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How Adults Learn & Cultural Sensitivity Slides

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How Adults Learn & Cultural Sensitivity Slides

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These are the slides from Part 1 of our training. The slides for Reading and Writing will be posted after Thursday's meeting.

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CLLS TT Adult Learners & Cultural Sensitivity 81924

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This is a slide presentation created by the Salinas Public Library Literacy Program. It was referenced during our training and shared here by Susanne Crichton for anyone wanting a primer on using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

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This slide deck covers all of the components of reading from Alphabetics through Comprehension

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Working with English Language Learners Slides

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Working with English Language Learners Slides

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Slide Deck Working with Learners with Learning Disabilities

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Slide Deck Working with Learners with Learning Disabilities

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2024 CLLS TT Lesson Planning & Choosing Materials 81924

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Adult learners share their experiences of how literacy instruction has helped them succeed.

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This video was shared courtesy of Sonoma County Library.

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Inclusion and Cultural Awareness For All

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This video shows a tutor explaining learning styles to a new learner at an initial meeting.

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The First Meeting – Part 4: Learning Styles Inventory

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Here is another inventory that also provides helpful information about learning styles.

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Please read and complete this quick Learning Styles Inventory before our first meeting.

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This handout provides another format on learning styles and how to score or assess based on responses given.

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Sample Learning Style Inventory (low level learner)

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Sample Learning Style Inventory (low level learner)

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This is a version of a simplified learning style inventory you might try using with a lower-level learner.

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Here is yet another learning styles inventory option.

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Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic Learning Styles Inventory

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Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic Learning Styles Inventory

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Here is another option for a learning styles inventory that focuses on visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners.

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University of Wisconsin Learning Styles Assessment

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University of Wisconsin Learning Styles Assessment

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This assessment could also be used by adult literacy tutors and learners.

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This video demonstrates an effective strategy for working with learners.

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Establishing a Safe Learning Environment  (Right and Wrong Things to Say)

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Establishing a Safe Learning Environment  (Right and Wrong Things to Say)

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This handout provides tips on "right and wrong things to say" and best practices for working with adult learners.

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This sheet summarizes the major components of reading skills.

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This handout explains the tasks involved in informally assessing or practicing phonemic awareness.

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Sample Activity: Recognizing the /s/ Sound

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Sample Activity: Recognizing the /s/ Sound

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This handout provides an explanation of phonemic awareness practice, using the initial /s/ sound.

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This handout provides an explanation of phonics practice, using the initial /r/ blends in words.

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This video features a tutor showing her learner how to make inferences from pictures or text as a tool to improve comprehension

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Partners in Reading - San Jose Public Library

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This handout contains some phonics rules that might be helpful to tutors in explaining phonics to adult learners.

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Tutoring Phonics Using A Systematic Multisensory Approach

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Tutoring Phonics Using A Systematic Multisensory Approach

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Watch a tutor and learner practice a decoding strategy called Phonics Using A Multisensory Approach. The learner uses manipulatives to practice phonics with touch and movement. Practicing this phonics strategy will help the learner identify words while reading and spell words while writing.

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Partners in Reading - San Jose Public Library

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Decoding - Part 6: Tutoring Phonics Using a Multisensory Approach

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ARRIA - Appendix B: The Content of Phonics Instruction

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ARRIA - Appendix B: The Content of Phonics Instruction

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This handout is a great overview of the components of phonics instruction.

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This handout explains how to organize a learner's expanding sight word vocabulary.

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This quick reference handout shows how to choose a reading level that is appropriate for your learner during lessons. A passage of 100 words with 4-5 errors means the learner should read material with the support of the tutor.

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This is a more detailed explanation of the 5 Finger Rule which may help you select appropriate level materials for different learning tasks with your learner.

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Fluency and Comprehension Handout (Guided, Oral, Repeated Reading)

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Fluency and Comprehension Handout (Guided, Oral, Repeated Reading)

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Please read pages 52-55 in this handout as it explains in detail the benefits of Guided, Oral, Repeated Reading techniques.

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Duet Reading Video - Guided, Oral, Repeated Reading 

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Duet Reading Video - Guided, Oral, Repeated Reading 

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This video shows a learner and tutor practicing Duet Reading.

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Partners in Reading - San Jose Public Library

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Improving Fluency with Oral Reading Strategies - Part 3: Duet Reading and Cross-generational Reading

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Echo Reading video - Guided, Oral, Repeated Reading

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Echo Reading video - Guided, Oral, Repeated Reading

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Watch a learner and tutor practice Echo Reading technique.

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Partners in Reading - San Jose Public Library

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Improving Fluency with Oral Reading Strategies - Part 4: Echo Reading and Cross-generational Reading

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This website has great resources for various levels of reading material and topics that are of interest to adult learners. Please explore the various sections! As you get to know your learners' interests, you can look for reading material that is relevant to them.

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Co-created by adult educators using stories from Reading Skills for Today’s Adults (RSTA), CrowdED Learning is proud to offer 345 leveled readings and engaging activities to learners and instructors in a variety of formats.

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This handout can be used in a "journal" or personal dictionary as a way to help your learner remember new vocabulary and to learn more about the underlying structure of words. This idea was shared by Wendy from PAR at the San Jose Public Library. Thanks, Wendy!

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This sight word list is separated in groups of 100, in order by most common use.

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A learner and tutor discuss the use of signal words and their meanings.

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Partners in Reading - San Jose Public Library

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Signal Words - Part 1: Understanding Signal Words

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Teaching and explaining these signal words (in advance of reading a passage) can help learners with fluency and comprehension.

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This list shows which signal words go with which verb tenses.

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Please watch this learner and tutor practice vocabulary words in many ways (1 of 3 videos).

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Partners in Reading - San Jose Public Library

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Working with Words in Many Ways - Part 1: Building a Word Bank

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Please watch this learner and tutor practice vocabulary words in many ways (2 of 3 videos).

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Partners in Reading - San Jose Public Library

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Working with Words in Many Ways - Part 2: Building a Word Bank

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Please watch this learner and tutor practice vocabulary words in many ways (3 of 3 videos).

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Partners in Reading - San Jose Public Library

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Working with Words in Many Ways - Part 3: Building a Word Bank

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This is a tool you can use with your learners to help them identify difficult words. After practicing new vocabulary, you can have them go over this rating again - the goal is to get to a rating of 4 by practicing new words they encounter in different ways.

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https://youtu.be/edZkuHHXDlo?si=S3EtUpqeNFYx3seX

Show your learner this video to help them understand that writing is a step by step process we all learn to do.

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This chart is helpful to show your learner that many steps in the writing process are repeated as they improve each version of their written work.

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In this Tutor Ready Writing video, an adult literacy tutor and learner create and discuss a chart that illustrates the iterative or cyclical steps of the writing process: pre-writing, planning, drafting, reflection, tutor or peer review for feedback, revision, editing and proofreading and publishing or sharing the final piece of writing. In Chapter 1, the tutor provides an overview of the writing process. In Chapter 2, the tutor and learner discuss different stages of the writing process in more depth. Chapter 1: An Overview (1:39) Chapter 2: A Deeper Explanation (7:24)

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Tutor Ready Writing: The Writing Process

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A tutor and learner practice a 5 step skimming strategy

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Skimming Part 5: Practicing a Five Step Skimming Strategy

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A tutor and learner work on scanning technique, using a form

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You can use this blank form to help your learner decide which goals are a priority. Ask them the question in the middle and have them consider each of the roles when helping them deciding if they want to set a long or a short-term goal.

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Watch this tutor guide two learners through the process of monitoring comprehension through the Think Aloud strategy.

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Pages 80-98 of this handout cover strategies for Comprehension instruction.

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ARRIA - Applying Research in Reading Instruction for Adults

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ARRIA - Applying Research in Reading Instruction for Adults

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This is the complete ARRIA booklet for you, covering all aspects of reading instruction, as a resource for you to come back to at any time.

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Try using this to assess and strengthen comprehension before and after reading a passage with your learners.

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This template can be used for comprehension exercises as well as for pre-writing and brainstorming. Try using a variety of graphic organizers for different purposes to see which ones your learners like.

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Try using this template to guide discussion and have your learner retell what they recall after reading a passage. It's ok for learners to refer back to the text while doing this. This tool is good for assessing and strengthening comprehension but could also be used for a pre-writing brainstorming tool. Try using a variety of graphic organizers for different purposes to see which ones your learners like.

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Graphic Organizer - Writing Web or Mind Map Starter

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Graphic Organizer - Writing Web or Mind Map Starter

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Try using this template to guide discussion and help your learner organize what they recall after reading a passage. It's ok for learners to refer back to the text while doing this. This tool is good for assessing and strengthening comprehension but could also be used for a pre-writing brainstorming tool. Try using a variety of graphic organizers for different purposes to see which ones your learners like.

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This video demonstrates a learner and tutor working on the LEA strategy.

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Language Experience - Description from a Tutor

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Language Experience - Description from a Tutor

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This description of the Language Experience Approach explains how beginning readers can begin to see how their thoughts connect to written language with the help of a "scribe". Double click to open the PDF and read this thorough article with excellent examples in how to work through the strategy.

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In this video, a tutor trainer and two tutors discuss the process of how to help a learner expand his creative writing and how to best address any spelling/grammar errors.

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Responding and Revising: Tutor Roundtable: Responding to Writing

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This video demonstrates a learner and tutor discussing the value of writing using a dialog journal.

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Getting Ideas on the Page: Journal Writing: Dialog Journals

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This handout shows a real learner-tutor dialog journal. Notice each entry is dated and the tutor prints clearly so that the learner can see the correct spelling, punctuation and capitalization in his entries. No corrections are made by the tutor in journals.

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Here is a resource of writing prompts for use with your learners if they are reluctant to write or have trouble coming up with ideas to write about.

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We may receive a commission when you make a purchase from one of our links for products and services we recommend. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for support!

If you want to become a better writer, the best thing you can do is practice writing every single day. Writing prompts are useful because we know sometimes it can be hard to think of what to write about!

To help you brainstorm, we put together this list of 365 creative writing prompts to give you something to write about daily.

Here are 365 Creative Writing Prompts to Inspire:

Whether you write short stories, poems, or like to keep a journal - these will stretch your imagination and give you some ideas for topics to write about!

1. Outside the Window: What's the weather outside your window doing right now? If that's not inspiring, what's the weather like somewhere you wish you could be?

2. The Unrequited love poem: How do you feel when you love someone who does not love you back?

3. The Vessel: Write about a ship or other vehicle that can take you somewhere different from where you are now.

4. Dancing: Who's dancing and why are they tapping those toes?

5. Food: What's for breakfast? Dinner? Lunch? Or maybe you could write a poem about that time you met a friend at a cafe.

6. Eye Contact: Write about two people seeing each other for the first time.

7. The Rocket-ship: Write about a rocket-ship on its way to the moon or a distant galaxy far, far, away.

8. Dream-catcher: Write something inspired by a recent dream you had.

9. Animals: Choose an animal. Write about it!

10. Friendship: Write about being friends with someone.

11. Dragon: Envision a dragon. Do you battle him? Or is the dragon friendly? Use descriptive language.

12. Greeting: Write a story or poem that starts with the word "hello" or another greeting.

13. The Letter: Write a poem or story using words from a famous letter or inspired by a letter someone sent you.

14. The Found Poem: Read a book and circle some words on a page. Use those words to craft a poem. Alternatively, you can cut out words and phrases from magazines.

15. Eavesdropper: Create a poem, short story, or journal entry about a conversation you've overheard.

16. Addict: Everyone's addicted to something in some shape or form. What are things you can't go without?

17. Dictionary Definition: Open up a dictionary to a random word. Define what that word means to you.

18. Cleaning: Hey, even writers and creative artists have to do housework sometimes. Write about doing laundry, dishes, and other cleaning activities.

19. Great Minds: Write about someone you admire and you thought to have had a beautiful mind.

20. Missed Connections: If you go to Craigslist, there is a "Missed Connections" section where you can find some interesting storylines to inspire your writing.

21. Foreclosure: Write a poem or short story about someone who has lost or is about to lose their home.

22. Smoke, Fog, and Haze: Write about not being able to see ahead of you.

23. Sugar: Write something so sweet, it makes your teeth hurt.

24. Numbers: Write a poem or journal entry about numbers that have special meaning to you.

25. Dread: Write about doing something you don't want to do.

26. Fear: What scares you a little? What do you feel when scared? How do you react?

27. Closed Doors: What's behind the door? Why is it closed?

28. Shadow: Imagine you are someone's shadow for a day.

29. Good Vibes: What makes you smile? What makes you happy?

30. Shopping: Write about your shopping wishlist and how you like to spend money.

31. The Professor: Write about a teacher that has influenced you.

32. Rewrite: Take any poem or short story you enjoy. Rewrite it in your own words.

33. Jewelry: Write about a piece of jewelry. Who does it belong to?

34. Sounds: Sit outside for about an hour. Write down the sounds you hear.

35. War and Peace: Write about a recent conflict that you dealt with in your life.

36. Frame It: Write a poem or some phrases that would make for good wall art in your home.

37. Puzzle: Write about putting together the pieces of puzzles.

38. Fire-starters: Write about building a fire.

39. Coffee & Tea: Surely you drink one or the other or know someone who does- write about it!

40. Car Keys: Write about someone getting their driver's license for the first time.

41. What You Don't Know: Write about a secret you've kept from someone else or how you feel when you know someone is keeping a secret from you.

42. Warehouse: Write about being inside an old abandoned warehouse.

43. The Sound of Silence: Write about staying quiet when you feel like shouting.

44. Insult: Write about being insulted. How do you feel? Why do you think the other person insulted you?

45. Mirror, Mirror: What if you mirror started talking to you? What might the mirror say?

46. Dirty: Write a poem about getting covered in mud.

47. Light Switch: Write about coming out of the dark and seeing the light.

48. The Stars: Take inspiration from a night sky. Or, write about a time when "the stars aligned" in your horoscope.

49. Joke Poem: What did the wall say to the other wall? Meet you at the corner! Write something inspired by a favorite joke.

50. Just Say No: Write about the power you felt when you told someone no.

51: Sunrise/Sunset: The sun comes up, the sun goes down. It goes round and round. Write something inspiring about the sunrise or sunset.

52. Memory Lane: What does Memory Lane look like? How do you get there?

53. Tear-Jerker: Watch a movie that makes you cry. Write about that scene in the movie.

54. Dear Diary: Write a poem or short story about a diary entry you've read or imagined.

55. Holding Hands: The first time you held someone's hand.

56. Photograph: Write a story or journal entry influenced by a photograph you see online or in a magazine.

57. Alarm Clock: Write about waking up.

58. Darkness: Write a poem or journal entry inspired by what you can't see.

59. Refreshed: Write a poem about a time you really felt refreshed and renewed. Maybe it was a dip into a pool on a hot summer day, a drink of lemonade, or other situation that helped you relax and start again.

60. Handle With Care: Write about a very fragile or delicate object.

61. Drama: Write about a time when you got stuck in between two parties fighting with each other.

62. Slip Up: Write about making mistakes.

63. Spice: Write about flavors and tastes or a favorite spice of yours.

64. Sing a New Song: Take a popular song off the radio and rewrite it as a poem in your own words.

65. Telephone: Write about a phone call you recently received.

66. Name: Write a poem or short story using your name in some way or form.

67. Dollhouse: Write a poem or short story from the viewpoint of someone living in a doll house.

68. Random Wikipedia Article: Go to Wikipedia and click on Random Article. Write about whatever the page you get.

69. Silly Sports: Write about an extreme or silly sport. If none inspire you, make up the rules for your own game.

70. Recipe: Write about a recipe for something abstract, such as a feeling.

71. Famous Artwork: Choose a famous painting and write about it.

72. Where That Place Used to Be: Think of a place you went to when you were younger but it now no longer there or is something else. Capture your feelings about this in your writing.

73. Last Person You Talked to: Write a quick little poem or story about the last person you spoke with.

74. Caught Red-Handed: Write about being caught doing something embarrassing.

75. Interview: Write a list of questions you have for someone you would like to interview, real or fictional.

76. Missing You: Write about someone you miss dearly.

77. Geography: Pick a state or country you've never visited. Write about why you would or would not like to visit that place.

78. Random Song: Turn on the radio, use the shuffle feature on your music collection or your favorite streaming music service. Write something inspired by the first song you hear.

79. Hero: Write a tribute to someone you regard as a hero.

80. Ode to Strangers: Go people watching and write an ode to a stranger you see on the street.

81. Advertisement: Advertisements are everywhere, aren't they? Write using the slogan or line from an ad.

82. Book Inspired: Think of your favorite book. Now write a poem that sums up the entire story in 10 lines.

83. Magic: Imagine you have a touch of magic, and can make impossible things happen. What would you do?

84. Fanciest Pen: Get out your favorite pen, pencils, or even colored markers and write using them!

85. A Day in the Life: Write about your daily habits and routine.

86. Your Muse: Write about your muse - what do they look like? What does your muse do to inspire you?

87. Convenience Store: Write about an experience you've had at a gas station or convenience store.

88. Natural Wonders of the World: Choose one of the natural wonders of the world. Write about it.

89. Status Update: Write a poem using the words from your latest status update or a friend's status update. If you don't use sites like Facebook or Twitter, you can often search online for some funny ones to use as inspiration.

90. Green Thumb: Write about growing something.

91. Family Heirloom: Write about an object that's been passed through the generations in your family.

92. Bug Catcher: Write about insects.

93. Potion: Write about a magic potion. What is it made of? What does it do? What is the antidote?

94. Swinging & Sliding: Write something inspired by a playground or treehouse.

95. Adjectives: Make a list of the first 5 adjectives that pop into your head. Use these 5 words in your story, poem, or journal entry.

96. Fairy Tales: Rewrite a fairy tale. Give it a new ending or make it modern or write as a poem.

97. Whispers: Write about someone who has to whisper a secret to someone else.

98. Smile: Write a poem about the things that make you smile.

99. Seasonal: Write about your favorite season.

100. Normal: What does normal mean to you? Is it good or bad to be normal?

101. Recycle: Take something you've written in the past and rewrite it into a completely different piece.

102. Wardrobe: Write about a fashion model or what's currently in your closet or drawers.

103. Secret Message: Write something with a secret message hidden in between the words. For example, you could make an acrostic poem using the last letters of the word or use secret code words in the poem.

104. Vacation: Write about a vacation you took.

105. Heat: Write about being overheated and sweltering.

106. Spellbinding: Write a magic spell.

107. Collection: Write about collecting something, such as salt shakers, sea shells, or stamps.

108. Taking Chances: Everyone takes a risk at some point in their life. Write about a time when you took a chance and what the result was.

109. Carnival: Write a poem or story or journal entry inspired by a carnival or street fair.

110. Country Mouse: Write about someone who grew up in the country visiting the city for the first time.

111: Questions: Write about questions you have for the universe. Optional: include an answer key.

112. Rushing: Write about moving quickly and doing things fast.

113. Staircase: Use a photo of a staircase or the stairs in your home or a building you love to inspire you.

114. Neighbors: Make up a story or poem about your next door neighbor.

115. Black and Blue: Write about a time you've been physically hurt.

116. All Saints: Choose a saint and create a poem about his or her life.

117. Beach Inspired: What's not to write about the beach?

118. Shoes: What kind of shoes do you wear? Where do they lead your feet?

119. The Ex: Write a poem to someone who is estranged from you.

120. My Point of View: Write in the first person point of view.

121. Stray Animal: Think of the life of a stray cat or dog and write about that.

122. Stop and Stare: Create a poem or story about something you could watch forever.

123. Your Bed: Describe where you sleep each night.

124. Fireworks: Do they inspire you or do you not like the noise and commotion? Write about it.

125. Frozen: Write about a moment in your life you wish you could freeze and preserve.

126. Alone: Do you like to be alone or do you like having company?

127. Know-it-all: Write about something you are very knowledgeable about, for example a favorite hobby or passion of yours.

128. The Promise: Write about a promise you've made to someone. Did you keep that promise?

129. Commotion: Write about being overstimulated by a lot of chaos.

130. Read the News Today: Construct a poem or story using a news headline for your first line.

131. Macro: Write a description of an object close-up.

132. Transportation: Write about taking your favorite (or least-favorite) form of transportation.

133. Gadgets: If you could invent a gadget, what would it do? Are there any gadgets that make your life easier?

134: Bring on the Cheese: Write a tacky love poem that is so cheesy, it belongs on top of a pizza.

135. Ladders: Write a story or poem that uses ladders as a symbol.

136. Bizarre Holiday: There is a bizarre holiday for any date! Look up a holiday for today's date and create a poem in greeting card fashion or write a short story about the holiday to celebrate.

137. Blog-o-sphere: Visit your favorite blog or your feedreader and craft a story, journal entry, or poem based on the latest blog post you read.

138. Mailbox: Create a poem, short story, or journal entry based on a recent item of mail you've received.

139. Sharing: Write about sharing something with someone else.

140. Cactus: Write from the viewpoint of a cactus. What's it like to live in the desert or have a prickly personality?

141. It's a Sign: Have you seen any interesting road signs lately?

142. Furniture: Write about a piece of furniture in your home.

143. Failure: Write about a time you failed at something. Did you try again or give up completely?

144. Mystical Creatures: Angels or other mystical creatures - use them as inspiration.

145. Flying: Write about having wings and what you would do.

146. Clear and Transparent: Write a poem about being able to see-through something.

147. Break the Silence: Record yourself speaking, then write down what you spoke and revise into a short story or poem.

148. Beat: Listen to music with a strong rhythm or listen to drum loops. Write something that goes along with the beat you feel and hear.

149. Color Palette: Search online for color palettes and be inspired to write by one you resonate with.

150. Magazine: Randomly flip to a page in a magazine and write using the first few words you see as an opening line.

151. The Grass is Greener: Write about switching the place with someone or going to where it seems the "grass is greener".

152. Mind & Body: Write something that would motivate others to workout and exercise.

153. Shaping Up: Write something that makes a shape on the page...ie: a circle, a heart, a square, etc.

154. Twenty-One: Write about your 21st birthday.

155. Aromatherapy: Write about scents you just absolutely love.

156. Swish, Buzz, Pop: Create a poem that uses Onomatopoeia.

157. What Time is It? Write about the time of day it is right now. What are people doing? What do you usually do at this time each day?

158. Party Animal: Have you ever gone to a party you didn't want to leave? Or do you hate parties? Write about it!

159: Miss Manners: Use the words "please" and "thank you" in your writing.

160. Cliche: Choose a common cliche, then write something that says the same thing but without using the catch phrase.

161. Eco-friendly: Write about going green or an environmental concern you have.

162. Missing You: Write about someone you miss.

163. Set it Free: Think of a time when you had to let someone or something go to be free...did they come back?

164: Left Out: Write about a time when you've felt left out or you've noticed someone else feeling as if they didn't belong.

165. Suitcase: Write about packing for a trip or unpacking from when you arrive home.

166. Fantasy: Write about fairies, gnomes, elves, or other mythical creatures.

167. Give and Receive: Write about giving and receiving.

168. Baker's Dozen: Imagine the scents and sights of a bakery and write.

169. Treehouse: Write about your own secret treehouse hideaway.

170. Risk: Write about taking a gamble on something.

171. Acrostic: Choose a word and write an acrostic poem where every line starts with a letter from the word.

172. Crossword Puzzle: Open up the newspaper or find a crossword puzzle online and choose one of the clues to use as inspiration for your writing.

173. Silver Lining: Write about the good that happens in a bad situation.

174. Gloves: Write about a pair of gloves - what kind of gloves are they? Who wears them and why?

175. All that Glitters: Write about a shiny object.

176. Jealousy: Write with a theme of envy and jealousy.

177. How Does Your Garden Grow? Write about a flower that grows in an unusual place.

178. Jury Duty: Write a short story or poem that takes place in a courtroom.

179. Gifts: Write about a gift you have given or received.

180. Running: Write about running away from someone or something.

181. Discovery: Think of something you've recently discovered and use it as inspiration.

182. Complain: Write about your complaints about something.

183. Gratitude: Write a poem or journal entry that is all about things you are thankful for.

184. Chemistry: Choose an element and write a poem or story that uses that word in one of the lines.

185. Applause: Write about giving someone a standing ovation.

186. Old Endings Into New Beginnings: Take an old poem, story, or journal entry of yours and use the last line and make it the first line of your writing today.

187. Longing: Write about something you very much want to do.

188. I Am: Write a motivational poem or journal entry about positive traits that make you who you are.

189. Rainbow: What is at the end of a rainbow? Or, take a cue from Kermit the Frog, and ask yourself, why are there so many songs about rainbows?

190. Museum: Take some time to visit a nearby museum with your journal. Write about one of the pieces that speaks to you.

191. Cartoon: Think of your favorite cartoon or comic. Write a poem or story that takes place in that setting.

192. Copycat: Borrow a line from a famous public domain poem to craft your own.

193. From the Roof-tops: Imagine you could stand on a rooftop and broadcast a message to everyone below - what would you say?

194. Time Travel: If there was a time period you could visit for a day, where would you go? Write about traveling back in time to that day.

195. Changing Places: Imagine living the day as someone else.

196. Neighborhood: Write about your favorite place in your neighborhood to visit and hang out at.

197. Pirates: Write about a pirate ship.

198. Interview: Write based on a recent interview you've read or seen on TV or heard on the radio.

199. Hiding Spaces: Write about places you like to hide things at. What was a favorite hiding spot for you as a child playing hide-and-seek?

200. Extreme Makeover: Imagine how life might be different if you could change your hair color or clothing into something completely opposite from your current style.

201. Empathy: Write about your feelings of empathy or compassion for another person.

202. Opposites: Write a poem or story that ties in together two opposites.

203. Boredom: Write about being bored or make a list of different ways to entertain yourself.

204. Strength: Think of a time when you've been physically or emotionally strong and use that as inspiration.

205. Hunger: Write from the perspective of someone with no money to buy food.

206. Greed: Write about someone who always wants more - whether it be money, power, etc. etc.

207. Volcano: Write about an eruption of a volcano.

208. Video Inspiration: Go to Vimeo.com or YouTube.com and watch one of the videos featured on the homepage. Write something based on what you watch.

209. Sneeze: Write about things that make you sneeze.

210. Footsteps on the Moon: Write about the possibility of life in outer-space.

211: Star-crossed: Write a short modern version of the story of Romeo and Juliet or think of real-life examples of lovers who are not allowed to be together to use as inspiration for your writing.

212. Font-tastic: Choose a unique font and type out a poem, story or journal entry using that font.

213. Schedule: Take a look at your calendar and use the schedule for inspiration in writing.

214. Grandparents: Write about a moment in your grandparent's life.

215. Collage: Go through a magazine and cut out words that grab your attention. Use these words to construct a poem or as a story starter or inspiration for your journal.

216. Oh so Lonely: Write a poem about what you do when you are alone - do you feel lonely or do you enjoy your own company?

217. Waterfall: Think of a waterfall you've seen in person or spend some time browsing photos of waterfalls online. Write about the movement, flow, and energy.

218. First Kiss: Write about your first kiss.

219. So Ironic: Write about an ironic situation you've been in throughout your life.

220. Limerick: Write a limerick today.

221. Grocery Shopping: Write about an experience at the grocery store.

222. Fashion: Go through a fashion magazine or browse fashion websites online and write about a style you love.

223. So Close: Write about coming close to reaching a goal.

224. Drinks on Me: Write a poem or short story that takes place at a bar.

225. Online Friends: Write an ode to someone online you've met and become friends with.

226. Admiration: Is there someone you admire? Write about those feelings.

227. Trash Day: Write from the perspective of a garbage collector.

228. Mailbox: Open your mailbox and write something inspired by one of the pieces of mail you received.

229. Fresh & Clean: Write about how you feel after you take a shower.

230. Energized: Write about how you feel when you're either at a high or low energy level for the day.

231. Rhyme & No Reason: Make up a silly rhyming poem using made up words.

232. Tech Support: Use computers or a conversation with tech support you've had as inspiration.

233. Hotel: Write from the perspective of someone who works at a hotel or staying at a hotel.

234. Underwater: Write about sea creatures and under water life. What's under the surface of the ocean? What adventures might be waiting?

235. Breathing: Take a few minutes to do some deep breathing relaxation techniques. Once your mind is clear, just write the first few things that you think of.

236. Liar, Liar: Make up a poem or story of complete lies about yourself or someone else.

237. Obituaries: Look at the recent obituaries online or in the newspaper and imagine the life of someone and write about that person.

238. Pocket: Rummage through your pockets and write about what you keep or find in your pockets.

239. Cinquain: Write a cinquain poem, which consists of 5 lines that do not rhyme.

240. Alphabetical: Write a poem that has every letter of the alphabet in it.

241. Comedy Club: Write something inspired by a comedian.

242. Cheater: Write about someone who is unfaithful.

243. Sestina: Give a try to writing a sestina poem.

244. Fight: Write about witnessing two people get in an argument with each other.

245. Social Network: Visit your favorite Social Networking website (ie: Facebook, Pinterest, Google, Twitter, etc.) and write a about a post you see there.

246. Peaceful: Write about something peaceful and serene.

247. In the Clouds: Go cloud watching for the day and write about what you imagine in the clouds.

248. At the Park: Take some time to sit on a park bench and write about the sights, scenes, and senses and emotions you experience.

249. Sonnet: Write a sonnet today.

250. Should, Would, And Could: Write a poem or story using the words should, would, and could.

251. How to: Write directions on how to do something.

252. Alliteration: Use alliteration in your poem or in a sentence in a story.

253. Poker Face: Write about playing a card game.

254. Timer: Set a timer for 5 minutes and just write. Don't worry about it making sense or being perfect.

255. Dance: Write about a dancer or a time you remember dancing.

256. Write for a Cause: Write a poem or essay that raises awareness for a cause you support.

257. Magic: Write about a magician or magic trick.

258. Out of the Box: Imagine finding a box. Write about opening it and what's inside.

259. Under the Influence: What is something has impacted you positively in your life?

260. Forgotten Toy: Write from the perspective a forgotten or lost toy.

261. Rocks and Gems: Write about a rock or gemstone meaning.

262. Remote Control: Imagine you can fast forward and rewind your life with a remote control.

263. Symbolism: Think of objects, animals, etc. that have symbolic meaning to you. Write about it.

264. Light at the End of the Tunnel: Write about a time when you saw hope when it seemed like a hopeless situation.

265. Smoke and Fire: "Where there's smoke, there's fire." Use this saying as inspiration to write!

266. Railroad: Write about a train and its cargo or passengers.

267. Clipboard: Write about words you imagine on an office clipboard.

268. Shipwrecked: Write about being stranded somewhere - an island, a bus stop, etc.

269. Quotable: Use a popular quote from a speaker and use it as inspiration for your writing.

270. Mind Map it Out: Create a mind map of words, phrases, and ideas that pop into your head or spend some time browsing the many mind maps online. Write a poem, story, or journal entry inspired by the mind map.

271. Patterns: Write about repeating patterns that occur in life.

272. Scrapbook: Write about finding a scrapbook and the memories it contains.

273. Cure: Write about finding a cure for an illness.

274. Email Subject Lines: Read your email today and look for subject lines that may be good starters for writing inspiration.

275. Wishful Thinking: Write about a wish you have.

276. Doodle: Spend some time today doodling for about 5-10 minutes. Write about the thoughts you had while doodling or create something inspired by your finished doodle.

277. Chalkboard: Imagine you are in a classroom. What does it say on the chalkboard?

278. Sticky: Imagine a situation that's very sticky, maybe even covered in maple syrup, tape or glue. Write about it!

279. Flashlight: Imagine going somewhere very dark with only a flashlight to guide you.

280. A Far Away Place: Envision yourself traveling to a fictional place, what do you experience in your imaginary journey?

281. On the Farm: Write about being in a country or rural setting.

282. Promise to Yourself: Write about a promise you want to make to yourself and keep.

283. Brick Wall: Write a poem that is about a brick wall - whether literal or figurative.

284. Making a Choice: Write about a time when you had to make a difficult choice.

285. Repeat: Write about a time when you've had to repeat yourself or a time when it felt like no one was listening.

286. Outcast: Write about someone who is not accepted by their peers. (for example, the Ugly Ducking)

287. Scary Monsters: Write about a scary (or not-so-scary) monster in your closet or under the bed.

288. Sacrifice: Write about something you've sacrificed doing to do something else or help another person.

289. Imperfection: Create a poem that highlights the beauty in being flawed.

290. Birthday Poem: Write a poem inspired by birthdays.

291. Title First: Make a list of potential poem or story titles and choose one to write from.

292. Job Interview: Write about going on a job interview.

293. Get Well: Write a poem that will help someone who is sick feel better quick!

294. Lost in the Crowd: Write about feeling lost in the crowd.

295. Apple a Day: Write about a health topic that interests you.

296. Cravings: Write about craving something.

297. Phobia: Research some common phobias, choose one, and write about it.

298. In the Moment: Write about living in the present moment.

299. Concrete: Write about walking down a sidewalk and what you see and experience.

300. Battle: Write about an epic battle, whether real, fictional or figurative.

301. This Old House: Write about an old house that is abandoned or being renovated.

302. Clutter: Is there a cluttered spot in your home? Go through some of that clutter today and write about what you find or the process of organizing.

303. Go Fly a Kite: Write about flying a kite.

304. On the TV: Flip to a random TV channel and write about the first thing that comes on - even if it is an infomercial!

305. Fruit: Write an ode to your favorite fruit.

306. Long Distance Love: Write about a couple that is separated by distance.

307. Glasses: Write about a pair of eyeglasses or someone wearing glasses.

308. Robotic: Write about a robot.

309. Cute as a Button: Write about something you think is just adorable.

310. Movie Conversation: Use a memorable conversation from a favorite movie to inspire your writing.

311. Easy-Peasy: Write about doing something effortlessly.

312. Idiom: Choose from a list of idioms one that speaks to you and create a poem around that saying or phrase. (Ie: It is raining cats and dogs)

313. Playground: Whether it is the swings or the sandbox or the sliding boards, write about your memories of being on a playground.

314. Romance: Write about romantic things partners can do for each other.

315. Rock Star: Imagine you are a famous rock star. Write about the experience.

316. Come to Life: Imagine ordinary objects have come to life. Write about what they do and say.

317. Airplane: Write about meeting someone on an airplane and a conversation you might have.

318. Health & Beauty: Take some time to peruse your medicine cabinet or the health and beauty aisles at a local store. Write a poem, short story, or journal entry inspired by a product label.

319. Determination: Write about not giving up.

320. Instrumental Inspiration: Listen to some instrumental music and write a poem that matches the mood, beat, and style of the music.

321. Wait Your Turn: Write about having to wait in line.

322. Personality Type: Do you know your personality type? (There are many free quizzes online) - write about what type of personality traits you have.

323. Decade: Choose a favorite decade and write about it. (IE: 1980's or 1950's for example)

324. I Believe: Write your personal credo of things you believe in.

325. Lost and Found: Write about a lost object.

326. Say it: Write a poem or story that uses dialogue between two people.

327. The Unsent Letter: Write about a letter that never made it to its recipient.

328. The Windows of the Soul: Write a poem about the story that is told through someone's eyes.

329. Trial and Error: Write about something you learned the hard way.

330. Escape: Write about where you like to go to escape from it all.

331. What's Cooking: Write something inspired a favorite food or recipe.

332. Records: Go through your file box and pull out old receipts or records...write something inspired by what you find!

333. Banking: Write about visiting the bank.

334. Sweet Talk: Write about trying to convince someone of something.

335. Serendipity: Write about something that happened by chance in a positive way.

336. Distractions: Write about how it feels when you can't focus.

337. Corporation: Write about big business.

338. Word of the Day: Go to a dictionary website that has a word of the day and use it in a poem, story or journal entry you write.

339. Pick Me Up: What do you do when you need a pick me up?

340. Unfinished: Write about a project you started but never completed.

341. Forgiveness: Write about a time when someone forgave you or you forgave someone.

342. Weakness: Write about your greatest weakness.

343. Starting: Write about starting a project.

344. Mechanical: Think of gears, moving parts, machines.

345. Random Act of Kindness: Write about a random act of kindness you've done for someone or someone has done for you, no matter how small or insignificant it may have seemed.

346. Underground: Imagine living in a home underground and use that as inspiration for writing.

347. Classic Rock: Pick a classic rock love ballad and rewrite it into a story or poem with a similar theme.

348. Night Owl: Write about staying up late at night.

349. Magnetic: Write about attraction to something or someone.

350. Teamwork: Write about working with a team towards a common goal.

351. Roller-coaster: Write about the ups and downs in life.

352. Motivational Poster: Look at some motivational posters online and write a poem or journal entry inspired by your favorite one.

353. Games: Write about the games people play - figuratively or literally.

354. Turning Point: Write about a point in life where things turned for the better or worse.

355. Spellbound: Write about a witch's spell.

356. Anniversary: Write about the anniversary of a special date.

357. Gamble: Be inspired by a casino or lottery ticket.

358. Picnic: Write about going on a picnic.

359. Garage: Write about some random item you might find in a garage.

360. Review: Review your week, month, or year in a journal entry or poem format.

361. Detective: Write about a detective searching for clues or solving a mystery.

362. Camera: Take your camera for a walk and write based on one of the photographs you take.

363. Visiting: Write about visiting a family member or friend.

364. Trust: Write about putting trust in someone.

365. Congratulations: Did you write a poem, short story, or journal entry every day for a whole year? Write about what you've learned and celebrate your achievement!

We hope you enjoy these creative writing prompts! And of course, if you write anything using these prompts, we'd love to know about it! Tell us how you'll use these everyday creative writing prompts in the comments section below!

And of course, if you'd like the printable ad-free version of these prompts to reference again and again or to use in your classroom, you can find them at our Etsy shop!

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Here are 365 Creative Writing Prompts to help inspire you to write every single day! Use them for journaling, story starters, poems and more!

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This link https://donnayoung.org/english/composition/sentence-starters.htm should take you to a page with ideas to help a learner start writing by using sentence starters. Material should be adapted appropriately for an adult learner.

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Sentence Starters

The purpose of this activity is to warm-up your children's imagination. It is all for fun and there are no wrong answers. However, you can take note of misspelled words and poor usage of grammar and punctuation and use the information for future spelling and grammar lessons. This activity usually generates conversation because the children will read their sentences aloud and they will sometimes want to talk about them.

Resources to Have on Hand

The children's favorite dictionary so they can look up a word if the need arises

A thesaurus

How to use Sentence Starters

Of course you may use these by simply asking the children to complete the sentence. I generally ask my kids to choose a theme or two for their sentences. All children do not have to choose the same theme, each child chooses the theme that he or she wants to use.

Some Themes

Settings

You could also ask the children to choose a setting. I do not usually ask for a setting, but sometimes I do. If you opt to have the children choose a setting, then instruct the child to include the setting on their paper. They could write a description of the setting... or the setting could become a part of the sentence [example from: Through the open door she could see]
Through the open door -of the abandoned hotel- she could see...
Here are some settings:

home [yours, someone else's, spooky]

down town [daylight or dark]

a shopping mall [new, abandoned]

cave [spooky, beautiful, dark, or batty...]

outer space [in a space ship or on another planet]

a different time [past or future]

hotel [old or new, large or small, in the middle of nowhere or in the middle of a metropolis]

forest

A season [autumn, winter, spring, summer or/and with elements of the season implied (snowy day)

and so on...

The Sentence Starters

1. Through the open door she could see | examples

2. The moment he saw the picture, he | examples

3. Five minutes later he

4. One sees now that she would

5. She opened the door and

6. I thought for a moment and then

7. The thing that helped save him was

8. For this purpose, they made a

9. There is nothing here but a

10. The men were stunned when they saw

11. We have journeyed far and now we must

12. As she watched the leaves drift

13. They were beginning to look for

14. The dull gray hours passed then suddenly

15. What a strange noise that is, it sounds like a

16. He insisted that they should

17. Some of the people were shocked when

18. On this occasion the presents were

19. He sat for a while and then

20. She looked back when she heard the

Examples

These examples are sentences that were written by a middle-grade child (always named 1.) and an upper-grade child (always named 2.) The examples will always have the youngest child's sentence first:

Examples from Sentence 1

theme: nonsense
1. Through the open door she could see flying frogs, walking fish, talking trees, dancing leaves, mooing grass, fishing dictionaries, laughing chairs, and jumping calculators.
2. Through the open door she could see a tree growing upside down in a circular manner.
theme: ordinary
1. Through the open door she could see a bunch of adorable keelios frolicking in the frostbitten field.
*note: Keelios is an imaginary animal created by child 1.
theme: horror
2. Through the open door she could see a cabinet that has three eyes, one of which was popped out and looking around, five arms and five additional stubs where more arms could have been, three legs each with seven toes, three teeth protruding from the mouth and a power drill for hands.

Examples from Sentence 2

theme: goofy/scary
1. The moment he saw the picture he ran away screaming because it was a picture of Teletubbies.2. The moment he saw the picture he exploded.
theme: horror
2. The moment he saw the * old, dirty picture, he was grabbed by the man in the picture and pulled in while the microwave laughed sinuously.
*note: Child added adjectives to the sentence starter. Dirty as in muddy.

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May 13, 2021

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The purpose of this activity is to warm-up your children's imagination. It is all for fun and there are no wrong answers.

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This list was compiled by the New York Times and has great story topics formed as questions to help learners get started. The full article can be read here if you are curious about how the list was created: https://archive.nytimes.com/learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/500-prompts-for-narrative-and-personal-writing/

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Here are 99 starter sentences to help learners get comfortable with writing.

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Trina Lynne has been writing, editing and consulting writers for 8 years. She has multiple websites you can find here: about.me/TrinaLynne

Have you ever found yourself stuck while writing? Happens to us all, right?

Sometimes all you need is a sentence to get your creative juices flowing again.

Here's 99 sentences to get you thinking and get you writing.

1. The summer breeze brushed past my sundress as I walked down the lane.

2. The Professor always made me feel awkward with his crazy inventions, and this time is no different.

3. Rosaline never knew what hit her.

4. By the time I reached the train station, she was gone.

5. There was a time when my family was extremely happy.

6. Every morning I walked to the cafe' for my latte' and a glimpse at him.

7. There was a secret meeting tonight and I had to be there.

8. David had asked me to meet him at the corner bakery.

9. The night sky was full of stars but no moon.

10. Lately, Marlene felt that there was something missing from her life.

11. Jessica and Caitlin had a secret that no person could ever find out.

12. The gaming convention was full of people and there was a terroristic threat.

13. Lady Luck was always on my side at the casinos.

14. I had to stay with my aunts for a while because mom had a new suitor.

15. The lights and sounds of the big city have always excited me.

16. Every time I heard the ice cream truck it reminded me of home.

17. The melody of the music box soothed me.

18. The subway stopped suddenly inside the tunnel.

19. Shopping is what I call my number 1 hobby.

20. The internship was about to start, but I was far from excited.

21. A hostage situation at a bank was not how I wanted to spend my morning.

22. It has been weeks since I received communication from my brother in Iraq.

23. The cemetary was rather quiet on my annual visit.

24. Amy wasn't too adament to go to her uncle's Will reading.

25. Walking down the long corridor John had no clue what his boss could want.

26. Tara was hesitant to open the hotel room, scared of what she may find.

27. Every time I pulled, the ropes seemed to get tighter around my wrists.

28. The crash just happened and no one saw it coming.

29. Shadows surrounded Clayton as he walked down the ally behind Alfonzo's Pizzeria.

30. Tyler has been out all night and there was no sign of him arriving anytime soon.

31. Flowers came to my house every other Monday around 1 o'clock.

32. The nurse's station was buzzing as the bomb victims poured in.

33. She had been watching her neighbor's house for weeks with no evidence of the abuse.

34. Nathan had been the only man I had ever slept with.

35. The rain got harder as Tina walked alone in tears.

36. The memories flooded back as I looked through the photo album.

37. My clothes were completely ripped up and I had to go onstage in twenty minutes.

38. April will forever be our favorite month.

39. Eleven blocks was a long way to run, but there was so much traffic and time was running out.

40. It was all over the Internet before I got a chance to explain things.

41. Ann hadn't been out with the opposite sex in over 5 years, so she agreed to go on the blind date.

42. The caller said if I dropped the money off at 3 p.m. he would let my kids go.

43. The heat of his breath lingered on my neck.

44. Angel and her friends waited backstage for a chance to meet a famous rapper.

45. My fear would be hard to conquer but I had to do it if I wanted peace.

46. The dreams were recurring and frightening to say the least.

47. The house shook as if some powerful wind had gone by.

48. Elana had been waiting for this audition to show she had what it took to be a dancer.

49. Stephanie dragged her luggage up the stairs of the Bed & Breakfast while Terrence talked business on his cellphone.

50. The photographer yelled for me to get on the set of my first photo shoot.

51. Every time the clock struck 11 the house got dark for five minutes.

52. No matter who I was with I just couldn't stop cheating.

53. Our 10 year class reunion was right around the corner.

54. When Allan arrived home there were 42 messages on his answering machine.

55. A road trip is exactly what me and the girls need.

56. At 3 in the morning we were still on the phone.

57. All the nuns at the orphanage were ruthless except for Sister Francis.

58. My first pitch in the majors and I was ecstatic.

59. The music slowed and we were left on the dance floor.

60. Every time I turned around there was someone trying to stop my progress.

61. Life has just seemed to pass me by but I really want to make a mark.

62. Having desires was always Trent's downfall.

63. One of the biggest secrets of my life was on the 10 o'clock news.

64. No sooner did our romantic evening start, an urgent call came through.

65. There was no real explanation for Anthony's new found 'talent'.

66. Lights filled the sky atop the houses.

67. Samantha left a note for Justin each morning bt he would never tell anyone what they said.

68. Twenty-two hours of labor and the baby still hadn't come.

69. Emily missed her best friend dearly but she knew they couldn't see each other.

70. Could it be possible the she loved him more than her own husband?

71. Each time Nora picked up her phone, she placed it right back down on the cradle.

72. David couldn't think of anything but his missing little sister.

73. I never believed in having a therapist for life's problems.

74. Working in a novelty store had to be the coolest and most interesting job ever.

75. My mother could never be happy for me.

76. The surgery was already scheduled and all I had to do was show up.

77. Vladimir hated showing his emotions for fear of backlash from his father.

78. The roller coaster stopped upside down with dozens of passengers on board.

79. A quiet evening on the beach would set the mood perfectly to break the news.

80. Whenever Heather wanted to be alone she traveled to the observatory.

81. There was an eerie smile on Cathy's face as she relinquished all her assets to her soon-to-be ex in court.

82. Behind closed doors Aaron wasn't the hard ass everyone thought he was.

83. For months Vivian cried herself to sleep.

84. Nerds were not the only game testers at Finger Works Inc.

85. I was amazed to see that my grandma had planted so many flowers.

86. We were supposed to meet on the Brooklyn Bridge at 11 p.m.

87. Discouraged and tired, they ended the search for Patricia.

88. Onlookers watched in horror as the plane exploded as soon as it hit the runway.

89. The pills seemed to call her as she stared at the medicine bottle on the night stand.

90. France was a beautiful place this time of year.

91. We shared our first kiss under the cherry blossom tree.

92. This corruption case was the biggest one the city has ever seen.

93. Donna promised revenge on everyone that was in the conference room this morning.

94. Bouquets of flowers filled my living and dining rooms but how did they get in here.

95. Ginger spent each Thursday evening taking Salsa lessons.

96. Owen spent months planning the perfect vacation and now this happened.

97. Mustafa was forced to live in exile.

98. Lance looked everywhere for the files but they were nowhere to be found.

99. Each morning I wake up with him on my mind and pain in my heart.

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Trina Lynne Have you ever found yourself stuck while writing? Happens to us all, right? Sometimes all you need is a sentence to get your creative juices flowing again. Here's 99 sentences to get you thinking and get you writing. The summer...

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This handout has a list of fun wordless picture books you can use to prompt learners to write.

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Wordless Picture Books To Use as Writing Prompts

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Using Lists as Writing Practice or as Writing Prompts

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Using Lists as Writing Practice or as Writing Prompts

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Lists can be functional or they can be useful for higher level learners as writing prompts. This handout has just a sampling of ideas taken from a writer who keeps a "journal of lists" that make her happy. The full article can be found through the link at the bottom of page 1.

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This template can be used for pre-writing and brainstorming, similar to a mind map. Try using a variety of graphic organizers to see which ones work best for your learners.

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Try using this template to guide discussion and help your learner organize what they recall after reading a passage. It's ok for learners to refer back to the text while doing this. This tool is good for assessing and strengthening comprehension. This one could also be used as a pre-writing, organizational tool for a persuasive writing exercise. Try using a variety of graphic organizers for different purposes to see which ones your learners like.

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Graphic Organizer - Beginning, Middle, End

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Graphic Organizer - Beginning, Middle, End

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This type of organizer can be used for pre-writing. If you recall looking at Walter's Story, this could have been helpful (prior to writing) to decide which events to include, to improve with the flow of his story. This can also be used for comprehension, to help your learner summarize and retell after reading a passage or story.

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This graphic organizer can help learners plan what they want to say when writing. For example: For the Writer to Writer Contest, learners need to introduce themselves to the author and state which book they read (Opening); tell what they liked about it (#1) and why they liked it (#2), add what inspired them to write to the author (#3); finish with what they learned or how they benefitted from reading the book (Closing). This type of organizer can help learners distill thoughts in short chunks instead of starting with a blank page. It can also be used to help your learners summarize and retell after reading a passage or story.

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These tips were compiled from the Tutor Tips in the Adult New Reader Books. They provide quick ideas to use with any text or learner to make writing fun and less intimidating.

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For tutor reference only - do not expect a learner to go over everything on this list at once. We suggest using the Roles and Goals Map while using this as a guide for asking questions. Reviewing the whole list with learners could be overwhelming. All learners' goals are important, even if they are not on this list. List any stated goals on this form. If not listed, add to Other goals. Note down the goals set/met/progress made on this form and refer to it when filling out monthly reports.

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This template may be helpful to your learners when they are setting goals.

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These Guideposts keep you focused on your learner’s goals

and provide a key component of adult learning and development: reflection and evaluation. These steps can help you build productive lesson plans and activities based on your learner's needs and interests.

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Roles and goals guide to creating outcomes-directed curriculum 

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This is one of many types of forms you can use with your learners to plan your sessions. The second page of this form has space to record notes from your reflection and evaluation after a lesson

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Assessing and Documenting Progress Slides 

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Assessing and Documenting Progress Slides 

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This handout from Alameda Reads is one example of how tutors and learners can structure their meetings.

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This is a great resource for native English-speaking adult learners. Ask your program if they have a print and/or online subscription.

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Click on the link directly above to access Adult New Reader books. You can preview the list of book titles (or order books) and browse descriptions or lesson planning suggestions from the links provided. Each book has Tutor Tips in the back for use in lesson planning.

More information on accessing these digital FREE books and printable/downloadable PDF versions on ProLiteracy's Education Network is here: https://www.library.ca.gov/uploads/2024/01/Instructions-for-Accessing-Pleasure-Reading.pdf

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In this video, shared by Read Santa Clara, you will see a learner and tutor doing a "check-in". In comparison to reflection and evaluation conversations at the end of each meeting, this is a discussion of the progress they have made over time. They decide together what to continue working on. Try to do this with your learners every few months or at least twice a year. It is motivational for learners to review their progress and be reminded of the positive outcomes they have achieved.

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Adult New Readers on ProLiteracy website

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Adult New Readers on ProLiteracy website

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This document will help you navigate the ProLiteracy site to access 107 Adult New Reader titles (we showed you in training) with photos, Tutor Tips and a printable PDF for each book. These instructions list "Staff or Teacher account" followed by "Student Account" instructions on page 8. An account for either the tutor or learner must be set up first (with email and name only) in order to login and access the books. Once logged in, select the "Start Learning" on the Pleasure Reading section on the home page. Note: You will find the PDF link on the last page of each story.

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Instructions for Accessing Pleasure Reading

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Here are several more resources for you on reading assessment and instruction.

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If your learner is interested in poetry, this website has many examples and different categories you can search by.

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Welcome to Family Friend Poems - your home for Loving Healing and Touching. Poems. With thousands of poems categorized by theme, we offer a vast selection for you to choose from. Whether you're looking for a poem for personal reflection or to share with others, we have something for everyone.

Learn more about us, or browse through our collection of poems now.

Poem of the Day For: Saturday, June 22, 2024

Category: Teen Poems
Subcategory: Family Poems by Teens

You're My Best Friend

by Ashley You're more than a dad
But a kind, loving man

You showed me the ways
Read Complete Poem
Poem of the Week for: 06/18/2024 - 06/24/2024

Category: Famous Poems
Subcategory: Famous Family Poems

Mother, A Cradle To Hold Me

by Maya Angelou

It is true
I was created in you.
It is also true
That you were created for me.
Read Complete Poem

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Family Friend Poems is a safe haven to read and share heartfelt loving, healing and touching popular poems for all occasions.

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Former Butte County Library Literacy Manager, Heather Tovey, illustrates what makes library-based adult literacy programs so special.

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Video - Contextualized Verb Tenses Lesson

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Video - Contextualized Verb Tenses Lesson

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This video shows a teacher leading a class through a contextualized grammar lesson on verb tenses, using a timeline and photos from her own life.

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Here are five important spelling rules that we discussed during the training.

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Tutoring ELL Learner with a Picture Book

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Tutoring ELL Learner with a Picture Book

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This video shows a learner without literacy in any language working with a tutor to read and write, starting with her oral vocabulary and a picture book.

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Tutoring Learners Without Literacy in Any Language: Words with a Picture Book

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Tutoring Learners Who Don't Have Literacy in Their Native Language: Using a Book of Picture Stories

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Tutoring Learners Who Don't Have Literacy in Their Native Language: Using a Book of Picture Stories

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This is one of four videos demonstrating strategies to use with learners who don't have literacy in any language.

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Tutoring Learners Who Don't Have Literacy in Their Native Language: Using a Book of Picture Stories

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Tutoring Learners Who Don't Have Literacy in a Native Language: Describe Events to Create a Story

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Tutoring Learners Who Don't Have Literacy in a Native Language: Describe Events to Create a Story

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This is one of four videos demonstrating strategies to use with learners who don't have literacy in any language.

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Tutoring Learners Who Don't Have Literacy in a Native Language: Describe Events to Create a Story

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Tutoring Learners Who Don't Have Literacy in Their Native Language: Start with a  a Favorite Recipe

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Tutoring Learners Who Don't Have Literacy in Their Native Language: Start with a  a Favorite Recipe

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This is one of four videos demonstrating strategies to use with learners who don't have literacy in any language.

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Tutoring Learners Who Don't Have Literacy in Their Native Language: Start with a  a Favorite Recipe

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ESL Literacy Readers (Bow Valley College)

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ESL Literacy Readers (Bow Valley College)

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This excellent site has 40 theme-based free readers with 7 levels. Each learning level has a description of the text, sentence structure and vocabulary to help tutors. Audio books and printable PDF's are available for each title; the Print PDF has the book laid out for printing as a booklet. The print settings are listed beside each book. The books can be also be opened and read as Ebooks online.

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Welcome to the ESL LIteracy Readers. Our collection of forty theme-based readers, along with an instructors guide, will support ESL literacy instructors to create comprehensive, theme-based lessons for adult ESL literacy learners. The themes were carefully chosen and are both of high interest to learners, and more importantly, relevant to their lives.

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Newsela Lite gives you free, engaging content at 5 reading levels. You get complete access to 4 staff-picked articles for 1 month each. Each week you'll discover new content as they swap out an old article for something fresh and current.

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Ask your program if they subscribe to Easy English News, a monthly newspaper written in simple English by expert ESL writers. It is aimed at intermediate English language learners ages 10 to adult. It is also an excellent resource for students in reading assistance programs, social studies programs, and citizenship programs.

Each issue includes full color pages, a wide range of topics, and word help on the back page. A monthly Teacher's Guide, reproducible quizzes, and audio recordings are included in each subscription. They can be accessed on our website.

Readers build English vocabulary and reading skills while they learn about:

Current news

Civics information

Survival skills for life in the U.S.

Events and holidays of the current month

Readers' true stories

Preparation for citizenship exam

Health and safety

Idioms

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Easy English News is a 12-page, 11" x 17" monthly newspaper written in simple English by expert ESL writers. It is aimed at intermediate English language learners ages 10 to adult. It is also an excellent resource for students in reading assistance programs, social studies programs, and citizenship programs.

Each month's issue arrives to you by the first of the month. It includes full color pages, a wide range of topics, and word help on the back page. A monthly Teacher's Guide, reproducible quizzes, and audio recordings are included in each subscription. They can be accessed on our website.

Readers build English vocabulary and reading skills while they learn about:

Current news

Civics information

Survival skills for life in the U.S.

Events and holidays of the current month

Readers' true stories

Preparation for citizenship exam

Health and safety

Idioms

Easy English NEWS is used and enjoyed in thousands of ESL classrooms across the U.S. and in several other countries.

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Easy English News is a 12-page, 11" x 17" monthly newspaper written in simple English by expert ESL writers. It is aimed at intermediate English language learners ages 10 to adult. It is also an excellent resource for students in reading assistance programs, social studies programs, and citizenship programs. Each month's issue arrives to you by the first of the month.

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This video shows a teacher using TPR to teach action verbs and pronouns. Students listen, repeat and "show" as they learn new vocabulary and grammar.

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This PowerPoint presentation by ESL Consultant, Teacher Trainer, Shirley Thompson, explains how to use jazz chants to help your learners speak more clearly, practice vocabulary, and learn and reinforce grammar patterns.

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Popular Intermediate to Advanced Conversation Topics

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Popular Intermediate to Advanced Conversation Topics

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The topics in this handout are for intermediate and advanced English language learners, but you can adapt many of them for lower-level learners.

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Popular Intermediate to Advances ESL Conversation Topics