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 -
This month's edition features an exciting new model in Activity Toolbox called MouthSounds Wordbuilder. The aim of this model is provide materials for use in therapy for speech sound disorders, phonological awareness and literacy. It allows you to produce a screen (and/or print a page) with pictorial representations of the sounds of English. The process involves two steps. First you select the sounds you wish to work on, and the letters that would spell those sound/s. Then you click the forward arrow (top left), to display the next screen which shows pictorial representations of the sounds and the letters or words you've selected.
In the selection process (the first step), you may choose to represent up to 3 rows of sounds, which may be non-words, syllables, or real words. Each row allows up to 5 sounds: an initial consonant or 2 consonant blend, a vowel, and a final consonant or 2 consonant blend. This means you can present 3 rows of single sounds (eg /p/, /ch/), non-word syllables (eg "fee foo fah", "stee, stoo, stah", "steeth, preeth, freeth"), words, or combinations of words and non-words (eg "stamp, samp, stap"). The first step is to select the sound/s by clicking on the phonetic symbol. Then you are presented with spelling choices for each of those sounds. Once you click on the spelling choice, the non-word or word is "built" on the screen showing you how that non-word/word is segmented.
The pictorial representations of the sounds show the tongue and lip positions for the sounds of English. Currently only child's faces (male or female) are depicted but within the next few months we'll have adult faces as well.
Some examples of how this model may be used include:
For children with speech production difficulties, you may wish to focus on the ability to produce a particular sound, contrast two sounds, or to blend sounds to produce syllables and words. This model allows you to select the sound or sounds, choose spelling patterns to match the sounds if you wish, and the picture representation of the sound/s appears on the screen.
For children whose speech sound disorder involves phonological processes, (specific patterns of incorrect sound use), you can contrast the incorrect production with the target word. For example, if the child leaves off the last sound in words, you could produce a page with 2 rows: one with the erroneous production (eg /ca/ for "cat"), and another that includes the final sound (eg /cat/ for "cat"). The printed pictorial representations could be included in a game involving toy cats so that the child sees how the mouth moves to correctly produce "cat".
For children with literacy delays, this model allows you to clearly depict how to "sound out" or segment a word. Many children have difficulty segmenting words with consonant blends. You could produce a screen/page that contrasts the word correctly segmented (ie with the consonant blend), and their currently incorrect attempt at segmenting. This would be accompanied by having the child write the word in a meaningful activity.
Many children also have difficulty learning how to spell, especially vowel sounds. This model may be used with the child viewing the process of constructing the word. First say the target word. Have the child sound out (segment) the word. Then select the sounds by clicking on the phonetic symbol. The spelling choices for each sound are displayed. Work with the child to identify the correct spelling for each sound in the word. Further reinforcement for correct segmenting is provided once you display the pictorial representations of each sound.
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 2012 National Conference:
Sunday 24th - Wednesday 27th
We will have trade stand #11 at this conference. Contact us for further details
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