Return-Path: <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g91NqPX17028; Tue, 1 Oct 2002 19:52:25 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 19:52:25 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <3D9A33FB.40801@theworld.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen@theworld.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1293] Re: firstfind.info X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Status: O Content-Length: 4254 Lines: 127 Hello Anne, I agree that the page you selected is at an intermediate, not a beginner, level. (I did say that the range was low-to-intermediate. I doubt if any of the pages are for beginners. It's not intended as a portal to instruction Websites.) There are lots of Web pages in this collection which are at an intermediate level -- and relatively few Webpages at a low level. This is because there aren't many (non instructional) pages for a beginner level on the Web. I think that a strength of this collection is that so many of them are included. I'd like to suggest that you look at some of the other sections of firstfind.info If you -- or anyone on NIFL-Family -- knows of beginner, low or intermediate level Web pages that you would like to recommend, please go to http://firstfind.info/comments.html and let the firstfind librarians know about them. I am surprised, Anne, that you don't see this as a useful resource for adults with low-to-intermediate level skills, that you see it as a resource primarily for teachers. I wonder if others on NIFL-Family would agree with that? Those who want to have a look for themselves should go to http://www firstfind.info or just type firstfind.info in your browser. All the best, David David J. Rosen Anne Murr wrote: > David, > I've briefly looked at the firstfind.info website. I copied the > introductory page on learning strategies from the "Brush up on basic > skills" on the Reading Comprehension link into Microsoft Word and did a > reading level check. It's at Grade 5.5 > > I work with adults with very low reading skills. This text is unreadable > for beginning level readers. Also, the print is too small. Even adults > who come into our program with intermediate reading skills would have > difficulty with this website. There is too much text on each screen in > single-spaced paragraphs. The vocabulary sounds like "teacher talk", > not learner talk. > > These bullets (from the Learning Strategies screen) do communicate: > > "Motivation: Knowing more about ourselves as learners and how to > cultivate motivation > > * Paying Attention: Focusing on the task at hand > > * Elaboration: Connecting new information to what we already know > > * Organizing: Arranging information to fit our purposes " > > But they are "buried" beneath 2 screens of text. > > Without working closely with persons who struggle with reading, it's > difficult to know how to write in understandable text. I'm grateful to > the librarians for putting together many resources for us in adult > literacy. However, I see this website more as a resource for teachers > than for learners. > > >> NIFL-FAMILY Digest 119 >> >> Topics covered in this issue include: >> >> 1) firstfind.info -- a great new portal to plain English/easy >> reading, high interest Websites >> by "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen@theworld.com> >> >> >> Hello NIFL-Family Colleagues, >> >> firstfind.info is a new online library providing easy-to-find and >> easy-to-use information >> (in English) for low-to-intermediate level adult readers. This Website >> can be used by anyone >> looking for a wide range of information relevant to the well being of >> individuals and their >> families. >> >> Librarians from the New York Metropolitan area collaborated on this >> project. Subject areas >> range from housing and jobs to family matters to history and >> government. Each Website was >> evaluated as per interest, currency, authority, readability, ease of >> navigation, design, etc. >> All Websites are clearly and briefly annotated. firstfind also offers >> help screens for novice >> Web users (developed by ESL teacher and Webpage designer, Maura >> Donnelly) and for assistance >> in navigating the site, an online dictionary, and a response form. >> >> The web address is >> >> http://www.firstfind.info or just >> >> firstfind.info >> >> I would be interested in what you think of this portal and how it >> might be used by family literacy >> programs. >> >> David J. Rosen >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> End of NIFL-FAMILY Digest 119 >> ***************************** > >
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