ELR Software produces a range of computer programs designed by speech pathologists for speech, language & literacy intervention. Our programs may be used interactively within therapy sessions, to increase efficiency in service delivery, and to improve access to the Internet for people with special needs. We are also available as consultants to clinicians and research projects in the fields of literacy and accessibility issues associated with the Internet.
The aim of this newsletter is to inform you of developments and changes to our major products eLr (Extra Language Resources), Build-a-Sentence, Word Meanings Rude Readers and EIA (Enhancing Internet Access). We welcome the opportunity for feedback and questions, and will be pleased to consider including reader contributions and announcements.
This Newsletter (and previous editions) as well as a "print-ready" PDF version of the current edition is available online at www.elr.com.au/news. An email version is also sent monthly to members of our mailing list (See Subscribing/Unsubscribing).
In this issue -
There are 80 new tasks in "Reading and Spelling - Most frequent words". To date eLr has included activities targeting the first 200 of the Most Frequent Words. These first 200 words represent, on average, two-thirds of all the words used in reading and writing.
The new tasks this month extend this section to include the third and fourth hundred frequent words. These activities encourage the development of a larger number of words that can be automatically read and spelt. Each one hundred words is divided into 4 levels (25 words in each level), and each level is broken for convenience into sets of 12 and 13 words.
The models used include LookThenCover, WordSearch, MemoryWords, SmileyMan and ConnectWords. This means that you can present each set of words in a variety of activities. LookThenCover is an excellent model for introducing a set of words. WordSearch, MemoryWords and ConnectWords are good to encourage quick decoding, and SmileyMan reinforces spelling skills.
These activities provide a motivating way to practice basic reading and spelling skills. It is suggested that the tasks are completed within an interactive session where you discuss the words with your client. For example, you can talk about the meanings of the words and practice putting the words in example sentences. This helps generalize reading and spelling skills, and encourages the development of oral language and the understanding of word meanings. These skills are important for reading comprehension.
This month we're pleased to let you know of Grow Words at www.growwords.com.au, which is an Australian company that produces teaching resources for speech pathologists and teachers. Grow Words is owned by two speech pathologists, Shannon Wandschneider and Dr Sharon Crosbie, who are experienced in working with children across a range of educational and clinical settings. Their initial range of resources is a range of blackline master books based around popular classroom themes. Skills targeted in this range include vocabulary development and phonological awareness skills.
The key features of the resources include:
As an occasional feature of this Newsletter, we include simple, unpaid announcements of products developed by other small, independent developers, who, like ourselves, are practising clinicians who have put their ideas and experience into resource materials for general distribution. Links and brief information about these sites may be found at www.elr.com.au/links/developers.htm. To date we have listed -
If you would like your materials listed on this page (at no charge), please contact us.
ELR has a number of free or evaluation files available for downloading directly from our website. Please see www.elr.com.au/downloads.htm for specific details. For other supporting materials and documents available for free download, please see www.elr.com.au/support.htm.
ELR Software is now able to offer eLr support and short tutorials over the web. We can provide this sort of support to individuals, or to groups who would like to have an overview of eLr. Please contact us for details.
- Speech Pathology Australia 2009 National Conference:
Sunday 17th - Thursday 21st
We will have a trade stand at this conference. Contact us for further details
You are receiving ELR-News because you are an eLr subscriber, or have expressed an interest in either eLr, Rude Readers, Word Meanings, Build-s-Sentence or EIA. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send an e-mail with details to news@elr.com.au
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