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 a total of 26 new tasks this month. 22 of the tasks appear in "Sentence Processing - Parts of a Sentence - Verb Tense", using the ImageBoards model. The four tasks that were put in this new section last month have been renumbered, something we usually avoid. But in this case, it allowed clearer grouping of the targets.
The aim of the tasks is to illustrate the concept of past, present and future tense, and to encourage the client to use correct verb tense in sentences. There are subsections for "regular" and "irregular" verbs, and this month, the theme of all of the new tasks is a Teddy character. Teddy is depicted doing a range of actions, such as "sleeping, eating, skipping, drawing" etc, and will appeal to most of the younger clients.
Four tasks, also using the ImageBoards and the Teddy character, appear in "Semantics - Naming - Verbs". The aim of these tasks is to expand vocabulary knowledge. The first task contains very basic verbs, such as sleeping, eating, drinking. And the remaining tasks focus on more specific verbs, such as skipping, hopping etc.
The ImageBoards model is quite flexible. The clinician is able to provide a game activity, where the clients collect points after production of a sentence, or naming the verb. If a more structured activity is required, it may be presented without the game element, by selecting "0" players. Literacy skills can be reinforced by selecting "both" (image plus word), and the clinician/helper can choose to focus on a specific verb tense, by selecting the appropriate board.
eLr-Offline is a version of eLr which can be installed on your own computer and allows you to use the materials without needing an internet connection. We add new content each month (as above) to the eLr web site which are immediately accessible to all users. But, although we also create a new edition of eLr-Offline each month, many of our users are not getting this (and subsequent updates) until they receive their updated eLr-Offline CD each 6 months.
It is now possible to simply install each eLr-Offline update(s) yourself directly from our website www.elr.com.au/offline. Make sure your computer is connected to the web, then start eLr-Offline as usual. Open the "Help" menu and click on the item "Check for updates". The program will check whether a newer edition is available, you'll see a confirmation box, then follow the prompts and the newest edition will be automatically retrieved and installed for you.
This mechanism has been in place since January 2010 so all current users will now have this facility. We're keen to see as many as possible begin using it so that you can get the fullest value from eLr. Some users may have difficulties due to firewalls or administrator rights on their computer. Please let us know if this is the case so that we can prepare better guidelines for this process.
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.
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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