Helpful Links — Oakland Literacy Council

Below are some suggested websites to assist tutors in their lesson plans. There are many more but these are some of our favorites.

CROWDEDLearning

An Online Resource for Skilled Immigrants

Working through Upwardly Global, LARA has created an online resource for skilled immigrants, providing important information on how to become a licensed professional in Michigan. The goal is to promote skilled immigrants and refugees to translate their education and talents to meet Michigan’s licensing requirements and promoting Michigan as a destination for skilled immigrants. There are Michigan Professional Licensing Guides for a variety of professions.

MLoTS

The Media Library of Teaching Skills (MLoTS) is a free, digital collection of short, authentic classroom videos intended for adult basic education professional development.

Englishpage

This site has many teaching materials and dozens of interactive exercises.

The Literacy List

The Literacy List is a large collection of free Adult Basic Education and English language (ELL/ESL/ESOL) websites, electronic discussion lists, communities of practice (CoPs), and other Internet resources for adult basic skills learners, teachers and tutors. The resources have been suggested by adult literacy, basic and secondary education, and ELL practitioners.

Making Sense of Decoding and Spelling

Free Curriculum developed for targeted to adult basic education (ABE) learners at the low-intermediate level (fourth to seventh grade equivalence level).

Citizenship Resource Center

Great resources for obtaining US Citizenship including lesson plans, practice tests, information about how to apply among many other topics.

Curriculum and Lesson Plans from the Minnesota Literacy Council

Downloadable lesson plans for a wide variety of literacy needs.

EverythingESL.net

This site has lesson plans and teaching tips.

PANDA

Information provided about a variety of disabilities and how Adult Basic Students can be better supported.

The Internet TESL Journal

This site contains information on teaching techniques and creating lesson plans. It also has on-line quizzes, games, and activities for all skill levels.

Adult Education Teacher Resources

A list of resources and links compiled by the Office of Adult Education, State of Michigan.

LearnEnglishFeelGood

This site offers English grammar practice, new vocabulary learning, idioms and phrasal verbs.

ESL Gold

Great ESL resources organized by Speaking, Grammar, Vocabulary, Listening, Reading, and Writing. Also TOEFEL test preparation activities, videos, and quizzes.

Conversation Board Game

Conversation starters within the context of a board game.

ManyThings.org

There are quizzes, word games, word puzzles, proverbs, slang expressions, anagrams, a random sentence generator and other computer assisted language learning activities on this site. The primary focus is for ESL; however, native English speakers may also find some interesting things on this site.

Workforce Readiness Workshop

This link takes you to information from a January 2020 tutor workshop about assisting adult students in their search for a job.

The Purdue Owl

This site offers useful tips for tutors.

Puzzlemaker

Use this site to make puzzles and games using words and phrases that you choose.

Testprepreview

This site contains GED test practice questions in the areas of reading, grammar, math, science and social studies.

Troy Adult Education and Careers (TRAC)

Read the brochure for this intensive program offered by the Troy school district to study English for a job and get a career certification. Applications are now being accepted until March 6 for the programming beginning in the fall of 2020.

Lesley Tauro

12:43 05 Sep 24

I love being a English Tutor with Oakland Literacy Council on a one-on-one basis as well as for a conversation group. Through OLC, I have had the opportunity to meet so many incredible people, many who have become friends.

Cynthia Werstein

23:48 04 Sep 24

I have enjoyed my ESL tutoring with Oakland Literacy Council. We received training to help us, help our students. I feel like I can reach out for additional help if needed. Not to forget, they offer outside activities, on occasion, so that the students and tutors can do some typical, but fun activities! OLC is a great organization to volunteer with.

Lisa Burns

21:33 04 Sep 24

I've been volunteering with the OLC for about a year and a half, and it's been a great experience! I very much enjoy the tutoring sessions with the student whom they paired me with. She is a lovely person and I've learned a lot from her too. OLC makes tutoring easy for volunteers, with an easy-to-use curriculum, training, support, and social events. Highly recommend!

Qambar Ali Sarwari

19:50 04 Sep 24

Great team, motivational atmosphere, Thank you for your always support and help, especially the refresher training you provide to the tutors.Warm regards ,Ali

Brad Roth

19:07 04 Sep 24

When I retired in 2020 (in the middle of the covid pandemic) I wanted to find ways to volunteer. As a former college professor, I am particularly concerned about education and literacy. Working with Oakland Literacy Council has been a wonderful experience for me. The staff at OLC (particularly Laurie Weeks) is so helpful and appreciative. I've gotten more hand-written thank you notes from Laurie in the last four years than from everyone else throughout the rest of my life combined. Volunteering for OLC lets me give back to society but enjoy retirement too. I highly recommend it.

Kelly Turner

11:12 23 Aug 24

I would like to say How amazing Oakland literacy Council is I came in May To Continue my education and I thank god I found them they where at the bottom of the list when they should have been at the top of the list first off the staff is amazing they did everything by the book I did placement testing to figure out where to place me they took the time out to get the best tutors they also called and checked in on me and also motivated me to keep going and never give up they gave me the option to go online for tutoring or in person Stewart my tutor was amazing he took pride in educating me and never made me feel like I was bothering him patricia was amazing she stayed on me and stayed consistent they made me feel like familythe icing on the cake was how they acknowledged me on graduation day the whole team was there for me and my family and I was so happy and me and my kid's could feel the love it's nothing that I would not do for Oakland literacy I will be there spokesperson for life cause it's worth it and they have top notch tutors employees and the online tutor services is Phenomenal if you're seeking to continue your education look no more this is the place to go

Sanghee Han

11:59 22 Aug 24

I was so lucky to meet oakland literacy Council. Since OLC has been a great institute for me almost 2 years. And they helped my english improve and give me some good talking classes for learning new culture here as well. Now that I graduated from a reading program at OLC, I feel like I'm still with them. Really appreciate it.

BAIYANG LAI

19:36 15 Aug 24

In the past three years I learned English with Oakland Literacy. I met quite a few tutors in one by one tutoring and some conversation groups. Those tutors were so incredible and awesome! They really really helped me a lot in my English. My gratitude to all of them is beyond words!

jung min son

17:36 15 Aug 24

Thank you for having me with your excellent support.. I really enjoyed learning English and having conversation class with others. I made some good friends and I think Oakland Literacy Council is very good for people who need English support 👏 👍

Joseph Lee (Jo)

16:39 15 Aug 24

Oakland Literacy Council was a very good program for me as my second language. I evaluated my English ability through English listening and reading tests and matched my tutor accordingly. As a result, my English improved a lot. And most of all, it was free.