Events & PD > Middle Years > 2002 Events

ICT Support for Literacy and Learning –
Prep to Year 9

Supported by SPELD and AREA
Saturday 10th August 2002

Mentone Girls Grammar School
11 Mentone Parade, Mentone
9.00 am to 4:00 pm


Easy parking
Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea included.

Costs:

Professionals $99 (GST included)
Parents $66 (GST included)

Download Registration Form
Download Flyer

To view article 'Celebrating and Promoting Literacy and ICT'

To view Timetable

To view Session 1 abstracts
To view Session 2 abstracts
To view Session 3 abstracts
To view Session 4 abstracts
To view Session 5 abstracts
To view Session 6 abstracts

Focus:

Whilst this day offers much for the mainstream student, an important component of this day will be the
exploration by practicing teachers and professionals of a number of software packages that cater for
students who struggle with literacy and who have writing, spelling, reading and comprehension difficulties.

These packages demonstrated cater to a wide range of age groups and provide features that enhance the
learning experience for students in Primary and Secondary and settings. The software programs that will be
explored in depth in the various sessions provide different ways for students to achieve and be more
confident at school and at home.

Highlights:

Keynote Address - John Vincent
The Cognitive Style Conundrum – How can Learning Technologies cater for literacy for all?

Five Hands on Computer Workshops of 90 Minutes:
Topics included will be: Wordshark 3 – not just a spelling package, Creating Electronic Portfolios to
Document Early Years Language, Clicker 4, TextHelp and Text Ease.



Presentations
Sessions of 45 minutes with a variety of approaches from practicing teachers, professionals and
interstate experts in this field.



This Professional Development day builds on the excellent response to similar events held in previous
years. If you are involved in developing the literacy skills of stundents in P – 9, particularly those with
writing, spelling, reading and comprehension difficulties, then this day is for you!

Article that was published in ICTEV's 'Interface' Term 1 2002

Celebrating and Promoting Literacy and ICT
Gerry Kennedy IT Consultancy, Blackburn
IT Consultant in Education

A number of software packages that cater for students who struggle with literacy, who have writing, spelling,
reading and comprehension difficulties will be ‘on show’ at the ICT in Education Literacy Day in August 2002.
They cater to a wide range of age groups and provide features that enhance the learning experience.

Two packages that assist in organising, thinking and planning, include mind-mapping features are Inspiration
and Kidspiration. Kidspiration caters directly to younger students and to children with special learning needs.
Both software applications help scaffold thinking and planning with onscreen text boxes that can be linked in
a variety of ways. They can also contain graphic elements. Students can negotiate tasks by mapping their
ideas and document any tasks in each KLA. Kidspiration accommodates students in junior primary whereas
Inspiration caters to students from Grades 2-12. It is also ideal for teachers! The visual aspect of writing and
documenting ideas has been used on blackboards and white boards for many years. Your screen is now that
board – and your mind maps can be quickly viewed as text – structured in logical ways for immediate re-editing
in other word processors and presentation tools.

TextHelp! Read & Write Version 5 has been used in a number of schools over the years. It has become the
leading software utility program as it works with any software that uses text. It boasts powerful text-to-speech
technology throughout the entire program, using high quality voices. It voices in the spell checking option
(which is a global spell checker that works across all applications), thesaurus, word find facility and word prediction
option. It checks for homonyms and can be configured for students from upper primary through to VCE and TAFE.
Designed for people with dyslexia, it has numerous enabling features that support learners of all abilities. The
diagnostic capabilities are also highly valued by teachers, parents and speech pathologists. It voices any text in
any situation, and is especially powerful when combined with MS Word, Powerpoint, Excel, FileMaker Pro, email
applications and in "live" communication such as Net Meeting and IRC applications. It also can perform screen
reading functions for students who are vision impaired. You simply highlight or select text, and it is voiced. Web
sites are more meaningful and approachable when students can simply read the text, and listen to web content!

Clicker 4 is fast becoming a mainstream program. It offers a great deal to students as it also has text-to-speech
facilities. It has a built in spell check (also voiced) and provides onscreen grids comprised of cells. You can quickly
program cells with text, graphics, photos and scanned images, or use the 2500 pictures that are packaged with Clicker 4.
Teachers and students can make text-only grids in a matter of minutes. Cells can be voiced using left or mouse clicks.
A cell can have synthesized computer voices or be programmed with human quality digitized voice, in any language!
You can also import any sound file, be it music, a sound effect or something acquired from a sound library, CD or
web site (being mindful of copyright). Students can design, create and immediately use talking books, talking projects
and grids to assist them with reading, writing and comprehension. Clicker 4 can be used in at least 6 different ways.
The versatile and flexible approach makes it an extremely useful literacy tool in the classroom. Clicker 4 can be
introduced as early as Grade Prep and yet still be challenging and appropriate until Year 10.

Another clear leader in word processing software is TextEase 2000. It was demonstrated this year at the
Early Years Conference at Mandeville Hall by a number of different presenters. It offers a simple interface, and has
many innovative features that are very ease to master. Graphics and movie files can be simply "dropped" onto a
page. You can type wherever you like. Students can record speech and sound effects and link them to text, graphics
or other objects. Maths symbols can be generated and used as well. TextEase 2000 has full network capabilities,
handles multimedia effects with ease and has a spell checker and speech options built-in. Text can be flowed in
frames and around graphics. It is an enhanced word processor with desktop publishing and multi media capabilities
in the one software application – as well as being HTML friendly. You can create and edit web pages as well!

These software titles will be used and demonstrated at ICTEV's ICT Support for Literacy and Learning Day, to be held at
Mentone Girls Grammar School on Saturday 10th August 2002. Hands-on workshops will guide teachers through the
numerous features of each package. Practising teachers, leaders in their own schools, will provide stimulating and
practical sessions in how they have effectively employed these programs to assist students who are struggling or who
have learning difficulties. The day is devoted to being made more aware of the scope and breadth of leading edge
software that can be "mainstreamed" and used by all students. Spelling programs and Talking Books will also be
presented and made available. Other literacy titles will also be shown, demonstrated and discussed – with particular
emphasis and application to students who experience difficulty with literacy.

A strong focus will be on students in Secondary and Tertiary settings. Many students have had compromised learning
and have missed out on basic skills and understanding. They require intervention, support and encouragement.
These software programs provide different ways for students to achieve and be more confident at school and at home.

I am confident that the Literacy Day will be very popular and well attended. There are only a few occasions each year
when you can avail yourself of an opportunity to not only see some of the best literacy programs, but also to have
some hands-on time. This is an ideal day to participate in sessions that will provide ideas, strategies and curriculum
initiatives that can be implemented at your school with your students.

Gerry Kennedy © November 2001 for ICT in Education Victoria – Interface
IT Consultant and Trainer in Education

Back to top

Timetable

.

Back to top





Abstracts

Session 1
9am - 9.50am

Title: KEYNOTE The Cognitive Style Conundrum - How can Learning Technologies cater for literacy for all?
Keynote Presenter: John Vincent

We are very hooked on the importance of words to communicate, and so we tend to think that reading and writing are only verbal activites. This has led to use of computers in literacy being mainly associated with word processors. It is true that word processors have certainly had an impact on children's efficiency and layout skills, but this has not helped groups of children whose cognitive styles (the way they prefer to learn) does not match the way we try to teach with mainly words. It is now becoming clear that both reading and writing involve more than words, and some children that we are calling 'language deficient' are not that at all. They just need the words to be mediated by other communication modes. Computers and multimedia software provide us with the opportunity to solve this conundrum.




Back to top

Session 2
10.15am - 11am

Title: Workshark 3 - Not just a spelling package
Presenter: Pat Minton

Many children and adults have problems with learning to sell, so it is therefore important that a well structured, sequential, thorough and cumulative multisensory teaching programme is used so many of these difficulties can be overcome, or at least alleviated. Excellent software, designed by experienced educators, has been designed to help students successfully master spelling and this will be shown to participants who will also be able to try the software themselves in the computer laboratory.

Title: Creating Electronic Portfolios to document Early Years language development
Presenter: John Vincent


Title: The Mimio Board
Presenter: Jeni Blake


Title: Flash and Match
Presenter: Julius Liubinus

Julius has written this software so it stimulates the development of key visual information processing skills that are essential for sight vocabulary. It is in the form of a game. It also has a diagnostic section that allows the teacher to quickly monitor and print out the scores of indivual children. It can also be used as part of reading extension or to stimulate memory anc concentration.


Title: Working with parents
Presenters: Madeleine Say and Cheryl Dobbs

This session examines the partnership between a parent and teacher working with a young child from the earliest days of parental concern. The session will discuss the ideas and software used to put into place a program to motivate and provide effective intervention. It will be of particular interest to anyone concerned with early recognition and intervention of literacy difficulties.




Back to top

Session 3
11am - 11.45am

Title: Talking books with PowerPoint
Presenter: Chris Benke

This session will look at the effective use of learning technologies to support specific learning outcomes in literacy programs for students with special needs, who are in the beginning stages of literacy development both in the Early and Middle Years of schooling. In this session Chris Benke, the originator of Talking Books, will outline the philosphy behind this approach and showcase how it is implemented at Barwon Valley School, Geelong. She will also introduce CaBS Computer aided Books for Students, an approach which focuses on developing resources specifically for middle years students. Chris will address ways in which open-ended programs such as PowerPoint can be used to create student focused resources that directly target communication and reading goals to support individual student learning objectives within the English curriculum. 'Talking Books' won a National Literacy Award placement in 2000 and was runner-up in the Education Trust Technology Award in 2000. Chris has just won the Bruce Wicking Award, presented by Learning Difficulties Australia, for innovative program delivery for students with speical needs.


Title: Computers and students with learning difficulties
Presenter: Jan Polkingthorne

A brief survey of a number of techniques and program which can be used to diagnose difficulties, provide instruction and drill in the areas of maths, spelling, writing and reading, organisational software and assistive technology.


Title: Inspiration Kidspiration
Presenter: Nina Netherway

Dyslexic students find organising their thoughts and time particularly difficult. Inspiration, a powerful visual learning tool helps students develop their ideas and plan their work and time in a more organised way. Kidspiration, a newer version, is for lower primary children.


Back to top

Session 4
12.30pm - 1.15pm

Title: TextHelp Read & Write
Presenter:Gerry Kennedy

The latest version of this powerful literacy tool is now available. In this workshop, time will be spent discussing the many features of this award-winning Irish software. It has text-to-speech capability for ANY text anywhere on your screen as well as screen reading options. It has powerful word prediction, a word wizrd, homophone support and now in Version 6, a talking calculator. Gerry will lead the group through some of the more exciting features with hands on access to Read & Write 5.



Title: Text Ease as a major learning tool for primary children
Presenters: John Vincent and Cheryl Dobbs

It is crucial in Primary education and at Home to choose software that allows children easy and open access for creative expression. Standard word processors like MS Word are useable, but are not designed with children in mind. They have sterile interfaces and awkward way of getting results wanted in the classroom. Teatease has een designed for the UK National Curriculum with children, note business in mind, and has many features that are directly aimed at language and numeracy teaching at Primary levels and at home. The talking wordprocessor features, flexible text handling, animations and word banks for instance, enable a teacher or parent to base a language and literacy programme around the computer, especially with the availability of peripherals like a digital camera. The workshop will take participants through several language ideas, talking spelling exercises and whole class producations, with participants hopefully finishing with a simple talking book playable on the free readtime player. It will also lead through numeracy ideas.


Title: Granada software
Presenter: Michele Spillman

Michele will show some of the award winning Granada Learning software in her presentation.


Title : Let's explore a range of software for spelling and / or writing
Presenter: Jan Polkingthorne

An in depth look at a number of software packages available for home / classroom / tutor use with students with learning difficulties in spelling, reading, writing, grammar and maths. Programs to suit Junior Primary, Primary and Special Education Secondary.

Title: Phonological awareness training for prevention and remediation of reading disabilities
Presenter: Geoffrey Kaye

Recent research findings have shown that carefully planned use of computer programmes such as Earobics tm, Fast For Word tm and Early Reading tm are effective in developing phonological skills in children 'at risk' for reading failure. This presentation will look at how these programmes can be used both in the classroom and at home to enhance the skills critical for reading as well as learning English as a second language.


Back to top

Session 5
1.15pm - 2pm

Title: Writing for all
Presenter: Sue Lilley

All students can write using an overlay board whatever their abilities. Used with a talking word processor e.g. Textease, it does enhance their literacy skills. The visual and auditory reinforcement benefits all students all of whom have lots of fun and success as well. Their use is limited by your imagination.



Title: Voice reproduction software. What is it?
Presenter: Jan Polkingthorne

An in depth look at what it is and who it can help. Tips for choosing a suitable software package and a close look at hardware requirements. Some tips for more accurate use. A look at research findings on the use of it and the problems it poses for classroom use.


Title: Phonological awareness training for prevention and remediation of reading disabilities
Presenter: Geoffrey Kaye

Recent research findings have shown that carefully planned use of computer programmes such as Earobics tm, Fast For Word tm and Early Reading tm are effective in developing phonological skills in children 'at risk' for reading failure. This presentation will look at how these programmes can be used both in the classroom and at home to enhance the skills critical for reading as well as learning English as a second language.

Back to top

Session 6
2.30pm - 4pm

Title: Clicker 4
Presenter: Gerry Kennedy

Clicker 4 is an onscreen grid based lieracy program that can be used from K-9. It has a built-in talking word processor. Teachers, parents and students can create and/or use grids that contain text of any font/style, still or moving graphics as well as sound (i.e. speech, sound effects or music). This session will devote time to exploring five different ways in which to use Clicker 4 across all KLA's, especially for literacy outcomes and for students who are struggling with writing and reading.


Title: PANEL DISCUSSION - Reading and the place of ICT


Back to top

ICTEV - ICT in Education Victoria formerly CEGV - Established 1978
Tel: 03 9349 3733 Fax: 03 9349 5356
Registration No. A0021926A ABN 86 970 163 407
Email: ictev@ictev.vic.edu.au