Note: The Learn to Read 2 tape contains the same program on each side. However, the file LRNREAD2.TAP contains only one copy. This file, LRNREAD2.TXT, contains the Learn to Read 2 printed material. ========================= COVER SPINE ========================== sinclair(R) ZX Spectrum(R) // LEARN TO READ 2 E11/2 M ========================= COVER FRONT ========================== sinclair(R) & Macmillan ZX Spectrum(R) ----------------- LEARN TO READ 2 CASSETTE 48K RAM ========================== COVER BACK ========================== LEARN TO READ 2 Learn to Read 2 follows on from Learn to Read 1. The program is in four parts, each of which reinforces and extends the funda- mental reading skills practised in the first program -- word recognition, early spelling and memory, as well as encouraging logical thinking. The child's vocabulary is gradually built up as new words -- such as red, green, blue, yellow, car, bike, ship -- are introduced. In addition, Learn to Read 2 features an attractive 'reward' system enabling children to see their achievements grow. The Learn to Read series is derived from Macmillan Education's best-selling reading scheme called Gay Way, which is widely used in primary schools. The software offers a unique opportunity for parents, as well as teachers, to share and participate in children's first experience of reading. Software developed by Fisher-Marriott. Educational consultants: Betty Root and Diana Bentley. Centre for the Teaching of reading, University of Reading. Program and documentation (C) Macmillan Education 1984. Packaging (C) Sinclair Research Ltd 1984. (R) Registered Trade Marks of Sinclair Research Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this program, packaging or documentation may be reproduced in any form. Unauthorised copying, hiring, lending or sale and repurchase prohibited. Manufactured by Sinclair Research Ltd, 25 Willis Road, Cambridge, CB12AQ. Made in UK. ISBN 0 333 37018 X. ============================ MANUAL ============================ sinclair(R) & Macmillan ZX Spectrum(R) ----------------- LEARN TO READ 2 CASSETTE 48K RAM ================================================================ ================================================================ LEARN TO READ 2 ================================================================ _Acknowledgements_ Software developed by Fisher-Marriott, winners of the Sinclair/Muse Educational Award 1982. Educational consultants: Betty Root and Diana Bentley, Centre for the Teaching of Reading, University of Reading. Program and documentation (C) Macmillan Education 1984 Packaging (C) Sinclair Research Ltd. 1984 All rights reserved. No part of this program, packaging, or documen- tation may be reproduced in any form. Unauthorised copying, hiring, lending or sale and repurchase prohibited. Manufactured by Sinclair Research Ltd. 25 Willis Road, Cambridge CB1 2AQ. ISBN 0 333 37017 1 (R) Sinclair and ZX Spectrum are registered trade marks of Sinclair Research Ltd. Printed in UK. ================================================================ _Contents_ Please read this 4 Mainly for parents -- helping your child to read 4 The role of the microcomputer 6 Sharing programs 7 Learn to Read and Gay Way 7 Learn to Read 2 8 Loading the program 8 Running the program 9 3 ================================================================ _Please_read_this_ Tempting as it may be to use the program immediately, we recommend that you spend a few minutes reading this booklet. The program is easy to run, with very simple screen messages guiding you throughout. However, we think it is important to put the computer's role in reading into its correct perspective, and to highlight the aims of each part of the program. The _Learn_to_Read_ series has been carefully planned to take children gradually through their early stages of reading. It is obviously to children's best advantage to move on through the series at their own pace, moving to the next program only when they are confident enough to do so. It may not be obvious how children are advancing with each program; this booklet is intended to make the steps clearer. _Mainly_for_parents--helping_ _your_child_to_read_ There was a time, not so long ago, when most teachers strongly objected to parents helping their children to read. It was considered that parents did not have the required expertise and that they would exert pressures and do untold damage. In recent years such ideas have been discredited and several research projects have indicated very clearly that loving and caring parents, with time and enthusiasm, can and do play a very important part in helping children to read. At this point it must be emphasised that many children show no desire at all to learn to read before going to school. This is absolutely normal and must be accepted in this way. Persuasion or coercion will not be at all helpful but encouragement can spark off real enthusiasm. Above all, any kind of early reading activity _must_be_enjoyed_ -- if books are not associated with pleasure then problems will soon arise. 4 ================================================================ A few children of between 3 and 4 years do seem to be intensely interested in words and many more become so when they are 4 or 5 years. Learning to read cannot be associated with any one magical formula, neither is success instant, but there is no doubt at all that reading stories to babies and toddlers is the best way to ensure that children become aware of the purpose of books and eventually to want to read themselves. If you take time to talk about the stories and pictures you have read togeather, this will improve your child's understanding of words. A clear grasp of the meaning of spoken words helps enormously in those early stages of reading. It is generally accepted that reading should begin with whole words and whole sentences which are meaningful. If the words and sentances are first introduced with matching pictures, the pictures provide clues to enable children to succeed. Remember that children do need lots of practice and this is where computer programs can be so useful. The step between talking and reading is perhaps one of the most difficult and yet important steps that children can make. They must learn that the words they speak can be represented by marks. When children can confidently read a number of words and recognise them in different situations, then they can begin to understand that words are made up of letters and that letters have sounds. At this stage some phonetic teaching (the matching of letters with sounds) can be introduced, but only very slowly. If your child seems to find word-building difficult, then leave it alone, it will come. If you allow yourself to become anxious and even perhaps disappointed, your child will soon sense this and feel that he or she has failed you. This is no way to encourage children to enjoy books. Teaching with the whole word or sentance method, followed by phonics, means that children are able to relate new situations to something they already know. For example, if they can read cat, the fat, rat, sat are easy for them. It is surprising what young children can achieve once they realise how things work. It is important to remember that children learn to read and spell through writing, as well as reading. Sometimes, after reading a story 5 ================================================================ or using a computer program, try writing some of the important words together. (You write them in yellow crayon then the child can write over your letters.) Don't expect too much too soon, just make it fun. Make letter shapes in sand, or with plasticine, pastry, steamed- up windows -- anything which is a part of your normal day to day activities. Finally, remember that when children go to school they will share the teacher's time with many others. It will be different and very exciting, but they will need all the personal attention you can give. Learning to read is such an important milestone, if your child is to succeed he or she will need the opportunity to practise different skills, with lots of praise and encouragement. _The_role_of_the_microcomputer_ In recent years the microcomputer has added a new dimension to children's learning. It is not claimed that any computer program used in isolation, can actually _teach_ a child to read. Nevertheless, well planned educational software provided an enjoyable and variable form of practice which all children require in the early stages of learning to read. It must always be remembered that children learn at different rates. The great advantage of the computer is that it enables children to work _at_their_own_pace_ and repeat particular parts of each program according to their own needs and enthusiasm. The pressure to keep up with others is totally eliminated and there is complete freedom for the more able children to move quickly through the programs. The _Learn_to_Read_ programs should help children to move towards becoming readers. The programs are fun to use and will help children to realise that learning is a pleasure. One of the great advantages of these programs is that they do not accept incorrect spellings. Right from the first stages of reading the child is trained in careful and accurate observation, and the correct spelling of a useful basic vocabulary. 6 ================================================================ _Sharing_the_programs_ There will be many times when your child will choose to work alone with the computer, but do remember there should also be oppor- tunities to share the programs with an interested adult or an older brother or sister, as well as with other children at school. It is more fun for the child to learn _with_ someone, and the company of an adult will give a child more confidence, and make the activity more productive. There is no need to worry if children find some parts more difficult than others, children do vary in the way they learn different skills. We all know that adults find some of the skills required for learning to drive much more difficult than others although eventually this does not affect the quality of their driving performance (how well did you manage your first hill start?!) Some children seem to learn in sudden 'jumps', while others progress at a slow and steady pace. Children will find some activities more appealing than others -- let the child choose. Children will not choose things that they find impossi- ble. It is also wise to let children dictate how long they want to use the computer. It is far better for children to have two minutes of enjoyable learning than half an hour of an experience which might make them averse to learning. When your child is using the programs, try not to 'interfere' and give the answer all the time -- wait until you are asked for help. _Learn_to_Read_and_Gay_Way_ The _Learn_to_Read_ series has been derived from the well-known infant reading scheme, _Gay_Way_, which is widely used in primary schools. It features the popular animals found in the books. However, the software is designed to be used independently or alongside _any_ reading scheme or books which children are using at school or in the home. Should you wish to reinforce the computer activities with reading about the animals in the books, there are 16 _Gay_Way_Introductory_Books_ to choose from. 7 ================================================================ _Learn_to_Read_2_ Deb the rat Sam the fox Meg the hen Jip the cat Ben the dog the fat pig When children first start to use these programs it is essential that an adult sits with them and talks about the animal characters and their names. The adult should 'read' the name of the animals out loud to children, so they can associate the spoken word with the print. _Loading_the_program_ Make sure your ZX Spectrum(R) is connected as explained in the Sinclair ZX Spectrum(R) manual. Type _LOAD_"READ2"_ENTER_ or _LOAD_""_ENTER_ Start the tape. The message _Loading_please_wait_ should appear on the screen. _Learn_to_Read_2_ is made up of 4 parts. All 4 parts are loaded together. The program takes about 3 minutes to load. When loaded, a menu screen appears: 8 ================================================================ names kim spell card _Running_the_program_ _Selection_ A moving outline box is a simple selection device used in the series. It allows you to select the part of the program you want. Wait until the box moves on to the required part, then press any key, and that part of the program will begin. For example: names [ kim ] spell card Pressing a key now would select _kim_. All the programs in the _Learn_to_Read_ series provide a substantial amount of activity. It would take a long time to run through all parts of the program in one session, and this would not be advisable with a young child whose attention span is rather short. You will probably prefer to use just one part of the program at any one time, returning to it again, or to a different part, at the next session. We suggest that the first time you use the software you begin with _names_, which introduces the new vocabulary. When completed, it returns to the menu, where you can choose to repeat _names_, or move on to the next part of the program, _kim_, and so on each time. The menu will remind you which part you have just completed, then the box will move on to the next in the sequence. In later runs you may want to practise some activities more than others, depending on the child's ability and enthusiasm. The program allows complete 9 ================================================================ flexibility to do this. If at any time you wish to stop using one part of the program and move on to another: When the prompt _Press_a_key_ is on the screen, Press _CAPS_SHIFT_ and _1_ together (i.e. the command _EDIT_) This will take you back to the menu screen for selection. (We do not recommend that children are shown how to break out of the program in this way -- with some software it could lead to losing the program altogeather!) _On_the_screen_ At this very beginning level it is not possible to include instructions on the screen which the young child can read and interpret. The _Learn_to_Read_ screen instructions are simple, and have been kept to a minimum -- once shown how to run the program, children do not forget, and in many cases will be able to work out what they are expected to do. Screen prompts appear at the bottom right hand side of the screen: _Press_a_key_ press any key (apart from _CAPS_SHIFT_ and _SYMBOL_SHIFT_) _Spell_ spell out, letter by letter, to replace the dashes shown _Press_a_number_ choose a number (used in the card game) _Note_ that there is no need to worry about typing in upper case (capital) or lower case letters -- the computer accepts any input from the child and displays the letters on the screen in upper or lower case as appropriate. Should children have initial difficulty with matching the shapes of upper case letters on the keyboard with the lower case letters on the 10 ================================================================ screen, then it may be useful to make or buy small labels, marked with lower case letters, to put on the keys until they become familiar with both. _names_ This introduces the animal characters plus some simple new vocabulary. 1 Pictures of the vehicles appear on the screen. One of the animals appears below these pictures with a caption saying, for example, _Sam_the_fox_has_a_bus_. 2 A box moves over the pictures. The child must _Press_a_key_ when the box is over the picture which matches the caption. If the correct picture is chosen, the picture appears beside the animal, then another animal and caption appears. If a wrong picture is chosen, the word appears in the box, then the box continues to move over the pictures. _kim_ This is a memory game which practises simple spellings and helps with memory and deductive skills. _Wait_ for an example. 1 All the pictures of the vehicles in _names_ appear on the screen, then one disappears. 2 The child has to remember or deduce the missing vehicle. 3 The child must type in the word, letter by letter, when the prompt _spell_ appears. 4 After 5 mis-spellings the computer provides the correct letter and the child can continue. 5 When the correct word has been written a reward of a line of that vechicle appears. The number of vechicles depends on the accuracy and speed of the answer and varies from 1 to 5. 6 A 'score' bar builds up on the side of the screen. At the end of the game the child can see how high the bar is, and try to improve their spelling and speed each time until it is full, and flashes of colour appear. 11 ================================================================ _spell_ This teaches children the names of colours and the spelling of simple vocabulary. Colour recognition is used widely in both early maths and reading material and is a very valuable skill to have acquired before schooling or early in the child's school life. _Wait_ for an example. 1 Labelled 'paint pots' of colour appear across the top of the screen. 2 An animal character appears on the screen with an incomplete sentence. The child spells the missing word, for example, _Sam_ _the_ _is_green_. When _fox) has been correctly spelt paint drips over Sam and he is miraculously changed to green. A 'score bar' builds up with each colour, recording the speed and accuracy of the child's spelling. This enables children to see how they improve with practice. _card_ This is a computer version of the popular card game _Pelmanism_, which can be played either by one child or by two children taking turns. It helps to develop memory and visual discrimination skills, and gives the children practice in reading words _without_ a picture clue. 1 8 playing cards appear on the screen. 2 The player selects a card by pressing its number. The card turns over to reveal a picture or a word. 3 The player selects a second card, trying to match a picture with its appropriate word to make a pair. 4 If there is a pair the cards disappear. If the cards do _not_ match, they are turned back again. The player should try to remember what is on the back of the cards for the next turn. 12 ================================================================ ================================================================ ========================= TAPE SIDE 1 ========================== sinclair(R) A ZX Spectrum(R) (C) Macmillan Education 1984 E11/S 48K RAM SIDE A: LOAD "READ 2" ========================= TAPE SIDE 2 ========================== sinclair(R) B ZX Spectrum(R) (C) Macmillan Education 1984 E11/S 48K RAM SIDE B: LOAD "READ 2" ================================================================