Website Review: Writer's Workshop: Writer Resources

WRITERS WORKSHOP: WRITER RESOURCES website from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign contains comprehensive guides to grammar, citation styles, ESL resources, and writing tips.

The Center for Writing Studies has developed high quality resources for young adults that explain and illustrate important writing rules, guidelines, and tips. Although aimed at the college level, the materials are also practical for middle and high school students.

The Grammar Handbook provides a comprehensive and easy-to-understand resource to review Parts of Speech, Phrases, Clauses, Sentences and Sentence Elements, and Common Usage Problems. Each concept is carefully explained and illustrated with examples.

The Citation Styles section introduces and illustrates the American Psychological Association (APA) style and the Modern Language Association (MLA) style. It also addresses common questions about Chicago Style, citing social media, and other FAQs.

The ESL Resources provides links to useful websites focusing on English as a Second Language (ESL).

The Writing Tips area offers advice for students with specific needs related to the writing process. In addition to general ideas, tips are provided for specific genre and for taking essay exams.

From basic grammar questions to citation problems, librarians often assist students working on writing projects. This website provides an excellent quick reference to help address common questions.

To learn more, go to the website at http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/.

Website Review: Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)

For two decades, the PURDUE ONLINE WRITING LAB (OWL) has been providing hundreds of free resources for students.

Sponsored by the English Department at Purdue University, this online resource includes the areas of writing and teaching writing; research; grammar and mechanics; style guides; ESL; and job search and professional writing.

Tutorials of particular note include their APA and MLA style guides, ideas for avoiding plagiarism, business letter writing tool, and instructions for developing an effective resume.

The “Purdue OWL Vidcasts” connect to a YouTube channel providing dozens of short, instructional videos on topics such as writing, citation styles, rhetoric, and grammar.

Although some resources are designed specifically for Purdue students, the majority of materials are intended for all users.

A keyword search tool provides quick access to useful resources. The “Site Map” provides easy access to a master list of topics and links.

To learn more, go to the OWL website at https://owl.english.purdue.edu/.

Website & App Review: USA Learns

Learning English as a Second Language may be a concern for both the students in your school as well as their parents. USA LEARNS is a free website that helps adults improve English skills. Low cost apps are also available.

Users go to USA Learns at http://www.usalearns.org and create a login. A pretest can help users unsure about which tutorials to complete. Three courses are available: beginning, low intermediate, and intermediate. Each course includes a series of units focusing on the use of English in everyday situations. Each unit includes lessons and activities. Users can read the screen and listen to the teacher’s voice reading the screen. The lessons incorporate both audio and video elements. Study tools are provided including a glossary with images and audio support.

ESL students may need help signing up and getting started with the program. Although the lessons are very effective, the tutorials don’t provide feedback for incorrect answers. It would be useful if a teacher or assistant was available to answer questions as users are working their way through the learning materials.

In addition to the website, four low-cost, learning apps are available. In addition to the lessons, the apps also provide the learner with opportunities to record words and hear them back. The apps contain lots of streamed videos, so an Internet connection is necessary. To access the apps for both Apple and Android devices, go to http://www.usalearns.org/apps/.

Consider how USA LEARNS could be part of an after-school library program that supports the ESL needs of both children and their parents.

The materials were developed and tested by the Sacramento County Office of Education with funding from the US Department of Education. Although the scenarios include workplace scenarios, the course materials would be very effective for high school students. For supplemental materials, check out the USALearns blog at http://usalearns.wordpress.com/. For an overview to the curriculum, go to http://www.usalearns.org/pdf/ScopeSequence.pdf.