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) is available online at www.elr.com.au/news and an email version is 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 -
Every year seems busy, and this year was no different. Our small team at ELR Software has been involved in a range of activities, including software design for research projects, provision of clinical services, working on new speech pathology computer programs, and adding new materials to eLr.
eLr remains our main focus. Since the launch in 2000, with about 1,600 tasks, we've added new materials each month, and revised several sections. There are now 6,667 tasks covering more than 680 different speech, language and literacy targets. In 2004 we added 772 tasks. Some of the areas we worked on include:
Our continuing aim for eLr is to provide a resource which contains a comprehensive range of useful materials which may be used as part of speech pathology sessions. The activities are designed to allow modification for individual needs, and to encourage active participation by the client.
We appreciate the feedback we receive from subscribers. This has included suggestions for new materials, letting us know of any errors that have slipped through our quality check, and lots of positive comments about the usefulness of eLr as a clinical tool. Comments have highlighted how eLr has decreased preparation time, streamlines provision of home and school practice, and provides motivating activities for clients.
Thank you very much for your support, and we wish you all the best for 2005.
Have you ever wanted a CD version of eLr that you clients can use on their computers, without the need to use an internet connection? In response to a number of requests like this over the last couple of years, we've developed an "Affiliate" form of eLr subscription. This provides CD only access to a standard eLr-Offline CD, and is available only to Professional Subscribers for distribution to their clients (individuals, families or schools). More information about the licence entitlements for Affiliate subscriptions, and the comparisons with existing eLr licences may be found at www.elr.com.au/support/elr_matrix.htm.
Next month we'll cover in more detail the mechanism, pricing, bulk discounts etc for this new product. In the meantime, if you have any comments or questions about your needs to provide additional eLr access to your clients, while staying within the licence agreements, please contact us.
The focus for this month has been Phonemic Awareness - Initial Consonants. We have revised 10 tasks and added 31 new tasks in a new subsection called "Sound Letter Matching". These additions and changes are similar to those we completed for Final Consonants a couple of months ago.
The "Initial Consonants" and the "Final Consonants" sections in Phonemic Awareness provide material to strengthen the client's ability to process initial and final sounds in words, ie to name the sound, to detect which words start or end with the same sound, to identify which word starts or ends with a different sound ("Odd-One-Out"), and to generate a list of words that start or end with the same sound.
These new tasks use a model (PicTextMatch), which strengthens the client's knowledge of the relationship between sound and letter. The client names the picture, identifies the initial or final sound, and then selects the letter/s which represent the sounds. The tasks are graded in difficulty in the following ways:
This month, the tasks with long sounds have been completed. Next month tasks with short sounds will be added to this section.
Feather Weather (Volume 4) practises /th/ sounds in a six-line rhyme with a regular beat in the connected utterance. It has seven verses of rhymes about how to use a feather to cope with different weather - boiling, chilly, foggy, rainy, windy and thundery. The silly advice is given in two sentences which keep the same syntactic structure "In boiling weather/Hold a feather/Just between your toes/Then wave it back and forth/And send a cool breeze/Up your nose." Syntax is up to LARSP Stage V with connectivity structures (and, but, or else, then), and complex sentences. There are 18 /th/ sounds carried by nouns, verbs and prepositions. Where possible an /f/ sound is slipped into the text or into a word - feather, froth, flutter, freezing, flap, fear - just to make things difficult. In the end the child gets to hug mum. There's nothing rude about this reader - it's just silly in a sensible way.
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.
Workshop - details to be finalized
Workshops - details to be finalized
Workshops - details to be finalized
Speech Pathology Australia National Conference, May 29th - June 2nd, Canberra. We will have a commercial stand during the conference with eLr, Rude Readers, Word Meanings and EIA on show.
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 ©2005 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 |
Fax International |
(03) 5156 8609 +61 3 5156 8609 |