Interactivity

Whether reading in an e-book or paper book, these strategies are so helpful to develop better reading comprehension, and they can be applied with fiction or non-fiction reading.

·      Highlighting/underlining

A reader may highlight/underline the important concept, points, numbers, names, etc. It is important to highlight just a few words. Teacher Hoffman believes in a page there should be just few words highlighted, or even better to keep a list of names and ideas you want to remember, so a person can remember them. A good rule of is to underline no more than 25% of the text.

·      Writing notes

A reader can write notes of him/herself either on the margins or using sticky notes. These notes could be question for themselves, an explanation for that point, other references, etc. Another great way to take notes is using some of the notes temples. This way is effective especially with students, and it is so helpful when studying that lesson.

Here are some other interactive reading strategies by Janet Ewell a teacher can apply for his/her students:  http://charactered.ocde.us/ICE/lessons_html/interactive_reading.html

References

Academictips.org. (n.d) Reading and highlighting tips. Retrieved from http://www.academictips.org/acad/literature/readingandhighlighting.html

Keesee, G .(2008). Textbook highlighting and marking. Retrieved from  http://www.slideshare.net/gskeesee/marking-your-textbook

Learning Assistance Centre of University of Manitoba. (2011). Text marking and highlighting. Retrieved from http://umanitoba.ca/student/u1/images/Text_Marking_and_Highlighting_(Revised_2010).pdf

Etextbooks

These eTextbooks might be helpful for advanced English as a second language (ESL) students who want to develop their English grammar and become ESL teachers:

1- Grammar in Context Intermediate 

This book is designed to revise and consolidate grammar points. 
Download the eBook 

2- Analyzing English Grammar 
by Thomas P. Klammer, Muriel R. Schulz, and Angela Della Volpe

This advanced grammar text encourages students to think critically about grammar and exposes them to a variety of linguistic theories. 

http://www.coursesmart.com/analyzing-english-grammar-seventh-edition/thomas-p-klammer-muriel-r-schulz-angela-della/dp/9780205252534

3- Understanding English Grammar 
by Martha Kolln and Robert Funk

This market-leading text for grammar courses is a comprehensive description of sentence structure that encourages students to recognize and use their innate language expertise as they study the systematic nature of sentence grammar.

http://www.coursesmart.com/understanding-english-grammar-ninth-edition/martha-kolln-robert-funk/dp/9780205209620

4- Grammar to Go 
by Goldstein, Waugh, and Linsky 

GRAMMAR TO GO's step-by-step, interactive approach to grammar and punctuation minimizes memorization and instead focuses on visualization through sentence diagramming. 

http://www.coursesmart.com/grammar-to-go/goldstein-waugh-linsky/dp/9781133307365

5- English Grammar for Dummies 
by Geraldine WOOD
English Grammar For Dummies gives the readers the latest techniques for improving their efficiency with English grammar and punctuationhttp://www.amazon.com/English-Grammar-For-Dummies-ebook/dp/B00362XKZ6/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1352435924&sr=1-5 

6- English Grammar, Punctuation and Capitalization 
by Girard Sagmiller
http://www.amazon.com/English-Grammar-Punctuation-Capitalization-ebook/dp/B004U7G0LM/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1352435924&sr=1-6&keywords=grammar

7- McGraw-Hill's Essential ESL Grammar 
By Mark Lester 
Http://Www.amazon.com/McGraw-Hills-Essential-ESL-Grammar-Ebook/Dp/B0018TVY4S/Ref=Tmm_kin_title_0?Ie=UTF8&Qid=1352436057&Sr=1-16

Text Set

This list is for English as Second Language kids who are in k-2 to 4 . I will focus on this list on variety of materials that assist them to learn English language.

The list will address the following standard:

STANDARD 1: Students will listen, speak, read, and write in English for information and understanding.

Students learning English as a second language will use English to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information for content area learning and personal use. They will develop and use skills and strategies appropriate to their level of English proficiency to collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts.

Standard 1: Performance Indicators

2. Read, gather, view, listen to, organize, discuss, and interpret information related to academic content areas from various sources. Such sources include reference books, magazines, textbooks, the Internet, audio and media presentations, oral interviews, charts, graphs, maps, and diagrams. (L, S, R, W)

Adapted from (http://p1232.nysed.gov/biling/resource/ESL/standards.html)

1.     Helpful website to learn English: British Council- Learn English Kids

http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/

British Council’s Learn English Kids is a free website combines learning English language while entertainment. The website is divided into six main sections, kids games, listen and watch, read and write, make, speak and spell, and grammar.

2.     A website to develop reading skills.

Starfall.com

http://www.starfall.com/

This website is dedicated to teach children to read with phonics.

3.     Picture dictionary (app):

Kids Picture Dictionary

 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kids-picture-dictionary-educational/id482972824?mt=8

This is an app for a picture dictionary for children.

4.     Online dictionary for kids:

Kids.net.au

http://dictionary.kids.net.au/

This is an online dictionary that students can use to interpret information related to academic content areas.

5.     Online short stories with pictures and audio:

Barnes and Noble Storytime.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/online-storytime-books-toys/379003588

This resource will help the students to collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations via the stories.

6.     Sources for songs that are helpful to learn English.

Manythings.com

http://www.manythings.org/songs/

Free Songs for Kids

http://freesongsforkids.com/songsbysubject

7.     A source for free clipart to be used at the classroom or by the students to find pictures of what they are learning.

Classroom Clipart

http://classroomclipart.com/

eBook experience

Although I was not a big fan of eBooks and I feel I can read easily from printed books, I’m trying to move to the eBooks as much as possible. Now, I feel I’m more comfortable with eBooks than few months ago. EBooks save trees and paper. In addition, I feel it is easier to search in an eBook. I think also eBook save spaces and we can save thousands of books in our laptops or tablets, so they will not coast anything when a person wants to travel or move with his/her books. Since I have to go back to Saudi Arabia, taking my books with my will cost a lot. At the same time, I have valuable books that I want to take with me because I might need to return to in the future. So, the eBooks are great option for me. Additionally, the eBooks are usually cheaper than the printed books. Another great characteristic of eBooks that is very helpful for me, especially English is my second language, is that eBooks have a built in dictionary (most of them). All what I have to do is to click on the word and a window with meaning will appear to me immediately. 

Around 6 months ago, I read my first eBook. It was Educating the Net Generation by Diana G. Oblinger. (http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/pub7101.pdf). This book is a great book. It will help educators to understand the Net Generation’s behaviors. It helps educators reach their students to achieve the desired learning.

Right now, I’m reading Wayne Hoy and Cecil Miskel’s Educational Administration: Theory, Research, and Practice (http://www.amazon.com/Educational-Administration-Research-Practice-ebook/dp/B008K9XTYM/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1351549039&sr=1-3 ). This book helps future administrators understand the content and context of schools. It talks about the school as a social system, structure in schools, individuals in schools, organizational culture and climate of schools, power and politics in schools, decision-making in schools, communication in schools, and leadership in schools.

Ebooks become important for schools. Besides saving trees and papers, teachers will feel it is easier and faster to look for information electronically. In addition, when a teacher finds valuable ideas, s/he can easily give it to the students. In addition, by using eTextbooks, a lot of the costs will be cuts. In addition, eBooks are more heather for the students’ backs because they will not be carrying heavy books everyday.