[NIFL-FAMILY:1295] Re: firstfind.info

From: Helmer Duverge (hduverge@famlit.org)
Date: Wed Oct 02 2002 - 09:24:39 EDT


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Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1295] Re: firstfind.info
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David, I agree that the resources can be of a lot of use for parents.
Especially during parent time when the parents are encourage to use the
internet to do research on topics related to family life. Bellow are
descriptions of topics (found under the family section) that I think all
family literacy programs would find useful as they develop parent
education curriculum. It is nice collection of subject areas that
parents can explore on their own and we know that good teachers will
find many teaching opportunities when the students are challenged by new
text. This will provide ways for teachers to integrate parent time
topics into the adult education component.

Thanks for a wonderful resource,


Helmer A. Duvergé 
Senior Family Literacy Training Specialist
National Center for Family Literacy
325 West Main Street, Suite 300
Louisville, KY 40202-4251
(502) 584-1133 x145
Fax: (502) 584-0172
hduverge@famlit.org
www.famlit.org 
"The primary task of every civilization is to teach the young men to be
fathers."
-Margaret Mead


If you're a first time parent, grandparent, stepparent or just thinking
about being a parent, these sites will give you information to help
improve your parenting skills.

These sites will give you ideas for activities that you and your family
can share together.

Finding a balance between work and family might seem like an impossible
task. These resources can be used to make the task easier.

Find out ways to keep your marriage or partnership strong, healthy and
happy.

Going through a divorce can be hard on you and your kids. These sites
will show you how to get emotional and financial support.

The Golden Years. Learn how to age well, plan for your senior years and
be the best grandparent you can be.

Get the help you need to deal with issues like domestic violence, child
abuse, and other problems you and your family may have.




-----Original Message-----
From: nifl-family@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-family@nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2002 7:51 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1293] Re: firstfind.info

Hello Anne,

I agree that the page you selected is at an intermediate, not a 
beginner, level. (I did say that the range was low-to-intermediate.  I 
doubt if any of the pages are for beginners. It's not intended as a 
portal to instruction Websites.)  There are lots of Web pages in this 
collection which are at an intermediate level -- and relatively few 
Webpages at a low level.  This is because there aren't many (non 
instructional) pages for a beginner level on the Web.  I think that a 
strength of this collection is that so many of them are included.

I'd like to suggest that you look at some of the other sections of 
firstfind.info   If you -- or anyone on NIFL-Family -- knows of 
beginner, low or intermediate level Web pages that you would like to 
recommend, please go to   http://firstfind.info/comments.html
and let the firstfind librarians know about them.

I am surprised, Anne, that you don't see this as a useful resource for 
adults with low-to-intermediate level skills, that you see it as a 
resource primarily for teachers.  I wonder if others on NIFL-Family 
would agree with that?

Those who want to have a look for themselves should go to
http://www firstfind.info  or just type firstfind.info in your browser.

All the best,

David

David J. Rosen

Anne Murr wrote:
> 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
>> *****************************
> 
> 



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