Study Guides and Strategies

www.studygs.net

Have you ever found yourself in need of direction in your studies? Well, I was there today and turned to Google for help. What I found during my search was the Study Guides and Strategies website.

The site, which was first authored by Joe Landsberger in 1996, is an international, learner-centric, educational public service. It boasts 255 topics presented in 39 languages. The site is intended to be used by middle school students through returning adults, as well as by parents, teachers and support professionals. "Its resources are intended to empower all learners without regard to institutional and national boundaries; cultural mores and religious beliefs; race, gender and sexual rientation." (studygs.net)

The website's copyright disclaimer is very liberal; "Permission is granted to freely copy, adapt, and distribute individual Study Guides in print format in non-commercial educational settings that benefit learners." (studygs.net)

Review by Lee Putnam
ED638 effective literacy project under the direction of Dr. Rivera

Effective Literacy Website: Storyline Online

Storyline Online (http://www.storylineonline.net/) is appealing for several reasons.  First, the layout of the website is very eye-catching.  This invites you to explore the website a little more.  The visuals and audio are wonderful.  Secondly, each book is read aloud.  You will love how simple the website is.  Information does not overwhelm the website.

The home page of Storyline Online is full of vibrant, inviting colors.  Each book is large enough to see the details of the covers and there are sound effects if you scroll over each book.  When you click on the book, it leads you to a video of the Read-Aloud.  The video is a good size for the website.  It is not too large or too small.

Each video is read aloud by a celebrity.  The length of the Read-Aloud is given as well as a short synopsis of the book.  Each book is beautifully read.  Images from the book are shown in the video.

The simplicity of the website is wonderful.  It is very easy to navigate and there are not many words to overwhelm the website.  There are no advertisements on the corners to distract from it and all the links work well.

Although the amount of books offered is limited, they have popular titles such as The Rainbow Fish, Stellaluna, Harry the Dirty Dog, and Knots on a Counting Rope.  There are only twenty-four total books available on the website.  Hopefully, a larger variety of books will be provided later on the website.

Storyline Online is a resourceful website for parents, students, or other teachers.  Experiencing Read-Alouds is very important when developing literacy skills in children.  Some children may not be exposed to this when they begin to read.  This website affords children this experience.  It is very colorful and may attract the attention of young children simply because of its aesthetic appeal.  Videos are attached to each book so that the children may have a better Read-Aloud experience.

Image Source: http://www.sagfoundation.org/files/storyline-online-logo.png

*Contributed by Rachel Flores in partial fulfillment for ED638:  Teaching with the Internet instructed by Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera



Effective Literacy Website: Bookemon

Bookemon:  http://www.bookemon.com/

It is an apparatus used for creating and sharing books online. A membership is needed to access all the great features, but it is free to join. Bookemon gives educators the option of having an “edCenter” for classes and groups projects. The edCenter is a user-friendly and secure place for groups to have a private and controlled environment. It is a free opportunity and all edCenter members receive a discount of 5% off any books that they decide to purchase.

Bookemon is great for young aspiring authors. Readers of all ages can find something that suits them in the large variety of books available. It is an effective literacy website because it serves as a utility that positively promotes the idea that anyone can become an author. Students will be encouraged and motivated to read, write, and share through Bookemon.

*Contributed by Rachel Flores in partial fulfillment for ED638:  Teaching with the Internet instructed by Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera

ReadWriteThink URL: http://www.readwritethink.org/

ReadWriteThink is made up of a community of literacy expert advisors and a diverse group of educators who share a passion for literacy learning. It has partnered with the International Reading Association (IRA), National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and Verizon Thinkfinity to provide access to best practices in literacy. Visit the ReadWriteThink site at http://www.readwritethink.org/

Literacy Sites

Featured URL: http://www.lislelibrary.org/lldliteracysites.htm

Literacy Sites – ESL & ABE is maintained by the Lisle Library District, which promotes the three E’s of “Enrich, Educate, and Empower.” This site further focuses on ESL and Adult Basic Education (ABE) websites.

Second Language Acquisition Sites

Check out the following websites for information on SLA,ESL, assessment, language diversity, bilingual education, technology and language learning, two-way immersion, and more. Enjoy! http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/SLA/ http://www.cal.org/siteMap.html

University of Richmond’s Writer’s Web

URL:  http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb.html

Features:  Writing in the disciplines, peer editing, brainstorming, clustering, freewriting, outlines, reading strategies, and other resourceful writing activities.