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Text File | 1997-01-17 | 12.6 KB | 292 lines

Trial Program Guide

DIAGNOSTIC PRESCRIPTIVE READING
Skill levels 3 - 8

Trial version: VOCABULARY (Level 1)

Complete Program: VOCABULARY (Level 1), SEQUENCE (Level 2), MAIN IDEA
(Level 3), FACT/OPINION (Level 4), FACTUAL RECALL (Level 5), INFERENCE
(Level 6)

Windows or MS-DOS (VGA display)

Diagnostic Prescriptive 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:

Vocabulary      Fact or Opinion
Sequence        Factual Recall
Main Idea       Inference

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 student who successfully 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

LEVEL 1, VOCABULARY: Students are given words and asked to select the
correct meaning from among several choices. Words appear in context.
Incorrect response messages show students how they may have mistaken
the meaning of a word.

Example: Student reads: "Jenny walked along the EDGE of a field.
EDGE is . . ." Student chooses from: "near the middle," "never
very large," and "at the end or side."

LEVEL 2, SEQUENCE: Students are given selections based on time order
(e.g., for events) or order of steps (e.g., in directions). Students
are asked what would come first, second, third, or last, or are told
to find the proper place for a particular step in the directions for
doing or making something.

Example: Student reads: "Marcus wanted to play baseball. He called
all of his friends to ask them to play, but they were all busy. In
the end, Marcus realized he could not play baseball that day. What
happened LAST?" Student chooses from: "Marcus realized he
could not play baseball," "Marcus wanted to play baseball,"
and "Marcus called his friends to ask them to play baseball."

LEVEL 3, MAIN IDEA: Students read a variety of selections and answer
questions that test such reading skills as identifying the main idea,
recognizing irrelevant sentences in a paragraph, and locating the
topic sentence.

Example: Student reads: "Most pets have short lives. Cats, for
example, rarely live more than 15 years. An exception to this is any
large talking bird. Certain kinds of macaws can live over 100 years.
Parrots can live to be 50, and myna birds can live to be 80. People
have passed these pets from generation to generation." Student
chooses the main idea from: "Some birds can live to be very old,"
"Parrots can live to be 50," and "Most pets have short
lives."

LEVEL 4, FACT OR OPINION: Students are asked to differentiate between
fact and opinion in a variety of statements.

Example: Student reads: "Traveling by train is more comfortable
than traveling by bus. Is this Fact or Opinion?"

LEVEL 5, FACTUAL RECALL: Students read a variety of selections and
answer questions based on the details provided in the text.

Example: Student reads: "Alex was a musician. He played the flute
in an orchestra every Sunday. He gave music lessons every day. When
there was a parade, he marched with the band. In his spare time he
wrote music. Every day, Alex did the following:" Student chooses
from: "gave flute lessons," "marched with a parade,"
and "played in an orchestra."

LEVEL 6, INFERENCE: Students are given a variety of selections. From
the context they must draw inferences about situations, events, people,
objects, feelings, etc.

Example: Student reads: "I picked up a cup and went to the sink.
I filled it with water. Was the faucet in the garden or in the kitchen?"
Student chooses from: "the kitchen" and "the garden."

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\DPR-TD\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 DIAGNOSTIC PRESCRIPTIVE READING. The
complete six-level School version of the program contains the following:

1. Six diagnostic tests and 36 developmental reading lessons for (1)
Vocabulary, (2) Sequence, (3) Main Idea, (4) Fact/Opinion, (5) Factual
Recall, and (6) Inference

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

[phone]    [phone]    FAX: [phone]

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.  The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with
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products.  Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon,
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