Freedom Scientific Learning Systems Group Presents
The WYNNing Word
March 2008

Spring is Coming!

"I probably sound a bit over-the-top, but WYNN touches two of my greatest passions in life – my kids and literacy education."

Erin Maiello, parent and teacher

We at Freedom Scientific Learning Systems Group receive many wonderful testimonials about our products. Some of these are from teachers, others from students, and, occasionally, some from parents. This letter was unique, as it is from a very talented teacher and dedicated parent of three children using our software. You will read how the children, with their individual needs and learning style, have maximized their academic success using WYNN. As a teacher, Erin truly grasps the strategies each of her children has chosen to employ using WYNN. As a parent, she has expressed the joy she has experienced watching her children succeed using WYNN. We hope you enjoy this powerful story... we certainly did!

Peggy Dalton
Director of Professional Services

Dear Ms. Dalton,

My husband and I are both teachers. I teach resource center reading and language arts Grades 7 and 8. My husband is a high school band director. We have three awesome kids.

Katie is 10 years old and in the fourth grade. She is a grade level reader but uses WYNN to research on the Internet. She looks-up words she doesn't know in WYNN's dictionary. As a teacher, I know that this is teaching her terrific interactive reading strategies. As a mom, I know it is one less child calling, "Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom" during homework time.

Joey is six years old and in Kindergarten. He types his reading words into a WYNN file and loves to hear them over and over. He thinks he is hot stuff using the computer. I can already see that Joey will be using WYNN for reading and researching.

Matthew is an eight-year-old second grader. He is classified and is in a special education program. He has Attention Deficient Disorder coupled with a reading disability. Of my three children, he uses WYNN the most. WYNN helps him with his spelling homework - sentences, two times each, rhyming words, and ABC order. Since he has started using WYNN, he is doing his spelling independently! With no crying from him or me!

Matt recently did his first report and used WYNN's Web Toolbar as well as WYNN's Writing Toolbar. After he wrote his report, Matt had WYNN read and reread the report to him until he could read it himself. That week he read the report to his class. These are big accomplishments for Matt. He also told me that he was ready to "read" a second grade book so I set him up with a DAISY copy of "The Magic Tree House, Midnight on the Moon." He read along for almost an hour!

He is learning to be independent, and that there is more than one way to get to an end. The program empowers him and teaches him at the same time – what a combination. I know that reading will never come as naturally to him as to other kids, but he is smart and capable and WYNN taps that. I probably sound a bit over-the-top, but WYNN touches two of my greatest passions in life - my kids, and literacy education. Thank you for WYNN!

Sincerely,
Erin Maiello

Such an Inspiration!

This letter was so inspiring to us that we contacted Erin to hear more about how WYNN continues to affect the educational growth of her children. We wanted to know how Matt's teacher felt about his progress since implementing WYNN at home. We learned that Matthew's teacher is impressed by the quality of his work and the fact that he can read his own sentences in class, which is not true of all of her students. His teacher also has noticed that Matt feels good about the quality of his work. She sees his self-confidence growing. He wants to share information about WYNN with his fellow students. She feels these are sure signs that Matt's confidence and his WYNN skills will add up to more success in the classroom.

This enthusiasm for WYNN by Erin, Matt, and Matt's teacher has led us all to agree to incorporate WYNN into Matt's IEP (Individual Education Plan) for next year. Erin says, "I can only imagine the endless possibilities for Matt, instead of all the frustration struggling readers face."

And from Matt himself, "It is really fun to type stuff into WYNN and listen to it read. I really like to read it by myself!"

Independent learning; isn't that the shared goal of educators and students alike?

Thank you to Erin and her family for sharing their story!

Opinions from other Students and Teachers

Jason Maitland, Education Technology Specialist, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, has been working with a teacher on a project, "Differentiating the Grade 8 Novel Study," with WYNN at the center of the project.

Comments made by participating 8th Grade students

"I have used it many times and I love the WYNN program and I think that my eyes don't get as tired. Another reason why I like it is because it brings back memories of my parents reading stories to me and I get to relax and listen. I think that the WYNN program helps me learn to listen better."

"I think I like the computer when it reads to me. I like it because it is faster and easier to understand."

"I like the WYNN program because when it reads to you it says the words properly."

"The WYNN program is helpful with words you can say or words you don't know the meaning of. And WYNN is the best and I love it so much."

"I do like it because it is easier to understand it. It is also easier to read because you can make it the way you like it. I also find it easier to find the meaning of words because there is a dictionary."

"I like it because it is very helpful. It helps me focus and concentrate on what the voice is reading. Instead of just reading and waiting for the image to pop up in your head, the voice tells you the story."

"The WYNN program is very creative and can help people that can't speak that much English."

"It helps some students who do not do very good in reading to help them read and pronounce words that are confusing."

"There is a highlighter there to keep you up to the right place and it comes with a speaker that reads it for you. It helps me pronounce words and it helps by explaining words I don't really know. It's easier to listen and follow along and I get to understand it better when it is read."

Observations made by participating teachers

"Good readers can get through the material faster. A student was given "Kensuke's Kingdom" on Thursday and by Monday was finished with the novel and the booklet. She can now move on to enrichment activities."

"Sometimes students read the paperback while listening to the computer."

"Some students read silently and only click on words they DON'T know."

"WYNN keeps students on task for longer periods. The teacher can monitor their progress better while they are reading by seeing the highlight square. If all students are asked to read silently on their own, how does the teacher know if they are indeed reading, or are they thinking of something else? It would appear that the students are more engaged when they are looking at the text on the screen."

If you would like to learn more about the work Jason Maitland is doing in Canada, please read Scanning! A Beautiful Word in Jason Maitland's Vocabulary.

Keep an Eye on the News

Free Software Turns One PC into Two
Read how one Canadian company is helping schools to cut IT costs. (See eSchoolNews.com for more information.)

NBC News Answers Students' Questions about the Presidential Campaign. (See eSchoolNews.com for more information)

Learn how NBC and (www.hotchalk.com) are teaming up together to help students and teachers keep up-to-date with the 2008 Election Campaign.

Tips of the Month

Spelling Lesson Using WYNN

Since Matt is using WYNN for spelling, we thought it might be useful to include a lesson plan incorporating WYNN to help students become more independent learners. This plan also helps the classroom teacher to deal with a student who moves through his spelling lessons at a different pace than his classmates. Choose Spelling Lesson Plan to download a copy.

Reading DAISY Files with WYNN

We read that Matt is using DAISY books in WYNN. Here is a link on our Web site that will help you to understand how WYNN and DAISY work together to provide digital talking books to print-disabled readers.

WYNNing Word Archives

Want to view past issues of WYNNing Word? Please go to Archives of WYNNing Word Articles.

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About Freedom Scientific LSG

Freedom Scientific, Learning Systems Group provides products that are acclaimed for their easy-to-use interface, innovative technology, and flexible but powerful features. Designed by educational experts to enhance the learning process for struggling students, WYNN provides reading and writing solutions. Freedom Scientific LSG also created TestTalker, which provides test-taking preparations and worksheet completion. To find out more about our products, please visit us at www.freedomscientific.com/lsg.