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Weekly Tutor Report:
Student Attendance Sheet (Updated Tutor Report) (due weekly to dkjersgaard@waterburyct.org)
Sample Student Attendance Sheet (For Reference Only)
LVGW Tutor Lending Library (A Digital Catalog of Books and Additional Add-ons available for our tutors in our Lending Library): CLICK HERE
*Tutors are welcome to borrow materials from the LVGW Lending Library, housed in the back of the LVGW office (lower level of the Silas Bronson Library, 267 Grand St. Waterbury).
*Most items have a pocket with a book card (inside the front cover of the books). Please SIGN OUT each item by writing your name and the date you borrowed it and leave it in the black tray, which says “Deposit Book Cards Here”. Please be sure to sign books out to students as well. Please also specify on the card if the person signing out the book is a “tutor” or “student” and also leave a phone number if possible.
*Books can be returned in the basket that says “Return Books Here”. Please DO NOT put returned books back on the shelf; we have a lending library volunteer who will take care of that for you.
*There is no set borrowing period, however, as soon as you are finished using any item please return it to the LVGW office so that other tutors and students may use it.
*Since materials are on loan to you, please do not write in them. (This does not apply to Ventures workbooks and Oxford Picture Dictionary workbooks which do not have a reference number on them. These workbooks students are allowed to keep and write in).
*If you need a book or other item that is not available in our lending library, please contact Executive Director, Debra DeSantis at 203-754-1164 or ddesantis@waterburyct.org.
Local Education and Career Connections:
Naugatuck Valley Community College: https://nv.edu/
Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board: https://www.nrwib.org/
Porter & Chester Institute: www.porterchester.com/campus-locations/waterbury-ct/
Stone Academy: www.stone.edu/locations/waterbury-campus/
Waterbury Adult Education: www.waterbury.k12.ct.us/34/Home
Workforce Resources:
Pitney Bowes Workforce Collection – https://proliteracyednet.org/workforce
The Pitney Bowes Workforce Collection of online courses and other resources will help students begin a successful career while improving their literacy skills, and literacy providers meet the workforce needs of their community. Topics include tailoring your résumé, acing the interview, applying for a job online, and much more.
Workforce Atlas – https://workforceatlas.org/
Workforce Atlas is a free online career pathways platform from ProLiteracy that assesses literacy, numeracy, workplace skills, and interests. Once users complete the assessments, they are directed to recommended occupations, online resources, and local providers to help achieve professional, academic, and personal goals.
Distance Learning Resources:
Designer Lessons – A Collection of ELT Resources
https://designerlessons.org/
DigitalLearn.Org – This site has a variety of free, short lessons to help students with digital literacy
https://digitallearn.org
EdAvance Webinars and Resources
https://edadvance.org/adult-learners/atdn-professional-development/distance-learning/
Edutopia – 6 questions you can ask your students to improve your virtual classroom
https://www.edutopia.org/video/6-questions-improve-your-virtual-classroom
English Central – A free resource to learn English via a variety of videos
https://www.englishcentral.com/browse/videos
Essential Education FREE Teacher Toolkit – Free Materials to engage and motivate students
https://go.essentialed.com/educators/get-toolkit
Live Worksheets – Create Interactive Worksheets for Students
https://www.liveworksheets.com/
Polling Websites Recommended by Pro Literacy:
https://www.google.com/forms/about
https://www.polleverywhere.com
https://crowdsignal.com
Quizzing Websites Recommended by Pro Literacy:
https://quizlet.com
https://kahoot.it
https://get.plickers.com
https://quizizz.com
https://online.seterra.com/en (The Ultimate Map Quiz Website)
https://socrative.com
Remind – Allows you to text and email with students while protecting the privacy of your personal phone number
https://www.remind.com
Symonds Research – 21 ice breakers to use in online classrooms
https://symondsresearch.com/icebreakers-for-online-teaching
Teach-This – Provides more than 1,500 interactive and printable PDF worksheets, ESL games and activities (some of which are free) which teach reading, writing, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar
https://www.teach-this.com
Teacher Training Videos – Teacher Russel Stannard has many videos to help teachers understand how to teach online such as how to teach using Zoom or Skype
https://www.teachertrainingvideos.com
TED Ed – A website to help design lesson plans and TED talks
https://ed.ted.com/educator?user_by_click=educator
Voices of America Learning English
https://learningenglish.voanews.com/p/5609.html
Zoom – Program designed for video conferencing
http://www.zoom.com
Zoom Training – Recording of Webinar offered by Pro Literacy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Q1u-SgePc
National Organizations:
Pro Literacy Teacher Training Plus – Teacher Training Plus provides training and support to tutors and teachers after they begin instruction, equipping them to effectively and efficiently serve learners.
https://www.proliteracy.org/Professional-Development/Teacher-Training-Plus
Pro Literacy World Wide – For professional development opportunities click “Professional Development” and then “Education Network” to access online training modules and other resources for instructors and students. If a membership number is required to access training please contact Executive Director, Debra DeSantis at 203-754-1164 or ddesantis@waterburyct.org
www.proliteracy.org
Pro Literacy also has a whole YouTube library of videos related to teaching Adults to read, write, speak and understand English.
https://www.youtube.com/c/ProLiteracy/videos
State Resource:
Connecticut Digital Library
www.iconn.org
Citizenship:
Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants
https://cirict.org
Bridgeport Office – 203-336-0141
Burroughs Community Center Office (Bridgeport) – 203-336-0141
Hartford Office – 860-692-3085
Stamford Office – 203-965-7190
Waterbury Extension Office – 203-496-8677
Located at 135 East Liberty St.
Local Help with Citizenship Application:
Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury – (203) 754-6172
Waterbury Adult Education – (203) 574-8038
Recognized Organizations and Accredited Representatives Roster by State and City https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/942306/download#CONNECTICUT
State Help with Immigration:
The International Institute of Connecticut
Main Office – 203-336-0141
Derby Office – 203-751-8696
Hartford Office – 860-692-3085
Stamford Office – 203-965-7190
Translation Services:
Interpreters & Translators Inc.
CT Office – 860-647-0686 or 800-648-0686
info@ititranslates.com
Websites and Resources:
New Readers Press – www.newreaderspress.com/esl-citizenship
*Many citizenship teachers have reported that students are being asked to define legal terminology from Part 12 of the citizenship application form (N-400) as a test of their English speaking ability.
Lynne Weintraub, author of Citizenship: Passing the Test—Ready for the Interview, is offering a tool to help citizenship students prepare in the event they are asked to provide definitions of these difficult words.
In this three-page downloadable PDF, she identifies a word or phrase in each question that is likely to cause difficulty for students and suggests a simple way of explaining it.
Pearson ELT – USA – New Resources for Citizenship Test Preparation
https://www.longmanhomeusa.com/citizenship/
United States Citizenship and Immigration Service Website and Lesson Plans
www.uscis.gov
www.uscis.gov/citizenship/teachers/lesson-plans-and-activities
USA Learns – A free website that helps adults learn English and prepare for U.S Citizenship through video lessons and activities
https://www.usalearns.org
U.S. Citizenship Naturalization Test 2023 – OFFICIAL USCIS Interview video – This USCIS video shows a live example of the entire U.S. citizenship interview. It presents most of the questions taken from the N400 form. It also presents how the Civics Test, Reading Test and Writing Test are administered during the interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGqFdNBCmp8&t=376s
USCitizenshipSupport.com – Online Training for the U.S. Citizenship Test – On this website, you can practice both the English and Civics portions of the test for FREE
https://uscitizenshipsupport.com/
Official USCIS Civics Test Study App:
Available for FREE at Google Play and iTunes stores – Search “USCIS civics test” or “USCIS” to download! The app provides practice tests in both English and Spanish as well as a question challenge game
Other Citizenship Websites Recommended by LVGW Tutors:
www.elcivics.com
https://www.joneslibrary.org/251/Citizenship
English Language Exemptions:
You are exempt from the English language requirement, but are still required to take the civics test if you are:
• Age 50 or older at the time of filing for naturalization and have lived as a permanent resident (Green Card holder) in the United States for 20 years (commonly referred to as the “50/20” exception).
OR
• Age 55 or older at the time of filing for naturalization and have lived as a permanent resident in the United States for 15 years (commonly referred to as the “55/15” exception).
Note:
Even if you qualify for the “50/20” or “55/15” English language exceptions listed above, you must still take the civics test.
• You will be permitted to take the civics test in your native language.
• If you take the test in your native language, you must bring an interpreter with you to your interview.
• Your interpreter must be fluent in both English and your native language.
• If you are age 65 or older and have been a permanent resident for at least 20 years at the time of filing for naturalization, you will be given special consideration regarding the civics requirement.
DMV Practice Tests:
In English – https://dmv-practice-test.com/connecticut/car/practice-test-1
In Spanish – https://dmv-practice-test.com/es/connecticut/coche/examen-manejo-1
Traffic and Road Signs in Basic English – This website is geared towards beginning English language learners who plan to take a U.S. driving test. The goal of this lesson is for learners to be able to recognize traffic and road signs, recognize and describe their meanings, and practice multiple-choice test-taking to prepare for passing a U.S. driving test.
https://www.OERcommons.org/authoring/21493-traffic-and-road-signs-in-basic-english-preparing-/view
*You can also print out street signs to study with your student at www.printablesignes.net
Basic Literacy & ESL Students and Tutors:
Bingo Card Creator – This program will allow you to create sets of BINGO cards using text or pictures.
Cards using text – https://www.eslactivities.com/old/bingo.php
Cards using pictures – https://www.eslactivities.com/old/picturebingo.php
Career Awareness and Pathways – Lesson plans, activities, links, videos and other resources https://sites.google.com/danbury.k12.ct.us/career-pathways-toolkit/
Change Agent – An Adult Education Magazine for Social Justice – Each issue explores a different topic through student writing, news articles, opinion pieces, classroom activities, poems, graphics and cartoons
https://changeagent.nelrc.org/
User name: connecticut
Password: changeagent
Conversation Group Activities:
60 Travel Conversation Questions – https://englishpost.org/travel-conversation-questions/
70 Music Conversation Questions – https://englishpost.org/music-conversation-questions/
100 Great Health Conversation Questions – https://englishpost.org/health-conversation-questions
Art Questions – http://iteslj.org/questions/art.html
Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom – http://iteslj.org/questions/
Edutopia – 12 Fun Speaking Games for Language Learners – Activities that will get students talking in a language they’re still learning.
https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/12-fun-speaking-games-language-learners
Fluentu.com – 18 ESL Speaking Activities for Adults – all you need to know about teaching speaking lessons to your adult ESL students.
https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-speaking-activities-for-adults/
Would You Rather Questions – https://jimmyesl.com/would-you-rather-questions/
Elizabeth Claire’s Easy English News – A print newspaper for adult learners with a variety of sections including idiomatic expressions, pronunciation hints, student letters to the editor, news articles, civic features and more! Hard Copies can be mailed to you or picked up in the office upon request. We also have a subscription for 20 digital copies. Please contact Executive Director Debra DeSantis at 203-754-1164 or ddesantis@waterburyct.org for more information.
https://www.easyenglishnews.com/
You can also visit the website below to access to free teaching materials and sign up for Elizabeth Claire’s free monthly newsletter.
https://www.elizabethclaire.com
Literacy Minnesota Educator Resources – Your hub for all things ESL and Adult Basic Education
https://www.literacymn.org/educator-resources
News For You – An online newspaper for adult learners. Seven new stories are posted each Wednesday, along with audio, exercises, vocabulary, a crossword puzzle, a word search, and a poll. Articles are based on reports from The Associated Press & The Washington Post. This website also includes a Teacher’s Guide with lesson ideas and activities and a large collection of “Tips for Teachers”
www.newsforyouonline.com Use Password 629441
NEWSELA – A free site with news articles and suggested exercises on a variety of topics. Any article can be adjusted to a variety of levels of difficulty with the click of your mouse!
https://newsela.com
News in Levels – Current World News articles written in multiple levels
https://www.newsinlevels.com/
PBS Learning Media – FREE, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more!
https://cptv.pbslearningmedia.org/
Sticky Ball ESL Resources – Tons of FREE, PRINTABLE ESL resources for teachers, including ESL worksheets, ESL grammar exercises, ESL writing exercises, ESL phrasal verbs worksheets, and an ever-growing bank of EASY, USEFUL games and activities for the ESL classroom.
www.stickyball.net
“Staying Healthy” from the Florida Literacy Coalition – Staying Healthy is an award-winning curriculum that is used throughout the United States. It is written at a 4th-5th grade reading level and is suitable for low intermediate level ESOL learners and above. The newly-released Staying Healthy for Beginners is written at a lower reading level, making it more accessible to learners at the high beginning level.
https://floridaliteracy.org/health_literacy_curriculum.html
Test Prep Insight – This in-depth guide, which encompasses all grade levels, covers common challenges that affect reading comprehension, strategies for overcoming those challenges, and helpful tips from experienced educators.
https://testprepinsight.com/resources/improving-reading-comprehension-skills-students/
The Times in Plain English – Current news articles re-written in “plain English” which can be read online or can be printed. You can also sign up to receive an email with a link when a new article is published!
http://www.thetimesinplainenglish.com/
News and Other Stories Websites Recommended by LVGW Tutors & Pro Literacy:
http://storycorps.org
https://floridaliteracy.org/essaybookhome.htm
Basic Literacy Resources:
LD Online – Teacher resources for reading, writing, math and more for adults with learning disabilities
www.Ldonline.org
Read Works – Provides research-based units, lessons and literary passages to educations online for free! (Levels typically run from K-12, however many readings are of interest to adults as well)
http://www.readworks.org
Resources to Support Students With Dyslexia
https://teach.com/resources/support-students-with-dyslexia/
Other Basic Literacy Websites Recommended by LVGW Tutors:
www.highfrequencywords.org
www.spellingcity.com
www.readinga-z.com
English as a Second Language Resources:
Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) – Resources for English language learning
www.cal.org
Dave’s ESL Cafe
www.eslcafe.com
Duolingo – A free language program that includes both a language learning website and app
https://www.duolingo.com
ELLLO – An Online English Listening Lesson Library with over 3,000 free listening lessons for all levels!
https://elllo.org/
ESL Easy Listening Comprehension – 40+ videos from the Club English “Easy Listening Comprehension Series”
https://tinyurl.com/cc3u2hrx
ESL Games – More than 30 no-prep ways to start class
https://eslgames.com/no-prep-warm-up-activities/
ESL Gold – A comprehensive ESL site with print and video resources
http://eslgold.com
ESL Readers for Students – Short stories that are read aloud to students so that they can follow along
https://globalaccess.bowvalleycollege.ca/learners/readers.php
Rachel’s English – Provides over 800 free videos to help non-native speakers improve their spoken English and listening comprehension. Videos focus on a variety of topics from the correct mouth position of sounds to words that reduce and real English conversation study.
https://rachelsenglish.com/
Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab
www.esl-lab.com
Ventures, Cambridge University Press – Resources (including collaborative activities & multilevel worksheets) – you must create your own log in credentials to access these free resources to use with the Ventures curriculum
http://www.cambridge.org/us/cambridgeenglish/catalog/adult-courses/ventures-2nd-edition/resources
Ventures, Cambridge University Press – Training Videos
https://www.cambridge.org/us/cambridgeenglish/professional-learning-development
Voice of America Learning English – videos students can listen to and watch, many of which focus on topics in the news
https://learningenglish.voanews.com/
Other ESL Websites Recommended by LVGW Tutors:
www.teaching-esl-to-adults.com
www.bogglesworldesl.com
www.eslmania.com
http://www.esl-galaxy.com
www.eslflow.com
www.learnenglishfeelgood.com
www.tolearnenglish.com
www.usingenglish.com
www.englishmaven.org
www.englishforeveryone.org
Family Literacy:
Adult and Family Education – Activities include a listening component in a variety of life skill areas including shopping, jobs, health, housing, transportation
http://www.web-esl.com/
Motheread Inc.
www.motheread.org
Games and General Education Websites Recommended by LVGW Tutors:
www.crosswordman.com
www.superteacherworksheets.com
www.teacherspayteachers.com
Grammar Websites Recommended by LVGW Tutors:
www.usingenglish.com/handouts
www.grammarbook.com
www.englishclub.com/esl-worksheets/grammar/index.htm
www.grammar-monster.com/index.html
http://grammar-worksheets.com
Idioms:
UsingEnglish.com – A dictionary of more than 3,800 English idiomatic expressions with definitions
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/
Phonics:
Sound City Reading – Phonics materials to teach beginning reading or to help older students become better readers
www.soundcityreading.com
Pronunciation:
7 Fun Exercises Using ESL Poems for Adults – Fluent U shares several ways to use poetry in the ESL classroom, including pronunciation practice – https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-poems-for-adults/
20 Minimal Pairs in English to Practice Perfect Pronunciation – Fluent U briefly introduces what minimal pairs are and then provides 20 different minimal pairs that students can practice , such as lit and let and pat and bat – https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/minimal-pairs/
Minimal Pair Pronunciation Lesson – Thought Co introduces ways to use minimal pair lessons in the classroom – https://www.thoughtco.com/minimal-pair-pronunciation-lesson-1211972
Minimal Pairs – English Club provides a list of both vowel – and consonant-based minimal pairs along with audio examples – https://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/minimal-pairs.htm
Pro Literacy Webinars on teaching pronunciation:
“Pick Your Battles : Best Practices for Helping Students with Pronunciation” –
https://youtu.be/ldP1Mf3fcBw?si=VdklLewn9wzp8XcC
“Why Phonological Awareness?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD_h957kkSQ
Pronunciation Lesson Plan and Activity (for English Learners) – https://www.englishcurrent.com/pronunciation/pronunciation-lesson-plan-activity-esl/
The world’s largest collection of tongue twisters with 3705 entries in 118 languages! https://ivypanda.com/tongue-twisters
Top 26 Funny Tongue Twisters from 21 Countries https://ivypanda.com/blog/funny-tongue-twisters/
Math & Science Resources:
Khan Academy – Free online library of videos and practice activities that covers K-12 math, biology, chemistry, physics, finance, and history. Each video is presented in 10-minute “digestible bites” and especially purposed for viewing on the computer
www.khanacademy.org
Tutor Professional Development:
Capitol Region Education Council
http://www.crec.org/
Challenges, Opportunities, and Techniques: Teaching Pronunciation Remotely for One or Many – a webinar that reviews different teaching techniques to cover pronunciation remotely and gives many practical tips https://tinyurl.com/3p94tebf
Pro Literacy Education Network – Offers online training opportunities and resources for adult literacy volunteers
www.proliteracyednet.org
Calendar of upcoming Pro Literacy webinars & highlights of previous webinars – https://www.proliteracy.org/webinars
Pro Literacy Webinar Playlist on YouTube – https://tinyurl.com/8cdnhnm2
Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center (VALRC) – Offers excellent adult literacy professional development, curriculum, and more
www.valrc.org
Additional Student Learning Resources:
Transparent Language – A web based language program that allows students to learn English at their own pace either in our office or at home. For more information please contact Administrative Assistant, Maria Hidalgo at 203-754-1164 or mhidalgo@waterburyct.org
