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More about American Literacy Council
The American Literacy Council is the name of the non-profit organization that undertook
a serious academic study of our illogical spelling in the early 20th
century. Today the primary
activity of the Council is to offer literacy software and other aids that can be used in
the home, library, or schools for people of all ages having difficulty writing
and reading.
Since written English does not make consistent use of the simple phonetic assumptions that
other European languages generally use, software was developed that enables non-readers to
begin writing by using letters as they experimentally think they might be used. The
computer instantly corrects these invented spellings, but also speaks the corrected
spellings audibly
and clearly thru the multimedia sound card that is typical in desktop and laptop
PCs.
Department of Education statistics indicate that, in the United States, between one person
in ten, and one person in five cannot read and write adequately enough to read want ads,
fill out job application forms, read maps, or read story books to children (see Literacy Facts).
Meanwhile, spelling is not even a school subject in
Spain, Italy, Germany, Russia or other countries where letters are used with much
greater consistency to represent spoken sounds.
Computer technology is used by the ALC together with basic phonic principles to guide
non-readers into a life of active writing and reading. The ALC pioneered and produced the
product Sound-Write, a computer program that enables students to begin typing
words, phrases and sentences using
letters to spell words, experimentally at first. (see Software)
As the student tries to type words, each word is instantly corrected to proper English
spelling by the computer, and the word is also spoken slowly (audibly) so that the
pronunciation of each syllable is immediately associated with the corrected spelling shown
on the computer screen. Incorrectly spelled words are displayed below the corrected
spellings for a brief period and in a different color. Exercise materials and a manual accompany the
programs. (Downloaded versions provide only a limited number of runs until registration is
completed with payment of $79.)
Sound-Write runs best on stand-alone PCs, and with earphones or speakers. Even without voice output, the program is very useful because an
optional phonetic
representation of each word can be displayed using a dependable notation similar to
phonics notation, but using only the normal letters of the alphabet.
The software has been formally tested at Columbia University ESL labs for effectiveness. It is
currently in use at Head Start centers, libraries, ESL classrooms, and college
literacy or learning labs. The program is especially effective in high school labs for use
by people having difficulty learning to write or read.
To obtain information about Sound-Write please telephone ALC's home office
in Colorado (303 440-7385, or send email to Support@americanliteracy.com.
You may also download a trial copy of the Sound-Write program. |
