Please let me know how I can open the information.

Betty Harrington
707-421-4155

>>> gprice at famlit.org 12/02/08 4:20 AM >>>

I had some trouble with my e-mail a short while ago and discovered that
several of your requests to post had gone into an auto-discard folder I
keep for mail that NIFL automatically discards (bogus post/junk mail). I
found the one below from Talia Kowitt and wrote her explaining the
situation. She asked that I go ahead and post her original message and
she asked that I add some additional information that she provided.  I
took a look at many of the links she provides and was very pleased to
see so many free resources for our English language learners.  I loved
the handwriting ones. Please take a look.

Thanks Talia for sharing your hard work with us.

 

 

I have been developing a more tech-based, student-friendly English
literacy course for Spanish speaking adults and their families. Many
free and effective internet resources are being integrated into a
cohesive internet-based ESL program available on my website
http://tkowitt.home.comcast.net <http://tkowitt.home.comcast.net/> . 
 
Websites such as www.Starfall.com <http://www.starfall.com/>  and
www.Pumarosa.com <http://www.pumarosa.com/> , which have been funded by
the Polis-Schutz family, are being integrated into the program. These
websites are quite effective for teaching literacy. These and other
internet-based resources help students:
*        Cut the silent verbal period that often accompanies recent
immigration from a few months to only a few weeks. 
*        Increase confidence in reading, writing and speaking in
English. 
*        Accommodate multilevel English language learning in the
classroom.
*        Increase comfort with technology.
*        Increase time spent rehearsing English language skills at home
on the internet.
*        Increase time teen mothers spend reading to and with their
children at home or at the library.
*        Involve students' friends and families in the literacy process.


In my program I try not only to accommodate the students, but teachers
as well. I provide teachers with tools they can use to expand upon
classroom learning and provide a location where teachers can study the
languages of their ESOL students' for free. Teachers are provided with
many multilingual ESL resources that use music, poetry, games and
activities to improve students' English in a fun and interactive way. I
hope to share my program at the TESOL conference in Denver in March of
2009. 

 

My website http://tkowitt.home.comcast.net
<http://tkowitt.home.comcast.net/>  has many useful links for literacy
and foreign language learning. 
 
Literacy sites for kids (and adults):
www.starfall.com <http://www.starfall.com/> . It is wonderful free
children's literacy website! Teaches children ages 2-8 HOW to read! 

 

Writing:

(Place mouse OVER letter to see animation. CLICK letter to see
individual letter animation.)
Animated Math
http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/manuscript/animation/numbers
.htm
Animated Uppercase
www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/manuscript/animation/uppercase.htm 
Animated Lowercase letters
www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/manuscript/animation/lowercase.htm

Animated Cursive Uppercase
http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/cursive/animation/uppercase.
htm

Animated Cursive Lowercase
http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/cursive/animation/lowercase.
htm

 

http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/cursive/alphabets/index.htm
for index of animated alphabet and numbers. Many worksheets are
available on the site as well for writing and math
www.HandwritingForKids.com <http://www.handwritingforkids.com/> . 

 

For Spanish-speakers learning English (ESOL):
www.pumarosa.com <http://www.pumarosa.com/>  English-Spanish speaking
for adults (audio)
www.OmPersonal.com.ar <http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/>  English-Spanish
speaking and writing for family (interactive, many levels, music,
poetry, etc.).
http://www.usalearns.org
<http://www.usalearns.org/index/welcome.cfm?CFID=136517&CFTOKEN=70021888
&jsessionid=2c308804c6cd9818fe1f4a436c5365c767f3>  ESOL from the U.S.
Dept. of Education (English only).

 

For top 100 educational websites from www.Homeschool.com
<http://www.homeschool.com/> :

http://www.homeschool.com/articles/top100-2008/default.asp

 

Please check out some of my top multilingual sites for learning many
languages: 

www.languageguide.org <http://www.languageguide.org/>  Audio visual and
interactive language lessons in 11 languages for speakers of 11 optional
languages.
www.livemocha.com <http://www.livemocha.com/>  For online Rosetta
Stone-like language lessons with option of conversation partners.
http://www.quia.com/shared Memory games, matching, hangman, and other
interactive activities in more than 100 categories and in 25 languages.
http://fsi-language-courses.com <http://fsi-language-courses.com/>  For
adults. Learn 30 languages for free (Download books and audio-lessons).

http://www.literacycenter.net/play_learn/index.htm For basic literacy in
Spanish, German, French and English for kids.
http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics Interactive phonetics in
Spanish, German and English.
http://www.word2word.com <http://www.word2word.com/>  Learn/Teach
virtually any language online.

 

Free multilingual online books for kids and adults:

www.childrenslibrary.org <http://www.childrenslibrary.org/>  1000's of
free online books for children in over 50 languages. 

http://librivox.org <http://librivox.org/>  Holds thousands of audio
books and downloadable books for adults)
http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/languages/es Literary archive with
thousands of books and audio for adults.   
 

 Sincerely,
 
Talia Kowitt.
MA in Education
K-12 TESOL Certification

 

 

 

Gail J. Price

Multimedia Specialist

National Center for Family Literacy

325 W. Main Street, Suite 300

Louisville, KY 40202

gprice at famlit.org

502 584-1133, ext. 112

 

18th National Conference on Family Literacy
Family Literacy - Family Progress
March 1-3, 2009
Walt Disney World(r) Resort, Florida

Now Accepting Proposals for Poster Sessions!
Exhibit Opportunities Also Available
www.famlit.org/conference <http://www.famlit.org/conference>