C.O.D. Library ESL/ABE/GED Faculty Newsletter January 2010
Resource of the Month
Happy New Year, Happy New Semester Welcome back-- I hope everyone had a relaxing winter break. I did, but my house is so cold during the day, I was almost looking forward to coming back to work! Unfortunately, I only have a couple warm days in the Library to look forward to for the time being-- as of January 7th, I will be taking a short leave of absence. I'll be back by mid-February, but in the meantime this leaves ESL, ABE and GED without a Library liaison.
http://thewclc.ca/edge The Learning Edge is an interactive literacy newspaper. Although this Canadian resource has only twelve "issues", users can still find something useful here. Early editions of Learning Edge mimic a newspaper's front page, with headlines, introductory paragraphs and illustrations. Users click on an area of the page to select a story or feature, opening up a new window. Depending on the selected content, the user may have options to read (and listen along to) a graded story or take a quiz on healthy life choices. Read-along sections provide users the opportunity to review, rewind and follow up with learning activities. Later issues deal solely with workplace issues such as
Although I will be checking my email periodically, I recommend that anyone requesting a Library orientation or Library instruction to contact Carol Eisinger (eisinger@cod.edu), the librarian who will be handling my instruction requests during my absence. She will reserve class space in the Library for you and your students-- and if your Library visit falls before my return, she will schedule a librarian to provide a tour, exercise, orientation, or any other activity that you request. I hope that my leave won't cause much disruption, but if you have any concerns, please feel free to contact my Associate Dean, Ellen Sutton (suttone@cod.edu ext. 2659). Please continue to send materials requests to me-- I'm always looking for books, CDs, videos and other resources which the Library can purchase to support your instruction and your students' learning. Before the break, I purchased two series of high-interest, lowvocabulary books from Grass Roots Press-- both at the Grade 1 level. You can also expect a few more Oxford Bookworms Starter-level readers. Also soon-to-be-added are beginner and intermediate copies of Let's Chat ESL Dialogues and Pronunciation Pairs from New Readers Press. Here's a short list of some new titles that are available now: • Mastering the American Accent PE2815 .M657 2009 • The American Accent Guide: A Comprehensive Course on the Sound System of American English PE2815 .L85 2006
crafting a resume, setting goals, workplace safety, and finding internships. Each section continues to offer read-along and interactive content. While the Learning Edge is interactive, the options are fairly basic and limited-- more computer savvy or younger students may get frustrated with the slow pace and basic animation. On the other hand, the site does not require much more than basic computer skills such as mouse handling- a good match for students who might be overwhelmed by advanced sites with many options.
Your Librarian Jenn Kelley Reference Librarian Office: SRC 3043A Phone: (630) 942-2383 E-mail: kelleyj@cod.edu Library Website: www.cod.edu/library Find me on Facebook
• Learning Computers, Speaking English: Cooperative Activities for Learning English and Basic Word Processing PE1128.A2 Q36 2007 Best wishes for the start of the new semester and I will see you in February! --Jenn.