Tag Archives: school

Dyslexia Software – School and Home License Released by Ghotit

Dyslexia Software – School and Home License Released by Ghotit

In the US, UK, Canada and other countries around the world, schools and organizations are required by law to provide people with learning disabilities equal opportunity.

Even Yehuda, Israel, December 17, 2013 – As such, these schools and organizations need to supply their students and employees assistive technology that can help them overcome their disabilities.

Dyslexia is the most prevalent of all known learning disabilities. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 5-15 percent of the population suffers from severe reading, and writing difficulties associated with dyslexia. Dyslexics spend significant time, effort and money to improve their written communication skills.

One of the main challenges for people with dyslexia is managing their daily tasks that require writing. For examples students that need to write homework assignments and reports or employees that constantly need to respond to emails. Dyslexics are challenges by both the quality of their written text (producing correctly spelled text) and by the time and effort required by them to produce this text.

Ofer Chermesh, one of Ghotit’s founders, is a lifelong dyslexic. The struggle of producing readable text is well known to him. “I have no doubt that the people who designed regular assistance technology tools such as text editors and spell checkers did not have in mind people with dyslexia. Regular spell checkers are targeting people with good spelling capabilities who occasionally make spelling mistakes, not dyslexics like me. In addition, many dyslexics also struggle with reading documents or web sites and would like to see these reading abilities integrated with their writing assistant solutions,” says Ofer Chermesh.

Regular text editors and spell checkers are designed to correct relatively minor spelling mistakes. In order to identify the correct spelling of a poorly spelled word, the context of the sentence needs to be analyzed. Ghotit offers a novel patent-protected context and phonetic spell checking technology tuned for people with dyslexia and bad spelling habits. Using these algorithms, Ghotit can detect and correct not only really bad spelled words but also misused words, words that are spelled correctly, but are written out of context. Ghotit also offers advanced grammar checking algorithms ensuring correct English grammar.

Though initially designed for people with dyslexia, Ghotit has demonstrated success for people with other writing and reading difficulties such as people who use English as their Second Language (ESL) and English Language Learners (ELL) enabling them to move to mainstream English Writing.

Ghotit launched its online free service in 2008. In 2009 Ghotit released Word Writer, its add-on for Microsoft Word for Windows. In 2012 Ghotit released its simple-to-use text editor, Real Writer for Windows and Macintosh.

In 2013 Ghotit released its Real Writer & Reader application for Microsoft Windows, Macintosh and Linux. The Ghotit Real Writer & Reader application is based on a simple text editor which incorporates spell and grammar checker and the ability to read out any text. Real Writer & Reader can be used directly from any text application such as browsers, word processors, spreadsheets, and mail applications.

Today Ghotit has announced the release of a site license. This site license will enable schools and organizations to access all of Ghotit solutions at highly reduced rates.

For more information visit http://www.ghotit.com

Contact:
Ofer Chermesh
Ghotit Ltd
Beer Ganim,
33A Even Yehuda
Israel 40500
972 544 871 909
info@ghotit.com
http://www.ghotit.com

New iPad App Gets Children School-Ready

January 02, 2013, 4:21 am — /EPR NETWORK/ — Parents are preparing to send their children off to school for the first time. An Australian Mother of two has developed a way to give children entering school in this technological age a head start by creating an educational iPad app.

Rebecca Monument said that she, like most parents were aware that basic literacy skills developed in the home long before a child starts school.

“I created the app because I wanted to give my children the best of every possible opportunity,” said Ms Monument. “I was worried as my kids weren’t learning the correct way to write the alphabet, that they would have to re-learn it when they started school.”

After the application was released in October this year Ms Monument approached a local teacher for feedback. Ms Tanya Burton from Whitehouse Primary School in Australia agrees that Writeforschool is a resourceful learning tool for young children, and that the app that will complement the introduction of iPads into the prep classrooms in 2013.

“The application combines many features that other similar writing applications fail to deliver, like a variety of accents and a choice of the writing fonts taught in Australian schools” Ms Burton notes. “The large number of fonts back up what is taught in the school curriculum; it not only includes letters and numbers but blends of letters.”

The idea came to Ms Monument and she began developing the iPad application Writeforschool after her children, aged five and six began taking great interest in playing the games on her iPad.

“I thought if I could make educational game for my children, they could begin to learn to write in the cursive they are taught at their school the correct way,” Ms Monument explained. “My children love the app and its exciting graphics that can be completely personalised.”

Ms Monument hopes that her application is able to help as many young children as possible get a head start for this school year.

– Ends –

Media Contact: Zoe Keightley
Phone: 0413 706 582
Email: kezo.pr@gmail.com
Website: www.writeforschool.com

*Professional photos available upon request.

 

The Learning Genome Project unveils a new solution to personalized education through crowd sourcing

Educator Kelly Tenkely invites educators, parents and investors around the world to join in personalizing education.

Due to an increased disenfranchisement with the education system, Colorado educator, Kelly Tenkely, recognized the need for a product that would honor the uniqueness of children by personalizing learning. Kelly created the Learning Genome Project to fulfill this need.

“Every child deserves to be met right where they are in learning, rather than expected to fit a one-size-fits-all solution. In our society, we have managed to customize everything from ringtones to coffee, why should learning be different?” Said the Learning Genome Project creator, Kelly Tenkely.

The Learning Genome makes personalized learning available to children around the world by:
* Gathering information about an individual child including: their unique interests/passions, learning style preferences, multiple intelligence strengths, brain dominance, and maturation level.
* Crowdsourcing the tagging of both free, as well as premium, education resources and curriculum with hundreds of learning attributes (the ‘genes’ of learning).
* Matching resources and curriculum to students, recommending the materials that best meet their needs and creating a custom learning map for each child.
* Utilizing an open API so that schools, parents, and districts can build additional functionality to meet their specific needs.

This is the Learning Genome Project’s free “hub” that makes personalized learning available to every child.

Said Kelly, “Every child, regardless of their economic situation, deserves an education that is tailored to them. Society benefits when we help kids learn how to best utilize their unique gifts and passions.”

Premium features of the Learning Genome Project will include:
* A student information system
* An e-portfolio
* A teacher and student planner
* Blogging tools
* An e-learning center
* An individual learning map for each child

The premium features will work seamlessly with the Learning Genome hub giving students, teachers, and parents a complete solution to personalized learning.

The Learning Genome Project is seeking crowd-sourced funding through Indiegogo and will use the $85,000 raised to begin programming. The project has 45 days to raise the funds and can be found here: http://www.indiegogo.com/thelearninggenomeproject?c=home&a=1232629

In addition to her work on the Learning Genome Project, Kelly Tenkely is an educator, a prolific education blogger, and created a new educational model. This model is put into practice at Anastasis Academy, a school that Kelly co-founded that is just beginning its 2nd year in operation.

Contact Details: Kelly Tenkely
303-807-3012
ktenkely@gmail.com
http://www.indiegogo.com/thelearninggenomeproject?c=home&a=1232629
http://thelearninggenomeproject.com
http://ilearntechnology.com
http://dreamsofeducation.wordpress.com
http://anastasisacademy.us

Local Middle Schoolers Power Radio Station with Wind Energy by FPL Grant

“FPL began our teacher grant program to provide funds for creative, exciting classroom projects that spark curiosity and give our children exposure to real-world applications of the science behind everyday energy use,” said Maureen Wilt of FPL.

Juno Beach, FL (April 12, 2012) — Stroll onto the campus of the David Lawrence Jr. K-8 Center School in North Miami, and one of the first things you’ll see is a waterfall powered by solar panels. Round a corner, and you’ll stumble upon a working wind turbine. A few steps further, a team of pre-teens is constructing a radio transmission tower under the direction of teacher Laurie Futterman.

This month, Ms. Futterman won her second grant from Florida Power & Light Company to implement student projects exploring renewable energy. The solar waterfall was the result of her first grant, and took about a year to complete. For her next project, she dreamed even bigger.

This year’s FPL grant will help Ms. Futterman and the school’s “Green Team” apply a wind turbine they built to provide power to a radio tower, which will broadcast student announcements of school events and programs to parents’ car radios as they pick up or drop off their children.

The Green Team started out as an afterschool environmental police force who audited classrooms for wasted energy. Thanks to the grants, the group has evolved into a green engineering club, taking on projects like building the solar powered waterfall, wind turbine, and now radio transmission tower.

In preparation for the project, Ms. Futterman had her students read “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” the story of a boy in Malawi who used tree limbs, a bike tire, and old junk parts to build a wind turbine that powered lights in his family’s house.

The Green Team’s project is just as hands-on. In constructing the wind turbine, the students prepped, primed, and riveted parts and hand-coiled copper wire. They’re nearly ready to run a wire underground to the radio tower and up the PVC pipes that form the legs of the tower, and mount the antenna. Next up: the students will work on the radio station and announcements.

“There’s only so much a teacher can do in the classroom, and we’re grateful to have the grants for an invaluable opportunity to actually put green energy into motion,” said Ms. Futterman. “I see our students truly inspired and energized by their mission. They work after school every Monday until about five o’clock – they even worked through their winter vacation!”

The radio tower project was made possible with a $1,600 grant from FPL to spur innovative and critical science, technology, engineering, and math education in the classroom. While so-called “STEM” education is seen as the key to job growth and global competitiveness, public funds to support it are scarce.

“There’s no doubt that STEM classes are one of the most important components in today’s education,” said Maureen Wilt of FPL. “That’s why FPL began our teacher grant program – to provide funds for creative, exciting classroom projects that spark curiosity and give our children exposure to real-world applications of the science behind everyday energy use. This is the third year of FPL’s grant program and so far, we’ve been able to support 84 amazing classroom projects across Florida. We can’t wait to see what our state’s teachers come up with next year.”

You can keep track of the Green Team’s progress on Facebook with videos, pictures, and status updates from “Ms. Futterman’s Science Page.” Or, learn more about FPL’s education initiatives at http://www.fpl.com/community/learning.

Media Contact:
FPL Media Line
Florida Power & Light Company
700 Universe Blvd.
Juno Beach, FL 33408
305-552-3888
amelia.gomez@rbbpr.com
Website: http://www.fpl.com/community/learning/index.shtml

Children’s Book Series Inspires Lifelong Learning

Experienced educator Molly Nero has created a series of stories to get children excited about learning.

Houston, TX (USA), Monday – November 21, 2011 — Experienced educator Molly Nero has created a series of stories to get children excited about learning.

“Learning is not just for school, it’s for life,” says Nero, author of Smarty Pig, soon to be released through Halo Publishing International. She hopes teachers will utilize Smarty Pig in their classrooms to inspire their students. “It is important to help children understand that learning to count and read is not just something we make them do at school, but lessons they will be applying throughout their lives.”

Smarty Pig is a story about a family of pigs who give up on school. One of the pigs, though, loves to learn. She creates games to help others practice skills eventually getting the family members to realize that learning can be fun and how important school really is to their future. Reaching out to young students, the pro-learning book is geared toward children in grades K-3.

“This book series will be valuable to teachers working to inspire learning in children,” said Halo International Publisher Lisa Umina. “Molly knows from her own experience as a teacher how important it is to get children excited about school.”

First-grade teacher Barbara Walsh said Smarty Pig ( http://www.smartypigbooks.com ) appeals to readers of all ages. “Parents and teachers love the positive message about learning,” Walsh said. “And kids love it because it’s fun.”

Nero said she wants children to understand that school is a good place, and it isn’t just about tests. Creative and experiential learning are essential to development, said the author. She said reading to her own children inspired her to write stories that will build self-esteem and help young students deal with issues at school.

A native of Arlington, Texas and the youngest in a family of seven children, Nero taught academics and music at the elementary school level after achieving her degree at the University of Texas. She also has experience as a musical theater performer. Nero recently relocated to Pennsylvania with her husband and two children, ages 9 and 15. She leads Shining Stars Musical Theater Camp, and also developed My Kids Art Forever.com, a business that creates unique gifts from children’s artwork.

Smarty Pig will be released in early 2012. To order the book, visit halopublishing.com. For additional information, visit http://www.smartypigbooks.com. To reach Molly Nero, call 412-722-4373 or e-mail mollynero@smartypigbooks.com.

Press & Media Contact:
Lisa M. Umina, Publisher
Halo Publishing International
AP #726 / P.O. Box 60326
Houston, TX 77205-0326
877-705-9647
lisa@halopublishing.com
http://www.halopublishing.com