[0-9][A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]
Machine: Mac vocabulary
Publisher: Mindplay
See also Comenius
Approximate single-unit price: $50
Level: Beginning, intermediate, teacher For: All but HE
Special use: bilingual
Students race against a clock to complete a Concentration type game. Matches can be pictures of activities with corresponding words, picture to picture, or word to word. The program comes with a library of 60 animated pictures of actions to be used in the game. Teachers can also create new matches of word to word such as irregular and present tense verb forms, etc. Now part of One-Pick Pack (English only) or Language Pack (Spanish or French), which includes Ace Detective, Ace Explorer, Ace Inquirer, Ace Reporter, Easy Street, Race the Clock Language Arts, Word Hound, and some math titles. Pay a separate fee to install each the One-Pick Pack titles.
Machine: Win reading
Publisher: Clarity Language Consultants
Approximate single-unit price: $270
Purchase options: network, lab
Level: Intermediate, advanced For: All but K-6
Focus on reading and vocabulary strategies including prediction, identifying your reason for reading, skimming, scanning, dictionary work, guessing or ignoring unknown words. Five levels (elementary to advanced). The program uses a variety of text types, both formal and informal. All units include a range of skills activities, such as discussion, listening, and writing. The audio includes a range of accents.
Machine: Mac/Win reading
Publisher: Steck-Vaughn
See also Harcourt Brace
Purchase options: Enterprise-level; contact publisher.
Level: Beginning, intermediate For: 8-12
Enterprise-level comprehensive reading intervention program. While designed for native speakers, this should also be helpful for English language learners. Requires a Windows or Novell server and Windows client computers.
Machine: Win reading
Publisher: Sky Software House
See also Wida
Approximate single-unit price: $115
Purchase options: Sold in a reading package
Level: Intermediate, advanced For: All but K-8
Speed reading and reading comprehension program. The student chooses from a bank of 60 British English texts labelled according to category, including business related, science and technology, general interest, etc. Students choose the number of lines they want displayed at a time and the number of seconds they have to read them and the program runs through the text. At the end there is a short test on the content. Authorable.
Machine: Mac/Win reading, vocabulary
Publisher: Learning Company, The
See also online/mail order
Approximate single-unit price: $20
Purchase options: lab, site
Level: Literacy, beginning For: K-2
Special use: Elementary, literacy
This program is designed to make learning to recognize letters and words fun for younger children. It uses brightly-colored graphics with smiling animals to motivate sound-symbol practice. Several different types of exercises are included, mostly phonics-related. Students can choose which type of activity to do; a record-keeping function is included so that the teacher can see what the learner worked on and how s/he did. CD-ROM. Mac OS X and Windows 98/XP; not verified for Vista. Check the product specifications carefully to be sure you are getting the right one for your computer. Knowledge Adventure titles are now sold only through third-party vendors.
Machine: Mac/Win reading, vocabulary
Publisher: Learning Company, The
See also online/mail order
Approximate single-unit price: $20
Level: Beginning, intermediate, teacher For: K-2
Special use: Elementary
Thirty stories; games that promote phonics, word recognition and comprehension. On CD-ROM. Mac OS X and Windows 95/98; not verified on Vista. Check the product specifications carefully to be sure you are getting the right one for your computer. Knowledge Adventure titles are now sold only through third-party vendors.
Machine: Mac/ Win reading
Publisher: Knowledge Adventure
Approximate single-unit price: $30
Purchase options: lab, site, T version
Level: For: pre-K-6
Special use: literacy, elementary
The Reading Blaster series has three programs: Ages 4-6, Ages 6-9, and Ages 9-12. Multimedia drills and games build reading skills. CD-ROM. Teacher editions include 2 copies of the software plus teacher materials. Check the product specifications carefully to be sure you are getting the right one for your computer. Knowledge Adventure titles are now sold only through third-party vendors. Different versions are available for Mac OS 9, OS X, Windows 95/98/XP and Vista.
Machine: Win reading
Publisher: HEC Software
Purchase options: Contact publisher
Level: Literacy, beginning For: K-6
Special use: literacy, bilingual
Multimedia phonics instruction that follows a specific system of instruction, using both explicit (single letters to words) and implicit (words to sounds) instruction. The method requires that teachers be trained so that they can present the concepts in a sequential, cumulative manner. The program addresses "sight words" and teaches them from a linguistics standpoint, rather than rote memorization. It teaches phonological awareness, phonological decoding, phonological encoding, phonological recording, print awareness, semantics, syntax, and segmentation. The home version is geared for children; the school version can be used with adults or children. ESL-oriented items. A demo is available on the website; interested schools can arrange for a more extensive introduction to the program.
Machine: Win/Mac reading
Publisher: Educational Activities Software
Approximate single-unit price: $250
Purchase options: $250 each area; lab, network
Level: Intermediate For: Adult
Special use: VESL
Reading skills work in an employment context. Six work areas (sold separately or as a complete set): construction, health care, clerical, automotive, electronics, and food services. Each program offers three progressive levels of reading difficulty. CD-ROM. Windows 98/NT/2000/XP: Mac OS 8 or OS 9.
Machine: Mac reading, vocabulary
Publisher: Heartsoft
Approximate single-unit price: $60
Purchase options: lab, site, network
Level: Literacy, beginning For: pre-K-1
Special use: bilingual, literacy, elementary
Literacy skills are the focus, with audio prompts. Icons show how to make letters, and graphics are used for letter associations. The rodeo motif comes in with the Cactus Kid, who lassos 104 cartoon graphics which begin with corresponding letters. The English and ESL version includes 2 sets of disks, 1 in English and 1 in Spanish. This title is included in Heartsoft Bestsellers. Mac OS 7-9; Windows 95/98/2000/XP.
Machine: Win, Mac reading, speaking
Publisher: Scott Foresman
Approximate single-unit price: $200
Purchase options: $240 Mac version; grades sold separately
Level: Beginning, intermediate, advanced For: 2-6
Special use: Elementary
Uses voice recognition software to build fluency in reading. Students read selections into the microphone, and software tracks words correct per minute and provides corrective feedback. Students can listen to model fluent readings and practice reading on their own. Grades 2-6 sold separately.
Machine: Win Comprehensive
Publisher: Marzio School
Approximate single-unit price: $200
Purchase options: levels also sold separately
Level: Beginning, intermediate For: All but K-8
This program is based on spontaneous interviews of people met on the streets of English-speaking towns and cities around the world. They speak naturally in response to questions English learners are likely to ask, such as directions for finding various places. The speakers have a wide variety of regional accents. The lessons are organized by grammatical structures, and include eight types of exercises, some with voice recognition. The program can be configured with menus in French, Spanish, or German. This is an issue for students who do not speak one of those three languages. Perhaps a future version will include an option to configure menus in English. CD-ROM.
Machine: Win Reading
Publisher: TELL Consortium
Purchase options: freeware
Level: Advanced For: HE
The primary purpose of the two REAL Reading packages, REAL Reading in English for Business and Management and REAL Reading in English for Social Scientists is to enable students to recognise and apply the reading skills of prediction, skimming, scanning, searching and demonstrating understanding to a range of text types likely to be encountered during the second or third year of a first degree at an English-speaking university. Nine texts are provided in each package, and each text is designed to occupy a higher intermediate level student for approximately two hours. The secondary purpose is to encourage students to assess their own work and, as a result, to become more independent language learners. Where responses, rather than suggestions, are required from the students, answers are provided with which students are required to compare and evaluate their own input. Now available as free downloads from the TELL Consortium FTP server at language.hull.ac.uk in the directory /pub/TELL.
Machine: Win T util
Publisher: Clarity Language Consultants
Approximate single-unit price: $65
Level: Teacher For: Teacher
Comprehensive management and record-keeping program that works with Clarity software. Helps manage user accounts - especially useful with online licenses.
Machine: Win reading
Publisher: Trinity Software
See also Encomium
Approximate single-unit price: $95
Purchase options: lab
Level: Intermediate, advanced For: Adult
Special use: Citizenship
Interactive multimedia lessons help users complete the application for naturalization, study for the citizenship test, and prepare for the interview. The text can be read or heard, with vocabulary pronunciation and definitions available. A classroom version with record-keeping software and up to five simultaneous users is also available. Windows 98, 2000, NT, ME and XP.
Machine: Win testing
Publisher: Clarity Language Consultants
Level: Intermediate, advanced For: All but K-9
Special use: TOEIC
Published by the British Council, this program includes at least 100 hours of learning materials and provides comprehensive preparation and practice in every aspect of each of the four Modules of the IELTS exam.
Machine: Win, Mac listening
Publisher: Fairfield Language Technologies
Approximate single-unit price: $300
Purchase options: lab, site
Level: Beginning, intermediate, advanced For: All
Comprehensive second language tutorial program with target language only. Students see a picture and hear the word/ phrase/sentence with the text optionally turned on or off. After displaying/playing a set of four prompts, the program drills comprehension by presenting the audio cue to which the student selects the appropriate picture. The program includes a listening dictation feature. Students can also record their own voices. This program can be used as a stand alone tutorial for very low level students although they may need some help learning to use the computer interface initially. Audio files are included for use on a CD or mp3 player. Levels are generally sold separately, though some bundles are available. An online version is also available. Windows 2000/XP/Vista; Mac OS X.
Machine: Win reading
Publisher: LatticeWork Software
Approximate single-unit price: $25
Level: Beginning For: K-3
Special use: elementary
Animated game environment for children with basic, high-frequency words; text and audio. Shareware fee includes other titles. Windows 95/98/NT/ME/2000/XP.
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Last updated 05/15/2009 by Deborah Healey.