Tutorial 6 - Special Collection Resources

Special Collections Tutorial

This tutorial is online at www.nwlincs.org. All resources listed in thie tutorial are live links from this page.

There are 11 Special Collections sites:

Assessment	Family Literacy	Science and Numeracy
Correctional Education	Health and Literacy	Technology Training
English as a Second Language	Literacy & Learning Disabilities	Workforce Development
Equipped for the Future	Policy & Legislature

Each Collection page is similar to the other and the navigational links found on each site are consistent from page to page. The following description of the navigation links will help the literacy practitioner move easily through any of the Special Collection’s pages.

To access the Special Collections:

On the main page from any LINCS’s site select Collections found on the top of the page, just below the LINCS banner.
When the Special Collections page opens the specific content areas are listed on the left menu selection or in the text explanation found in the body of the page.
Select whichever area you would like to explore.

Navigation of a LINCS Special Collection:

On each page the user will find the following navigation buttons on the left:

Showcase: This link will take the user to selected sites in the content area of the page. These selections have been deemed to be the most helpful or best presented resources in the Collection.
Online Discussion: Links to the NIFL Discussion List of the content area and sometimes to other discussions lists that are related to the field.
Teacher/Tutor: links to articles and sites in the content area that are related to information a teacher or tutor might find informative.
Student/Learner: links to articles and sites in the content area that are related to information a student or learner might find informative.
Manager/Administrator: links to articles and sites in the content area that are related to information a Manger or Administrator might find informative.
Calendar of Events: Links to events that are happening in the content area, regional and national.
Facts & Statistics: Links to related facts in the content area.
Policy & Legislature: Links to related policies and legislature that are currently being discussed nationally.
Links & Directories: contains links to associations, organizations and other links that have additional information about the content area.
Grants: Links to funding available in the content area.

Each content area may have additional links such as:

Web Tools: A site to download needed plug-in to run some of the programs provided on the pages

Evaluations, Surveys and other assessment tools: To evaluation the site information.

About us: to explain the agency that maintains the specific content area.

History: that tells of the background for the content area.

In addition to the individual Special Collections content areas, all data contained in the Special Collections site may be searched by using LINCSearch and selecting Materials Search.

Special Collections Short Tutorial

Assessment Questions:

What can be found in Assessments?

Open the Browser and type in www.nifl.gov
Scroll to the bottom of the page and select National LINCS
Select Collection from the Buttons found at the top of the text area.
Select Assessment from the Menu list on the left.

The buttons on the left of the screen will take you to various assessment resources.

Select Showcase. Here you find the GED 2002 Resource Center clicking on this link will take you to the most up to date information on the new GED test. Click on the link and explore this site.
Select the Back button on the Browser.
Select Online Discussion: This area will allow you to participate in the latest discussions about Assessment.
Select Subscribe on the left menu.
If you wish to subscribe to a Discussion List fill in the information and select the List in which you wish to participate. You will receive notification when your account is activated.
To unsubscribe to a Discussion list select the Unsubscribe on the left and follow the instructions on the page.
Another feature found in the Discussion Lists is searching the archived information.
Select Search Archive.
Select the List you would like to search, select ESL
Select Go to Search Form at the bottom of the screen.
To search for new research on this subject, type in “new research” in quotes. This will give an the exact match in the archived data.
You may limit or expand the number of documents retrieved by selecting the Maximum Hits box.
Select Start Search.
A list of documents will appear. Select a link to view each entry.
If you wish to do a new search, select Refine Search and begin a new.
Select the Back button on the Browser.
To view commonly used keywords, select the Literacy Thesaurus. A listing of keywords and their matches will appear.
Select the Back button to return to the search page. Select Return to LINCS (lower left corner) to return to the Special Collections Page.
Return to the Assessment Special collections page.

Searching for Assessment Resources

Showcase: GED 2002 Test Resource Center

Teacher/Tutor:

Select Teacher/Tutor and scroll through the selections available
Assessment: 9 Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning
Communication: Oral Communication Assessment
Evaluation: Evaluation that Looks at Achievement Realistically
Reading: Traits of an Effective Reader
Writing Resources: 6+1 Traits OF Writing.
News & Events: What’s New in the Assessment Special Collection
Links & Directories: NCLE Resource Collection: Assessment and Evaluation in Adult ESL.
Glossary: CRESST Assessment Glossary

Sample information from in each content area:

Correctional Education Special Collection

Showcase: Teaching Literacy for Lifelong Learning
Online Discussion: the Online Discussion List Has two Listservs listed: Correctional Education association & European Prison Education Association. Clicking on either of these links will take you to their sites for the Discussion Lists.

The Student/Learner, Teacher/Tutor & Manager/Administrator link are two level listings. The newest links are listed on the first page. If you wish to see all that is listed in the database under this category, click on click here button listed on the page.

Student/Learner: Project Metamorphosis
Manager/Administrator: Educating the Incarcerated Female: An Holistic Approach
Teacher/Tutor: From Incarceration to Productive Lifestyle
Facts & Statistics: Research Brief Education as Crime Prevention
Links & Directory: Literacy 2000

ESL Special Collection

News & Events: Hands-on English Calendar
Showcase: Colorful Clothesline.
Online Discussion: There are 900 participants on the ESL Discussion List.
Teacher /Tutor: The main categories listed are:

Curriculum: Email Projects
Journals and Research: Benefits ad challenges in using computers and the Internet with adult English learners.
Resources: Literacy Online
Miscellaneous: Tools for Teachers: Internet Evaluation Web Quest

Student/Learner: This page has many student interactive activities:

Dave’s ESL Café

Free Translation

Reading Comprehension Lessons

Randall’s ESL Cafe

Manager/Admin: Lists two programs to help ESL administrators:

Keys to the Golden door?

Hands-on English Mini-Grants

Facts & Statistics: Statistic from the National Center for ESL Literacy Education & ESOL Fact Sheet from NIFL.
Organizations/Associates – Adult Literacy Resource Center
Policy & legislatures: TESOL Advocacy

EFF Special Collections

What is EFF?

Teacher: EFF products & Publications

Manager: Resources from EFF Partners

Glossary:

Family Literacy

Showcase: Parent Made Developmental Toys.
Parent Links: Several categories are listed on this page:

Parents Activities: ALA Resources for Parents, Teens and Kids. A site that has 700 Web Sites for Parents who care.

Parenting: How do Children Learn to Read

Reading to Your Children: Helping Your Child Become a Reader

Parent/Child: Parent/Activities Resources: Helping your child learn math.

Family Literacy Practitioners:

Activities Resources: Families First Idea Book

Reading Resources: The Internet Public Library

Program Manager/Administrator:

Grants & Funding: DePaul University Department of Education Grant writing tips.

Program Planning & Evaluation Resources: Planning Family Literacy Program

Research Resources: Survey of family Literacy in the United States

Volunteer Management Resources: CyberVPMhttp://www.seattlecats.com/cybervpm.htm – Resources for volunteers, managers and community service leaders.