FOSS Literacy Software???? was: Edubuntu Ideas, Advocacy, and so forth

[Gavin McCullagh]

Hi,

On Mon, 22 Oct 2007, M. Fioretti wrote:

> On Sun, Oct 21, 2007 19:50:03 PM +0100, Gavin McCullagh (gmccullagh at gmail.com) wrote:
> 
> > There are several literacy packages for windows, though there don't
> > seem to be any mature ones for linux
> 
> OK, thanks, but this still doesn't answer my original, really basic
> question: what does a "literacy package" do? What do you use it for?
> Learning to read and write with a computer? What else?

What I've been asked for in the past is software which will coach students
who have fallen behind their peers in ability to read English, helping them
catch up.  I can imagine other scenarios (pre-school, adult learning
centres), but I guess the learning outcome is always similar.  The people
who made the request are teachers who have used the windows packages so I
guess they expect something similar.  Right now there appears to be nothing
for linux, barring very basic "flash card" type things.  As a result, we
need to buy literacy software and maintain windows machines.

If you want me to define what software should do to teach literacy, I'm
afraid I'm the wrong person to ask.  I might be able to offer stabs in the
dark but I'm not an expert in pedagogical principles and the design would
obviously have to be based on them.

Gavin