating and/or add a comment on a title they have read
- See what other people are saying about the books
You cannot download books from this site, it is purely a database. Take your list to the local library and they may be able to help source the books.
http://www.readingagency.org.uk/findaread/
RAC Keys2Drive
Is your student wanting to learn how to drive? The RAC has developed the keys2drive program and website to "provide learner drivers and their supervisors with detailed advice on every step involved in getting a licence and choosing a driving instructor." There are step by step directions and downloads for learners to access.
http://www.keys2drive.rac.com.au/
Learner Drivers
Another site which will be of use to people wanting to obtain their driver's licence is the WA Department of Planning and Infrastructure. Download brochures and information - a simplified version of the 6 steps to obtain your driver's licence is available in 12 languages. There is also an interactive quiz and a hazard simulation (very basic).
http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/20425.asp
Information on Medicines (ESL and ESB)
The National Prescribing Service is an independent, not-for-profit and evidence based organisation which enables better decisions about medicines and medical tests. There is a huge amount of information on this site in regard to assisting people understand and manage medicines and it attempts to cut through medical jargon. Some sections of the site are specifically for the English second language community. It is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
http://www.nps.org.au/
If your student lives in Perth and requires help understanding the Smart Rider system that Transperth operates, this guide may be of assistance. Sections of the guide could be used as a reading exercise and you may be able to simplify other sections to suit the reading level of your student.
The Oxford Dictionary has a very interesting site with sections such as Better Writing, World of Words and Games.
http://www.askoxford.com/
The Macquarie Dictionary site has crossword resources (cryptic included), Word of the Week, Dictionary Wit + an online dictionary.
http://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/anonymous@FFA97991556/-/p/dict/index.html
The West Australian
The West is this state's only daily paper and covers news, business, travel, entertainment and sport. Entire articles can be printed off and the print size enlarged if necessary.
http://www.thewest.com.au/
POST Newspapers
The Post is an independent community newspaper that has been operating in Perth's western suburbs for 30 years. Stories can be read on screen or printed off.
http://www.postnewspapers.com.au/
Newspapers online
Thousands of world newspapers at your fingertips. A great site for students to compare ways of reporting or see what is happening in other parts of the world.
http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/
Terrified of technology? Let us explain...
Want to know how to ‘Like’ someone? Or how to stream your favourite show online? Or what a tweet is? Then let us explain...with ABC Technology Explained ! Discover new ways to listen, watch and be social, and learn about new technologies and trends at this one-stop website. Explore the digital revolution with the ABC!
http://www.abc.net.au/technology/techexplained/
ABC Short Story Project
On this site you can listen to the winning stories from 2007 and read about the authors. You can also read stories by all the 2007 finalists, by the two young writers who were selected this year for special mention and by previous winners. An interesting alternative to library books and newspapers - some stories contain coarse language.
http://www.abc.net.au/shortstories/
National Year of Reading 2012
NYOR 2012 short story competition. "It's never too late … to learn to read" is a short story competition for unpublished, new, emerging and established Australian writers in Adult Learners Week. Winning entries (max. 3000 words) can be downloaded from the site http://www.love2read.org.au/never-too-late.cfm
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