ELR-News

October 2013

Newsletter of ELR Software Pty Ltd

ABN 67 090 738 702
http://www.elr.com.au
news@elr.com.au

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 -

  1. New eLr Materials
  2. Update of eLr-Offline for iPad in App Store
  3. Some Tips for Using the eLr-Offline for iPad App
  4. Other Independent Developers
  5. Free Downloads
  6. ELR 2013 Calendar

  1. New eLr Materials

    Twenty nine new tasks have been added to "Reading and Spelling - Long Vowel Sounds - /ee/ and /or/ sounds. All tasks use the new model, WordBreaker. This model provides material to teach segmentation of words into syllables and sounds, and to highlight more specific information about those two features, such as the stressed syllable in a multisyllabic word, and the vowel sound/s.

    Within each sound there are activities focusing on the different spelling choices for that sound. For example, the /or/ sound is spelt with "or" as in fork, "au" as in haul, "aw" as in paw, "a" as in ball, and "ore" as in core. Many people with reading and spelling delays have difficulty learning the correct spelling patterns, especially for vowel sounds. To help consolidate skills in this area, each section has a range of activities, thus providing lots of repetition for both reading and spelling. The WordBreaker model is particularly useful as it reinforces knowledge of how to break each word into sounds, thus providing strong visual support for the spelling patterns for each sound.

    In these tasks, as with most eLr activities, the role of the clinician/helper is central in providing corrective feedback about accurate decoding and segmentation, which has been shown in research to play a central role in development of sight word knowledge. The WordBreaker model is a recent addition to eLr, and we encourage feedback about any aspect of the model or the content.

  2. Update of eLr-Offline for iPad in App Store

    Thanks again to all who've congratulated us about the release of eLr-Offline for iPad. The new materials mentioned above have been included in an update now available in the Apple App store as the October 2013 edition. If you have the time and inclination, we'd also appreciate comments left about the App in the App store.

    There'll be a new iPad version every month as we continue our standard practice of monthly updates and additions to eLr materials. These updates will coincide with the distribution of each monthly newsletter. If you installed and registered the App, and have also renewed your subscription in the last month, you'll have to re-register with your new AppKey. Otherwise the update will recognise your current registration.

  3. Some Tips for Using the eLr-Offline for iPad App

    A number of people have commented that the "forward/back" arrow buttons used in many eLr tasks are difficult to precisely touch. There is a much easier alternative using a touch gesture to match the existing keyboards shortcuts available in Windows and Mac browsers, and in "eLr-Offline for Windows".

    These touch gestures will work when using eLr either on the iPad App, or from the website (as with the Safari browser) on an iPad. The swipe should be on the lower screen and should be at least a quarter of the screen width. We've made it this long to try to avoid accidental "knuckle drags" triggering the action.

    The second tip relates to the "AppKeys" which must be entered into the "eLr-Offline for iPad App to "unlock" it's full function. We provide an "AppKeyPro" intended for subscribers using the App as a "Registered User", and an "AppKeyGuest" which subscribers may distribute to their client amilies to enable them to use the App for free home practice.

    All Appkeys are linked to their subscription expiry date, and must be current and in synchrony with that subscription. We've had requests for assistance from subscribers and families who've found that the AppKey they entered doesn't seem to be working. The usual explanation is that the subscription has been recently renewed, but the person hasn't been using the updated AppKey. So, please check that you have and you clients have the appropriate, current AppKey. Contact us if you're confused about this process.

  4. Other Independent Developers

    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.

  5. Free Downloads

    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.


  6. ELR 2013 Calendar

    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.



Subscribing/Unsubscribing to this Newsletter

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 ©2013 ELR Software Pty Ltd

Postal ELR Software Pty Ltd
PO Box 1456
Bairnsdale
VIC 3875, Australia
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1800 018 309
+61 3 5156 8309
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