C.O.D. Library ESL/ABE/GED Faculty Newsletter
March 2009
Digital Natives
For as many students as I see in the Library who are not comfortable with computers and technology, there are even more who are uncomfortable when they can’t use computers and technology! These are, by and large, our traditional-aged students, also known as “Generation Y” or “Millennials”. They have been raised with technology and are almost always connected to others by it. Engaging these tech-savvy students in traditional classroom settings can be a challenge; balancing a classroom made up of digital natives and older digital “tourists” can be even more so.
More and more ESL/ABE/GED websites and resources are incorporating social software tools into their more traditional offerings. Discussion boards allow students to interact with other learners and practice their writing skills. Podcasts and videocasts provide ample opportunities to hone listening skills. Blogs allow students to get all of the benefits of journaling while using the computers on which they feel at home.
Finding the piece of new technology that fits best into your classroom can be a challenge. Maybe an internet site that you already use offers an interactive tool that might catch your students’ attention. Maybe a resource such as 21 Ideas, Strategies and Tips to Reach 21st Century Learners can provide you with an idea that works with your current lesson plans.
If you’d like to learn more about social software and how easy it is to get started with your own blog or wiki, why not sign up for the Library’s SOS Workshop, Social Software: Blogs, Wikis and More? I’ll be teaching this class on Tuesday, April 21st. For more information, see the SOS Workshop schedule at: http://www.cod.edu/library/libweb/Fitzwater/workshop1.htm Or feel free to contact me with your questions!
And, lest we forget those who aren’t as skillful with technology, I’m sharing an excellent video from Common Craft called Computer Hardware in Plain English. I love the Common Craft videos and use them all the time in my social software workshops.
In other news, in addition to highlighting new books and A/V materials in the Library, I will also occasionally focus on a theme and a selection of resources that the Library has to support that theme. This month, as flu season winds down, we have Health Resources. Looking for books on a particular topic? Let me know, and I’ll feature that topic in an upcoming newsletter!
Resource of the Month
My Word a Day is a a free email newsletter from Vocab Vitamins, a vocabulary booster website. While Vocab Vitamins features a premium vocabulary subscription and even a collected print edition (available in the Library) of their vocabulary, My Word a Day simply requires entering your email in order to receive your daily dose of new vocabulary. Each email arrives in your inbox as part of a fun weekly theme complete with definitions, pronunciation, word origin and multiple “In Action” examples which place the word or phrase in contemporary context. The “In Action” examples are drawn from newspaper and magazine articles. The selected words of the day tend to be advanced (recent entries have been esoteric, commiserate, and inscrutable) but the definitions are always clear and concise.
ESL/ABE/GED Health Resources
Health Stories (3 levels & Teacher’s Guide)
Author: Ann Gianola
Call Number: PE1127.M4 M393 2005
Take Care of Yourself: A Health Care Workbook for Beginning ESL Students
Author:Marianne Brems, Theresa Devonshire, Janet R. Jones
Call Number: PE1127.M4 M393 2005
What to Do for Senior Health: Easy to Read, Easy to Use
Author: Albert Barnett, Nancy Rushton, Lynne Mumaw
Call Number: PE1127.M4 M393 2005
What to Do When Your Child Gets Sick
Author: Gloria Mayer, Ann Kuklierus
Call Number: PE1127.M4 M393 2005
Anatomy and Physiology for English Language Learners
Author: Judy Meier Penn, Elizabeth Hanson
Call Number: PE1127.M4 M393 2005
Understanding Key Health Issues
Author: Paula Schlusberg, editor
Call Number: PE1127.M4 M393 2005
C.O.D. Library ESL/ABE/GED Faculty Newsletter 
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