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 -
Twenty-four new tasks have been added to "Phonology - Skills and Early Sounds - Vowel sounds - Short Vowel Sounds". This subsection was opened in the last edition and these current tasks provide additional material and games to strengthen production of short vowel sounds in words. There are six short vowel sounds: /a/ as in hat, /e/ as in bed, /i/ as in pig, /o/ as in hot, /u/ as in bus, and /oo/ as in book. These tasks may be useful for children with delayed or disordered speech sound development who often have difficulty producing vowel sounds accurately, and/or some adults with an acquired brain injury that has affected clarity of speech production. Prior to use of these materials, an assessment by a speech pathologist is advised. This enables a diagnosis of the nature of the speech production disorder, and also the formulation of appropriate goals and strategies for that person.
Two models have been used. The first one is called PicCards. This is a simple model where four, six or nine "cards" appear on the screen. The learner is encouraged to click a card to reveal a picture, and is supported by the clinician or helper to say the name of the picture using an accurate production of the vowel sound. The second model is a memory game and is called MemoryPics. A number of "cards" appear on the screen. The aim is to uncover matching pairs. It may be used as a game with two people, or the learner may continue to click cards until they have uncovered all of the pairs. As the goal of this task is to provide practice at producing words with short vowel sounds, each player says the word after they have uncovered a picture. As with the previous model the clinician or helper provides corrective feedback to ensure accurate production of the vowel sound.
Consistent with the design of eLr activities, these models allow for modifications that enable the clinician/helper to provide extension activities. For example, in both models the learner may be encouraged to use each word in a sentence, depending on the level of skill they have achieved. Or, the stimulus pictures may be used as the basis of a language expansion activity where a discussion about the item occurs (eg encouraging sentence production describing how the item is used, its features, where it is found etc). Additionally, the cards may be printed and used as paper based activities.
As with all eLr activities, we invite feedback and suggestions regarding these activities and any aspect of eLr.
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 also able to offer free 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
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