Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Program - Compatible with PCs only
- To make a gap-fill exercise
- To insert a gap-fill exercise into a pre-existing document
- To produce a hard copy (rtf document) gap-fill exercise
- To produce a gap-fill exercise in html format
- To produce an interactive online JMatch or JCloze gap-fill exercise
- To add a new word to the database
- To add a new sentence to the database
- To remove the numbers showing how many times a sentence has been used
- To create an exercise where words are chosen at random
- To open a different database file
- Other buttons
- To find discussion questions, proverbs, quotations, find someone who... questions, etc.
The upper part of the screen of Gerry's Vocabulary Teacher is used to select words and sentences, or to add, delete, or edit words and sentences. The lower part of the screen shows the sentences that have been selected for an exercise, and gives the user various options:
1) use the clipboard key to paste an exercise into a pre-existing document;
2) use the HTML key to
3) use the
RTF (rich text format) key to create an exercise as a paper document;
4) use the JMatch or JCloze keys to create an interactive web-based exercise.
See the
Screenshot
A. To make a gap-fill exercise
1. Click the cursor in the WORDS column on the left side of the screen and type the word you wish to select - it will appear automatically, using a feature called type-ahead. (Using type-ahead is much easier than using the scrollbar on the right to try to find the word.)
2. When the word appears, choose the sentence you wish to use by clicking on it.
3. Click on the Use button 
below the sentences window, to put the sentence into the output screen.
- Again, click in the WORDS column on the left side of the screen and type in the next word you want. After you have chosen the sentence you want for the word you have selected, always remember to first click the cursor back into the WORDS column, and then, again, type the next word you want.
- Note: Don't use the button marked "+ New Word" to locate a word. This button is used to add a new word to the database which is not already included in the program. (See step D below).
- Continue the same procedure until you have all the sentences you need.
5. To choose the options you want, check off the boxes as follows:
- Include Q#s for question numbers
- Gap Words to make a fill-in-the-blanks exercise, or Bracket Words to make the answer key
- Jumble Order to mix up the order of the sentences
- Check of the box Include word list if you want to words to be offered as clues for the exercise.
You are now ready to produce your vocabulary exercise - follow the instruction in B below to produce an exercise in the form of a paper document, C to insert a gap-fill exercise into a pre-existing document, or D to create for an interactive web-based exercise.
The following screenshot shows the principle features of the program.
B. To insert a gap-fill exercise into a pre-existing document
- Click on the Clipboard button.
- Open the document in which you wish to insert the gapfill exercise and select edit / paste from the document file menu.
C. To produce a hard copy (rtf document) gap-fill exercise
- Click on the RTF (rich text format) button.
- Give a name to the exercise and click on Save.
- Click on Yes to open the file.
- Give the exercise a title (Ex. Vocabulary Review Exercise #2)
- Print your exercise.
D. To produce a gap-fill exercise in html format
- Click on the HTML button.
- Follow instructions as above.
E. To produce an interactive online JMatch or JCloze gap-fill exercise
In order to do this, you must have the Hot Potatoes suite installed on your computer.
Hot Potatoes is freeware and can be obtained by downloading it from their website.
- Click on the button that reads JMatch or JCloze.
- Give a name to the exercise and click on Save.
- Click on Yes to open the file.
- Give a title to the exercise and click on the save icon.
- To open the exercise, go to file / create web page / make your selection.
F. To add a new word to the database
- Click on the New Word button below the WORDS column.
- Type the new word into the box and click OK.
G. To add a new sentence to the database
- In the Words column, click on the word that you want to add a sentence for.
- Click on the New Sentence button.
- Type the new sentence into the box, using square [brackets] for the target word and click OK.
H. To remove the numbers showing how many times a sentence has been used
- Click on Sentences in the menu bar at the top of the program.
- Choose the option Zero all used values
- Click on Yes
I. To create an exercise where words are chosen at random
- Click on the random output button
. - Select the options available as appropriate.
- You can also produce this type of exercise by going to output in the menu and choosing random output.
J. To open a different database file
In order to access different database files, including the American, British or Canadian English files, click on the file option at the top of the program interface and select Open.
Next, click on db in order to see the different files available.
Finally, select the database file you wish to use. Repeat the above process to work variously with the different files.
If you cannot find these files, you have probably been taken to the wrong folder.
Go to Program Files on your C: drive, and find the folder entitled GerryVoc.
K. Other buttons
The buttons marked delete, edit, and clear are for deleting sentences or words, editing sentences, and clearing the output box of all sentences.
L. To find discussion questions, proverbs, quotations, "find someone who..." questions, etc.
All the discussion questions, proverbs, etc. are located within the entry for the given keyword. They are usually among the last sentences listed in the keyword collection of sentences. Just move down through the list of sentences by using the scroll button to find them.
