Frequently Asked Questions
Please don't hesitate to e-mail us if you have any further questions about PLP Inc.
customerservice@peoplelearn.com.au
1. Who uses PLP Reading Kits?
PLP Reading Kits narrated at slower speeds are of real assistance in literacy and reading skills for people with reading difficulties or for people who have English as a Second Language. The slow speeds give them time to correlate the print words with what they are hearing, thus developing listening, reading and writing skills in English. This will assist people with their personal practice of reading and listening to words, as well as word recognition, contributing to an independent learning activity. PLP is set up to assist people with print disabilities to either learn to read or enhance their learning process and to access print. Our Reading Kits have been bought by libraries, TAFE’s, jails, aged care hostels and schools to be utilised as a resource for a wide cross section of people with English language or literacy development problems. Reluctant readers in schools prefer faster speeds, say speed levels 6 & 7 (100-130wpm). Older people without specific stroke or other health issues would probably prefer the slighter slower speeds that still seem ‘fast’, for instance speed level 6 & 7. People with specific learning disabilities or acquired brain injury from strokes, people with a Cochlear ear implant (utilising tracking) or people with an intellectual disability would require much slower speeds, say speed level 0 through to level 2.
2. Are these slow speed audio books appropriate for people with English as Second Language?
Absolutely. We have had very positive feedback from places providing lessons for English as a Foreign or Second Language learners. Beginning ESL students often use speed levels 0 – 2. People who have been exposed to English for some time benefit from mid speed levels (speed level 3 – 6) as these slower than normal speeds help students with their pronunciation and intonation. A major issue for foreign language learners is the fast speed of the native language speakers. PLP Reading Kits help redress that problem.
3. Are PLP Reading Kits just like other audio books?
No, definitely not. Most audio books tend to be narrated at conversational speed, which is approximately 180-200 words per minute. The fastest speed level for PLP Reading Kits is 130 words per minute. PLP also introduced the concept, many years ago, of including a print copy of the book along with the audio, to enable people with reading problems to read along with the audio. Our kits contain the print copy of the book, the slow speed audio and a sturdy plastic folder with printed cover.
4. Are there multiple speeds of one title?
Our policy for all new productions is to produce them in at least 2 speed levels as this adds to the flexibility in using the kits. For instance, the Explorer Series which includes titles such as "The Human Body’, ‘Play Ball’ – both of which are available respectively at speeds 1 & 5, and 2 & 6. The Macquarie Readers series, the As Told to Julia Wall real life stories series, the teenage Trend series, the Picture Roo series and a number of Oxford Bookworms are all available at two speeds. There are also a select few older titles that have 2 speeds (one fast and one slow) for example "Elizabeth Taylor" (Speed level 2 and 5), "Marilyn Monroe" (Speed level 2 and 5), "The Idle Bear" (Speed level 0, 4 and 7), "Gorilla" (Speed level 3, 5 and 7), and "The Bugalugs Bum Thief" (Speed level 3 and 7).
5. Do you have a Catalogue that lists all your titles by speed level?
Yes we do. Our current catalogue outlines all our current titles and all the speed levels they are available in. It is available in PDF format and can be accessed and downloaded. Go to the home page and access the link. Please contact us if required.
6. Does slowing down the reading speed mean that the comprehension speed is slower?
Yes but this actually BENEFITS many readers, as previously their comprehension ability was not able to keep up with standard reading/conversational speeds (180-200 words per minute). This means that a person using a PLP Reading Kit can:
use the audio version to follow the print rather than just listen
choose a book at a reading speed to suit his/her ability
read books that would normally be too difficult to read without frustration or failure.
7. Do you have any demonstration product?
Please send us your current postal details if you would like to receive a free multimedia sample CD our check out our Flash presentation on this website.
8. Do you have a trial buying period?
Yes, you can return kits within 10 days (however only in perfect condition please) if you find they are not suited to your needs. ONLY for Australian orders. We will send the trial products out with an invoice and expect payment after 10 days. This is only applicable for small orders of fewer than 5 kits. This is not applicable to overseas orders. Any extra postage for returns is payable by our customers.
9. Do you offer any discounts?
As we are a non-profit organisation our prices are based on cost recovery only. Therefore we are not in a position to offer any trade discounts to retail bookstores. We do however offer a discount to any standing order over $3500. Please contact us for further details.
There is no applicable small order surcharge for any order.
10. Do we use professional narrators?
Yes. Our narrators are experienced actors and radio performers mostly from Western Australia. Some titles have been narrated by the author. Aboriginal books have been narrated by Indigenous people/actors/authors.
11. Are your audio books in Australian accents?
Yes, by and large. Because Australia is a multicultural country, we do have many migrants. Some of our narrators originally hail from England, South Africa, USA, Kenya etc, so that the accent you hear may have a tinge from another land. You might also say we have well-rounded Aussie accents! Australian English is comparable to British English than to North American English even though Australian English has its own idiosyncrasies. Our Indigenous titles are narrated by Indigenous Australians for reasons of cultural sensitivity and pronunciation.
12. Do you have a selection of Indigenous Australian books and tapes?
Yes we do. We have a specific Indigenous Interest catalogue that shows all our titles.
13. Do people using the kits move through the speed levels?
Some readers progress through the speeds and others stay at one speed. The idea behind the Narkaling Reading Kits is to make reading available to everybody who has not been able to access reading previously.
14. Are all your titles available in all countries?
As we negotiate copyright permission to reproduce already published books, some of our People Learn Productions Reading Kits have restricted copyright usage.
15. Are your books/CDs available in other languages?
No. We only produce slow speed audio books in the English language.
16. Can our Local Council add People Learn Productions Inc on as a supplier in a straightforward way?
Yes, we do not require Institutions to sign up for credit checks and will supply goods on invoice to these clients. We can supply our ABN, our Tax code for products that are GST free due to their educational nature and street address all on our letterheard via fax or email.
17. Are your titles suitable for libraries in jails?
Yes, we have had positive feedback from literacy coordinators in jails. The slow speeds tend to work well particularly with indigenous people used to the oral literacy tradition. We have a range of suitable non fiction and independent living titles that would be particularly useful. Please contact us at customerservice@peoplelearn.com.au for recommended titles.
Last updated August 2010
