Language Arts/Reading Videos

Cover to Cover

16 - 15 min. programs; 3-4; Language Arts; International Telecommunication Services

Cover to Cover is a reading motivation series of sixteen 15-minute programs. Chosen for today's audience, and designed for use with third and fourth grade students, each program gives a "taste" of a book. Featured stories encompass a wide range of genres and reading levels as well as broad muticultural representation. Each program highlights *two readings from the selected book with scenes and characters colorfully illustrated by artists and a cliffhanger-ending to peak students' interest and promote reading.

  1. Ralph S. Mouse - Beverly Cleary
  2. Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying (and) Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business - Barbara Park
  3. The Year of the Panda - Miriam Schlein (and) Dolphin Adventure: A True Story - Wayne Grover
  4. A Lion to Guard Us - Clyde Robert Bulla
  5. The Big Wave - Pearl Buck
  6. Pretty Polly - Dick King-Smith
  7. Which Way Freedom? - Joyce Hansen
  8. The Boys Start the War (and) The Girls Get Even - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
  9. Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear - Lensey Namioka
  10. The Animal, the Vegetable, & John D Jones - Betsy Byars
  11. Shape-Changer - Bill Brittain
  12. A Brown Bird Singing - Frances Wosmek
  13. Goblins in the Castle - Bruce Coville
  14. All About Sam - Lois Lowry (and) The War with Grandpa - Robert Kimmel Smith
  15. Mayfield Crossing - Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
  16. Guests - Michael Dorris

Cursive Handwriting (Zaner-Bloser)

22 programs - 15 min. each; 2-3; Language Arts; Produced by: WHRO-TV (1984)

The series is targeted for students in grades 2 and 3, but the programs are produced so that they may be successfully used with children of different ability levels and in all elementary grades where cursive writing is being taught. The emphasis is on demonstration and practice of cursive letters and words. Direct instruction, letter animation, and graphics are used to introduce letters and words that can easily be practiced by the students during and after the television lesson. Specific instruction is given to both the left and right handed student as to correct cursive writing.

  1. Introduction
  2. I, u, t
  3. w, r, s
  4. p, j
  5. e, l, f
  6. h, b, k
  7. a, o
  8. d, q, c, g
  9. v, m, n
  10. x, y, z
  11. Review
  12. H, X, W
  13. K, M, N, U
  14. V, Y, Z, Q
  15. F, T, I
  16. G, S
  17. B, P, R
  18. C, O
  19. A, D, E
  20. J, L
  21. Numbers
  22. Days of the Week, Months

Fables & Folktales

15 programs - 15 min. each; K-6; Language Arts; Distributed by: International Telecommunication Services (1987)

Fables & Folktales is designed to motivate children to read the fables presented in the programs as well as other fables and folktales. Additional titles and similar stories are identified in the teacher guide.

  1. Aesop's Fables: An Introduction
  2. Beasts Of Burden
  3. Iedman's Folly
  4. They're Really Allegories
  5. A Dangerous Combination
  6. The Educated Greek
  7. Morals, Morals, Morals
  8. Devious Characters
  9. Advantage Seekers
  10. Great Orators & Fables
  11. Maxims, Proverbs, & Pithy Sayings
  12. More Maxims & Morals
  13. Relationships
  14. Freedom
  15. Conclusion

GED Connection

39 - 30 min. programs ; 9-12 ; Guidance, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies ; PBS Adult Learning Service

GED Connection is a dynamic instructional package from PBS LiteracyLink that prepares adult learners for the revised GED exam. It creatively combines video, print, and the Internet to reach classroom students and independent learners. GED Connection brings the subject matter alive through tours of historical sites, documentary footage, interviews with poets and scientists, and demonstrations of real-life applications.

  1. GED Connection Orientation
  2. Passing the GED Writing Test
  3. Getting Ideas on Paper
  4. The Writing Process
  5. Organized Writing
  6. Writing Style and Word Choice
  7. Effective Sentences
  8. Grammar and Usage
  9. Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization
  10. The GED Essay
  11. Passing the GED Reading Test
  12. Nonfiction
  13. Fiction
  14. Poetry
  15. Drama
  16. Passing the GED Social Studies Test
  17. Themes in U.S. History
  18. Themes in World History
  19. Economics
  20. Civics and Government
  21. Geography
  22. Passing the GED Science Test
  23. Life Science
  24. Earth and Space Science
  25. Chemistry
  26. Physics
  27. Passing the GED Math Test
  28. Number Sense
  29. Problem Solving
  30. Decimals
  31. Fractions
  32. Ratio, Proportion, and Percent
  33. Measurement
  34. Formulas
  35. Geometry
  36. Data Analysis
  37. Statistics and Probability
  38. Introduction to Algebra
  39. Special Topics in Algebra and Geometry

Good Read, Season 2

5 programs - 30 min. each; 7-12; Language Arts, Maine Studies; Maine Public Television, Lewiston, ME (2001)

  1. Linda Greenlaw: Linda Greenlaw has been a commercial fisherman for the past 20 years. But it wasn't until she was described as "one of the best captains, period, on the East Coast," that she considered writing. In 1999, her first book, The Hungry Ocean: A Swordboat Captain's Journey, catapulted to the New York Times Bestseller list and remained there for over 6 months.
  2. Richard Russo: Richard Russo didn't start writing until he was nearly 30 because he was busy teaching college students writing and literature. By the time he found teaching jobs that allowed him enough time to write, like Colby College, he was making enough money writing books and screenplays that he ddin't need to teach anymore. he's now a full-time writer based in Camden.
  3. Cathie Pelletier: Cathie Pelletier hasn't lived year-round in Maine for 25 years, but that hasn't stopped her from writing about us. She also put a fictitious place called Mattagash on the map. Surrounded by storytellers while growing up in the Allagash on the St. John River, Cathie knew she'd be a writer when she was still a young grade school student.
  4. Ashley Bryan: Ashley Bryan's fascination with books started at a very young age. In kindergarten, he was a self-publisher; writing, illustrating, binding, and distributing his own books. It's little wonder that he later became the only black in his art school class, a Fulbright scholar, and an instructor at Dartmough College. Now this children's author and illustrator and painter is in demand.
  5. Baron Wormser: Maine's second poet laureate, Baron Wormser, loves to write about pop culture and considers himself both a Zen Buddhist and a Jew. Baron is a former librarian and teacher who worked in Maine schools for more than 25 years. He has five published collections of poetry, as well as a guide to teaching poetry. The Balitmore native came to Maien in the back-to-the-earth movement of the early 70s.

Good Read with Stephen King

30 min. ; 7-12 ; Language Arts; Maine Studies ; MPBN, Lewiston , ME (2004)

In a rare interview in his home state, famed horror novelist Stephen King sat down with A Good Read host Sandy Phippen for an in-depth discussion about King's writing career and aspirations for his future. King speaks candidly about his choice to leave horror and fantasy behind. "I've done all the major monsters," he says, but he remains faithful to the craft. "I can't imagine giving up writing. It's a blast."

Good Read: Writers on Writing

6 programs - 30 min. each; 7-12; Language Arts, Maine Studies; Produced by: Maine Public Television (2000)

Maine is home to some of the country's very best writers. So what is it about this place that makes for such good storytelling? In search of an answer, Host Sandy Phippen calls on six of Maine's most gifted authors in this new series. Support for this project provided by the Davis Family Foundation.

  1. 1) Gerald E. Lewis
  2. 2) Constance Hunting
  3. 3) Carolyn Chute
  4. 4) Leo Connellan
  5. 5) Miriam Colwell
  6. 6) Janwiillem van de Wetering

In Search of the Novel

8 programs - 60 min. each; 6-12; Language Arts, Teacher Education; Annenberg/CPB Channel

Discover creative strategies for effectively teaching novels to middle and high school students with this eight-part workshop series. The series, which covers 10 novels, poses basic questions to help you explore multiple perspectives on the novel form and help your students better understand the nature of the novel. Each program weaves together a variety of elements, including examples of teacher/student classroom activities; interviews with contemporary novelists, literary critics, teachers, and students; and film clips from adaptations of novels.

  1. Who Owns the Novel?
  2. What's the Story?
  3. Are Novels Real?
  4. Where Do Novels Come From?
  5. Why Do I Have to Read this Book?
  6. What's in It for Me?
  7. Who Am I in this Story?
  8. Am I Getting Through?

Magic Carpet

12 15 min. programs; K-3; Language Arts; International Telecommunication Services (1996)

Pre and post program activities include drama, music, and art. This series brings Folk Tales from around the world into the classroom. Long before reading and writing were introduced; some of these stories and tales were being told and retold, handed down from generation to generation precious heirlooms which contain the wit and wisdom of early cultures. Other stories have more recent origins, being American Legends or Tales based on historical fact. All the stories are intended to motivate a desire to read among children in primary grades.

  1. Aladdin And His Magic Lamp
  2. The Butter Fly Tree
  3. Legends of Paul Bunyan
  4. Monkey And The Crocodile
  5. Paul Revere's Ride
  6. Princess And The Full Moon
  7. Story Of John Henry
  8. Three Billy Goats Gruff
  9. Why Rabbits Have Long Ears
  10. Why Spiders Hide In Dark Corners
  11. The Story Of Molly Pitcher
  12. Aesop's Fables

May Sarton: She Knew a Phoenix

30 min.; 7-12; Language Arts; Produced by: The Women's Media Network (1980)

May Sarton: She Knew A Phoenix is an intimate interview with the poet in her house by the sea. She reads seven poems including "The Phoenix" and discusses topics such as solitude, the creative impulse, and the making of one's soul.

More Books from Cover to Cover

16 programs - 15 min. each; 5-6; Language Arts; Distributed by: WETA-TV (1987)

More Books From Cover To Cover features one or two books, blending dramatic narration, artwork, sound effects and music to bring the books to life. Host John Robbins introduces each book and the narration takes viewers up to a crucial point in the story. Students must read the book to learn the ending.

  1. The Wish Giver
  2. The Summer Bride
  3. Won't Know Till I Get There
  4. The Agony of Alice
  5. Stone Fox
  6. Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird
  7. The Ghost Squad Breaks Through/Who Kidnapped the Sheriff?
  8. The Castle in the Attic
  9. Baby-Sitting is a Dangerous Job
  10. Come Sing, Jimmy Jo
  11. The Not-Just-Anybody Family
  12. Tom's Midnight Garden
  13. Midnight is a Place
  14. The Root Cellar
  15. The Whipping Boy
  16. The Dark is Rising

Portrait of America

11 programs - 50 min. each; 3-12; Art, Economics, History, Language Arts; Produced by: Turner Broadcasting (1986)

Filmed on location and narrated by Hal Holbrook, these award-winning programs tell the story of America through the positive contributions of its people. Each program is divided into five segments which may be shown as an entire state or viewed by the social concepts developed such as leadership, politics, conservation, economics, cultures and neighborhoods.

  1. Arizona
  2. Connecticut
  3. Florida
  4. Hawaii
  5. Louisiana
  6. Massachusetts
  7. Pennsylvania
  8. Rhode Island
  9. Texas
  10. Vermont
  11. Washington, DC

Portraits: The Americans

12 - 15 min. programs; 4-8; Art, History, Language Arts; International Telecommunication Services (1997)

American history and literature are filled with stories of individuals who have made a difference to the nation, their communities and, in many instances, the world at large. In addition to noted historical figures such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Betsy Ross and Thomas Jefferson, there are many, many people whose personal stories enrich our understanding of human nature, democracy, the physical world, the rights of common people and the ability of one person to make a difference. Portraits: The Americans, tells these stories by combining history, literature, music and art with surfing the Internet and video production. John Robbins - host, narrator and producer - is joined by students Shamis Beckley and Dwayne Nitz while they create portraits of famous and not-so-famous historical figures. The stories of these figures introduce entire units of study and unlock studentscuriosity about such topics as the American Revolution, westward expansion, natural history and conservation. Designed to instill good reporting skills as well as educate, Portraits demonstrates the joy of discovery. Each biography begins with a timeline illustrating dances, topics, food and favorite sports figures of the day. The unfolding of the subject's life story parallels the development of the portrait, executed in a manner to convey the spirit of the individual. Enlightened narration combined with information extracted from other media and locations evokes people, places or moments in American history. The program ends with a completed portrait.

  1. John James Audubon - John James Audubon (1785-1851) came from France to live in America at age 18. Enthralled by American birds, he was determined to paint each species life-size. At the time, his drawings were unappreciated in America, but he found fame in England where Robert Havell faithfully engraved and hand colored each of his bird portraits and published four substantial volumes of Audubon's art.
  2. Elizabeth Blackwell - Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910) was America's first female doctor. She came from England at age 10 and at 28 graduated from Geneva (NY) College of Medicine. After practicing briefly in Paris and London, she returned to New York City where she and her sister founded the New York Infirmary for Women and Children in 1853.
  3. Buffalo Bill - Buffalo Bill's (1846-1917) real name was William Frederick Cody. He was a scout for the Union before and during the Civil War. He acquired his nickname through his business of supplying buffalo meat to workers on the Kansas railroad. With legendary marksman and riding skills, he formed the immensely popular Wild West Extravaganza in 1883 that toured America and Europe for 30 years.
  4. Annie Oakley - Annie Oakley (1860-1926) was born in Ohio as Phoebe Ann Moses. At age 12, she helped support her family by supplying game birds to a Cincinnati restaurant. In her teens, she was discovered by Buffalo Bill and became one of his featured performers. She was first woman to hold the undisputed title of world's greatest sharpshooter - an honor she held for many years.
  5. Benjamin Franklin - Benjamin Franklin's (1706-1790) electrical discoveries and inventions opened doors for him to a diplomatic career in Europe at the time of the American Revolution, making him the most internationally famous American of the 18th century. In the position of plenipotentiary, he was the Continental Congress'agent vested with full power to transact business on behalf of the American war effort.
  6. Deborah Samson - Deborah Samson (1760-1827), a young school teacher, wanted to play an active role in the American Revolution. Dressed as a man and using the name Robert Shurtliff, she signed up for three years as a Continental soldier and served with distinction until illness forced her to quit the war.
  7. Benjamin Banneker - Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806) was the best-known African American of his time. As a free black, he wrote against slavery; as a land surveyor, he assisted in the survey of what became the District of Columbia. He was also a mathematician, astronomer and almanac publisher.
  8. Benedict Arnold - Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), the most famous traitor in American history, had been an American hero. Early in the Revolution, he fought fearlessly in battle. However, his love of the "good life" eventually led him into financial trouble and, for a large sum of money, he switched his loyalty to the British.
  9. John Muir - John Muir (1838-1914) emigrated from Scotland to America as a child. He grew up in Wisconsin and studied plants and animals at the state university. He covered America on foot and settled in California where he fell in love with the giant redwoods and the natural beauty of the land. As founder of the Sierra Club, he helped President Teddy Roosevelt establish restrictions to protect America's forests.
  10. Nellie Bly - Nellie Bly (1864-1922) was the pen name of journalist Elizabeth Cochrane, who invented the "stunt report." She used aliases and disguises to ferret out stories that often exposed unacceptable conditions, whether in an insane asylum or a baby-selling ring. In 1889, she decided to beat Phileas Fogg's fictional record of circling the world in 80 days - she did it in 72.
  11. Jim Thorpe - Jim Thorpe (1888-1953) was a Native American from the Sac and Fox tribe. His life was a series of "firsts." In the 1912 Olympics, he became the first and only person to win both the Pentathlon and Decathlon; he was the first American to simultaneously play professional baseball and football; and he became the first president of the National Football League.
  12. Mary McLeod Bethune - Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955) was born in South Carolina. As a child she picked cotton with her parents Samuel and Patsy McLeod. Nearby there was a school for Negro children founded by Emma Wilson, who taught her reading and math. Her dream was to become a foreign missionary; instead she found her mission in Florida where she established a college for African Americans. She went on to serve under Presidents Roosevelt and Truman and established the National Council of Negro Women.

Read with Me

7 min.; K-3; Language Arts; Produced by: Maine Public Television (2000)

This short video is aimed at encouraging and helping families to read together. The video includes several scenarios modeling effective methods for family members and children to read aloud together. This video was produced in partnership with the Maine Family Literacy Task Force, and is supported by a grant from Verizon.

TV-411

30 - 30 min. programs ; 9-12 ; Career/Vocational Education, Health/Wellness, Language Arts, Mathematics

TV411 is an exciting 30-part video series for adult learners that uses real-life topics to teach pre-GED-level basic skills. This indispensable learning tool is packed with expert advice and proven tips to promote active learning. The program content focuses on parenting, money matters, and health; specific subjects include reading comprehension, research how-to's, writing to others, filling out forms, calculating percentages, using fractions, taking tests, and more.

  • #101 Question Man uses a thesaurus to find synonyms, while Stephen Colman illustrates the use of synonyms and antonyms in slam poetry. Laverne helps a coworker figure out how much of her pay is taken out in taxes, job seekers create dossiers to help in their job hunts, a Nashville mechanic shares his experiences, and Michael Franti of Spearhead explains how he writes songs.
  • #102 Members of the Dallas Cowboys use football to illustrate examples of decimals and percentages; Agent Know How shows how to get a library card; poet Jimmy Santiago Baca tells how he discovered the power of language while serving time in prison, then leads a writing seminar; and Question Man explains when to use apostrophes.
  • #103 Job seekers prepare for filling out applications by creating personal data sheets, and singer/songwriter Phoebe Snow talks about music and the composing process. A mother creates a medical "bible" in order to document and track her chronically ill child's medical history.
  • #104 Actress Kathy Bates talks about books that have been made into movies, a woman from Pittsburgh tells how she reached her goal of becoming a travel agent, the book club reads Laura Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate, and Malik Yoba shares tips on how to keep a journal.
  • #105 The book club reads I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, Agent Know How goes looking for information at the library, and Laverne helps a new father of triplets multiply his shopping list. The Lifelines segment shows how to prepare for a visit to the doctor.
  • #106 Question Man shows how to take a phone message, Laverne helps shoppers get the best deals on television sets, and pop/rock band BETTY teaches about homonyms. Job seekers learn how to write résumés, and an Indiana woman talks about going back to school as an adult so she could become a nurse.
  • #107 Olympic track star Florence Griffith Joyner introduces a segment in which skaters Tai Babalonia and Randy Gardner calculate an average. An animated segment shows how to look up a word in a dictionary, and New York artist Esperanza Cortez shares her battle with dyslexia.
  • #108 Job seekers work on writing cover letters for applications, Laverne helps a shopper with diabetes get nutritional information from food labels, and "Dictionary Cinema" shows how to look up a word you don't know how to spell.
  • #109 Agent Know How tries out the library computer to find a book, and a father shares tips on reading to children. The book club members read Angela's Ashes and meet author Frank McCourt.
  • #110 A young couple gets advice on getting their finances under control from a credit counselor, and John Fugelsang hosts a look at the fine print on "too-good-to-be-true" credit card offers. The "Rip Off" segment looks critically at a TV ad, and author Studs Terkel reads from his book Working.
  • #111 Salsa musician Rubén Blades performs some of his songs and talks about his writing process. An El Paso mother enters the Even Start program and learns ways to bring her family closer together through reading and writing. Then Question Man shares tips on taking tests.
  • #112 Laverne helps a young man write a card to his girlfriend, parents choose a school for their child, and bluegrass singer/songwriter Hazel Dickens shares some of her music.
  • #113 Professional women basketball players explain applications of fractions and percentages in their sport, new immigrants get advice on applying for citizenship, and Laverne helps a customer fill out an application for store credit. An Oakland woman shares how writing a letter can generate change in a community.
  • #114 A son writes an emotional letter to his estranged father, and Dictionary Cinema shows how foreign words are listed. An adult learner talks to his boss about his continuing education. LaPhonso Ellis and Alan Henderson of the NBA demonstrate how to figure out time and distance on a map when planning a trip. Also, tips on highlighting text, a pop quiz about word origins, and an explanation of the word reconcile.
  • #115 Question Man goes to the library for books on parenting, and Laverne explains how to use a glossary to read a health insurance plan. Street Beat offers advice on figuring the tip in a restaurant, and a mother and daughter create a daily schedule. Poet Jimmy Santiago Baca shows a group of adult learners how to keep a journal. Other topics include energy consumption of appliances and the word stereotype.
  • #116 Question Man looks at the economics of rent-to-own deals, basketball pro Olympia Scott-Richardson shows how she uses her day planner to stay organized, and actor Dennis Franz gives a tip on reading the newspaper. Laverne helps a painting contractor figure the cost of a job, and singer-songwriter Toshi Reagon writes a song on the spot. Other topics include credit card debt and the word analogy.
  • #117 A couple of first-time home buyers learn how to read a mortgage chart, Question Man works on understanding his utility bill, and Street Beat shows how to evaluate written information. Four students from California, calling themselves the Freedom Writers, use pen and paper to fight prejudice and intolerance. Also: how to use a thesaurus, a pop quiz about volunteering, and the word anomaly.
  • #118 Question Man reads the newspaper, ABC News anchor Antonio Mora hosts a report on multiple intelligences, tennis pro Zina Garrison explains percentiles and rankings, and Jimmy Santiago Baca shows a group of adult learners how to summarize a poem. Street Beat covers looking up government listings in the phone book, while other segments introduce facts about the United States Census and the word dynamics.
  • #119 Tips on how to summarize almost anything, a pop quiz about adults in college, and the word marginalized. ABC News anchor Antonio Mora reports on different learning styles, a Maryland steel worker studies for his GED, Laverne explains how to use unit price labels on store shelves, and poet Jimmy Santiago Baca talks about how he discovered the joy of language.
  • #120 While reading a pamphlet on breast cancer, Laverne explains the basics of probability and odds. Elizabeth Daniels Squire, a novelist who is also dyslexic, talks about her work, and Antonio Mora of ABC News reports on dyslexia. Also: different meanings for the same word, how to learn and remember new words, a quiz about water and the human body, and the word genetics.
  • #121 Body Works - Olympic medalist Marian Jones demonstrates the concept of rate, and two math-savvy Calculating Women take charge of an overweight friend's calorie counting. "Lifelines" explores smart ways to manage multiple medications, mind mentor Michael Gelb shares an innovative technique for brainstorming and retaining ideas, and Michael Beech of Third Watch offers tips for handling an emergency.
  • #122 Personal Finances - Question Man gets financial advice from a millionaire, a teenage father gets help starting up a small lollipop business as he pursues his GED, the Calculating Women estimate and calculate their way to the perfect cell phone plan, and a federal official reveals the math behind common money scams.
  • #123 The Learning Journey - Strategies for reading comprehension on the GED test, ratios in the kitchen with TV chef Curtis Aikens, the story of how one man left prison and low literacy behind, and a look at what happened when an entire Midwestern town read the same novel.
  • #124 On the Job - Question Man figures out how to decipher legalese, an Appalachian man tells how he succeeded in changing careers after the end of his coal-mining days, and the Calculating Women explore strategies for building up retirement savings. "Math Behind the Arts" features a New York City subway tile artist.
  • #125 Navigating the System - Tips on how to avoid credit card debt from the Calculating Women; a profile of a New York man who, despite a reading disability, teaches others how to pass written driver's license exams; and advice from Laverne on over-the-counter medicine labels and prescription dosages. Three Harlem Globetrotters demonstrate how to read a world map.
  • #126 Family Matters - An African immigrant struggles to learn to read and raise a family in America, Laverne helps a young mother child-proof her home, and an African-American woman researches her family roots over the Internet and in the field. Hip-hop star Doug E. Fresh teaches parents and children how to rap while they read.
  • #127 Writing - Question Man tackles sentence fragments in a grammatically correct dream, poet Jimmy Baca conducts a dynamic writing workshop with steelworkers, and Laverne helps a co-worker create an outline for a GED essay on disciplining children. A peek behind the scenes at the popular Bernie Mac Show looks in on a professional brainstorming session.
  • #128 Express Yourself - Newly minted writer Kathi Wellington tells stories from her days as a female steelworker, and origami artist June Sakamoto gives a geometry lesson. Parents and children interpret art and symbolism at the Philadelphia Museum, and Broadway performers from Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam demonstrate that writing poetry can be both literary and exuberant.
  • #129 Math for Life - A drummer and the chorus line of Forty-Second Street demonstrate fractions in action, a carpenter shows how math is critical to her work, Mets pitcher Al Leiter illustrates the perimeter of a baseball diamond, and Laverne explains percentages and multiple markdowns for bargain hunters.
  • #130 Media - Question Man gets the scoop from a reporter on how to read between the lines, and "Straight to the Source" looks over the shoulder of political cartoonist Don Margolies as he creates his caricatures. DC United soccer star Nick Rimando shows how he uses computers and the Internet while he's on the road, and the book club visits a special class in New York where workers learn about the history of the Depression through Dorothea Lange's celebrated photographs.

Workplace Essential Skills

24 - 30 min. programs ; 9-12 ; Career/Vocational Education, Communication, Guidance, Language Arts, Mathematics ; PBS Adult Learning Service

Workplace Essential Skills is an extraordinary instructional package that teaches how to find, keep and thrive in the job. Use it in classes, workshops, training, outreach or even distance education programs. This is designed for pre-GED (sixth to eightth grade reading level) adult learners. It develops job search, reading, writing, math, and communication skills.

  1. Orientation: Making it Work
  2. Planning to Work
  3. Matching Skills and Jobs
  4. Applying for Jobs
  5. Resumes, Tests, and Choices
  6. Interviewing
  7. Ready for Work
  8. Workplace Safety
  9. Learning at Work
  10. The Language of Work
  11. Communicating with Co-workers and Supervisors
  12. Working Together
  13. Communicating with Customers
  14. A Process for Writing
  15. Supplying Information: Directions, Forms, and Charts
  16. Writing Memos and Letters
  17. Reading for a Purpose
  18. Finding What You Need: Forms and Charts
  19. Following Directions
  20. Reading Reports and Manuals
  21. Solving Problems
  22. Fractions, Decimals, and Percents
  23. Measurements and Formulas
  24. Trends and Predictions: Graphs and Data