Trial Program Guide ACCU-READING Skill levels 3 - 8 Trial version: VOCABULARY (Level 1) Complete Program: 3 sets, 2 levels per set Set A: MAIN IDEA, VOCABULARY (Levels 1 and 2) Set B: SEQUENCE, FACTUAL RECALL (Levels 3 and 4) Set C: INFERENCE, DRAWING CONCLUSIONS (Levels 5 and 6) Windows or MS-DOS (VGA display) Accu-Reading improves the comprehension skills of students in reading levels 3 - 8. Each lesson focuses on one skill within six ranges of difficulty. In addition, a crossword puzzle encourages the student to think about word and idea relationships. The presentation of the material also makes the program effective for ESL students and older students who need remedial help. Each lesson is self-directing and self-correcting. The computer gives an explanation specifically for each incorrect answer. The program evaluates performance after each round. The student who does poorly is directed to a lower range for remediation. The student who does well is directed to a higher range for further skill development. Students are rewarded by graphics in each round. OVERVIEW The program contains the following reading skill categories: Main Idea Factual Recall Vocabulary Inference Sequence Drawing Conclusions Each category contains 72 selections and provides practice on one skill at each of reading levels 3 to 8. There are 12 questions in each level, or range, from which selections are randomly chosen for each round. When students first use the program, they enter their name. The teacher may ask students to enter a class code; this is optional. If the students have passed a level in the main program, at a subsequent session they are directed to the appropriate skill level. DIAGNOSTIC TEST A one-time diagnostic (placement) test for each category determines the range at which the student enters the level. Each diagnostic test consists of multiple-choice questions that gradually get harder as the student gets more and more correct answers. The program is configured so that the student is placed at the range at which s/he gets one answer wrong. This may be changed with the ASCII file, config.dat on each level. The first line indicates the number of questions the student needs to get correct, and the second line indicates the maximum number of questions per level the student will receive. MAIN PRACTICE PROGRAM A round consists of randomly chosen selections. The format used in this program allows the selection, the question, and multiple-choice answers to remain on screen at the same time so the student can refer to the text when choosing an answer. Whenever a student answers incorrectly, s/he is given an explanation of the reason that answer is incorrect and is asked to try again. If the student does well, s/he is given four words or phrases and is asked to choose the two that best describe what the text is about. The student must get both choices correct. If one is correct, s/he is told one choice is correct and is asked to try again. This exercise is designed to help the student identify the main idea and see the difference between a main idea and a supporting detail. Many students may be unfamiliar with this type of comprehension question. It may take a couple of rounds before they master the technique. For the sudent who successully completes the round, there is a crossword puzzle to sharpen vocabulary and thinking skills. At the end of each round, the computer gives the percentage of right answers. The number of questions in a round varies from a minimum of four to a maximum of eight. The student who does well needs less help and therefore gets fewer selections. If the student gets 70 percent or more correct, s/he has the option of repeating the range or going on to the next range. If the student scores less than 70 percent, s/he may choose to repeat the range or go to a lower range. If the student gets the first four answers correct, the computer immediately advances him/her to the next range. The round will end when the student can no longer achieve a passing score of 70 percent because of the number of wrong answers already accumulated. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Set A, MAIN IDEA: Students read a variety of selections and answer questions that test such reading skills as identifying the main idea, recognizing irrelevant sentences, and locating the topic sentence. Example: Student reads, "People have always thought that owls were very wise. This is probably because of the serious look on the owl's face and in its stern eyes. Actually, for a bird its size, the owl has a tiny brain. What is the main idea of this paragraph?" Student chooses the main idea from: "Owls are not as wise as many people think," "Owls have a serious look on their faces," and "Owls have small brains." Set A, VOCABULARY: Students are given words and asked to select the correct meaning from among several choices. Words appear in context, and incorrect response messages show students how they may have mistaken the meaning of a word. Example: Student reads, "Prairie dogs live in the grassy REGIONS of the Great Plains. REGIONS are:" Student chooses from: "areas," "climates," and "seasons." Set B, SEQUENCE: Students are given selections based on time order (e.g., for events) or order of steps (e.g., in directions). Questions require that students decide what would come first, second, third, or last, or ask students to find the proper place for a particular step in directions for doing or making something. Example: Student reads, "After the heavy rain, water ran down the mountainside into a stream. The stream flowed into a river, which emptied into the ocean. Where was the water RIGHT BEFORE it flowed into the river?" Student chooses from: "in a stream," "in the ocean," and "running down the mountainside." Set B, FACTUAL RECALL: Students read a variety of selections and answer questions based on the details provided. Example: Student reads, "Among the earliest dinosaurs were the relatively small coelurosaurs. These dinosaurs had long delicate limb bones, many of which were hollow, birdlike feet, and long slender necks. Coelurosaurs walked on their hind legs and ran on their toes; they used their long tails to balance their bodies. What physical feature of the coelurosaur resembled a bird's?" Student chooses from: "feet," "tail," or "neck." Set C, INFERENCE: Students are given a variety of selections. From the content they must draw inferences about situations, events, people, objects, feelings, etc. Example: Student reads, "A fly landed on some thin and sticky threads. It tried to move but it was stuck. Then it saw a spider crawling toward it. Where was the fly?" Student chooses from: "in the spider's web," "on flypaper," or "in a sewing kit." Set C, DRAWING CONCLUSIONS: Students read and analyze a variety of passages and make a reasoned deduction based on information given. Example: Student reads, "Texas is home to many wildflowers. The bluebonnet is the state flower. Wildflowers provide a show of color from spring to fall. They do not have to be planted. They do not have to be watered. Some grow in the very poorest of soils. Other wildflowers grow where there is little rainfall. Wildflowers are an American treasure. This story suggests that wildflowers" "add beauty to our country," "are weeds," "serve no purpose," or "are harmful." RECORD MANAGEMENT To see student records, run RECORD from the directory, or press [CONTROL]T while at the title screen. The default directory for the windows trial version is: c:\MAVDEMO\ACCU-WD\RECORD.EXE The trial version saves records for only two students. A third name will automatically replace the first name entered. (The single user School version saves records for as many students as disk space allows. The Network version saves records for 1,000 students.) The records can go to the screen or the printer. You may see the records of the entire class, or choose an individual student's scores. If you choose to look at the scores of the entire class, you may have them displayed in alphabetical order or from highest to lowest. Use the following keys to make your selections: ALT: Allows you to choose items in the Top Menu: (1) Order (2) View (3) Select (4) Print (5) Delete (6) Exit. In each of the first three options, you will have the choice of selecting records from the Pull Down Menu by name, date, skills mastered, or class code. TAB: Changes the category of information that is displayed in a fixed cycle, e.g., from students' names to last dates played, to highest mastered skill levels, to class codes, to a student's entire record and then back again to the students' names. ENTER: Selects or deselects any piece of information on which the cursor is placed. Selected items can be viewed, printed, or deleted as a group. They appear on the screen highlighted in red. Screen Layout: Instructions are placed in color boxes at the bottom of the screen. The number appearing at the end of the last line of instructions on the screen indicates the position of the cursor in the total number of records. Just before this number is a description of what information is being displayed, e.g., name, date, etc. Moving the Cursor: To move the cursor use the arrow keys. To see preceding screens, use the Page Up key. To go to following screens, use the Page Down key. To go to the beginning of a list, press the Home key. To get to the end of a list, press the End key. To See Records: All information may be viewed on the screen or printed out. To clear previously selected records, choose Select from the Top Menu and Deselect from the Pull Down Menu. Note that your viewing selections are cleared each time the program is restarted or the computer is turned off. Examples 1. To print out the records of one class, follow these directions: Top Menu Pull Down Menu Other Keys Remarks/Actions ALT Select Class Cursor keys Find the beginning of the class ENTER Mark the beginning of the class Cursor keys Find the end of the class ENTER Mark the end of the class ALT View Selected Now only that class is displayed. (Repeating this step would restore screen as it was.) ALT Order Name Class now alphabetized ALT Print Selected Printing is optional. Information can be viewed on the screen. 2. To print the highest (or lowest) skill level, follow the steps above, replacing Class, from the Pull Down Menu, with Mastered. 3. To see the records of all students in a range on the screen, choose View from the Top Menu and choose Entire from the Pull Down Menu. 4. To see the records of an individual student on the screen, place the cursor on the name of the student whose records you want to view, and press TAB to change the information displayed. Record Management Error Fix: If the program runs but does not keep student records properly, access the RECORD program and delete all records. copyright 1994-1997 Merit Audio Visual all rights reserved GTDR ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- We hope you enjoy previewing ACCU-READING. The complete six-level School version of the program contains the following: 1. Six diagnostic tests and 36 developmental reading lessons for (1) Main Idea, (2) Vocabulary, (3) Sequence, (4) Factual Recall, (5) Inference, (6) Drawing Conclusions 2. Record management for as many students as disk space allows 3. A program guide that contains teaching suggestions Merit offers a full range of educational software for writing, reading, grammar, vocabulary, ESL, and math. Merit also offers networking for Novell and other LAN, and licensing. School or Institutional Purchase Orders accepted. We will be happy to answer any questions you might have. MERIT AUDIO VISUAL (800) 753-6488 (212) 675-8567 FAX: (212) 675-8607 Call us Monday through Friday between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Or write MERIT AUDIO VISUAL, 132 W. 21 Street, New York, NY 10011 for free software catalog. This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. 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