New audio track option for ESOL students on interactive CD-ROMs
Frog Pond and other stories and Creepy and other stories
A new feature on the popular interactive CD-ROMs is an additional audio track designed for ESOL students. Students can select the voice they prefer on the opening screen.
Frog Pond and other stories for students in years 5–6 and Creepy and other stories for students in years 7–10 each contain ten stories and articles with photographs or illustrations, audio, glossaries, and activities. The CD-ROMs will appeal to students of all abilities and in particular will motivate and support students who are not yet proficient readers. Students using these resources can record their comments or questions with 'yellow stickies', highlight text, and choose to play all or some of the audio.
The high-interest texts in Frog Pond and other stories have been adapted from Connected and the School Journal. Those in Creepy and other stories are from the School Journal and Choices, apart from one newly commissioned story. The four types of activities on the CD-ROM – where students can write their own message, poem, cartoon, or presentation – are designed to encourage them to respond to the readings. The supporting teachers' notes booklet for each resource provides a users' guide, suggested teaching purposes, advice on teaching approaches, and notes on the texts.
Schools can make multiple copies of the programs for school use, and students can take the CD-ROMs home to use on their personal computers. The CD-ROMs can be used on PC and Macintosh computers (minimum specifications are listed on the packaging together with contact details for help).
Frog Pond and other stories, item 31371.
Creepy and other stories, item 31375.
Distribution
Two copies of each resource are being distributed to schools with year 5–6 and year 7–10 classes respectively in July.
Looking back
Interactive CD-ROMs for years 5–6
- Postcards in Space and other stories, item 27493 (2003)
- Wild and Wacky and other stories, item 30011 (2004)
- Sailing the Pacific and other stories, item 30912 (2005)
Interactive CD-ROMs for years 7–10
- The Game and other stories, item 26577 (2002)
- Swimming with Sharks and other stories, item 27494 (2003)
- Punk Junk Mailer and other stories, item 30088 (2004)
- Taiaha and other stories, item 30864 (2005)