January 2007 — Features
Print this article | Email this articleClick here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal
ESL Technologies :: The Universal Language
ESL software also provides something that can be uniquely important to English language learners: privacy. “Students can listen to a lesson over and over,” says ELLIS Product Manager Carol Paiva. “They can record their voice, they can slow down the audio, and they can do it in a safe, non-threatening environment. The technology really helps them with a one-to-one interface, and it gives them time for practice and expressing themselves. It gives them space to build their language skills.”
Software SOLUTIONS
School districts have many ESL programs to pick from. Take a glimpse of what’s out there.
ELLIS ::
English-language training software line
for all ages. Three versions: ELLIS Kids,
for young learners; ELLIS Academic, for
students 12 and older; and ELLIS
Business, for business communications
training. Programs use video,
animation, and audio, and provide
recording capabilities for speaking and
comprehension. Audio for more than
60 languages.
ESL READINGSMART :: A multicultural, literature-based website from publishing company Alloy Multimedia, designed to provide supplementary reading materials for the ESL classroom, grades 4 through 12. Also provides online lesson plans and activities to accompany the readings.
ROSETTA STONE :: CD and online language-learning program emphasizing its trademarked Dynamic Immersion method: “You learn the language through associating images with words and phrases, and in context, reinforced by voicerecognition technology that monitors accent and pronunciation.”
TELL ME MORE :: A networked computer language lab designed to teach reading, writing, grammar, listening comprehension, and pronunciation. Based on the “communicative approach” methodology, which emphasizes real-life situations that necessitate communication, the program makes extensive use of speech recognition with headphone and microphone headsets.
HOW TO READ FOR EVERYDAY LIVING :: A website for middle school and adult learners. Teaches basic vocabulary and key concepts. Video clips introduce each lesson, and real-world topics provide meaningful instruction. Uses crossword puzzles and other activities to check comprehension.
DIASCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE ARTS
DEVELOPMENT ::
Software intended to provide instruction
and application of fundamental
English skills and concepts by means
of interactive lessons. The lessons
cover language-arts objectives from
capitalization, punctuation, and parts
of speech to subject-verb agreement,
compound sentences, and paragraph
construction.
CORE READING & VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT ::
For low-level literacy learners and
ESL students requiring a foundation
in vocabulary, spelling, and comprehension.
Five lessons progress from
word identification to extended
writing activities. According to the
website, the program “addresses
learners’ auditory, visual, tactile, and
oral learning styles.”
PRONUNCIATION POWER :: Teaches “the 52 sounds of English” and covers the important aspects of stress, timing, articulation, intonation, and rhythm. QuickTime movies illustrate proper tongue and lip position. CD available for PC and Mac.
LONGMAN ENGLISH INTERACTIVE :: A four-level, video-based integratedskills program. Students work with contemporary video, audio, animations, and extensive practice activities to develop essential skills. Provides practice in speaking, listening, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, reading, and writing. Each level includes 100 hours of instruction (divided into three modules per level).
