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Arts Extension 265

Cyberia Home | Forms | Handouts | Software | Web Resources | Activity Guide

The following Web resources have been carefully selected by CCSF English instructors to help you with various aspects of reading and studying.

For more specific CCSF-influenced guidance, jump to the Cyberia Activity Form (a Microsoft Word document) or the Cyberia Activity Guide (a work-in-progress).

Reading and Studying Resources

Choose a Topic:
For site recommendations by course level and for information about one-on-one tutoring and reading groups, jump to the Reading Lab. Does your teacher want you to use Reading Plus?

Study Skills

Sometimes you may be very interested in a subject but not have the strategies to take notes and dive further into the materials. Sometimes you may not like a subject but have to study it anyway. Who knows? Maybe with improved studying and note-taking you'll actually like the subject. The following study skills resources may help you improve your learning strategies.

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Reference

Even though you may know how to pronounce a word, you may not be sure of its spelling definition, synonyms, antonyms, and contexts. The following links to online reference tools, such as dictionaries, thesauri, and encyclopedias, may prove useful and convenient if your books aren't handy and you are already online. Do not guess what a word means. Look it up!

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Pronunciation

The following resources are especially good for students trying to improve their pronunciation skills and clarify their consonant and vowel distinctions. Because the examples and exercises require audio, you will need to use headphones in order to listen actively to the lessons.

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Vocabulary

Why is it so important to improve your vocabulary? In general, improved vocabulary leads to improved reading. When you know what words mean, you can look closely at and think critically about what you are reading as well as writing. Plus, you are likely to find great joy in the written and
spoken word if you have the tools to play with meaning, while also improving your social and academic confidence, not to mention crossword puzzle scores. The following sites are playful and informative and may help you to improve your vocabulary accuracy, consistency, and range.

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Guides

A beautifully written book, itself, can be a powerful guide for someone looking to become a stronger reader. Sometimes, however, more guidance through the reading process is needed in order to enjoy a book. The following resources are guides designed to strengthen reading skills: comprehension, fluency, rate, context, and critical thinking.

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Exercises

Along with developing a stronger understanding of what happens when you read, you may learn a great deal more about reading by working through various exercises. The following sites contain exercises, as well as videos, that may help you think about vocabulary, organization, details,
context, audience, thesis, and tone. Enjoy the online interaction these online exercises bring, and in turn interact more with the books you are, hopefully, enjoying.

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Additional Sites

The following Web resources should help reinforce the skills and strategies explored above.


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* To view the slideshow files linked on this page, you'll need PowerPoint or the free PowerPoint Viewer:

For the PC
For the Mac

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If you find a broken link or want to suggest a resource, suggest it here.

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