ELR Software produces 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) and Word Meanings. 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 one new tasks have been added to "Reading and Spelling - early skills" in the some of the "Long/Other Consonant Sounds" subsections /z, sh, zh, th, m, n, l, r/. All new tasks use the WordBreaker model which now appears in many of the "Reading and Spelling" subsections. This model is useful to strengthen word reading and spelling using a word study approach. A word is selected from the available group and its syllables, consonant sounds, vowel sounds, and stress pattern can be displayed. This allows the instructor to teach a range of concepts: breaking words into syllables and sounds, identifying the vowel sound, discovering how stress pattern impacts on the pronunciation of some vowel sounds (eg the schwa vowel), and finally, encouraging automatic recognition of words.
As with all eLr materials, the role of the instructor is a central factor to encourage accurate responses from the learner. In the examples above, expanding knowledge of the meanings of words by discussion and using the word in a range of sentences, helps develop connections between the word (orthographic representation), the pronunciation (semantic representation), and the meaning (semantic representation).
We welcome your feedback about these tasks and any aspect of eLr, as well as your suggestions about additions and modifications to eLr.
Our new eLr-Pro Offline and eLr-Guest Offline "Universal Apps" are now the only versions of eLr-Offline that we update and support. If you are currently using the previous iPad version from the Apple store, or you have clients are using it as a "Guest", that version will no longer function at all after May. So now is a good time to update, and encourage your clients to do likewise.
Although intended primarily for use where internet connection is poor or inconvenient, these new Apps also provide a very child friendly delivery of eLr on modern touchscreen devices such as iPad and Android tablets, and MS Surface and Chromebook notepad type devices, as well as conventional Windows and Mac computers.
If you've not already done so, you can install the "Pro" version from www.elr.com.au/elrpro.htm, or "Guest" version from www.elr.com.au/elrguest.htm. The "Pro" version is free for registered subscribers and enables selection and delivery of all eLr activities in familiar ways. The "Guest" version is also free and is for clients of registered users who have been provided a specific set of activities for home or school practice. Please contact us if you need support in installing or updating eLr Offline on your device, and if you aren't currently a subscriber, please contact us for a free trial.
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 2021 National Conference:
Sunday May 30th - Wednesday June 2nd
We will have a "presence" at this conference in some form. Contact us for further details
ELR Software offers free eLr 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. We are also offering free Coviu sessions to allow clinicians to get a feel for teletherapy, and in particular the advantages of using eLr for Coviu. Please contact us for details.
You are receiving ELR-News because you are an eLr subscriber, or have expressed an interest in either eLr, Build-a-Sentence or Word Meanings. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send an e-mail with details to news@elr.com.au
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