ELR-News

July 2006

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), Rude Readers, Word Meanings 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. Speech Pathology Australia Conference
  2. New eLr Materials
  3. Queensland Workshops - June 2006
  4. Other Independent Developers
  5. Free Downloads
  6. ELR 2006 Calendar

  1. Speech Pathology Australia Conference

    The conference in Fremantle was such a success. It was great to meet many of our subscribers - to chat and get feedback about the existing material, and also get lots more ideas about how to modify and add new areas. We also met so many new faces and enjoyed showing them the programs we have produced. There were many stimulating papers and lots of opportunity to discuss how to incorporate new ideas into our service delivery. We hope you all had time to enjoy Fremantle. We enjoyed the beaches - walking and swimming each morning in that amazingly clear water.

  2. New eLr Materials

    We've been working in the "Phonological Awareness" section this month. There are 28 new tasks in a new subsection called "Blending sounds to make words". The aim of this subsection is to provide materials to strengthen the client's ability to listen to sounds, and blend the sounds to work out the word. It has been my observation that there is a group of children who find this activity confusing, and they often guess at a word which may have no relationship to the sounds they are trying to blend. These tasks are designed to help reduce the "guessing" that often occurs.

    The model used is MultiPic Slideshow which has also been slightly updated to provide a "shuffle" function. Pictures are presented on the screen. The client is instructed to listen to sounds, blend them, say the word, and then click the picture to check which matches the word. The clinician or helper delivers the sounds, eg /b-e-d/. Once the client responds by clicking the picture, correct answers are highlighted red, and the clinician provides further feedback.

    Using this type of activity, the client is less likely to guess, and is able to gain more experience with blending sounds and achieving success. The tasks are arranged with different levels of difficulty

    This section will be useful for clients who have phonological awareness difficulties and weaknesses in central auditory processing.

  3. Queensland Workshops - June 2006

    We're off to Queensland next week, so will see some of you at the workshops that have been organized. Thank you very much for those who have invited us to demonstrate our material, and publicized our visit through your networks.

  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 2006 Calendar



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 or EIA. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send an e-mail with details to news@elr.com.au

Copyright ©2006 ELR Software Pty Ltd

Postal ELR Software Pty Ltd
PO Box 1456
Bairnsdale
VIC 3875, Australia
Phone
 
International
(03) 5156 8309
1800 018 309
+61 3 5156 8309
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