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 -
eLr is now more than 20 years old, and we began it in (let's say) our "mature years". So, to those who know us especially, it may come as no surprise that we've been working on "future directions". We've been very fortunate to have been able to begin collaborations with a new and exciting company "Speech Therapy AI" (STAi).
Within this collaboration our aims are to continue to provide for and support eLr subscribers and their client families, as well as take eLr content and concepts to new levels. Nothing will change immediately, and existing users will continue to have access as usual. New developments and options will be described in both future editions of this newsletter, as well as direct communications with subscribers. For the present, if you wish to get an idea of what STAi has coming for online speech therapy, please feel free to check out their website www.speechtherapy.ai
Twenty-six new tasks have been added to "Reading and Spelling - early skills" in the some of the "Consonant sounds" and "Other useful groupings" subsections: the /h/ sound, the schwa vowel, and "y" as a vowel for the /ee/ /ie/, and short /i/ sounds as in "story, sky, and gym" respectively. All new tasks use the WordBreaker model which now appears in many of the "Reading and Spelling" subsections.
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.
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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