meganrylanross.files.wordpress.com€¦ · Web viewFast ForWord helps ESL students make sense of various messages they hear in order to communicate in socially and culturally appropriate

Megan Ross Software Evaluation Project January 31, 2011

Product Name

Website Price Available in School? Y/N

Ease of Use

How to Use with ESL Students

How technology relates to Core Content

How software relates to WIDA standards

How software relates to TESOL standards

Personal Comments for Other Teachers

1. The FastForWord Program

www.FastForWord.com

$110 a month

Fast ForWord can be utilized in schools and at home. A support team will help a school set up the program and provid support when needed.

You can easily access Fast ForWord at school or home. Educators are trained how to provide Fast ForWord in schools and helps with all aspects of the program.

Helps ESL students improve brain processing efficiency so that individual phonemes within words can be more easily differentiated. The web based program emphasizes a link between spoken and written

This software relates to core content it helps form a reading foundation. It helps students develop and apply basic reading skills and strategies using grade level texts.

English Language Proficiency Standard 2: English Language Learners communicate information, idea and concepts necessary for academic success in the content of Language Arts. Students can gain one or two grade level reading in 8 to 12

This program helps speed up the process of learning and comprehending both spoken and written English, vocabulary, grammar, and other language skills. Fast ForWord helps ESL students make sense of various messages they hear in order to communicate in socially and

“I am from Ontario and I am a teacher of Special Education. I have been researching Brain Plasticity for the past two years and can tell you that there is some very fascinating research out there. I have used the Fast Forward Language 1 and 2 with a student and can tell you


language. weeks. This program helps the brain processing skills become more efficient which result in quick gains in reading comprehension.

culturally appropriate ways to achieve academically.

that it does work. It is really amazing. I would like to get my school board to pick it up, however I cannot seem to get them interested. The student I was working with used it for 12 weeks and the success of his English reading jumped and he went from a c- in English to a B- in one term in his French Immersion


class. It is very costly however does effectively re-wire. The formula was 5 days a week for 40 minutes each day for 12 weeks. Cheers.” –Kimberley

Here on the Sunshine Coast we piloted FastForword in one school last year, and expanded it to at least one more this year (another is still pending, I think). Of


course funding is a challenge.

In our September 08 regular meeting agenda there is a report on the program. Understandably it's a rather academic and complex report, but the main point is that it's positive: "Data analysis demonstrated that there existed a significant difference between pre and post


assessment results suggesting that the intervention of Fast ForWord contributes to improving students' literacy skills, especially in the area of auditory processing skills. This study suggests that the FastForword intervention is an effective means for schools to provide students with direct,


individualized instruction to a number of students at a time." This was a long agenda, so it isn't easy to load (I find it loads better on Safari than on Firefox), but page 23 has the full report:

www.sd46.bc.ca/.../agsep08.pdf -Silas White

2. Brainpop esl

http://www.brainpopesl.com/

$495 a year

ESL is available for schools. Teachers use the software as the core

BrainPOP ESL is easy to use because it has eight features in each

Brainpop esl is designed for all ELL students. It is based

This software functions as a self-contained ESL curriculum.

BrainPop esl allows for formal and informal self-assessment

BrainPop esl provides lessons that are built around animated movies and

My Beginning students love using BrainPOP esl. I have enjoying

http://www.sd46.bc.ca/.../agsep08.pdf




language program or a supplement to vary existing course of study. Language Learners can use this software in an after school program or at home.

lesson.1. Know more- explain the grammar points in the lesson.2. Words, Words, Words- defines and drills the new vocabulary3. Read it- teaches the alphabet and basic reading skills.4. Write it- offers instruction and practice writing the letters and words.5. Hear it, Say it- allows the

on animated movies an interactive features. It incorporates listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

by the student. The assessment tools communicate to the teachers objective means to gauge the student’s progress. This software creates a comprehensive learning program that uses all the necessary language skills for comprehension- listening, speaking, reading, and

supporting features that reinforce vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, reading comprehension, and writing skills.

implementing it in my room and have found that it works especially for reinforcing instruction. - Kendra

My favorite the corporation of reading, writing, and listening aspects- and I like the teacher lessons and homework is already created for me. How easy to use!! - Courtney


student to practice pronouncing words and phrases from the movie.6. Play it- Is a fun game that can be played again and again7. Warm up- is the exercise where the student can review8. You can do it-is the quiz, which shows the student how much he has learned.

writing.

3.Read

http://www.readnaturall

Each Leveled

This program is available at

Read Naturally program is

Helps ELL students

This software relates to

English Language Proficienc

Read Naturally program has

“Our teachers have


Naturally y.com/products/default.htm

CD is $119

schools. My school uses this program and I find it very useful.

easy to use because of the program step by step approach. The steps are the following: Select a story, cold timing, graph, the cold timing score, read along to the story, practice along to the story, practice reading the story, answer the questions, pass timing, graph the pass timing score, retell the story,

improve their reading skills, gain confidence, and improve attitudes toward learning. The recorded voice and pictures with the story along with translation provided by the tutors allow the student to understand the story.

core content because is support the five components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Read Naturally’s selection of reading intervention programs address the needs of at-risk readers.

y Standard 2: English language Learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the of language arts. Students have to pass the hot score of a reading passage before moving onto another.

progress monitoring built into it. This program is designed to improve ESL students reading fluency while also learning about American manners and custom that may not be familiar to people who have not always lived in the United States. This program also includes vocabulary features such as comprehension questions focusing on vocabulary.

observed an increase in the students' confidence, and improvements in their levels of fluency, expression, and comprehension.”Educator Christy Henning, Calif.

"I love the Read Naturally program and have seen great results from it. I have taught 29 years, and Read Naturally is the best


and practice and pass the word lists.

program for comprehension, TAKS practice, and fluency that I have found, and believe me, I have tried a lot of them. I use the program from K to sixth grade. I also use it with my dyslexia program. It is really a wonderful program."Jill Bennett, Albany, Texas

4. CompassLearning Odyssey

http://www.compasslearning.co

$3000 per school

This program is available at schools.

This software is easy to use. The

Odyssey ELL is web-based,

CompassLearning relates to core content

English Language Proficiency Standard

The interactive lessons strengthen

In their words… “CompassLearning


m/ With CompassLearning’s unlimited user access school can offer Odyssey anytime with internet access. CompassLearning Odyssey offer pd solutions, coaching, mentoring, and modeling to meet each school’s needs.

learning activities have grade appropriate content, animations, audio, and video instruction. This software provide easy to read report that provide information educators need for data-driven decision making. Educators can easily monitor individual, group, and class progress through comprehensible

interactive, and engaging. It immerses students in American English. This software presents real-world situations to involve the ELL student and is designed to meet the needs of CLD students. The constant feedback and assessment results this

because it delivers targeted explicit instruction that is aligned with state and national standards. This software provides explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and reading comprehension. This program builds and connects students’ math skills and helps them recognize

2: English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content are of Language Arte. English Language Proficiency Standard 3: English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary

reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills. The Odyssey ELL tools include rules in the learner’s native language as well as examples in English.

Odyssey has provided our first 24/7 digital took for our secondary students, teachers, and parents to review, reteach, and remediate academic concepts, as needed. It is a very versatile tool for meeting the diverse needs, helping us differentiate instruction.” – Dr. Theresa R. Stahlman Duval County Public Schools.


quizzes and tests.

program provides ensure that students are getting the differentiated instruction they need.

the critical role math plays in everyday life.

for academic success in the content are of Mathematics. This software mimics in a second language the lessons in English. This helps all students follow the same path to learning and testing.

“What they really liked was that they had a folder that was built for them. They liked being able to put the headphones on and have the computer talked to them, like it was one on one.”- Suzette Luster

5. Orchard Software

http://www.orchardsoftware.com/ell.php

$995 a year

This software is available for schools. It provides schools a solution that able educators to adapt

The ease of use if a comment heard often from educators. Teachers find the instructional

Software provides differentiated instruction for ESL students that focuses on

Core contentOrchard Software relates to core content because it provides instruction in math,

English Language Proficiency Standard 1: English Language learners communicate for Social and

The k-3 Language Arts bundle is helpful because it focuses on listening, speaking, and writing skills, that

“Another benefit to using Orchard Software is that students love to use it,” says Ms. Sparks. “The


and deliver instruction that meet the needs of ESL learners.

management system supportive of student assessment.This program provides engaging lessons, activities, tools, and assessments. Orchard is effective in helping teachers differentiate instruction.

phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, writing, and reading comprehension. ESL appropriate programs include voiced instruction, recording capabilities, and highlighted faces.

reading, writing, language arts, and science for grades k-9. This program helps students build a reading foundation, and apply reading strategies and skills. This program focuses on math skills and concepts. Multimedia approach is used to help students explore and learn science concepts.

Instructional purposes within school setting. English Language Proficiency Standard 2: English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content are of Language Arts.English Language Proficiency Standard

are all critical to English language developments.

lessons are interactive, fun, and use the latest, media resources to keep the students’ attention on the task. The students have never complained about doing any of the Orchard lesson.” Paula SparksComputer Lab TeacherOklahoma City Public SchoolsOklahoma City, OK“Last year, I did a needs-assessment with the teachers,”


3: English Language Learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content are of Mathematics. English Language Proficiency Standard 4: English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for

Mr. Hawkins says. “And overwhelmingly they offered thesoftware as the No. 1 reason for our students’ academicimprovements.”Michael HawkinsPrincipalSheryl Hayes


academic success in the content area of science. This program combines formative and benchmark assessments aligned with state standards, motivation instruction, and data reporting.

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meganrylanross.files.wordpress.com€¦ · Web viewFast ForWord helps ESL students make sense of various messages they hear in order to communicate in socially and culturally appropriate