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Reading Skills

Academic Skills: Reading Skills Resources

Below are some Web resources* to provide students with English practice in reading.

* This Web page contains links to other Web sites. These links are not endorsements of any products or services in such sites, and no information in such site has been endorsed or approved by SCC.

Audio Resources/Reading/Pronunciation
  1. Phonemic Awareness Infusion (reading with an emphasis on pronunciation; audio is available.)
    http://www.scc-fl.edu/adulted/els/web_resources/readings-with-pronunciation.htm
  2. Pronunciation of Names of People, Places and Miscellaneous Stuff (a Web site with a searchable database on phonetic and audio pronunciations in English)
    http://inogolo.com

Audio Resources/Reading/Stories

  1. Audio Stories for Children (adult advanced level; scripts and audio; MP3 format is available.)
    http://lightupyourbrain.com/audio-stories-for-children.html
Audio Resources/Reading/News
  1. The Learning Resources (Web-delivered instruction, using CNN and CBS KPIX news stories, with full text and interactive activities; learners can read text, listen to stories and view a short video clips of the stories.)
    http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/home.html
  2. Current and Past CNN and CBS News Stories (Read, listen and view a short video clip.)
    http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/
  3. Current Events and Business English Lesson Plans (contains news articles, MP3 listening exercises, podcasts, communication activities, paired exercises, discussions, and reading and vocabulary exercises; handouts can be reproduced in printable Word and PDF formats; site uses the American English spelling system)
    http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/
Audio Resources/Reading/Stories
  1. Audio Stories (11 stories in which different animals help students learn about themselves)
    http://www.linkslearning.org/Kids/2_Reading/2_Audio_Stories/index.html
  2. Grimm's Fairy Tales (some with audio; National Geographic)
    http://www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm/
  3. Listen and Read Along (various topics; with audio)
    http://www.manythings.org/listen/
  4. LibriVox (provides free audio books from the public domain; includes several options for listening)
    http://librivox.org
  5. Free MP3 Audio Books (registration required)
    http://audiofreemp3books.com
  6. Audio Stories for Children (adult advanced level; scripts with audio; MP3 format available)
    http://lightupyourbrain.com/audio-stories-for-children.html
Audio Resources/Reading/Voice of America
  1. Voice of America: Crossing Borders (with books by four authors in the United States; Voice of America; special English, Oct. 15 2006; transcript with audio)
    http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2006-10-15-voa4.cfm
  2. Voice of America: Special English Feature Stories (limited vocabulary of 1,500 words with and audio)
    http://www.manythings.org/voa/scripts/
  3. Quizzes Based on Voice of America's Special English Programs (see link above)
    http://www.manythings.org/voa/
  4. Voice of America: Special English (learn American English while reading and hearing about American life and staying informed about world news; transcript archive with audio)
    http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/about_special_english.cfm
  5. Voice of America: Higher Education in the U.S. (includes list of transcripts and audio)
    http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/se-foreign-student-series.cfm
  6. Voice of America: People in America (includes list of transcripts and audio)
    http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/people-in-america.cfm
  7. Voice of America: Words and their stories (includes list of five-minute programs on words and terms used in everyday American English; with transcripts and audio)
    http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/words_and_their_stories.cfm
Dictionaries

  1. Online Dictionaries (in printable PDF format)

Library: Books to Practice English
  1. Books that Will Enhance Your Vocabulary Building (in printable PDF format)
  2. Books: The Immigrant Experience (in printable PDF format)
Library: Book Reports and Surveys
  1. A Printable Book Report Form on Biographies (high-intermediate and advanced levels)
    http://www.abcteach.com/bookreports/biography.htm
  2. A Printable Book Report Form on Biographies (Advanced)
    http://www.abcteach.com/free/b/book_report_middle_biography.pdf
  3. Reading Interest Survey - Printable form
    http://www.abcteach.com/free/b/backtoschool_inter2.pdf
Library: Central Florida Library Systems
  1. Seminole Community College Library
    http://www.scc-fl.edu/library/
  2. Seminole County Library Services
    http://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/lls/library/
  3. Orange County Public Library
    http://www.ocpl.org/
  4. Osceola Library System
    http://osceolalibrary.org/
  5. Volusia County Public Library
    http://www.vcpl.lib.fl.us/
Life Skills-Related Reading: Graphs, Charts and Tables
  1. A Reading Bar Graph (with questions)
    http://english-zone.com/reading/charts-01.html
  2. Relationships Two (a reading chart with questions)
    http://english-zone.com/vocab/relatives2.html
  3. American Presidents (reading for specific purposes; practice finding information in tables)
    http://www.english-zone.com/reading/president.html
Life Skills-Related Reading: Health
  1. Interesting Reading on Health in Easy-to-Read English
    http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure
  2. Health Problems (with questions; lower levels)
    http://english-zone.com/reading/health.html
  3. Health Problems - quiz (lower levels).
    http://english-zone.com/reading/health01.html
  4. Staying Healthy:  An English Learner's Guide to Healthcare and Healthy Living (a downloadable resource book and teachers' guide; from the Florida Literacy Coalition)
    http://www.floridaliteracy.org/literacy_resources__teacher_tutor__health_literacy.html
Life-Skills-Related Reading: Labels and Envelopes
  1. An Envelope Reading Lesson (lower levels)
    http://english-zone.com/reading/envelopes.html
  2. Reading an Envelope (a quiz)
    http://english-zone.com/reading/envelope01.html
  3. Reading Labels (a quiz)
    http://english-zone.com/reading/labels01.html
Life-Skills-Related Reading: Maps
  1. Reading Maps 1
    http://english-zone.com/reading/map01.html
Life Skills-Related Reading: Time and Money
  1. Dates: Appointments
    http://english-zone.com/grammar/appointments01.html
  2. The Calendar: Days of the Week
    http://english-zone.com/grammar/calendar2.html
  3. A Check Reading Lesson
    http://english-zone.com/reading/checks.html
  4. Reading a Check 
    http://english-zone.com/reading/check01.html
  5. I Need Some Money, Honey! (Match the words with the correct amounts of money.)
    http://english-zone.com/grammar/money1.html
  6. What time is it? (a quiz)
    http://english-zone.com/grammar/telltime1.html
  7. Reading Skills Practice Test (for activities listed above)
    http://english-zone.com/study/practice1/million.html
Newspapers and E-zines
  1. News for You (a weekly newspaper for adult learners; with audio)
    http://www.news-for-you.com
  2. An Online Magazine for Learners of English (Grammar, vocabulary and topic-specific language is reviewed in the Language Corner section.)
    http://www.topics-mag.com
  3. An Online Magazine for Immigrant and Working Families on How to be Successful in the United States (with articles on family life, jobs, home, fashion, health and money)
    http://www.cityfamily.org
  4. Reader's Digest
    http://www.rd.com/openLandingPage.do
  5. The Key (a newspaper for new readers)
    http://www.keynews.org/
  6. Immigrant Experience
    http://www.sentimentalrefugee.com/
  7. The Orlando Sentinel
    http://www.orlandosentinel.com/
  8. NIEonline (provides online lesson plans and other innovative materials for use on NIE Web sites to provide valuable newspaper-oriented resources to teachers through the Internet)
    http://nieonline.com
  9. News Summaries from The New York Times (with links to a pop-up dictionary and atlas)
    http://www.nytimes.com/learning/students/pop/index.html
  10. A Daily News Quiz from The New York Times (with questions and links to articles)
    http://www.nytimes.com/learning/students/quiz/index.html
  11. Special English Archive (Voice of America; program scripts from 2001-today) http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/index.cfm
  12. Newspapers in Education - Guide with interesting lesson plans on using newspapers in the classroom
    http://nie.gazettenet.com/NIE%20Week%2008%20teacher%20guide.pdf
  13. Voice of America -- Script Reading and Quiz Activity:

Reading: Strategies and Tips
  1. Tips on English reading practice (in printable PDF format)
  2. Reading and the Adult ESOL Learner
    http://aeonline.coe.utk.edu/pdf/esolreading.pdf
  3. An Article on How to Learn English
    http://www.antimoon.com/how/readhow.htm
  4. An Article on What to Read
    http://www.antimoon.com/how/readwhat.htm
  5. Article: Why Your Input Should Be Fun (including reading)
    http://www.antimoon.com/how/input-fun.htm
  6. An Article on Sustained Silent Reading
    http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr038.shtml
Reading Skills: Cause and Effect 
  1. Cause and Effect (a mini lesson with practice links)
    http://mrsdell.org/causeandeffect
  2. Cause and Effect (an overview and reading activity)
    http://fcit.usf.edu/FCAT/strategies/ce/default.htm
  3. Reading Practice Test (includes sentences and a short passage)
    http://wcb.neit.edu/asc/readprc1.htm
  4. Cause and Effect -  Asthma: Stopping Attacks Before They Start (a health-related lesson plan and handout)
    http://www.glencoe.com/sec/health/teachres/lessonplans/rsasthma.shtml
  5. Cause and Effect - Interactive Reading on Lewis and Clark
    http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/trophies/rsr/build1/RR_e_5_28.htm
  6. Cause and Effect - A Passage on French and Indian War (with questions; advanced level)
    http://www.mrnussbaum.com/fiwarcomp.htm
Reading Skills: Comprehension
  1. Readings, Vocabulary and Comprehension Questions (Topics include Thomas Edison and more)
    http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/exercises/main/reading.html
  2. Mini-Stories (with cloze and speed reading exercises, as well as extensive reading links)
    http://eslus.com/LESSONS/READING/READ.HTM
Reading Skills: Context Clues
  1. Word Meanings from Context (a fill-in-the-blank activity)
    http://www.rhlschool.com/read9n2.htm
  2. Guessing Vocabulary in Context 1
    http://www.english-zone.com/vocab/vic01.html
  3. Guessing Vocabulary in Context 2
    http://www.english-zone.com/vocab/vic02.html
  4. Context Clues Practice Exercise
    http://www.quia.com/pop/35971.html
  5. Vocabulary in Context (a chart and practice exercise)
    http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/~steuben/vocabularycontext.htm
Reading Skills: Inference
  1. Using Inference (a simple explanation with four multiple-choice questions)
    http://www.rhlschool.com/read6n3.htm
  2. What Can You Infer? (an interactive exercise)
    http://www.quia.com/pop/43335.html
Reading Skills: Main Idea
  1. Reading Comprehension (free worksheets on various reading skills)
    http://www.rhlschool.com/reading.htm
  2. Reading Main Idea Comprehension Exercises (advanced)
    http://rhlschool.com/reading.htm
  3. Paired Reading Stories and Exercises (intermediate-level ESL texts with an average length of about 800 words)
    http://www.flesl.net/Directories/PairedStoriesGeneral.html
  4. Main Idea Online Quizzes (short reading passages with one question and answer)
    http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/samoset/mainideaprac.htm
  5. Main Idea (an exercise with four multiple-choice questions)
    http://www.rhlschool.com/read6n4.htm
Reading Skills: Phonics/Phonemic Awareness
  1. American English (single-vowel sounds; two pages; with audio)
    http://www.fonetiks.org/engsou2am.html
  2. Vowel Sounds (one-syllable words; with audio)
    http://evaeaston.com/pr/1-syllable-words.html
  3. Consonant Sound Voiced "r" (one-syllable words with practice and quiz available on the left menu)
    http://evaeaston.com/pr/r-pat-1syl.html
  4. The Alphabet (American-English pronunciation; with audio)
    http://www.eleaston.com/pr/alphabet.html
Reading Skills: Skimming/Scanning/Context Clues
  1. Reading Clues (in printable PDF format)
  2. Skimming (in printable PDF format)
  3. Scanning (in printable PDF format)
  4. Reading: Identifying Skill Requirements (a printable worksheet; for intermediate- and upper-intermediate-level students)
    http://esl.about.com/library/lessons/blreadtypes.htm
  5. Reading Comprehension: Scanning (a printable worksheet; for intermediate-level students)
    http://esl.about.com/library/lessons/blscan.htm
  6. Reading: Using Context (a printable worksheet; for intermediate- and upper-intermediate-level students)
    http://esl.about.com/library/lessons/blreadcontext.htm
  7. Reading Activities for Scanning, Summarizing, Fact and Opinion (with worksheets)
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/reading/
Reading Skills: Vocabulary Building
  1. A List of Links to Vocabulary-Building Resources (including dictionaries, idiom sites and vocabulary activities)
    http://www.scc-fl.edu/adulted/els/web_resources/vocabulary-building.htm 
Stories
  1. Voice of America: American Short Stories (list of titles with transcripts and audio)
    http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/american-stories.cfm
  2. Voice of America: American Short Stories -- "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (includes transcript and audio)
    http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2006-04/2006-04-23-voa4.cfm
  3. Voice of America (American Short Stories; John Henry; with transcript and audio)
    http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2006-06/2006-06-05-voa1.cfm
  4. Voice of America: A Special Story for Christmas, "The Gift of the Magi" (adapted version; special English; audio is available; with a male narrator)
    http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2005-12/2005-12-22-voa2.cfm
  5. "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry (full text with audio and a male narrator; faster pace)
    http://www.transpacificradio.com/2006/12/21/xmas3-deorio/
  6. "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry (full text with audio and a female narrator; slower pace)
    http://content.loudlit.org/audio/magi/pages/01_01_magi.htm
  7. "The Lady, or the Tiger? -- VOA/Special English
    http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2009-04-17-voa3.cfm
  Stories: Advanced-Level
  1. The Literature Network (searchable online literature with a 250-author index, 1,200 full books, more than 2,000 short stories and poems and a quotations database)
    http://www.online-literature.com
  2. Short Stories, E-books, Interactive Activities and Workshops
    http://www.eastoftheweb.com/
  3. Short Stories on Crime (advanced level; teachers' link-study questions, games and activities for some stories; with a readers' forum)
    http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/crimeindex.html
  4. Readings and Exercises (advanced level)
    http://www.eflnet.com/reading/index.php
  5. Classic Short Stories
    http://www.classicshorts.com/index.shtml
Stories: By Levels
  1. Level 200 Readings (with exercises; from Ohio ESL)
    http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/200/reading/index.htm
  2. Level 330 Readings (with exercises; from Ohio ESL)
    http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/reading/index.htm
  3. Level 410 Readings (with exercises; from Ohio ESL)
    http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/reading/index.htm
  4. Reading Links by Levels and Topics
    http://www3.sympatico.ca/jacek_s/magdak/Reading.html
  Stories: ESL Students
  1. Online Books for ESL Students (All online books here are pre-arranged for English reading by making each word into a link, so ESL learners can easily look-up a word's definition or translation simply by clicking on it.)
    http://www.esldesk.com/english-reading/index.htm
  2. 100 Free Short English Stories for ESL Learners.
    http://www.rong-chang.com/qa2/index.html
  3. Long Long Time Ago - Fables, myths, classics retold, science fiction and more.
    http://www.longlongtimeago.com/index.html
Stories and Exercises
  1. Readings and Exercises (advanced level)
    http://www.eflnet.com/reading/index.php
Stories: Fables
  1. Aesop's Fables (illustrated and retold by art students at the University of Massachusetts; short traditional and modern re-tellings with illustrations)
    http://www.umass.edu/aesop/index.php
  2. More Aesop's Fables (some include RealAudio, lesson plans and dictionary links)
    http://www.aesopfables.com
Stories: Fairy Tales
  1. Four Annotated Fairly Tales (including their histories, similar tales across cultures and more than 1,300 illustrations) http://www.surlalunefairytales.com
  2. Andrew Lang (a collection of fairy tales)
    http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang
Stories: Funny
  1. Humorous Stories (a teacher's link-study questions/games/activities; for some stories; a reader's forum)
    http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/humourindex.html
  2. Jokes in English (for ESL/EFL students)
    http://iteslj.org/c/jokes.html
  3. Comic Strips Index (a fun way to practice English)
    http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/comics.htm
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