Customer Feedback – Language Arts Bundle for College Prep

“At Clarendon College, we use Merit software to enhance skills needed to pass portions of the required test for admission to Texas colleges. With Merit software, students receive individual guidance through the writing process, focus on grammar, and enhance their reading ability. The students enjoy working through the exercises on the computer, and get rewarded for a job well done,” remarks an educator at Clarendon College in Clarendon, TX, on Merit Software’s Language Arts Bundle for College Prep.

This select group of programs covers reading, vocabulary, writing and grammar competencies vital to college work. The Language Arts Bundle bridges between high school and college-level learning. It is useful for ACT, SAT, TOEFL preparation, and for statewide college admissions tests. Texts and graphics will appeal to older students.

For a complete software description or to try the downloadable evaluation version, go to
http://www.meritsoftware.com/software/language_arts

In the News – ACT Finds 49% of High School Test-Takers
Not Ready for College or Workforce

49% of the 1.2 million 2005 high school graduates who took the ACT failed to meet the College Readiness Benchmark for Reading. This represents the lowest achievement level in over a decade. According to ACT researchers, too many U.S. high school seniors lack sufficient reading skills to succeed in college or in the workforce.

These results suggest that reading is not being taught enough during the high school years. Nor are high school teachers able to incorporate higher-level reading materials into their classes. A report by ACT researchers, “Reading Between the Lines,” calls for targeted interventions for students, support for teachers, and revised state standards.

To learn more, click here: http://www.act.org/news/releases/2006/03-01-06.html

Recommended Resource – Alex Catalogue of Electronic Texts

Infomotions, Inc has created The Alex Catalogue of Electronic Texts. This online collection links public domain documents from American and English literature as well as Western philosophy. The collection spans such authors as Mary Shelley and Walt Whitman; Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King, and Booker T. Washington. A number of downloading options for PalmPilot, PDF, or Rocket eBook are available.

Visit: http://www.infomotions.com/alex

Grants for US Educators – Citigroup Foundation

The Citigroup Foundation will consider proposals from K-12 schools and non-profit organizations to strengthen education in low-income neighborhoods. “Educating the Next Generation” grants support technology-based curriculum resources, college preparation programs, and innovative teaching strategies that increase student achievement. Proposals may include the purchase of educational technology.

Go to: http://www.citigroupfoundation.org/citigroup/corporate/foundation/guide.htm