ELR-News

May 2022

Newsletter of ELR Software Pty Ltd

ABN 67 090 738 702
Web: https://www.elr.com.au
Email: news@elr.com.au
Follow: @ELRsoftware

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 -

  1. Updates in eLr
  2. Speech Pathology Australia National Conference
  3. Other Independent Developers
  4. Free Downloads
  5. ELR 2022 Calendar

  1. Updates in eLr

  2. This month, 26 tasks have been added to "Phonology - Later sounds" in the /k, g, f, v, s, z/ subsections. All new tasks use the WordSoundButtons model in activities targeting single syllable words. This model presents one word at a time on the screen and the learner is encouraged to click each grapheme, say the corresponding phoneme, and then blend to say the word. For example, in the /k/ initial subsection targeting CVC words, the learner sees the word "cup", clicks on each grapheme "c - u - p", and blends to produce the word; or when targeting /k/ initial words with blends in the single syllable subsection, the word "coast" appears; the learner clicks on each grapheme "c - oa - s - t" and then blends to produce the word.

    While this model is used extensively in the "Reading and Spelling" sections to encourage sounding out and blending to develop early reading and decoding skills, in the "Phonology - Later sounds" section, the aim is to provide activities to encourage accurate production of target sounds in words as well as develop phonemic awareness within therapy for speech sound disorders.

    As with all eLr materials, an interactive session with an instructor is an essential component of early word reading and spelling development. It allows the student to receive feedback about accuracy of decoding and encoding, and enables word reading development to occur within a rich oral language environment.

    We welcome your feedback about these tasks and any aspect of eLr, as well as your suggestions about additions and modifications to eLr.

  3. Speech Pathology Australia National Conference

    In May (22nd to 25th), for the first time in 3 years, speech pathologists will gather in Melbourne to participate in an exciting programme of papers and workshops. ELR Software will be at trade stand #3. Come and say hello; share your experiences with eLr; and give us your feedback and suggestions, especially for your teletherapy needs.

  4. Other Independent Developers

  5. 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.

  6. Free Downloads

  7. 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.


  8. ELR 2022 Calendar

  9. 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.

    For a current listing and to register for one of our available, scheduled webinars, please see www.elr.com.au/support/events.htm



Subscribing/Unsubscribing to this Newsletter

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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PO Box 1456
Bairnsdale
VIC 3875, Australia
Phone
 International
(03) 5156 8309
+61 3 5156 8309