Learning Support & Enrichment

An "easy-PC" way to improve reading and spelling

An “easy-PC” way to improve students’ comprehension of what they read, as well as their vocabulary, spelling, speaking and listening skills

For many students, particularly those who struggle with reading lots of text, using the inbuilt Windows Narrator app on their PLDs in class and at home, may be the ideal way to assist. It may help to maximise auditory processing and visual processing of the words on a page. Whether at home, or at school with the aid of earphones, your son can access this program on his PLD, through the search bar on the right of the screen, and it will allow him to hear and process the words as they being read on the screen, at the same time as he is viewing, following and decoding the words himself.

Once in the program, he need only click the ‘Narrator off’ box to ‘Narrator on’, and select the preferred voice etc. in each of the settings that pop up in the list. The Narrator will then read any text that he goes to highlight, and if he highlights nothing it will simply begin reading the whole page of text in any window that he has open on his PLD, including electronic worksheets, assessment task notifications, web pages for internet research, online textbooks or other ebooks.

Encourage your son to make use of this potentially very useful feature in his PLD. It may boost his skills in: reading for meaning, vocabulary and spelling, as well as speaking and listening, through hearing the words on the screen being read without viewing to decode the words, and then checking back on his understanding. With a fresh semester ahead, and therefore the chance to do improve on homework and assignments, this feature of your son’s PLDs may be worthwhile exploring.

See the attachment below for a graphic outlining step-by-step instructions on how to use the Narrator app on your son’s PLD.

Homework Help Program

For All Students in Years 5 to 12

• Senior Library (SRC) 3.15 to 4.30pm every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
• Provides a quiet study space for students working on homework, assignments and tasks
• Supervising teachers are also available for one-to-one help with literacy and numeracy
• Students can attend on one or more afternoons per week, on a regular or occasional basis
• No need to make an appointment, just attend whenever needed
• Seminar rooms available for working with friends on group tasks and activities

Whatever the motivation, all students from Years 5 -12 are encouraged to come along to Homework Help, and be actively engaged in: staying on top of homework, making sure their bookwork is up to date, organising their homework and study schedule for the week ahead, catching up on missed work, working on an assessment task, researching a topic, making use of library books and resources, getting ahead on revision notes, using a range of interactive websites and online resources targeting literacy or numeracy, revising for a test, working on a group project, improving vocabulary or grammar and punctuation, or addressing specific concerns that were raised in a recent school report.

All years and levels of ability are welcome to attend, so please do encourage students in all years to take advantage of this free service.

Parents/ Carers or interested students may direct any enquiries about the Homework Help Program to Ms Joanne Raheb-Mol, Coordinator of Learning Support and Enrichment, via email: JRahebMol@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Ms J Raheb-Mol - Coordinator of Learning Support & Enrichment