Приложения разработчика THRASS UK LTD в Android Market

English Alphabet Rap (v. 1.2)

THRASS UK LTD опубликовал приложение 2011-12-29
(обновлено 2011-12-29)

Catchy rap music and a fun way to quickly learn the names of the lowercase and capital (uppercase) letters of the English Alphabet! Select the Music Mode or Speech Mode option to learn the letter names using the Whole Alphabet Section or Part Alphabet Section (where the part is automatically repeated, to reinforce the learning). The lowercase, capital or combined lowercase and capital letters (lowcaps) are highlighted in orange, in time with the high quality soundtracks. You can switch between lowercase, capital or lowcaps at any time. Use the Play, Pause, Stop, Forward Arrow and Letter Selector buttons to practise naming the letters in time with the music or spoken soundtracks. Tap on individual letters to hear their names – before, during (using Pause) or after the soundtracks. Use the Pause button, in Music Mode or Speech Mode, to see if you can stop on a specific lowercase letter, capital letter or on both (lowcaps). The controls on the phone or tablet can be used to Mute or Reduce the volume while the user raps or says the letter names in time with the highlighted letters. It’s great fun to punch the air three times when you repeat the last letter of the rap!

English Phonics Test LUG (v. 1.0.0)

THRASS UK LTD опубликовал приложение 2011-11-20
(обновлено 2011-11-20)

The aim of the English Phonics Test - Learner User Guide (LUG) app is to provide a good introduction to the seven modules in the separate but associated English Phonics Test app. The screen captures and text in this 173-page guide give adults and children a good idea of how and where to start using the English Phonics Test app. It is also a useful reference for information and ideas.

The guide has full instructions on how to use the app, along with screens to explain the terms commonly used when teaching phonics to adults and children (including terms such as phoneme, grapheme, keygrapheme, graph, digraph, trigraph and quadgraph). There are also suggested games for individuals, pairs and teams. It has a fully interactive Main Index (located towards the front) and a Keypages Index (located towards the back). The Main Index has links to the pages about the seven modules, that is, the interactive Picturechart, Levels 1-5 (all with timed practices) and the interactive Word Bank. There are also links to the Programme Summary, Sound Games and the Keypages Index. The Keypages Index provides a list of the first and/or main references in the guide.

The Learner User Guide can be studied as a separate module or used in conjunction with the English Phonics Test app - with the user reading about a particular module prior to using it, so as to become familiar with the layout and functionality. For example, the interactive Picturechart has a hidden RUN and AUTORUN menu and each of the five structured teaching modules (Levels 1: Keygraphemes; Level 2: Grey Keywords; Level 3: Limited Choices; Level 4: Free Choice and Level 5: Phoneme-Boxes) has a DEMONSTRATION, PLAY and TIME activity – and all of these functions can be looked at in advance by using the Learner User Guide.

Many adults and children, both native speakers and those learning English as an additional language, have difficulty reading English because they do not fully understand the 44 sounds and 120 key spelling choices. The English Phonics Test app uses 120 keywords (each with a memorable picture) to introduce, revise and test the user’s knowledge of the sounds and key spelling choices. The ultimate test (graded A-H) requires the user to spell all 120 keywords in the fastest possible time – where each key spelling choice must be selected from 120 possibilities!

English Phonics Test just IPA (v. 1.0.0)

THRASS UK LTD опубликовал приложение 2011-11-20
(обновлено 2011-11-20)

“This is a great way to learn about English sounds and spelling choices and to learn and be tested on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). What will be your IPA Grade (A, B, C, D, E, F, or G) and IPA Star Rating (7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 star)?”

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a very useful pronunciation system for students, teachers and speech therapists (including those working in deaf education) and linguists. It uses a symbol for each of the 44 sounds (phonemes) of English. This ‘just IPA’ app uses 120 keywords (each with a memorable picture) to introduce, revise and TEST the user on the IPA symbols for the 24 English consonants and the 20 English vowels (seven short monophthongs, five long monophthongs and eight diphthongs).

This ‘just IPA’ app uses the same layout as the English Phonics Test app. However, in the Control Panel, the interactive Picturechart, structured teaching Levels 1-4 and the interactive Word Bank have been disabled so that only LEVEL 5 IPA (PHONEME-BOXES) is active. In Level 5, the phoneme numbers (1 to 44), usually displayed on the phoneme-boxes (sound-boxes), have been replaced with the IPA symbols. The DEMO and PLAY functions can be selected, for any of the eight rows, two sections or the whole chart, prior to using the TIME function. Users touch the consonant IPA symbols to reveal blue spelling choices and touch the vowel IPA symbols to reveal red spelling choices in the workspace.

If the ‘Whole Chart’ option (“The IPA Test”) is completed in under 59 mins 59 secs (59.59), the table below is revealed to show the IPA Grade (A, B, C, D, E, F, or G) and IPA Star Rating (7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 star performance). For example, if you complete in under 30 minutes, this is a Grade A (7 Star) performance.

IPA TEST GRADE AND IPA STAR RATING
Grade A (7 Star): 00.00-29.59 (under 3.45 a row).
Grade B (6 Star): 30.00-34.59 (under 4.22 a row).
Grade C (5 Star): 35.00-39.59 (under 5.00 a row).
Grade D (4 Star): 40.00-44.59 (under 5.37 a row).
Grade E (3 Star): 45.00-49.59 (under 6.15 a row).
Grade F (2 Star): 50.00-54.59 (under 6.52 a row).
Grade G (1 Star): 55.00-59.59 (under 7.30 a row).
Grade H: Test not completed or Out of Time.

English Phonics Test (v. 1.0.0)

THRASS UK LTD опубликовал приложение 2011-11-20
(обновлено 2011-11-20)

The English Phonics Test – it’s about time! Many adults and children, both native speakers and those learning English as an additional language, have difficulty reading English because they do not fully understand the 44 sounds and 120 key spelling choices.

This app uses 120 keywords (each with a memorable picture) to introduce, revise and test the user’s knowledge of the sounds and key spelling choices. The seven modules include the interactive Picturechart, Levels 1-5 (the five structured teaching modules, all with timed practices) and the superb interactive Word Bank.

The ultimate test (graded A-H) requires the user to spell all 120 keywords in the fastest possible time – where each key spelling choice must be selected from 120 possibilities!

With a good understanding of the 44 sounds and 120 key spelling choices, adults and children are more able to segment and blend unfamiliar English words before learning to read and spell them.

If it is desirable to also hear the accuracy and clarity of the user’s pronunciation, the controls on the tablet can be used to Mute or Reduce the volume while the user says the keywords and sounds for part or all of the test.

If you are one of the people listed below, and want a software programme that teaches the building blocks of English Phonics, then this app is for you!

PARENT of a young child learning to read.
PARENT of a child with learning difficulties.
PARENT of a child learning English as an additional language.
TEACHING ASSISTANT in a primary or secondary school.
STUDENT TEACHER in a college or university.
TEACHER in a primary or secondary school.
LECTURER in Primary or Secondary Education at a college or university.
INSPECTOR of primary or secondary schools.
SPEECH THERAPIST working with primary or secondary children.
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST working in primary or secondary schools.
TUTOR OF ADULTS wanting to improve their basic reading skills.
TUTOR OF ADULTS learning English as an additional language

.... and, last but not least, a
CHILD in a primary or secondary school.

The English Phonics Test app is suitable for adults and children (aged 4+).

Also available is the English Phonics Test - Learner User Guide (LUG) app. The aim is to provide a good introduction to the seven modules in the English Phonics Test app. The screen captures and text in this 173-page guide give adults and children a good idea of how and where to start using the English Phonics Test app. It is also a useful reference for information and ideas.

SING to READ (v. 1.0)

THRASS UK LTD опубликовал приложение 2011-10-25
(обновлено 2011-10-25)

“Educational, great fun and simply the best way to help adults and children understand the choices in English Phonics, so they can choose the right sounds when they read (and choose the right letters when they spell). When learners get the big picture, it’s just a matter of choice!”

This app, for Android SMARTPHONES, is a fun way for adults and children to learn about the 44 sounds and 120 key spelling choices of English – simply by singing and reading! There is a song, with a catchy tune, and high quality illustration for each of the sounds. The songs have wonderful imaginative titles such as “The moon fell out of the sky”, A great big gorilla” and “You don’t get pandas in Africa”. There is a wide range of musical styles and dance rhythms to enjoy, including African Round, blues, boogie, Charleston, disco, Hawaiian, hip hop, Irish Dance, jazz, jive, pasodoble, ragtime, reggae, twist and waltz.

The text is highlighted in orange, in time with the high quality vocal soundtracks so that users are able to sing and read the words. The key spelling choices are displayed in bold. Users can revise the songs, words, sounds and key spelling choices by using the Play, Pause and Stop buttons in the Blue Toolbar and the Blue Arrows. Users can tap the first word in a paragraph or tap the repeat button ‘P’ (paragraph) to move to a particular point in the song. They can tap ‘S’ (song) to hear the song again, from where it is repeated.

The Auto button plays the songs in sequence and there is the option to view the text or the illustrations (by tapping the Picture button in the toolbar) and to toggle between the two. When listening to the songs, the content of the illustrations can be used to help remember the words.

Each of the illustrations contains the key spelling choices for the particular sound. These can be tapped to hear the sound and the keyword. Consonant spelling choices temporarily turn blue and vowel spelling choices temporarily turn red. If the music is playing, the soundtrack is temporarily stopped, for the user to hear the sound and keyword, before continuing from where it was interrupted.

Songs can be selected using the yellow Picturechart or the Word Index button (located in the middle of the Picturechart between the Left and Right Vowel Lines). The Word Index lists the songs, key spelling choices and musical styles. A playlist can be created by tapping the Left Vowel Line, selecting the songs and then tapping GO.

Once familiar with the songs, users can be encouraged to find particular words in the text. They can then find words that have the same sound by searching through the text of the other songs (by using the Picturechart, Word Index and Blue Arrows). They can then identify which letter or letters represent the chosen sound in the words that they have found. If required, users can tap the Letter-Boxes, at the top of the Picturechart, to reveal ‘The Stars of the Show’ screen, where they can tap the letters to hear their names.

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a very useful pronunciation system for students, teachers and speech therapists (including those working in deaf education) and linguists. It uses a symbol for each of the 44 sounds of English. The symbols are used to show the different ways that the same words can be pronounced (as seen in some English dictionaries). They can also be used to represent differences in pronunciation, because of accent, speech impediment or deafness. For each song, the IPA symbol is displayed in the bottom right hand corner of the toolbar. Users can tap the IPA symbol to hear the sound.

The Instrumental option, on the Blue Toolbar, is only functional in the SING to READ app for Android TABLETS.

English Keywords 120 (v. English Ke)

THRASS UK LTD опубликовал приложение 2011-04-12
(обновлено 2011-04-12)

English Keywords 120 is suitable for adults and children. Many adults and children, both native speakers and those learning English as an additional language, have difficulty reading English because they do not fully understand the 44 phonemes (speech sounds) and 120 keygraphemes (key spelling choices). This app uses 120 keywords (each with a memorable picture) to introduce and revise the phonemes and keygraphemes so that learners are more able to segment and blend unfamiliar English words before learning to read and spell them. It is invaluable for improving the pronunciation of familiar words too!

The app opens in the Picturechart. Learners touch the top or bottom half of the chart to enter the Consonant Section or the Vowel Section. They then select one of the sixty pictures as the start picture, usually at the beginning of one of the four rows, and are taken to the Bar Menu where they choose between three main functions (and can also opt to work with or without pictures).

Auto – Keywords: Learners press the play button (top right) to automatically move through the screens to see the pictures and to see and hear the keywords. Learners can use the pause button (top right) to temporarily stop on a screen. They can then move forwards or backwards through the screens (by touching the far right or far left) or touch the keygraphemes to hear their phonemes and touch the pictures to hear the keywords. Pressing the play button restarts the automatic looped sequence from the screen on view. To return to the Bar Menu, learners touch the icon (top left).
Auto – Sounds and Keywords: Learners press the play button to automatically move through the screens so as to hear the phonemes and to see and hear the keywords. As the phonemes are pronounced, consonant keygraphemes turn blue and vowel keygraphemes turn red. As with ‘Auto-Keywords’ learners are able to make use of the play, pause and bar menu icon buttons.
DIY – Sounds and Keywords: Learners are able to move through the screens at their own pace, by touching the far right or far left of the screens. Learners touch the keygraphemes to hear the phonemes. Consonant keygraphemes turn blue and vowel keygraphemes turn red. They touch the pictures to hear the keywords.

In both the Auto and DIY screens, learners are able to fast-forward and fast-rewind to a particular keyword by repeatedly touching the far right or far left of the screens.
Learners can touch the info button on either the Consonant Section or the Vowel Section screen to see images and explanations for the terms phoneme, grapheme, keygrapheme, graph, digraph and trigraph.
Learners can practise their pronunciation by reducing the volume, or setting the phone or tablet to silent, while they say the phonemes and keywords aloud. This can be done with or without the help of pictures, by first touching the left or right image at the top of the Bar Menu.