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Literacy and ESL Services
Special Collections
The King County Library System is a resource center for learning and fun titles in all formats for students and staff of adult learner programs. The following are some of the services available at King County Library System branches.
www.LiteracyNOW.info
Previously known as the Tacoma Community House Training Project, we became
the Literacy Network Of Washington both to reflect our continuing statewide
services of adult literacy training and resources, and to represent our
new statewide service of a toll-free hotline and website directory.
Now students and referral sources throughout the state can find tutoring
or classes in their community for: English as a Second Language (ESL),
Citizenship, Basic reading, writing, or math, GED or high school completion,
Workplace literacy and Family literacy.
The toll-free hotline (1-888-444-5744) is staffed by English, Spanish,
and Russian speakers who are trained to locate an adult literacy program
that best meets a caller’s needs.
The website directory (www.LiteracyNOW.info)
provides users a searchable database of over 200 adult literacy program
sites located throughout Washington. Users can choose to do a Basic Search,
using their city, zip code, or county to find an appropriate program,
or an Advanced Search, adding selection criteria to identify just those
programs in their area that, for example, offer childcare, or van transportation,
or weekend classes.
The website also offers information about our ongoing workshops and resources,
including our most recent publication, Making It Real: Teaching Pre-literate
Adult Refugee Students, which can be downloaded for free in its entirety.
Adult Basic Education
Adult Basic
Education Collections Books, audio tapes, and videos for the adult
student, including reading, writing, math, parenting, jobs, tests and
much more! Ask the librarian where this collection is located.
ESL Collections
Materials in all formats to aid those learning English. Dictionaries,
pronunciation tapes, readers, citizenship and TOEFL study guides, videos,
and more are all available. Be sure to check out the Crossroads Cafe
Video Series. Ask your librarian to show you where the ESL collection
is in your branch.
Citizenship, Talk Time and
English Conversation Classes
Many King County Library System branches are holding English conversation
classes for non-native speakers. Run by trained volunteers, these groups provide
a relaxed, fun place for adults to practice and improve their speaking skills.
Call 425-369-3452 for times and places or information on
volunteering.
Job Search Aids
Help-wanted ads, wage surveys, career information, business directories - all
these and more are available through the library. Some branches have resume
software and a special career section with everything you need to find a job,
all in one place! Ask the librarian to show you where it is located.
Study and
Tutoring Rooms
KCLS gives priority to use of its study rooms to tutors of Adult Basic Education
and ESL students. Meeting rooms may be booked for tutoring wherever
small study rooms are not available. Call your local
King County Library System branch to schedule private space for tutoring
during weekday, evening, and weekend hours.
Resource Lists
www.LiteracyNOW.info
Previously known as the Tacoma Community House Training Project, we became
the Literacy Network Of Washington both to reflect our continuing statewide
services of adult literacy training and resources, and to represent our new
statewide service of a toll-free hotline and website directory. Now students
and referral sources throughout the state can find tutoring or classes in
their community for: English as a Second Language (ESL), Citizenship, Basic
reading, writing, or math, GED or high school completion, Workplace literacy
and Family literacy.
The toll-free hotline (1-888-444-5744) is staffed by English, Spanish, and
Russian speakers who are trained to locate an adult literacy program that best
meets a caller’s needs.
The website directory (www.LiteracyNOW.info)
provides users a searchable database of over 200 adult literacy program
sites located throughout Washington. Users can choose to do a Basic Search,
using their city, zip code, or county to find an appropriate program, or an
Advanced Search, adding selection criteria to identify just those programs
in their area that, for example, offer childcare, or van transportation, or
weekend classes.
The website also offers information about our ongoing workshops and resources,
including our most recent publication, Making It Real: Teaching Pre-literate
Adult Refugee Students, which can be downloaded for free in its entirety.
English Learning Tools on the Web
American
Red Cross Language Bank
Serving non-profits and individuals throughout King and Kitsap Counties, the
Language Bank has 420 bi- and multi-lingual volunteers who speak over 70 languages
and dialects.
Dave's ESL Cafe
Links, exercises, student & teacher chat, quizzes, photos, and more.
The ESL Cyber Listening Lab
This easy-to-use site has dozens of listening and comprehension exercises,
some with captioned video script.
The ESL Homepage
English-as-a-Second Language learning tools for students & teachers.
ESL Loop
Many ESL sites and English schools consecutively linked for a unique browsing
experience.
East
Side Refugee and Immigration Coalition/ East King County Multilingual
Resource Guide
Produced and sponsored by the Eastside Human Services Forum and the Eastside
Refugee and Immigrant Coalition (ERIC), this publication was created out of
a need to increase access to local resources.
Green River
Community College
ESL Student Learning Activities.
Key News
News articles and exercises for reading and comprehension practice.
Learn
English on the Internet
Extensive links to online learning tools.
Purdue
University Writing Lab
ESL resources for students.
Seattle
Public Library
SPL's collection of English-learning web sites.
The Seattle
Times Newspapers in Education Program
NIE provides newspapers, learning programs and online activities
to classrooms throughout Puget Sound to help foster literacy and real-world
learning.
Teachers of
English as a Foreign Language
Classroom resources and ideas plus Lesson Plans for ESL
classes. Some resources organized by level.
Links to Literacy & ESL Websites
American Library Association
Office of Literacy and Outreach Services
Conference schedules, resources, and contact information.
Adult Numeracy Network
Information for teachers of basic math to adults.
BuildLiteracy.org
The American Library Association's how-to Web site for
building and sustaining literacy coalitions.
Dave's ESL Cafe
Links, exercises, student & teacher chat, quizzes, photos, and more.
English Grammar the Easy Way
This site is primarily devoted to Grammar practice and exercises.
EverythingESL.net
Resources and announcements for ESL teachers working in K-12.
LINCS
The National Institute for Literacy's gateway to ABE & ESL resources
on the Internet.
Literacy AmeriCorps
Seattle & King County
A national service program serving adults through ESL, ABE, and Family
Literacy.
Literacy Assistance Center
Includes the online newsletter "Literacy Update".
The Literacy List
A "mega" site of adult education and ESL websites.
Literacy.org
Articles and links on the world of literacy.
National Adult Literacy Database
Canadian directory of literacy programs and personnel.
National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL)
Supporting family literacy services through programming, training, research,
advocacy, and dissemination.
NCLE The National Center for
ESL Literacy Education
Funded by the Department of Education to provide technical assistance to practitioners
and programs assisting adults learning English.
NCSALL
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy.
National Reporting System for Adult Education
Links to major literacy organizations.
Northwest Regional Literacy Resource
Center (NWRLRC)
Links to state and regional resources in Washington, Oregon, Idaho,
and Montana.
ProLiteracy Worldwide
Laubach Literacy and Literacy Volunteers of America combined to form this organization,
making it the oldest and largest non-governmental literacy organization in the
world.
REFORMA
An affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA), REFORMA
has actively sought to promote the development of library collections to include
Spanish-language and Latino oriented materials
RFSC - Refugee Federation Service Center
Provides assistance to refugees and immigrants, including employment
services, bilingual counseling, and housing assistance.
Seattle Public
Library
Adult learner and ESL programs and collections at SPL.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services
Web site provides information about the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
U.S. Department of Education
Federal standards and programs for education of all Americans.
Verizon Reads
The national literacy program and directory project of Verizon.
Local Agencies Providing
ABE & ESL Instruction
Bellevue
Community College
Call 425-564-2341 for information
Cascadia Community
College (Bothell)
425-352-8158 ESL GED
Center for Human Services
Shoreline Family Support Center ESL Program
206-362-7282 ESL, Citizenship prep.
Eastside Multi-Ethnic Center (Bellevue)
425-643-2221 ESL, Citizenship prep, Workplace Literacy
Green
River Community College (Auburn)
253-833-9111, ext 2315 ABE, GED prep and testing, ESL, LD
Highline
Community College (Des Moines)
1-800-818-9128 for new studtents, 206-870-3740 for returning students,
ABE, ESL
Hopelink
Basic, GED prep, ESL, Citizenship prep, Workplace Literacy. 425-643-1912
King County Library System
425-369-3454 ESL, Citizenship prep.
Lake Washington Technical College
(Kirkland)
425-739-8100, ext 656 ABE, GED prep and testing, ESL
Learning Disabilities Association
of Washington (Redmond) 425-882-0820, Referral Service,
425-882-0792
Services and support to improve the quality of life for those affected by
learning and attentional disabilities.
Literacy
Council of Seattle
206-233-9720 ABE, ESL, GED, Citizenship prep.
Literacy Source
Literacy source is a community learning center providing adult literacy services including: Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language, tutoring and conversation classes, computer literacy, workplace skills, citizenship and civics classes and an individual adult high school diploma program.
The
Multi-Service Center (Federal Way)
253-838-6810 Basic, GED prep, ESL, Citizenship prep, Family Literacy,
Workplace Literacy
North Seattle Family Center
206-364-7930 ESL
Refugee and Immigrant Family
Center
206-767-6896 ESL
Refugee Women's Alliance
Refugee Women's Alliance is a nonprofit, multi-ethnic organization that promotes
inclusion, independence, personal leadership and strong communities by providing
refugee and immigrant women and families with culturally and linguistically
appropriate services.
Renton
Technical College
425-235-2391 ABE, GED prep and testing, ESL, EDP
Seattle
Public Library
206-386-4661 Literacy & ESL Office
Shoreline
Community College
206-546-5827 ABE, ESL, GED, LD
Tacoma
Community House
Many services including a Language Bank, tutoring, ESL classes, and Talk
Time volunteer training.
253-383-3951
World Relief
Call Bob Salisbury at 253-854-7857 ext 221 for ELS & Citizenship
Questions
Citzenship Links
United States
Citizenship and Immigration Services
Forms, policies, statistics, publications, laws, regulations and other information
available to the public. 1-800-375-5283
Last Updated: June 4, 2009