2008-11-19 21:19:01 -

Educators looking to improve vocabulary and spelling skills of their students can find assistance through a new educational software program that provides individualized instruction.
CAL Tutor Vocabulary and Spelling" allows teachers to individually design spelling and vocabulary lessons by adding, modifying or deleting words and lists from the program's 65 word themes.
The new program is

available from Computer-Aided Learning LLC, which is an affiliate company of the Purdue Technology Center of Northwest Indiana. The company also produces the educational software programs CAL Tutor Spell Bowl" and CAL Tutor Special Classes Scheduler?.
"CAL Tutor Vocabulary and Spelling aims to change vocabulary and spelling education's 100-year-old paradigm by using software to create an interactive individualized learning experience that is self-paced," said Robert Chomko, vice president of Computer-Aided Learning. "Because students are more fully engaged, we believe they will learn to spell more words correctly and expand their vocabulary, which leads to greater reading fluency and comprehension."
CAL Tutor Vocabulary and Spelling is being used by teachers in Chilton Middle School in Chilton, Wis.
"We were searching for a computer-based spelling program to provide students an opportunity for self-pacing," said Amy Hanson, sixth-grade language arts teacher at Chilton Middle School. "The hope is that students will progress through more units faster than with a standard workbook and increase their vocabulary and spelling skills at a faster pace."
Rebecca J. Blink, director of curriculum and instruction and K-12 district reading specialist for the Chilton School District, said the program reduces the number of consumable workbooks the district had to purchase.
"So the program helped us save on the workbook expenses," Blink said. "When we began our search for this type of product, CAL Tutor Vocabulary and Spelling was the right fit for our needs."
About Computer-Aided Learning
Computer-Aided Learning is an educational software company and an affiliate company of the Purdue Technology Center of Northwest Indiana. Founded in 2003, Computer-Aided Learning provides innovative, interactive educational applications that aid and reinforce classroom instruction and facilitate home study.


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Cynthia Sequin, 765-494-4192

mailto:casequin@prf.org