SABES Writing Theme: Websites

Access Excellence: The Mystery Spot
www.accessexcellence.org/AE/mspot
This site subsection provides good prompts for writing exercises, nicely combining scientific discovery and mystery/adventure in a tone suitable for adults.

American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1940
memory.loc.gov/ammem/wpaintro/wpahome.html
The Library of Congress is digitizing all kinds of historical material. This set of nearly 3000 documents contains interesting correspondence and folklore which could provide jumping-off points for classroom exercises.

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
www.bartleby.com/
Looking for a quote...?

Basic Language Literacy: Writing (NoodleTools)
www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/basic/paragraphart.html

English Works! — Writing (Gallaudet Univ.)
www.gallaudet.edu/CLAST/Tutorial_and_Instructional_Programs/English_Works/Writing.html

ERIC Digests
From the late, great ERIC Clearinghouse system come several relevant two-page summaries.

• Improving ESL Learners' Writing Skills (1997)
  www.ericdigests.org/1998-1/skills.htm
• Revision in the Writing Process (1995)
  www.ericdigests.org/1996-1/writing.htm
• Using Computers with Adult ESL Literacy Learners (1990)
  www.ericdigests.org/1992-4/esl.htm
• Computer-Assisted Writing Instruction (1994)
  www.ericdigests.org/1995-2/computer.htm

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary & Thesaurus
www.m-w.com
The complete Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus online — free and searchable with definitions and audio pronunications, as well as the Word of the Day and word games.

NIFL/LINCS Special Collection: Assessment
literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment
This site has lots of rubrics and outlines for initial, ongoing and final assessment, and for portfolio design and management.

Our Voices, Our Lives, Our Community (Prince William County Public Schools)
our-voices.pwcs.adulted.schoolfusion.us/modules/locker/files/group_files.phtml?parent=7227846&gid=1580533&sessionid=b5013f693835d090e3186432468c062f
A well-done process writing curriculum, complete with lesson plans, handouts, and visuals.

The Phrase Finder
www.phrases.org.uk/
From Merry Olde England comes this nice site which gives the "meanings and origins of phrases, sayings, cliches and quotes," including proverbs, popular fallacies and phrases related to the body.

Plain Language Resources
www.plainlanguagenetwork.org/Resources
From the Plain Language Association International comes a relatively short set of tips and guidelines for clear writing.

The Power of Writing, the Writing of Power [article]
www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=341
Subtitled "Approaches to Adult ESOL Writing Instruction," this article by Elsa Auerbach gives a concise, accessible overview of the various schools of thought prevalent in the ESOL teaching field.

Prewriting Strategies (Univ. of Kansas)
www.writing.ku.edu/students/docs/prewriting.shtml

Puzzle Maker
www.puzzlemaker.com
Create and print language-based puzzles: "word search," "fallen phrases" and so forth.

Remembering Smells: Using Your Nose in Writing (Pearson Adult Learning Centre)
palc.sd40.bc.ca/palc/ac-archive/02-02/acnov602.htm

Stages in the Writing Process (Madison [WI] Area Technical College)
matcmadison.edu/plus/writing-center/stages-writing-process
A nice, succinct overview of the basic steps and considerations.

Treasure Chest of Web Resources – Writing (Henrico County Public Schools)
www.englishtreasurechest.com/resources/writing.htm
A pointer site to all manner of writing resources.

Vocabulary
www.vocabulary.com
A nice mix of games and puzzles to help develop general vocabulary.

Word A Day
www.wordsmith.org/awad
Vocabulary development at pre-GED and GED levels. One may subscribe for daily e-mail delivery, if so inclined (or obsessed).

Writing Rubrics and Checklists [NALD/Samaritan House]
www.nald.ca/CLR/Btg/ed/evaluation/writing.htm
From our Canadian friends comes this index page linked to all manner of tools covering biographies, techinical writing, business letters, essays, journals and much, much more.