ABSTRACT
There are many useful practical applications for computers in helping pupils to improve their overall literacy skills.
Word processing packages such as Microsoft Word can be used by both teacher and pupils to great effect—in particular, to write user-friendly text for pupils to read aloud to their support worker. These home-made texts are often much more effective than a commercially produced reading book or structured reading scheme (see pp. 45–48 for more details).
There is software to help pupils structure their writing by creating writing scaffolds for them.
There are useful software applications to help with spelling.
There are integrated learning packages such as Successmaker that support pupils with both literacy and numeracy.
