Thank you for volunteering to change a life through literacy. We’ll do everything we can to support your efforts—starting with these easy-to-use online tools.
Volunteer Resources
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Volunteer Resources
Monthly Tutor Log
Monthly Tutor Log
Please fill out the form below to submit your monthly tutoring log to your literacy coordinator. Thank you for submitting your form before the 1st of the upcoming month.
Match Confirmation Form
Match Confirmation
Please complete the following form after you have had your first meeting with your learner.
Additional Resources
Adult Tutoring Program Event Calendar
Check out the events for this month!
Tutor Library Database
Explore the list of materials in our Tutor Library! Find out which textbooks and books are appropriate for your learner and what support materials we have available for your own learning. Check the last edition of the Tutoring Manual for a tutorial. If you have any doubts, please contact your Literacy Coordinator.
Our YouTube Channel
Stay up-to-date to teach your learner using online resources. All the videos in this playlist have been created by the program coordinators and are directed specifically at supporting our tutors with their one-on-one lessons.
List of Resources for Online Tutoring
Check this collection of websites that will be useful for online tutoring.
Access to Burlington English
Direct access to the login screen of Burlington English. If you want to review the initial training session we offered to use this platform with us, please go here.
Access to Reading Horizons
Direct access to the login screen of Reading Horizons. If you want to review the initial training session we offered to use this platform with us, please go here.
Tutoring Material Exchange Station
Share and access the materials that you and other tutors have created for your lessons. All the materials have been classified according to type and level, and they are in a format that is easily downloadable from any computer, ready to be printed! To share your materials, please send them to your Literacy Coordinator. To access materials, just click on the link, find what you need and click Download. If you have any questions about how to download files, please contact your LC.
Reading Practice
News for You
Online newspaper for tutors and learners; email info@literacycenterwm.org for login information or contact your literacy coordinator.
The Change Agent
Online magazine for tutors and learners about social justice; email info@literacycenterwm.org for login information or contact your literacy coordinator.
Breaking News English
Current events presented at a beginner's English level
Lit2Go
Lit2Go is a free online collection of stories and poems in Mp3 (audiobook) format. Many of the passages also have a related reading strategy identified. Each reading passage can also be downloaded as a PDF and printed for use as a read-along or as supplemental reading material for your classroom. You may search for books by genre, authors, and more importantly, readability level! Look at your Training Manual for more on readability. The link goes straight to that section of the webpage.
English Club
Various exercises to help ESL learners learn and practice the skill of reading English
Writing Practice
Lang-8
A collaborative site in which learners may have their texts corrected by learners of other languages while correcting texts of individuals who are learning the language of the learner; account creation needed
Busy Teacher
Writing strategies for the ESL learner
Listening Practice
News for You
Online newspaper for tutors and learners; email info@literacycenterwm.org for login information
The Change Agent
Online magazine for tutors and learners about social justice; email info@literacycenterwm.org for login information or contact your literacy coordinator.
Breaking News English
Current events presented at a beginner's English level
Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab
Listening tracks and exercises for learners of different levels
Youtube channel: English Speaking Course
This is a Youtube channel for English language learners. You may have your learner listen, repeat, work on their pronunciation, discuss, among other tasks. It is for all levels but directed more specifically at beginners.
Sites with various kinds of exercises
Dave's ESL Café
Fun, creative site for both ESL teachers and students with interactive quizzes, a graffiti wall, student and teacher e-mail exchange, literacy software for sale and a help center. Teachers from around the world can quickly answer questions about grammar, writing, vocabulary, and others.
ProLiteracy Education Network
Resources for non-native and native learners
English Learner
Various activities for learners of several levels
Lesson Plans
The Change Agent
Online magazine for tutors and learners about social justice; email info@literacycenterwm.org for login information or contact your literacy coordinator.
English Is a Piece of Cake
Free lesson plans and teaching resources for intermediate, upper intermediate, advanced and proficiency level English; lessons for conversation classes, reading lesson plans, ESL listening exercises, lessons that use videos and multi-media, grammar lessons, tips on vocabulary revision, general teaching techniques, as well as ideas on how to write your own lesson plans
ESL Notes
Activities about movies in English
5-Minute English
Lesson plans and Q&A for a variety of grammar and other topics
Further Tutor Training
Minnesota Literacy Council
Free online training courses for new teachers and volunteers
ProLiteracy Education Network
More online courses for tutors
Other Organizations
Grand Rapids Public Library
The Grand Rapids Public Library is our community’s foremost source for information, viewpoints, resources, and programs.
Kent District Library
Kent District Library is a public library system operating 18 branch libraries.
Federal Trade Commission
A variety of downloadable flyers to teach learners about being a consumer and avoiding scams
Michigan eLibrary
Catalog of free online resources, such as GED practice tests and tutorials, career preparation, computer literacy tutorials, and citizenship resources. All that is required is an email to register for a free account!
Coalition on Adult Basic Education
The Coalition on Adult Basic Education is organized to advance national and international adult education and literacy opportunities for everyone.
Digital Tools
Duolingo
Website and smartphone for language learners to study English through games and other tools, using the learner's first languages. The first languages included are German, Catalan, Esperanto, French, Guarani, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Russian
Elevate
Smartphone application that helps native speakers (or advanced level ESL learners) improve their vocabulary, reading and writing skills. Look for this application in your smartphone store (directly on your phone). The basic version is free of charge.
Word Reference Online Dictionary
Website with an easy-to-use dictionary