Frequently Asked Questions |
Will the program work on both a PC and a Mac computer?
The program will work on both a PC and a Mac. However, it is compatible with a Mac computer only if the Mac is running Windows.
How long will it take to learn how to use the program?
30 minutes or so – it's very user-friendly.
Do I have to be a techy computer nerd in order to be able to use it?
No, it is fairly simple. (See above)
How many words are there in the program?
There are presently over 2,600 keywords, each with a minimum of 15 sentences in context, including different derivations, for a total of over 50,000 sentences and 750,000 words in the program.
How did you select which words to include in the program?
Following the lead of the most recent research into vocabulary acquisition, the words which have been selected to be included among the keywords fall into three different categories:
1. Words which have 2-3 diamonds of frequency, as indicated in the Collins Cobuild Learners Dictionary
2. Words included in the Academic Word List (AWL).
3. Other words which Gerry has personally needed to prepare his students for field trips and guest speakers during his own teaching career.
Who is the program intended for?
Teachers of intermediate to advanced ESL students, or native speakers in need of extra help with vocabulary development.
How much does it cost?
A single-user registration is US$50.
Educational licences cost the same for the first full licence. Additional seats are priced as follows:
1 - 10 seats - US$35 per seat
11 - 25 seats - US $25 per seat
26 - 50 seats - US $20 per seat
50 - 100 seats - US $15 per seat
100 + seats - Please contact us to discuss pricing
What do I do if the program doesn't include some of the words I want to review?
Well, first of all, it may actually be there under the root word. For example, reliable can be found within the contexts for the word rely. You may also want to ask yourself if perhaps the word is so infrequent that it doesn't merit the time required to teach or learn it. However, if the word is not there and you feel it should be, no problem! The program allows you to add, edit or delete words and sentences.
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I want to use the program a lot, but I might forget which sentences I’ve already used with my class.
No problem! There’s a function in the program which allows you to mark sentences with a star* as you use them. At the end of the term, you can then remove all the stars and begin again with a new class.
Can I try it out, so I can decide whether I want to buy it?
Of course! You can download an evaulation copy for free by clicking here. The demo allows you to see all the data, but only allows you to produce an exercise with a maximum of 5 sentences, and only from the first half of the alphabet. If you decide to purchase the program, we will send you a user name and key. This will instantly enable the entire program.
What kind of English is used in the program?
The program is available in American, British and Canadian English. You choose whichever you want. All three folders will be downloaded onto your computer; by choosing one you are simply choosing the default setting. You can change it at any time, or use all three.
All the words in the AWL are already included in the main vocabulary database. So why are they in separate files too?
To make your life easier! Some teachers want to focus on each list separately; opening an individual sublist file will allow you to do this. The sublist files allow users to open specific folders for each sublist and prepare materials specific to each list without having to individually select these words from the entire database. These files are automatically downloaded with the program.
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What are the JMatch and JCloze buttons for?
The JMatch and JCloze buttons allow you to create interactive web-based exercises for vocabulary review online. These formats are included in the Hot Potatoes Suite, available for download here. The Hot Potatoes suite consists of six different applications, enabling you to create interactive multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises for the World Wide Web. Gerry's Vocabulary Teacher will work in conjunction with the JMatch and JCloze formats to automatically generate online vocabulary review exercises. Hot Potatoes is not freeware, but it is free of charge for those working for publicly-funded non-profit-making educational institutions which make their pages available on the web. Other users must pay for a licence.
Who is Gerry anyway?
Gerry Luton is an ESL instructor and has been teaching English as a Second Language for almost 25 years. He has taught in both Canada and Japan. Gerry is currently the senior instructor at the University of Victoria's English Language Centre, in Victoria, Canada. Together with Martin Holmes, Gerry created the program over a period of about 10 years.
Who is Martin and why isn't the program called Martin & Gerry's Vocabulary Teacher?
Martin Holmes is a former ESL teacher who is now a software designer. Martin is also the founder and director of Half-Baked Software Inc., which is responsible for creating the Hot Potatoes suite, which includes JMatch and JCloze, programs which can allow users of Gerry's Vocabulary Teacher to create interactive online gap-fill exercises for use on a website. And of course Martin also built the software program for Gerry's Vocabulary Teacher, and in fact, it was Martin himself who came up with the name. For information on the Hot Potatoes suite, visit their site by clicking here. See other excellent software programs created by Martin Holmes, including Markin, TexToys, and hotpotatoes.net.
What dialect of English is used in the program?
The program comes complete with files in American English, British English, and Canadian English. All three dialects are downloaded with the program but users choose the default setting during the downloading process. The other files, including the Academic Word List sublist files, can be opened by clicking on the file option at the top of the program interface and selecting Open a database.
Finally, who designed your cool splash screen (the black & blue screen that pops up briefly when you open the program)?
I’m glad you asked. My daughter Sophie designed it based on an icon produced by Martin Holmes.
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