An Introduction to Kurzweil 3000 Presented by

Kurzweil Educational Systems Kurzweil Educational Systems is part of Cambium Learning Technologies Includes Sopris West, Metropolitan Teaching and Learning as well as IntelliTools –Research and resources –Lesson plans –FAQ’s –Video clips and more

Kurzweil 3000 Powerful, integrated scan and read software Multi-sensory access to content Tools for reading, writing, and learning demo

Kurzweil 300 Products Kurzweil 3000 Professional (scan & read) –Colour or Black and White Platforms –Mac (V4) or Windows (V11) Licenses –Stand-alone –USB portable –Network License-to-go (windows only) –Web-License (V11 only)

Launching Kurzweil Launch from the start menu or desktop Multiple Users on a standalone or networked machine Windows Login Kurzweil Login User-specific preferences User-specific document folder Shortcut to sample documents folder My Documents > Kurzweil 3000 > KESI > student folders (add screen shot)

Exploring The Toolbars Custom Toolbar Sets

Sample Documents Come loaded with Kurzweil My Documents > KESI > Kurzweil 3000 > Sample Documents

Help Menu & How to Video Clips Help Menu Embedded Help Video Clips

Other Resources Quick Reference Guide Kurzweil Instructional Books –Active Learning and Study Strategies –Guide to Effective Vocabulary Instruction –Strategies for English Language Learners

Decoding Text Vocabulary Comprehension Strategies Navigating Text

Reading Tools Read & Pause Button Audible & Silent Front & Back F3 Click anywhere to start reading Select text to read it Double-click to read word

Reading Options Making reading work for you! Voices Speed Pacing What will you consider when choosing a reading unit? Sentence or paragraph? Type of text?

Reading: Navigating Navigating documents & preparing for reading Survey whole document Survey page Navigating pages Zoom Bookmarking What should students look for when surveying a document and a page?

CAST NIH Visual Scanning Study

Reading : Visual Supports Visual Supports Highlight while reading –Tools > Options > Reading Tab –colour combination –highlight spoken word Background colour modifications –Tools > Options > Image Tab Which did you prefer?

Reading : Vocabulary Vocabulary …what we know Vocabulary impacts on reading comprehension Discrete vocabulary instruction is essential Students in high school need to learn 2,000 new words a year Dictionary definitions are not the most effective way to learn new vocabulary Students who struggle with reading have reduced exposure new words Strategies for independent Learning are critical

Reading : Vocabulary Vocabulary Tools –Dictionary American Heritage 3rd Addition American Heritage Children’s Oxford Dictionary Languages Picture Dictionary –Synonyms –Look up Word I Type

Building a Vocabulary Book From Cambium Learning Technologies Go beyond “find and define” Allows students to work with words Can be kept as a running glossary to be used while reading/writing

Reading Tools Supporting Vocabulary with Custom wordlists –Can be used to quickly find or highlight key vocabulary words in a document –Create from a document or by typing them in demo

Recap Getting started –Toolbars, menus, sample documents, help menu and resources Reading Tools Visual Supports Navigating Documents Vocabulary Supports

Establishing background knowledge Making predictionsAsking questions Answer questionsNote-taking Identifying topics, main Ideas and details

Establishing Background Knowledge KWL concept map

Concept Mapping Tool Quick Takes Delete Fill Colour Link Arrange Shape Tool Background Colour Text Colour Shape Tool Default Note

Main Idea & Supporting Details Students in grade 3 can begin doing this at the paragraph level Critical skills for comprehension This is essential to be successful with other learning strategies such as note-taking and summarizing. Simplified version or a first step of this could be: –Main headings and subheadings –Sub headings and details Joan Sedita, 2000

Tips for Finding the Main Idea What is the 1 idea talked about in the paragraph? What is said about the topic What details support the main idea Underline or highlight the topic sentence Underline or highlight details Make sure details support topic sentence Main idea Supporting details Topic Joan Sedita, 2000

Study Outline Let’s create a study outline with main ideas and supporting details using highlighters How can highlighters help students with learning? Do you have a system you are using for highlighting?

Activity

Discussion What other applications do you see for highlighters?

Pre-Reading Questions A research proven strategy for enhancing reading comprehension Sets a purpose for reading Can be used at many different levels What is time and speed? What is the relationship between time and speed?

Activity Using the footnote tool to add pre-reading questions

Note-Taking for Comprehension Note-taking supports active reading and comprehension

Note-Taking for Comprehension 2 Column Method Create from highlights Create using drag and drop from document Use the same column notes in multiple docs

Monitoring Comprehension Teachers can embed comprehension questions right into content in Kurzweil

Image VS Text Documents Real text Doesn’t maintain layout Can edit Like a photograph Maintains layout Can’t edit Underlying information that makes it readable

Creating Image Files ScannerKESI Virtual Printer Open PDF

Creating Text Files

Live on the Web! Internet Explorer –KESI toolbar loads when you launch Read the Web from Kurzweil Firefox –Kurzweil Toolbar for Firefox –Once installed it’s always there

Kurzweil Taskbar

Sources Curriculum Materials –Textbooks, journals, magazines, worksheets –Hardcopy or electronic Repositories –ARC Websites with downloadable eText – –Add other here Classic Literature CD Any others?

Decision making What curriculum are you planning on putting into Kurzweil? When would you choose image files versus text files? Time to fill out the Content Checklist

The Writing Components Composing Skills Generating ideas Planning & Organizing Drafting Publishing Transcription Skills Handwriting fluency Capitalization punctuation Spelling Vocabulary Word Retrieval Low level skills Language Skills Sentence structure Paragraph structure

Transcription Skills: Speech & Spell Check Speak while Typing Spell Checker

Transcription Skills: Word Prediction Historically used for individuals with physical impairments as a rate enhancement tool Over time, become a vocabulary and spelling tool. demo

Transcription Skills: Word Prediction Word Prediction, how does it work? –Base Dictionaries Large - 25,000 Medium - 10,000 Small –Rules Alphabetic Frequency Collect words (default - on) Phonetic spelling (default - off) Not in spell check dictionary Spell check then train

Transcription Skills: Word Prediction Builds on dictionary Adds words directly into word dictionary Consider building core/high frequency words rather than topic words For students who won’t independently open word lists Separate from dictionary Topic (word) lists Consider using for topic specific vocabulary Students need to open word lists before writing

Floating Word Lists Browse through topic vocabulary Click and drag into text files Double-click for custom definitions and related words Click word to hear it

Composing Skills Generating ideas Planning & Organizing Drafting Publishing

Composition Skills: Brainstorming Generating ideas What will I write about? What do I already know? What do I want to know? What are the big ideas? Add screen shots of Different types of maps From generating ideas to Brainstorming specific topics

Mapping/Outlining Building on ideas Beginning to organize ideas Pulling thoughts together

Composition Skills: Drafting

Review