English Vocabulary and College Admissions

In a recent blog post, the New York Times addresses the growing and passionate interest students from India and China, particularly Indian students, have in top American colleges and universities.

A number of questions about applying to American colleges and universities were submitted to admissions officials at the University of Pennsylvania.  As expected, a key difference for Indian students as opposed to their American counterparts is the varying levels of English  (particularly academic English) preparation.

Merit Software’s web-based programs are being used in several learning organizations and universities in India, as well as other non-native English speaking countries.  Two vocabulary programs that have been successful are Confused Words Fix-Up, which helps students understand commonly misused English words, and Vocabulary Stretch Online, which helps students recognize challenging words in different contexts, and understand where many English words come from.

Both programs cover a wide range of English words.  They are self-paced and self-advancing. Students apply words as they learn them, and receive immediate feedback while they work.

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$5 Reading and Grammar Programs – Limited Time Offer

Merit Software is offering Reading Skill Builder and Grammar Fitness for just $5 each per level (regularly $27 – save 70%). Offer expires Friday, December 16, 2011 at 5:00pm EST.

For Home Users:
To take advantage of this offer, visit either the Reading Skill Builder or Grammar Fitness page, add the programs to your shopping cart, and use Promo Code 5525 at checkout.

For School/Institutional Users:
This offer is available to the first 25 schools that enroll. To get started, read more about the the limited-time offer and set up your personal consultation with a Merit Software representative.

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Progress in Reading Scores?

Earlier this month the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress report on 4th and 8th grade reading and math scores were released by the U.S. National Center for Educational Statistics.   Reading scores continued to show no progress.
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Teens IQ Scores May Fluctuate Dramatically Over Time

A teen’s IQ is not set in stone, according to a study published this month in Nature. In fact, the standard measure of intelligence — often used to predict future success — can fluctuate dramatically.

“It was NOT the case that the young low performers got better and the young high performers averaged out,” study co-author Cathy Price says.
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Improving Writing Support

According to a new report, there are three effective strategies instructors can employ to improve student writing skills.

Published by the Alliance for Excellent Education, the report examines whether formative assessment can improve students’ writing skills and what techniques are best to help them improve.
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Congratulations – Aztec High School!

Laurie Treat, librarian at Aztec High School, Aztec, NM, wrote in to tell us exciting news.

She won a Conoco Phillips grant to purchase Merit reading comprehension software for remediation and RtI for students who are non-proficient in reading.

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Can Changing Reading and Writing Instruction Raise SAT Scores?

SAT reading scores in 2011 were the lowest on record. This is the second time in the past two decades that reading scores have fallen as much in a single year.

It is well known that middle and high school students are reading less at home and rarely write letters anymore.  Could greater use of technology strengthen reading and writing instruction in schools and raise SAT scores? We think so.
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Ghetto grammar robs the young of a proper voice

“Language is power.  The ability for young people to communicate articulately and intelligently is of huge importance, not only for themselves but also for the way in which they are perceived by others,” writes  Lindsay Johns in the August 16, 2011 London Evening Standard in the wake of the recent UK riots.

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Greatest challenges teachers face for helping at-risk students

Recently, we conducted an informal survey about the greatest challenges teachers face for helping at-risk students.  Their responses seemed to break out into various categories, which we present here.

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3 New English Language Learning Bundles

Introducing 3 new suites of its online English language programs. The suites present several of Merit’s popular reading, vocabulary, writing, and grammar programs grouped by level of ability and offered at discounted prices.

For information, pricing, tours, and implementation ideas go to:

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