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 six new tasks have been added to "Phonology Skills and Early Sounds - Vowel sounds - Diphthong Vowel Sounds". This is one of the sections in the Directory of eLr tasks. The two Phonology sections of the Directory provide a range of games and activities that aim to increase accuracy of production of the sounds of English. The activities this month target production of diphthong vowel sound section. There are seven diphthongs: /oa/ as in boat, /oy/ as in boy, /ow/ as in loud, /ay/ as in day, /ie/ as in kite, /eer/ as in deer, and /air/ as in pair.
Two models are used in these new activities, SpinPics and LadderPics. SpinPics is like a board game with a board on the screen, and moveable icons and spinner. A different board is used for each activity. Some examples of boards are space, frogs, sea critters etc. The learner touches the spinner (on the iPad - or clicks on a computer), which displays a number between one and five. The learner moves their icon along the board to match the number, and then touches the "Chance" button to see a picture that contains the target sound. The learner is encouraged to verbally produce the word and is provided with corrective feedback to ensure accurate production of the vowel sound. The LadderPics model is like the game of Snakes and Ladders. Its operation is similar to that of SpinPics with a "Start" and "Chance" button. The learner is encouraged to produce the word and received corrective feedback from the clinician or helper.
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.
Consistent with the design of eLr activities, these models allow for modifications that enable the clinician/helper to provide extension activities. For example, 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 use, features, where it is found). Additionally, the boards may be printed and used as paper based activities. To print the boards, go to the "Activity Toolbox" section in the Directory. The subsection called "Scene Library" contains a range of scene, which may be used as boards for a variety of speech and language games. Click the "?" on the top right corner of the screen for instructions about how to use any of the eLr activities.
As with all eLr activities, we invite feedback and suggestions regarding these activities and any aspect of eLr.
An eLr subscription not only provides the subscriber various means of access to eLr content, but the subscriber's clients can also use eLr activities for "home practice" as a free service. Historically this free access has been from our web site using the "Guest" mechanism.
With the introduction the iPad App version of eLr-Offline, Apple allowed us to provide an equivalent free mechanism whereby those clients (families) could register the App on their own iPad for "Guest" access using an "AppkeyGuest" code we routinely provide to each subscriber. Many families are now using eLr this way as iPad ownership surpasses traditional computer access to the web.
Although the iPad eLr-Offline App itself can be freely obtained and updated each month from the App store, the mechanism for registration for free "Guest" access to the App is tied to the currency of their clinician's ongoing eLr subscription. Former clients and people no longer needing "Guest" access will find that their "Guest" registration of the eLr-Offline App will automatically expire.
We get a number of help requests relating to a family being unable to register the App for "Guest" access. The usual reason is that the "AppkeyGuest" code that they are trying to use must be updated because their clinician has recently renewed their subscription. So for ongoing clients who you want to continue to use eLr for home practice, it is important that when you renew your eLr yearly subscription you also inform them of your new "AppkeyGuest" code. Please feel free to contact us for further clarification of these mechanisms if necessary.
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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