Finding Authentic Low-Level Texts

From LiteracyTentWiki

Wikiteers have sent in the following recommendations for stories, novels, or information books written specifically for beginning/low-level adult readers. Please add to or update these entries. [Needs to be organized.-atrawick 7.13.09]

• ELMO Reviews - Exemplary Literacy Materials Online Reviews* http://www.ELMOreviews.ca
  • This website posts reviews of materials geared to learners in adult and family literacy programs. Adult learners are encouraged to use the website and post reviews. Newsletters are also available.
• Eureka! AGORA Tradebooks: http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/tradebooks/index.html
  • This site is managed by the Ohio Literacy Resource Center and includes information about children and young adult literature suitable for adult learners. The database can be searched by both academic content area (e.g., science, math) and life-based categories (e.g., family, photography).
• First Find: http://www.westchesterlibraries.org/node/56
  • A service of the Westchester and Brooklyn Public Libraries, First Find is a collection of web sites that are accessible to adult learners.
• Reading Skills for Today’s Adults: http://www.marshalladulteducation.org/reading_skills_home.htm
  • (from the website) This [site] was designed to create leveled reading selections that are appropriate for and valued by adult learners. These materials, combined with the research-proven strategies of repeated reading and guided oral reading, aid in building learners' fluency and comprehension skills….This project helps adults become better readers and more informed consumers, parents, employees, citizens and community members. The focus of these reading selections will be on topics such us: Civics, Employment, Housing, Health, School, Money, and Government.
• WE LEARN Resource List of Books, Websites and Other Women-Centered Materials: http://www.litwomen.org/Resources.html
  • This web site provides an extensive list of materials around adult-oriented topics, categorized and easily accessible. Many of the materials are in the low-intermediate ABE range.
• New Section in Development Audio Books for Adult Readers
• Peppercorn Books Published Student Writing http://www.peppercornbooks.com/catalog/pdf/cat_1_student_writing.pdf
  • Some of the literature that is most interesting to adult literacy education students is that published by other adult new writers. Peppercorn Books, a commercial publisher, specializes in making available adult literacy student-published writings. One way to use these writings is not to immediately identify the author. If your students like the poem, story, essay or other writing, then ask them to describe -- from the writing – what they think they know about the author. Often students will not guess that the author is a student, like them. This is an empowering realization for some.
• California Distance Learning Project http://www.cdlponline.org/ Among the first web sites to post articles of interest to adult basic education students, the CDLP site is updated regularly with articles and follow-up questions at several different difficulty levels on many topics.
• The Learning Edge http://www.thewclc.ca/edge The Learning Edge is an interactive, on-line newspaper for adult learners. It is produced by the Wellington County Learning Center, in Arthur Ontario. Its interesting, topical stories are plainly written for a range of learners. Each story is read out loud slowly, and is accompanied by learning activities such as games, puzzles, interactive quizzes and writing contests. The Learning Edge also has student writings.
• The Northern Edge http://www.nwt.literacy.ca/resources/northernedge/edge.htm The Northern Edge is an online newspaper for adult learners by the same author(s) as The Learning Edge. Its activities include sound and video. Learners can hear the articles read to them and they can read along following the text. There are four newsletters online by date. Topics include math, learning styles, reading, animals, nature, culture, student writing, maps, paying a telephone bill, and many more.
• Fannie Lou Hamer by Stephon Gray and Phil Shapiro http://www.writersforliteracy.org/fannielouhamer2.mov Several years ago when Stephon Gray and Phil Shapiro created this, Stephon was an adult new reader. On this web site he reads a review he wrote of a book about voting rights advocate, Fannie Lou Hamer. It is an interesting very short read, and a great example of what other adult new readers might be able to create.
• Awesome Stories http://www.awesomestories.com/ is a collection of stories which may interest adults. It also has a video section, where people can first read a paragraph about the video and then look at it. There are around 400 videos listed. http://www.awesomestories.com/sample_topics/video_clips.shtml Many of the stories also have an audio component, so adult learners can hear the words as they read them. The link to that index is http://www.awesomestories.com/sample_topic/audio_collection.shtml The web site is free. A user requests a password to access all the materials, which takes no time.
• CNN Learning Resources http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/
  • Recent CNN articles on current events and an extensive archive of articles on compelling contemporary topics (such as abortion, gun control, euthanasia) in a full version and an edited, easier-to-read version.
• The 8 Planets by Bill Arnett. http://www.nineplanets.org/
  • "...overview of the history, mythology, and current scientific knowledge of the planets, moons and other objects in our solar system. Each page has my text and NASA's images, some have sounds and movies, most provide references to additional related information."
• Shining Stars: Toddlers http://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/ShiningStarsToddlers.pdf#xml=http://search.nifl.gov/texis/search/pdfhi.txt?query=shining+stars+toddlers&pr=LINCS&prox=page&rorder=500&rprox=500&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&rdepth=0&sufs=0&order=r&cq=&id=4cc652ddb2
  • In this short, easy-to-read booklet (in .pdf) is a story about a mother who reads with her toddler.
• Shining Stars: Preschool http://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/ShiningStarsPreschool.pdf#xml=http://search.nifl.gov/texis/search/pdfhi.txt?query=shining+stars+preschool&pr=LINCS&prox=page&rorder=500&rprox=500&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&rdepth=0&sufs=0&order=r&cq=&id=4cc652dda2
  • In this short, easy-to-read booklet (in .pdf) a father and mother help their pre-school children get ready to read.
• Shining Stars: Kindergartners Learn to Read http://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/Shining_Stars_Kindergarten.pdf#xml=http://search.nifl.gov/texis/search/pdfhi.txt?query=shining+stars+kindergartners&pr=LINCS&prox=page&rorder=500&rprox=500&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&rdepth=0&sufs=0&order=r&cq=&id=4cc652de17
  • In this short, easy-to-read booklet is a story about how parents help their twin kindergartners learn to read, followed by reading readiness questions and a checklist of suggestions for helping kindergartners prepare for reading.
• Shining Stars: How Parents Can Help Their Second & Third Graders Learn To Read http://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/Shining_Stars_Second_Third_Grader.pdf#xml=http://search.nifl.gov/texis/search/pdfhi.txt?query=Shining+stars+how+parents+third&pr=LINCS&prox=page&rorder=500&rprox=500&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&rdepth=0&sufs=0&order=r&cq=&id=4cc652e07
  • In this short, easy-to-read booklet (in .pdf) a mother helps her son learn to read. For example, she listens to him read and they read a map together.
• The Change Agent http://www.nelrc.org/changeagent/
  • Since 1995, World Education's twice-yearly publication, The Change Agent, has offered adult educators and their students social justice-focused reading material that can be used in teaching reading.
• Hopes and Dreams by Pat Neuman. http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/neuman/hopes/hopes.pdf
  • This Canadian book is intended for adults who already have acquired the reading skills and knowledge of a beginning and mid-stage one learner. It is one of five written by the same author, the others are: Mama's Song, That's the way I like it, Voice Like an Angel and One Woman's Courage.
• The Writer's Voice Newsletter Archive http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/writvoic/archive.htm
  • A collection of newsletter-style books from East End Literacy in Toronto, Canada.. Each issue contains stories written by learners and stories about learners, along with puzzles and recipes.
• Seniors Tell Their Stories By: Garry Granford http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/ntla/cover.htm
  • These stories were collected from seniors across Newfoundland, Canada.
• A Hell of a Good Job! Finding Work that Matters, Volume 1 of Working Lives by the Writers' Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/wlives/volume1/cover.htm
  • The first in the series of four volumes of essays that are intended to speak to the concerns and interests of adult learners.
• Photonovels by Laura Nimmon http://www.photonovel.ca/photonovels.htm.
  • Designed for immigrants in Canada, the themes include health, environment and cultural differences.
• Working Together. http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/newstart/working/cover.htm
  • This is a dialog photonovel for beginning readers, a story from The New Start Reading Series. It shows how members of a student group overcame problems with banking, mail order and forms, by working cooperatively.
• "Leisure Books and More for New Readers:" http://www.vpl.vancouver.bc.ca/books_dvds_and_more/item_list/book_lists/3259/C207
• "Young Adult Library Services Association Booklists:" http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook.cfm