SEMERC's A Busy Day offers inclusive approach to readingA Busy Day is a new reading program from inclusive publisher, SEMERC, which is designed to encourage language development for children who are unable to access the normal routes to reading. The CD-ROM is full of highly motivational graphics, activities and games to encourage and reinforce children’s word recognition, based on vocabulary that is familiar and meaningful. A comprehensive choice of accessibility options also enables teachers to use the resource to support children with a range of learning difficulties. A Busy Day’s activities help children to understand that text carries meaning by encouraging them to hear, say and match words to pictures, as well as move the words around on-screen. As such, the CD-ROM offers a multi-sensory and interactive approach to reading, which appeals to both young children and those with additional support needs. It is particularly effective for children on the autistic spectrum, those with Down’s Syndrome, attention difficulties and those who are primarily visual learners. It has also been trialled with learners who have English as a second language. Laura Cryer, Publisher, SEMERC, said: “There is growing demand for quality software and teaching resources for children who struggle to read. A Busy Day content has been developed by a special school teacher in Belfast and is a proven, highly effective educational package.” Laura continues: “Following trials in special and mainstream schools in Northern Ireland and England, we have received highly positive feedback from the Northern Ireland Inspectorate and teacher training establishments – and its impact is already clear to see. After using A Busy Day for only six months, one child with complex autistic spectrum disorder and severe language difficulties learnt over 80 words and was able to progress to a mainstream, level 3 reading scheme. His parent described the transformation as ‘a miracle’.” A Busy Day author, Rosemary Starrett, said: "I couldn't believe the reaction from our pupils, especially those on the autistic spectrum. Imagine a classroom full of youngsters facing an interactive whiteboard - the atmosphere, participation and team spirit was amazing. The program is teaching our pupils not only the difficult process of reading, but also a range of social interaction skills, such as waiting, taking turns and team-building. It’s great to see how much they enjoy experiencing success in a new medium." As with all of SEMERC’s latest resources, A Busy Day includes a range of accessibility options, enabling teachers to include children with visual difficulties, hearing problems, physical needs, sensory impairments and other learning difficulties. Clip art, student records, worksheets and certificates are also available via teacher settings, so that the resource can be tailored to suit the individual’s interests, learning styles and curriculum requirements. A Busy Day is dual format (Windows and OSX) and costs from £85 for a single user licence. Customers wishing to receive a 21 day free approval copy should call 01666 843 295 or email info@semerc.com.
- ends - About SEMERC SEMERC is a leader in ICT special needs publishing, supplying software and hardware to both mainstream and special educational needs settings across the UK. All of SEMERC's recent software includes a range of accessibility options, such as switch access, voice input and display options. Individual student records are also available so that resources can be personalised to suit the individual's interests, learning styles and curriculum requirements.
For more information, please contact Danielle Morgan PR and Events Manager, Granada Learning Tel: 020 8996 3632 Email: danielle.morgan@granadalearning.com
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