1. How hard is WordQ to use? My kids have been frustrated with other programs for LD students.
The students I work with often comment that WordQ is very easy to use. It is a floating toolbar that sits quietly in the background and snaps to life whenever you begin to type. So your kids can use all of the same programs everyone else uses for typing. WordQ will predict words as you type no matter if you are typing a report in Microsoft Word, doing an Internet search on Google or composing an e-mail to grandma. Even when the first letter is typed, WordQ starts to give predicted word choices to assist with spelling. Then it’ll read the word choices to the student! WordQ has talking spell checking, and it will also speak back what you’ve typed so that you can listen for any missing or incorrect words.
2. Does WordQ read to you as you are typing?
Yes, you can set it up so that WordQ speaks each letter, each word, or each sentence. You can also do any combination of these three. Most people like it set to read each word right after they hit the space bar and each sentence right after they type a period (this is the default setting).
3. How does WordQ correctly pronounce words that were not programmed into it?
WordQ has most words that you would find in a large dictionary already programmed in. However, if you want to add a word or if you have a person's name that it is not pronouncing correctly, you can tell WordQ how to always pronounce that word. You do this by typing in a phonetic equivalent and hearing it say it back to you until you are satisfied. This is explained in detail in the help feature of the program and in the printed manual that comes with it.
4. Can WordQ be used with IMing and e-mail also?
Yes, WordQ works with both Instant Messenger and e-mail.
5. What other programs can WordQ be used in conjunction with?
It can be used with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express, and any other Microsoft programs with which you type and edit text. I have also used it with PowerPoint, for example.
6. The information says that WordQ will read the Internet. How is this done?
There are two ways you can do this:
1) Highlight the text you would like WordQ to read in your Internet browser, and then click WordQ’s “Read” button.
2) Copy the text you want read from the Internet, paste it into Microsoft Word, highlight it, and then click “Read.” The advantage to doing it this way is that WordQ will highlight each word one at a time as it reads them.
7. The description on your website mentions that WordQ helps with grammar. Can you explain?
WordQ helps with grammar in a few ways. It makes use of advanced prediction technology to suggest suitable words when you have trouble spelling or just choosing the right word. It has an adaptive vocabulary feature with which you can choose an appropriate vocabulary level (starter, intermediate, or advanced). Then as you write with WordQ, it will learn your writing style and extend your vocabulary to include correctly spelled words derived from a large background dictionary. WordQ also assists with the mechanics of type-written grammar; it removes unwanted spaces and inserts correct spacing around punctuation following a predicted word.
Another way WordQ helps with grammar is that as WordQ reads back what you’ve written, you can hear grammatical errors more readily. WordQ echoes your typing with speech; it can be set to read each keystroke, each word after you hit the space bar, and/or each sentence after you hit a period. When people read back their own written work, they tend to read what they think they wrote rather than what they actually wrote. This is especially true for those with dyslexic tendencies.
8. Does a box pop up every time you start typing a new word (word prediction)? Is that confusing for the writer?
The box either stays on the whole time you are typing or it can be shut off and turned on just when you need it.
There are three things that you can do with the prediction box:
1) The box can be set to move along following your curser, suggesting words continually as you type.
2) The box can be set to stay stationary in one part of the screen, suggesting words continually as you type.
3) The box can be turned on and off by one click of the mouse. Some like to use it in this way turning it on only when they are about to type a word that they’re unsure of or when they want a suggestion.
1. I am looking for something to review phonics and improve reading fluency and spelling. How would the Ultimate Phonics method of instruction compare to the Orton-Gillingham standards for phonics (which we have used in the past)? There seem to be some differences in how phonics is presented and I don't want to add a different method.
Ultimate Phonics is very compatible with the Orton-Gillingham method. In fact, many of our most loyal customers are Orton-Gillingham teachers.
There are four sections to each of the 260 lessons in Ultimate Phonics. Students can navigate to any of these four sections at any time. The first section is the explanation page; the second is a list of the new words presented in the lesson; the third is a presentation of each new word one at a time broken into its phonetic parts; and the fourth is the use of these new words within sentences along with any words previously presented for review.
The rule pages are very similar to the way Orton Gillingham presents rules. There will be some variance, but I don't believe that it will confuse a student who has already been through the Orton-Gillingham program. To the contrary, seeing a rule presented in a new format in a different context can be beneficial to solidify a student's mastery of it. If you wanted to, though, you could have your student bypass the rule page and move on into the words and sentences for phonics practice.
Spelling is reinforced by the viewing of words broken into their phonetic parts, such as "oi," "ch," "str," etc. When the student drags the mouse over these parts, the computer speaks each phoneme clearly one at a time. Then the student can click the word to hear these phonemes blended together.
2. As I looked at the Ultimate Phonics reading program I was wondering, would this serve as a reading curriculum for my 10 year old who's reading on a first grade level? Could I use it for his 5th grade core reading program or is it more something that would supplement a reading curriculum?
With his skills as low as they are, I would recommend that you use this software as his core reading program. It goes from a beginner level to about the 6th grade level. Depending on his motivation, he might be able to complete the program (262 lessons) this year and get right into a 5th grade reader or you could simply choose books from your public library. You can find graded book lists on the Internet for ideas of what to choose.
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When you’re teaching students with dyslexia, you
need all the tools you
can get,
whether it’s Ultimate Phonics Reading Software, WordQ Writing
Software,
SpeakQ Dictation Software
or Quarter Mile Math Software.
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