Learning Express--Lesson #3 in Resource Challenge

Although, I have looked at Learning Express before, their format is updated and I feel it's easier to use. I took time to view the tutorials, since that is always a great refresher course. It reminded me to tell my patrons to log-in, especially if they want to access any of the tests, and they can see what they got "right" or "wrong" right away, as well as find a study plan.  Remind them that they can Save and Finish later, and there are tutorials. The site also has the opportunity to download and use e-books.

For our advanced challenge, our first assignment involved helping a 4th grade student who needs help with reading comprehension.  Three ways to show him on Learning Express are: 1.) use the drop-box in lower center area of the home screen and find "school center", he can then type in grade 4 reading OR on the left locate elementary, then chose English Language & Art Skills. 2.) From Elementary> English Language  Improvement >  he can look at Informational Reading Practice tests 1 & 2/ Literature Reading Practice 1 & 2/ Practice Writing and Language Practice 1 & 2/ Practice Essays Elementary 1 & 2. These can be selected for grade 4 in the drop box. One of them that I looked at was the Emperor's New clothes.  After the story, they can answer quiz questions.  I like the way they wrote it separated by paragraphs of only a few sentencces, to allow students to focus on just a few sentences at a time. This would be helpful for students with comprehension problems. 3.)watch for the "school center" from the rotating "centers" you can access. On the left encourage him to chose >elementary. Using the search box he could type in "reading" or "reading comprehension". Reading comprehension offers an e-book 501 that his parents could even scan to encourage him and give him ideas to increase his comprehension.

Our second assignment focused on a recent high school graduate who wants an office manager job, but realizes she needs to improve her skills before she applies. I would recommend she goes to the "career center" to learn more about this career, so she can focus on what she needs in the workplace.  Access "Build your workplace skills".  Items here that could give specific areas needed are "business writing clear and simple/ Proofreading, revising and editing skills success in 20 minutes a day/ Researching and writing skills in 20 minutes a day/ Writing skills for the workplace tutorials. Also, there are articles that will continue to help her, even after she's started her new job.  On the left she will see Job  Search and Workplace skills> improve your job searches, interviews, & network skills.  Here she will access important social networking skills.  Maybe spend time looking at the e-book "Social Networking for Business Success, or the e-book Social networking for Career Success.

Next we have a high school student who needs help for his report on careers.  He's interested in nursing or pharmacy.  Let's have him start with the  "career center". Here you can prepare for a career exam, explore occupations, and improve your workplace skills. There are workKey assessments, and options to help prepare for an occupational exam> allied health > nursing or for his last step here, choose pharmacy.  Even my taking some of the practice exams for nursing aides or pharmacy techs, he can learn where he thinks his interest lies.  He should also do some research in the college center to review skills and preparations for placement tests and graduate school entrance exams, to get an idea of what is expected in each of these fields. Here he would have an opportunity to take a pharmacy tech exam, or a nursing assistant entrance exam and look at courses.  This type of research would be helpful for him in making such an important decision.