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).
Season's Greetings, and we wish you all a safe and happy new year. And special thanks to all to have provided us feedback - always helpful!
In this issue -
Twenty-five new tasks have been added to "Phonology Skills and Early Sounds". All tasks are in two subsections of "Vowel sounds", "Short vowel sounds" and "Long vowel sounds". The aim is to provide material to increase accuracy of production of the six short vowels (/a/ as in cat, /e/ as in bed, /i/ as in pig, /o/ as in hot, /u/ as in hug, and /oo/ as in book), and the five long vowels (/ar/ as in hard, /ee/ as in key, /er/ as in bird, /oo/ as in food, and /or/ as in fork).
The LadderPics model is used in all of these new tasks. This model is like the game of Snakes and Ladders. A board appears on the screen, with icons and a "Start" button. The learner touches "Start" (or clicks on a computer) to reveal a spinner which displays a number between one and six. The learner moves their icon along the board to match the number. If the icon lands at the bottom of a ladder it is moved up the ladder, and if it lands on the mouth of a snake, it is moved down the snake. The learner then touches (or clicks) 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.
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).
This month, at the request one of our subscribers, we reviewed all eLr tasks (now more than 12,300) to replace the word "stupid" where it had been used. There are sound reasons for avoiding this word in activities for clients, especially children, whose speech/language difficulties may already be causing self-confidence issues, and it's rather embarrassing to have not dealt with this before now.
The online version of eLr already reflects the changes, as do the January 2015 versions of eLr-Offline for Windows and iPad which are now available. We are very grateful to have had this issue raised, and we always appreciate feedback and suggestions regarding any aspect of eLr.
2014 saw the end of Microsoft support for Windows XP, and we have also decided to stop including the special XP alternative version of eLr-Offline the distribution CD after December 2014. This should effect very few users as any recent Windows computer/laptops will have at least Windows 7, and many of you will be using the iPad App version of eLr-Offline anyway. But, if you have an XP computer on which you need to have eLr-Offline, please contact us and we'll arrange to get a copy to you.
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.
- Speech Pathology Australia 2015 National Conference:
Sunday 17th - Wednesday 20th
We will have trade stand #34 at this conference. Contact us for further details
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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