Return-Path: <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g91F70X29651; Tue, 1 Oct 2002 11:07:00 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 11:07:00 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <a05010401b9bf6728871c@[10.3.3.130]> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Anne Murr <anne.murr@DRAKE.EDU> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1292] Re: NIFL-FAMILY digest 119 X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=us-ascii Status: O Content-Length: 2952 Lines: 103 David, I've briefly looked at the firstfind.info website. I copied the introductory page on learning strategies from the "Brush up on basic skills" on the Reading Comprehension link into Microsoft Word and did a reading level check. It's at Grade 5.5 I work with adults with very low reading skills. This text is unreadable for beginning level readers. Also, the print is too small. Even adults who come into our program with intermediate reading skills would have difficulty with this website. There is too much text on each screen in single-spaced paragraphs. The vocabulary sounds like "teacher talk", not learner talk. These bullets (from the Learning Strategies screen) do communicate: "Motivation: Knowing more about ourselves as learners and how to cultivate motivation * Paying Attention: Focusing on the task at hand * Elaboration: Connecting new information to what we already know * Organizing: Arranging information to fit our purposes " But they are "buried" beneath 2 screens of text. Without working closely with persons who struggle with reading, it's difficult to know how to write in understandable text. I'm grateful to the librarians for putting together many resources for us in adult literacy. However, I see this website more as a resource for teachers than for learners. > NIFL-FAMILY Digest 119 > >Topics covered in this issue include: > > 1) firstfind.info -- a great new portal to plain English/easy >reading, high interest Websites > by "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen@theworld.com> > > >Hello NIFL-Family Colleagues, > >firstfind.info is a new online library providing easy-to-find and >easy-to-use information >(in English) for low-to-intermediate level adult readers. This >Website can be used by anyone >looking for a wide range of information relevant to the well being >of individuals and their >families. > >Librarians from the New York Metropolitan area collaborated on this >project. Subject areas >range from housing and jobs to family matters to history and >government. Each Website was >evaluated as per interest, currency, authority, readability, ease of >navigation, design, etc. >All Websites are clearly and briefly annotated. firstfind also >offers help screens for novice >Web users (developed by ESL teacher and Webpage designer, Maura >Donnelly) and for assistance >in navigating the site, an online dictionary, and a response form. > >The web address is > > http://www.firstfind.info >or just > > firstfind.info > >I would be interested in what you think of this portal and how it >might be used by family literacy >programs. > >David J. Rosen > > > > > > > > > > > > >------------------------------ > >End of NIFL-FAMILY Digest 119 >***************************** -- Anne Murr, Coordinator Adult Literacy Center School of Education Drake University 3206 University Ave. Des Moines, IA 50311 anne.murr@drake.edu Tel 515-271-3982 Fax 515-271-4544
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