Research on effective beginning reading instruction has helped to define what instructional methods and content are most valuable. The research has shown that three important aspects of beginning reading instruction are alphabetic principles, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. A review of research in Part 1 of this Technical Paper…

An examination of the value of using more sophisticated computer programs in the language arts program led to the design and development of "Thinking Networks," which provide the teacher with a new tool for teaching through nonverbal representation. Using microcomputers to improve reading and writing instruction can incorporate the…

This Technical Paper focuses on the new PLATO[R] reading curricula which represent an innovation in the computer-based teaching of basic reading skills and advanced reading comprehension strategies for adults and young adults in secondary and postsecondary academic settings, as well as adult/job skills training. The first section is divided into…

A three-year project carried out by the Microcomputers and Reading Committee of the New Jersey Reading Association involved the collection, improvement, and distribution of free microcomputer software (public domain programs) designed to deal with reading and writing skills. Acknowledging that this free software is not without limitations (poor…

R-WISE (Reading and Writing in a Supportive Environment), a computerized package for teaching critical literacy, is described, focusing on its use in developing reading comprehension. The program eases demands on short-term memory, highlights strategically important aspects of comprehending text, guides internalization and self-initiation of…

This study reports the results of a questionnaire mailed to 700 teachers probing uses of computer software in Maine special education programs. Findings based on a 54 percent response (N=381) indicate no significant differences in educational level, previous training, gender, years of experience, or age between computer users and non-users.…

Miami-Dade Community College's (MDCC's) implementation and assessment of computer software as a part of Project SYNERGY, a multi-institutional project funded by the International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation designed to seek technological solutions for helping students underprepared in reading, writing and mathematics, is described in this…

With funds from the International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation, Project SYNERGY was launched in January 1990 to address the problem of students entering colleges underprepared in basic skills and to make use of the tremendous potential for significant remediation through computers. Twenty-two institutions in the United States and Canada,…

Forty-four computer programs specifically designed to help students learn English as a second language (ESL) are listed. The programs chosen focus on a linguistic activity, are appropriate for any proficiency level, are considered appropriate for students of high school and adult age (excluding college-level foreign students), and have been…

The 1985 volume of the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) newsletter includes articles on the role of grammar in language teaching; teaching English in Spanish schools; software for English as a second language (ESL); ESL teacher employment overseas; reading in English for special purposes; ESL techniques for…

The annotated list of software for language learning and instruction includes items used by English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers and those marketed for ESL. Software titles are grouped by hardware (Macintosh and MS-DOS), and within those sections, by language skill or application, including these categories: those discontinued by the…