Volunteer Toolbox | Los Angeles Public Library

Online Workshop for Volunteers

Launch the training! Volunteers are registered for online training as part of their interview with an Adult Literacy Center Coordinator. Online workshops are done on your own. You will be assigned a temporary username and password by the Online Training Manager.

You have two weeks to finish the workshop. Once you have completed the workshop, send your completion certificate to your literacy coordinator, so they know you’re ready to begin volunteering.

Student assignments are made at the end of the training. If you cannot complete the online training in time, please notify the Adult Literacy Office at literacy@lapl.org.

Core Curriculum

Laubach Way to Reading - Free teacher guides, flash cards, worksheets, and more to support your tutoring

Challenger - Free teacher guides, student diplomas, puzzles, and more to support your tutoring

Leamos - Leamos is pre-ESL Spanish literacy course for native Spanish-speakers with little to no formal education. Contact your literacy coordinator if you think your learner would benefit from the program

Leamos login

Supplemental Curriculum

Learning Upgrade - Learning Upgrade is an app available for iOS or Android that can help with English and math. Learning Upgrade is available for all learners enrolled in the Adult Literacy Program. Contact your Literacy Coordinator for login information.

Learning Upgrade login

Reading Horizons - Reading Horizons is an assigned, computer-based literacy course that can be done individually or in a lab. Potential learners will be assigned to the course by a literacy coordinator during their intake assessment. Reading Horizons is perfect for learners who are just learning the alphabet or learning to put words together. Contact your literacy coordinator if you think your learner would benefit from the program.

Reading Horizons login

Oxford Bookworms - Oxford Bookworms is a series of simplified classics, original stories, and non-fiction books written at different reading levels for beginning adult readers. Oxford Bookworms supplement the core curriculum by allowing learners to pick books to read for pleasure that are accessible at their reading level. Access free downloadable tests, activities, and more resources to enrich your learner's Oxford Bookworms reading. Free registration is required.

Oxford Dominoes - Oxford Dominoes is a series of simplified classics, original stories, and non-fiction books written at different reading levels for beginning adult readers. They can supplement the core curriculum by allowing learners to pick books to read for pleasure that are accessible to their reading level. free downloadable tests, activities, and more resources to enrich your learner's Oxford Dominoes reading. Free registration is required.

News For You – News For You is a weekly newspaper for adult literacy students and English-language learners. The articles are based on reports from The Associated Press and The Washington Post, and all content is reviewed by adult education professionals and editors to ensure accuracy, low-level readability, and appropriateness. Access online audio of each story in full or sentence-by-sentence, exercises, vocabulary, a crossword puzzle, a word search, and a poll. Ask your literacy coordinator for a password to enjoy all the features on the site.

The Change Agent – The Change Agent is a biannual magazine for adult literacy volunteers and learners published by the New England Literacy Resource Center (NELRC). Access downloadable back issues, audio of each story in full or sentence-by-sentence, and webinars on volunteering with The Change Agent. Ask your literacy coordinator for a username and password to enjoy all the features on the site.

Documents & Forms

Training

Tutor Handbook (PDF)
Volunteer Guide (PDF)
America Learns Coordinator User Guide (PDF)
ProLiteracy Education Network - Collection of courses and resources for adult literacy/ELL instructors, program staff, and learners
Learning to Use Laubach - Slides, handouts, and videoclips

Reporting

America Learns

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The Los Angeles Public Library serves the largest most diverse population of any library in the United States.

Through its Central Library and 72 branches, the Los Angeles Public Library provides free and easy access to information, ideas, books and technology that enrich, educate and empower every individual in our city's diverse communities.

With more people than ever before using the library—a record 17 million last year alone—your support helps the Library provide people with the resources they need to succeed and thrive.

How to support the Library

You can support the Los Angeles Public Library in several ways:

Join a “Friends” group. There is a “Friends of the Library” group for most branch libraries and departments of the Central Library. Friends groups raise money for improvements to their library through memberships, used book sales and other activities. For more information click here or talk to your local librarian.

Join the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. The Library Foundation is a non-profit organization that raises funds for Library enhancement programs such as adult and early literacy, children and teen reading clubs, technology, and cultural programs. Foundation members receive a variety of benefits with their membership. For more information, see http://www.lfla.org.

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