ESL PRO uses a phonetic approach to teaching students how to speak the English
language properly. ESL PRO accelerates learning by teaching the key sounds that
make up the English language. The student is then taught how to combine these
sounds into words and sentences. The software provides the learner with native-speaker
models to listen to and imitate. Students are able to record their voices and
then compare the result with a native speaker's voice. As they practice each
lesson and build on prior lessons, their English speaking skills will continue
to improve.
The Media Window : The Media Window explains in clear, easy-to-understand
terms how each English sound is made. The student can read explanations of the
English sounds, then receive reinforcement by pictures and movies. The Media
Window also displays a multimedia dictionary which will help to expand and improve
the student's vocabulary.
Virtual Pronunciation Assistant (VPA) : The VPA window uses
a diagram to show the parts of the mouth that are used to make a particular
sound. The Record and Compare feature allows the student to record their own
pronunciation and compare it with that of a native speaker.
To ensure non-English speaking students understand all aspects of the lesson,
they have the option of switching from the English language interface and lesson
introductions to instruction in their native language - all with a click of
a button.
Completing the ESL PRO learning system is a student workbook that emphasizes
key concepts taught in the software. A companion teacher's manual provides lesson
plans and exercises for the classroom environment that can also be used by parents
and tutors to stress key components of language acquisition. All answers for
the student workbook can be found in the teacher's manual.