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).
Season's Greetings, and we wish you all a safe and happy new year. And special thanks to all to have provided us feedback - always helpful!
In this issue -
We are continuing to work on developing activities targeting phonemic awareness for children who have difficulty producing specific sounds (articulation or speech production problems). This month there are 62 new tasks in "Phonology - Later Sounds - Phonemic awareness for this sound" in the /k, g, f, v, s, z, sh, zh, ch, dge, y, l, r, th/ subsections.
All of the tasks are word based using the Word sound buttons model which encourages children to break words into sounds. A word appears on the screen. The helper reads out the word, or, if the child is developing literacy skills, the helper supports the child to read the word. The child is then encouraged to verbally "sound out" the word, and then click buttons to see how that particular word is broken into sounds. By clicking the buttons the spelling for each sound is revealed. For example the word "cat" is shown as "c-a-t", and the word "ship" as "sh-i-p". This activity reinforces letter sound relationships, an important skill in literacy development.
The role of the clinician or helper is critical in all of these tasks to deliver the verbal stimuli, provide feedback, and encourage strategies to increase auditory processing skills.
eLr-Offline has had a major "behind the scenes" upgrade for 2012. We use the wonderful software called HTML Executable (HE) at www.htmlexe.com to turn the content of the eLr website into a standalone "Offline" version that runs without an internet connection. Although it initially looks much the same, eLr-Offline is now built with a new, revised version of HE which will add speed and stability, as well as setting the stage for further functionality in the coming months.
Although this upgraded version will be on your next eLr-Offline CD, we'd encourage all users to update directly from our website. The simplest way is to use the automatic process built into the program. Make sure your computer is connected to the web, then start your existing eLr-Offline as usual. Open the "Help" menu (at the top of the screen) 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.
It should only take a couple of minutes to do this, but, please note, you'll have to also get a new "Registration key" (from the same "Help" menu) to use 2012 versions of eLr-Offline. Let us know if you have any problems with this, and contact us with your number and convenient time if you'd like us to phone and talk you through the update processes.
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-a-Sentence or EIA. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send an e-mail with details to news@elr.com.au
Copyright ©2012 ELR Software Pty Ltd
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ELR Software Pty Ltd PO Box 1456 Bairnsdale VIC 3875, Australia |
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