Personal Language Tutor™ is a fully-functional standalone Authoring System and Tutoring Application for the Macintosh. With Personal Language Tutor™, students and teachers of foreign languages may design and implement personalized activities and interactive drills for virtually any language.
Personal Language Tutor™ is distributed as shareware. You may evaluate it for 15 days after which you must register your copy by submitting a shareware fee of $15.00. See "Registration Information" below for details on how to register.
PERSONAL LANGUAGE TUTOR™ FEATURES:
• An Integrated Lesson / Activity Editor:
The user may tailor any lesson or activity to his or her textbook, program or interests. Activities may be as simple or as difficult as the user wishes — from single-word translations to exercises treating complex sentence structures.
Activities are stored in files called Lesson Books. Each Lesson Book may contain up to 20 different Lessons. Each Lesson may then contain up to 20 different Activities; and Activities may contain up to 1000 questions.
For each Activity, an “author” has the option of including Reference Information which may be accessed by the user at any time during the activity. This can be anything from a simple reminder to a detailed grammatical outline with examples.
For each question, the author has the option of including a brief Hint — normally something more specific than the Reference Information.
• SmartAnswer™ Error Checking:
The SmartAnswer™ Error Checking feature analyzes the user's response and highlights any problem areas it encounters. Rather than simply indicating "Correct" or "Incorrect" and leaving the user befuddled (as is so often the case with language software) SmartAnswer™ shows the user instantly where problems occurred in their response. This helps draw attention to where it needs to be focused and decreases frustration levels dramatically.
• Detailed Record-Keeping and Session Summary Options:
Personal Language Tutor™ may be set to track any or all Tutor sessions and to write summaries of these sessions to text files. Two types of summaries may be generated for each session: Administrator Log Files and User Summary Files.
Administrator Log Files track every aspect of a session from the menu selections to the amount of time a user spends pondering a hint for a given question. This feature is an effective diagnostic tool as it offers teachers (or students) insight into precisely how a user arrives a given response. Problem areas not readily apparent in classroom interaction can often be identified here.
Session Summaries track a session's exercises and may be printed or saved to disk for later review.
• Password Protection for Authoring Tools and Summary Files:
Authoring tools may be password-protected to safeguard against accidental modification of Lesson Files. In addition, Administrators may choose to “hide” Log Files. With this feature enabled, Log File icons do not appear on the Finder and are consequently less likely to be altered or discarded. These files do appear in standard file (Open, Save, etc.) dialog boxes in order to make them accessible to Administrators.
Administrators may choose to prompt users for a name and password at the beginning of each session. The name and password entered are stored both in the Administrator Log File and in the Session Summary File. This does not protect the Session Summary File from unauthorized access outside of Personal Language Tutor™. It is simply a means of verifying a user's identity when reviewing the session. This feature is most useful when Personal Language Tutor™ is installed on a network or on a computer used by a large number of individuals.
• Balloon Help:
Personal Language Tutor™ takes advantage of Apple's "Balloon Help" features. Nearly all items and features have Balloon Help associated with them.
• Accent Helper™:
In both Authoring and Tutor mode, the user has available a pop-up menu nearby for help entering those often hard-to-find characters.
• The Scandalously Low Shareware Fee of $15.00:
Where do you find bargains like that these days?
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
In order to install and operate Personal Language Tutor™ successfully, you need:
• A Macintosh LC (or later) with a 68020 processor (or later).
• System 7.0 (or later).
• 3 1/2 high-density floppy disk drive -or- a Hard Disk (preferred).
• 12" monitor (or larger - color monitor preferred).
REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
Personal Language Tutor™ is distributed as shareware. You may evaluate it for 15 days, after which you must register. The price for a single user license is $15.00. Payment must be either by check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank in U.S. dollars. To register your copy, complete and print the registration form found under the "About Personal Language Tutor™" Menu Item (or, if you prefer, simply write your name, postal address, email address and any comments or suggestions you may have on a piece of paper). Mail your completed form along with your check to
Tracy L. Hinshaw
P.O. Box 142
Kellogg, Iowa 50135
You will receive confirmation of registration and a serial number to disable future shareware notices. If a valid e-mail address is provided your confirmation will be sent electronically unless otherwise requested.
Please register your copy and keep this out-of-work French Teacher off the streets!
2. GETTING STARTED: TUTOR MODE
STARTING PERSONAL LANGUAGE TUTOR™
You can start Personal Language Tutor™ in one of two ways:
1. a. Open the folder containing Personal Language Tutor™.
b. Double-click on the Personal Language Tutor™ icon. You will be
presented with a standard "Open..." dialog box asking you to locate
a Lesson File.
After selecting your file, you will be presented with the "Activity List Selection Screen."
2. a. Open a folder containing a Personal Language Tutor™ Lesson File.
b. Double-click on the Lesson File icon. The file will be loaded and
you will be presented with the "Activity List Selection Screen."
ACTIVITY LIST SELECTION SCREEN
From this screen you select the Lesson and Activity you wish to view.
LESSON SELECTION
To select a Lesson, click and hold down the pointer on the "Lesson List" button (the button near the center of the screen with the downward-pointing black arrow). Pull the pointer down the list of Lessons to the title you wish to view. A list of activities within this Lesson will appear in the large box just beneath the "Lesson List" button.
ACTIVITY SELECTION
To select an Activity, double-click on the activity's title; -or- click on the title once and on the "OK" button at the bottom-right of the screen; -or- click on the title once and hit the RETURN key on your keyboard.
The Activity will load and you will be taken to the "Exercise" Screen.
EXERCISE SCREEN
This is where you will view the activity you selected. Enter your response in the box labeled: "Your Response."
To check your response, hit the "RETURN" or "ENTER" keys; -or- select "Check Answer" from the "Tutor" menu; -or- click on the magnifying glass icon from the floating Tool Bar to the left (see Tool Bar below).
If your response is correct, this will be indicated in the "Messages" box. If not, an "annotated" version of your response will appear in the "Response Box" and may contain any or all of the following symbols:
'•' = An incorrect or inappropriate character was encountered
in your response.
'+' = A word in your response contains too many letters or
characters. This symbol will appear in place of each
extra character.
'-' = A word in your response is missing letters or characters
(is not long enough). This symbol will appear in place of
each missing character.
TOOL BAR
The Floating Tool Bar allows you access to the most-used functions of Personal Language Tutor™ without requiring you to select options from the Menu. Click once on the Tool Bar icons to choose their functions.
3. GETTING STARTED: AUTHORING MODE
STARTING PERSONAL LANGUAGE TUTOR™
Start Personal Language Tutor™ as explained in Section "2 Getting Started : Tutor Mode."
Select "Activity Editor" from the "Tools" Menu.
EDITING AN EXISTING LESSON BOOK FILE
Select the existing Lesson Book File from the "Open File..." dialog box. The Lesson Book File will be loaded and you will be presented with the "Activity Editor Screen."
CREATING A NEW LESSON BOOK FILE
1) Click on the "Cancel" button in the "Open File..." dialog box. No file
will be loaded and you will be presented with a blank "Activity
Editor Screen."
2) Choose "New Book" from the "File" menu. An empty book will be
established and you will be presented with the "Activity Editor
Screen" with single "empty" Lesson and Activity.
ACTVITY EDITOR SCREEN
RENAMING LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES
To rename a Lesson or an Activity, click on the item name and choose either "Rename Lesson" or "Rename Activity" from the "Activities Menu." Type the new name for the item and either confirm or cancel the changes.
ADDING LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES
To add a Lesson or an Activity, click on the item name and choose either "New Lesson" or "New Activity" from the "Activities Menu." You will be asked where to insert the item (Before the currently selected item; after the item; or at the end of the list of items). Type in the name for the item and either confirm or cancel the changes.
PREVIEWING ACTIVITIES
Simply click once on the name of an activity and a preview appears in the "Activity Preview" box.
EDITING ACTIVITIES
Double-click on the title of an activity; -or- click once on an activity title and choose "Edit Activity" from the "Activities" Menu. You will be presented with the "Exercise Editor Screen."
SAVING YOUR LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES
Select "Save" or "Save As..." from the "File" Menu. "Save" will overwrite the existing file; "Save As..." will ask you for a new file name.
CLOSING THE ACTIVITY EDITOR
Select "Close Activity Editor" from the "File" Menu. If you have modified a Lesson Book File, you will be asked if you wish to save or discard the changes.
Personal Language Tutor™ will restart in "Tutor Mode."
EXERCISE EDITOR SCREEN
COMPOSING A NEW EXERCISE
On the main "Exercise Editor Screen" there are four text boxes: Title, Directions, Question and Response. Simply fill in the Title of your exercise, brief instructions begin writing questions. Hitting the ENTER key when typing in ANY box saves the exercise. You should hit the ENTER key each time you've entered a complete question.
•REFERENCE INFORMATION: Each Activity may have reference information associated with it. To enter the reference information for the activity, choose "Reference Information" from the "Exercises" Menu. You will be presented with a window in which to enter your information. To save your Reference Information, hit the ENTER key. The window will close automatically. Note that the Reference Information is in a mono-spaced typeface. This is done intentionally to ensure that any tables or lists entered as Reference Information do not lose their formatting characteristics in Tutor Mode.
•HINTS: Each question within an exercise may have a brief Hint associated with it. To edit or show the hint for a given question, select "Hint" from the "Exercises" Menu; -or- hit the "Tab" key from within the "Answers" box. To save your Hint, hit the ENTER key.
EDTING AN EXERCISE
ADDING QUESTIONS
Select "Add Questions" from the "Exercises" menu and proceed as
explained in "Composing a New Exercise" above.
DELETING QUESTIONS
Select "Delete Question" from the "Exercises" menu and either
confirm or cancel the operation.
NAVIGATING THE QUESTIONS
To move through the questions for a given exercise, click on the "Navigation buttons" at the top-left of the screen; -or- choose "Next", "Previous", "First" or "Last" Question from the "Exercises" Menu.
CLOSING THE EXERCISE EDITOR
After saving your Exercise, select "Activity Editor" from the "Exercises" Menu; -or- Select "Close Exercise Editor" from the "File" Menu; -or- Click on the "close box" located in the left-most portion of the window title bar.
4. CUSTOMIZING PERSONAL LANGUAGE TUTOR™
PREFERENCES
There are two sets of "Preferences" in Personal Language Tutor™. To find these options, look in the "Tools" Menu.
GENERAL PREFERENCES:
The "General Preferences" are available to all users.
• Change Display Font: Allows you to change the typeface in which
exercises are displayed.
• Summary File Options: Allows you the option of saving a summary
of Tutor sessions to disk. Also allows you to set the "Creator
Type" of your Summary file so that it may be opened directly by
your favourite Word Processor.
• Print Options: Allows you to set options for printing your
Summary Files. You may set the type face, style and size, turn on
and off pagination and include a "Header" to appear at the top of
each printed page.
AUTHORING PREFERENCES:
"Authoring Preferences" may or may not be available to all users. Authoring Tools may be password-protected and, in turn, Authoring Preferences will be accessible only upon the successful entry of a password.
• Window Names: Allows you to set the names of windows.
For example, a French teacher may wish to rename the "Session
Overview" window "Statistiques" etc.
• Feedback: Allows you to customize the feedback for correct and
incorrect responses. Note that you are limited to one feedback
item for correct and one for incorrect.
• Security:
— Password-protect Summary Files: If this option is enabled, the user will be prompted for a name and password at the beginning of each session. This password does not protect Summary Files from unauthorized access outside of Personal Language Tutor™ — it is simply a means to verify a user's identity when reviewing session summaries. The password does protect Summary Files from unauthorized access within Personal Language Tutor™.
— Password-protect Authoring Tools: If this option is enabled, you will be prompted for a password each time you attempt to open the Activity Editor or the Authoring Preferences. It is vital that you safeguard your password because, if forgotten, there is no way to override the password protection. The only option in the event of a lost or forgotten password is to reinstall Personal Language Tutor™.
5. USING PERSONAL LANGUAGE TUTOR™
PREFERRED RESPONSES
When authoring an exercise, you may enter as many possible (or "preferred") responses as you wish. Each response must appear on a new line in the "Answers" box of the Exercise Editor.
ex.: "Give the English equivalent of the following words."
prompt: --"des portes"
preferred responses: doors¶
some doors¶
Personal Language Tutor™ will accept either "doors" or "some doors" as a correct response.
MULTI-PART RESPONSES
You may wish to compose exercises with multiple "blanks" in the questions. When entering the preferred responses for this type of exercise, separate each part of the response with the "/" (forward slash) character.
ex.: "Complete the sentences with the correct articles."
prompt: --"I love ___ cars. ____ car of my dreams is ____ 1972
Plymouth Valiant.
preferred responses: -/The/a
In this example, the first word ("cars") requires no article. To indicate this in your "preferred responses", use "-" or some other distinctive character. Be sure to inform the users of your Lessons of the character they should enter to indicate an "empty" blank.
LOG FILE DIRECTORY
Personal Language Tutor™ will save its "Log Files" in a folder named "PLT™ Logs." This folder will be located in the same folder as the Personal Language Tutor™ application. If you choose to "hide" the log file icons, the folder containing the files will remain visible.
Note that, while Personal Language Tutor™ will create "hidden" files, it does not contain a utility to make hidden files visible on the "Finder". To do this you will need a utility like Daniel Azuma's "FileTyper" (available on-line info-mac or umich sites) . You can, however, gain access to these files through the standard "Open..." dialog box in your word processor.
If you wish to discard the hidden files in the "PLT™ Logs" folder, simply drag the entire folder to the trash. The next time you run Personal Language Tutor™, a new "PLT™ Logs" folder will be created.
PUNCTUATION AND CAPITALIZATION
Personal Language Tutor™ treats Capitalization and Punctuation Marks according to the following two conditions:
1) The response entered is correct but Capitalization and
Punctuation Marks don't match the "preferred response."
• In this case, capitalization and punctuation are ignored
and the response is accepted.
2) The response is incorrect and Capitalization & Punctuation
Marks don't match the "preferred response".
• The incorrect portions of the response are returned as
either '•', '+', or '-' (see SmartAnswer™ Checking).
In addition, capitalization and punctuation marks not
matching the "preferred response" are flagged as incorrect.
*The question mark is never ignored, the assumption being that
question formation is often difficult to master. In many cases,
the question mark is the only visual indication that a phrase is
interrogative rather than declarative and therefore should not be
ignored.
SMARTANSWER™ CHECKING
Each time you enter a response, it is compared to a "preferred response." If your response matches the "preferred response," you see this indicated in the "Message Box." If not, a slightly different version of your response appears in the "Response" box. This version may contain all or some of the characters below:
"•" — You will see this symbol in place of characters not matching those in the corresponding location of the "Preferred Response."
example: the preferred response is: "Elle est française."
you enter: "Elle asy francaise."
the compared version: "Elle •s• fran•aise."
"+" — This symbol indicates that a given word in your response is too long. This symbol appears in place of each "extra" character.
example: the preferred response is: "Raúl es estudiante."
you enter: "Raúl eres estudiante."
the compared version: "Raúl es++ estudiante."
"-" — This symbol indicates that a given word in your response is too short. This symbol appears in place of each "missing" character.
example: the preferred response is: "Elvis cannot be dead."
you enter: "Elvis can be dead."
the compared version: "Elvis can--- be dead."
CONTACTING THE AUTHOR
Please send any comments, suggestions, bug-reports, flames, praise or amusing anecdotes to:
Tracy L. Hinshaw
P.O. Box 142
Kellogg, IA 50135
e-mail: parnassien@netins.net
Every attempt will be made to answer questions or to provide any support you may need with Personal Language Tutor™.
Check our web site at "http://www.netins.net/showcase/fornlngz/" for updates and sample exercises provided by registered users.
The Personal Language Tutor™ package and each of its components are provided AS IS. No guarantee or warranty, express or implied, is made on the operation of this product, or its suitability for any task. In no event shall the programmer, Tracy L Hinshaw, or his suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damage for loss of profit, business interruption, loss of information, or other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use, misuse of or inability to use this product.
The author, Tracy L. Hinshaw, disclaims all other warranties either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, with respect to the product.
