Resources to help you help others to improve their reading, writing, maths and computing skills. Some of these resources may be suitable for independent learning while other resources will need tutors to provide support.
*Volunteer Literacy Tutors – physical resources are available at your library and others may be printed at your library. Ask the onsite Adult Literacy Coordinator or Officer for assistance.
Reading and writing activities
- SPELD SA phonic books and worksheets – activities are grouped in the order of sounds to be introduced to literacy learners. Printable resources.
- BBC Skillwise English – videos, printable worksheets and tutor tips to improve reading, writing, spelling, word grammar, sentence grammar and speaking and listening (Note that the videos on this site can only be viewed in the UK).
- Spelfabet – useful information about how to help people learning to read, including resources to use with adults.
- Steps and stories – written by learners and published as a resource for others to share on their learning journeys.
Maths activities
- BBC Skillswise Maths – videos, printable worksheets and tutor tips to improve knowledge and skill in numbers, calculation, percentages and fractions, measuring, shapes and graphs (Note that the videos on this site can only be viewed in the UK).
- Buliding strength with numeracy – resources to build basic maths skills. Can be printed to work with learners.
- Khan Academy Early Math – fun videos showing how to do counting, addition and subtraction, place value, measurement and data, geometry.
- GFC LearnFree.org Math – interactive lessons covering addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, algebra topics, decimals, percentages and fractions.
- Youcubed at home – explore and learn maths in rich and creative ways.
Learning English
- ABC learn English – developed by the ABC. All Australian content – articles, links to podcasts, lesson videos.
- Breaking News English – free English News Lessons in 7 Levels with listening options. Online, but print to use with learners.
- News in levels – world news in three levels for students of English.
- Carringbush Adult Education teacher training videos – these videos are designed to be used in group settings or independently.
- Namaste Book Series – six people tell of seeking asylum in Australia, fleeing their homeland under dangerous circumstances, leaving everything behind for a new life in Tasmania.
Apps and Assistive Technology
- Grammarly – a free website that reviews spelling, grammar and punctuation in your writing.
- Claro Software – products that enable reading and writing with text to speech and study support functions.
You can go into your local library to ask for help to set up assistive technology on your phone or laptop. Your phone can read out your text messages and you can tell your phone what text message to write.
Resources to support children reading
- LiteracyPlanet – a free website for children to improve literacy skills through interactive, fun and engaging activities.
New users will need to create an account in LiteracyPlanet using your library membership (select Libraries Tasmania as your library when signing up).
More information for working with adult learners
- Post-16 Phonics Toolkit – this is a helpful guide to explain phonics with useful activities to teach phonics. Literacy tutors may find this a helpful go-to document when unsure of phonics concepts.
- Applying research in reading instruction for adults: first steps for teachers (PDF 1MB) – another helpful guide for those wanting to increase their understanding of phonemic awareness and what is required to become a strong reader.
26Ten eReads
Use your library membership to borrow and download these eBooks from our OverDrive collection. View the 26Ten eReads collection.
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