User Manual

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Copyright Notice
Copyright © 2013 by Renaissance Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This publication is protected by US and international copyright laws. It is unlawful to duplicate or reproduce any copyrighted
material without authorisation from the copyright holder. This document may be reproduced only by staff members in
schools that have purchased a NEO or SmartOption Bundle. For more information, contact Renaissance Learning, Inc., at
the address above.
2Know!, Accelerated Maths, Accelerated Reader, AccelTest, AlphaHub, AlphaQuiz, AlphaSmart, AlphaWord, Beamer,
KeyWords, MathsFacts in a Flash, NEO, NEO 2, NEO Manager, NEO Share, NEO Text2Speech, Renaissance,
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are trademarks of Renaissance Learning, Inc., and its subsidiaries, registered, common law or pending registration in the
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5/2013 NEO UK
C ONTENTS

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Types of Tips in This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Getting to Know Your NEO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Installing the Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
How to Install AA Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Installing and Charging a Rechargeable Battery Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Starting the NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Starting to Write on Your NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
SmartApplets Included on Your NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Connecting a NEO to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Sending Files from One NEO to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Printing Files from Your NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Printing from NEO Using a USB Cable Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
How to Send Text to a Printer Using IR Beaming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
How to Print Wirelessly Using NEO 2’s RF Capability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Getting Started with the NEO Manager Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
About the NEO Manager Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Installing the NEO Manager Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
On Windows Computers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
On Macintosh Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Starting the NEO Manager Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
On Windows Computers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
On Macintosh Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Registering the Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
About the Tabs in NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Monitoring the Connected NEOs in NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Setting Up the Renaissance Receiver and Using NEO 2’s Wireless
Capabilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Connecting the Renaissance Receiver to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Naming the Renaissance Receiver (Wireless Network) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Setting the Renaissance Place Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Installing and Using NEO Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Using Al phaWo rd Plus to Write on NEO . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Starting AlphaWord Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Typing and Editing Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Moving the Cursor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Selecting Text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Cutting, Copying, Pasting and Deleting Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

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About the NEO Clipboard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

How to See What Is In the Clipboard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
How to See the Space Used and Available in the Clipboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Creating New Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Naming and Saving Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Finding and Opening Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Formatting Text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Changing Font Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Available Font Sizes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Changing the Font Size on the NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Finding Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Searching for Text in One File or All Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Finding and Replacing Text in One File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Finding Sections in a File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
An Example of How to Search for Sections in a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Checking Spelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
How to Check Spelling in a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Turning Off Spell Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Adding Words to the User Dictionary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Sending a New User Dictionary to NEOs Using NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Using the Thesaurus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Using Linked Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Sending a Linked File to NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Viewing Linked Files on NEOs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Tips for Using Linked Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Sample Linked Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Character, Word, Paragraph and Page Counts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
File Size Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
About the File Size Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Checking the Size and the Number of Pages Available for One File . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Checking the Number of Pages Written in Files 1–8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Clearing and Deleting Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Clearing a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Clearing All Open Files (File 1–File 8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Deleting Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Deleting the Open File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Deleting a File from a List of Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Deleting All Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Recovering Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Using the Typing Timer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Using NEO Manager to View, Print and Save Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Retrieving Files from Connected NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Viewing the Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Printing Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

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Saving Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Where Files Are Saved. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
How to Save the Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Sending (Beaming) Files to Other NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Sending Files to Supported Web-Based Programs Using NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Sending Files from NEO 2 to Supported Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Retrieving Files from Supported Programs and Copying Them to NEO 2. . . . . . . . . 50
Using NEO Manager to Send Files, Rubrics or Lessons to NEO Files . . . . . . . 51
Creating and Sending Files to NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Sending Rubrics or Other Linked Files to NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Sending Write On! Lessons to NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
About File Passwords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Enabling Password Protection While Working in a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Changing a File’s Password While Working in the File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Resetting File Passwords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Using a NEO Text2Speech Device to Read AlphaWord Plus Files Aloud . . . . . 59

Sm artApplets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
What Are SmartApplets? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Installed SmartApplets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Managing the SmartApplets on Your NEO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Changing the Startup SmartApplet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Changing the Startup SmartApplet on the NEO Itself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Changing the Startup SmartApplet for One or More NEOs Using NEO Manager. . . 61
Disabling and Re-Enabling SmartApplets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Disabling or Re-Enabling a SmartApplet on a Single NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Disabling or Re-Enabling SmartApplets for One or More NEOs Using NEO
Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Installing or Updating SmartApplets on NEOs Using NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . 63
Choosing SmartApplet Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Deleting SmartApplets from NEOs Using NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Viewing SmartApplet Information in NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Adding SmartApplets to the List in NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Installing SmartApplets on Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Adding SmartApplets That Have Already Been Installed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Respond er SmartApplet for NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Preparing to Use NEO 2 with AccelTest, Accelerated Maths RP or the
2Know! Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Using NEO 2 to Complete AccelTest Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Using NEO 2 in a Student-Paced Session in AccelTest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Teacher Preparation Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Steps Students Follow during a Student-Paced Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

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Using NEO 2 in a Teacher-Paced Session in AccelTest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Teacher Preparation Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Steps Students Follow during a Teacher-Paced Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Using NEO 2 to Complete Accelerated Maths Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Preparing to Use NEO 2 with Accelerated Maths RP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Using NEO 2 with Accelerated Maths RP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Teacher Preparation Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Steps Students Follow to Complete Accelerated Maths Assignments . . . . . . . . 73
Using NEO 2 with the 2Know! Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
How Participants Respond to 2Know! Toolbar Questions Using NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . 74
How Teachers Can Use NEO 2 to Control the 2Know! Toolbar Program . . . . . . . . . 75

A c c e l e r a t e d R e a d e r S m a r t A p p l e t o n N E O 2 . . . . . . . . 76
Preparing to Use NEO 2 with Accelerated Reader RP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
How Students Take Quizzes in the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet on
NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Things to Check Before Students Start Quizzing on NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Steps for Taking a Quiz on NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

M a t h s F a c t s i n a F l a s h R P S m a r t A p p l et o n
NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Preparing to Use NEO 2 with MathsFacts in a Flash RP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
How Students Do MathsFacts in a Flash RP School Work on NEO 2 . . . . . . . . 81
Things to Check Before Students Start Using the MathsFacts in a Flash RP
SmartApplet on NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
How Students Use the MathsFacts in a Flash RP SmartApplet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Logging In and Choosing What to Work On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Working at the Current Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Working at a Previously Mastered Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Answering Questions During a Practice or Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
After a Practice or Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Logging Out of the SmartApplet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) Sm artApplet . . . . . . . 85

Differences Between the MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplet and
the MathsFacts in a Flash RP SmartApplet on NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Opening the SmartApplet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Practising MathsFacts in a Flash Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Taking Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Viewing the History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Viewing the History for One Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Viewing the History for All Practices and Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Printing the History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

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Sending the History to Renaissance Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Clearing the History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

K e y W o r d s W i r e l e s s S m a r t A p p l e t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Welcome to KeyWords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
How the KeyWords Wireless SmartApplet Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Starting the KeyWords Wireless SmartApplet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Adding Students to NEO 2s Using NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Importing Students from Renaissance Place into NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Manually Adding Students in NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Adding Students to NEO 2s from NEO Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Adding a Student to the KeyWords SmartApplet in Offline Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Choosing Your Name, Starting Lessons and Taking the Pre-Test . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Learning New Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Building Accuracy and Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Speed Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Taking an Accuracy and Speed Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Completing the Post-Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
How Students Check Progress Using Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
How Students Send Their Data to the Teacher (to NEO Manager) Using
NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Teacher Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Deleting Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Creating a Group Progress Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Sending All KeyWords Student Data from NEO 2 to NEO Manager . . . . . . . . 109
Requiring Students to Complete KeyWords Lessons in Order . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Setting a Pre-Test and Post-Test Level for KeyWords Students . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Setting KeyWords Wireless to Offline Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Setting Speed and Accuracy Targets for KeyWords Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Teacher-Set Targets Versus the Default Automatic Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
How to Set Targets Manually in the Teacher Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Resetting Targets to the Default. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Choosing Whether to Enforce Use of the Correct Shift Key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Enforcing Use of the Home Row . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Requiring One or Two Spaces between Sentences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Using NEO Manager with KeyWords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Setting KeyWords Wireless Options in NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Retrieving KeyWords Data and Generating Reports in NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . 117
Deleting KeyWords Students from NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Resetting KeyWords Students Using NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

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About KeyWords Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Creating a Master Class Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Using KeyWords RP to View and Print Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Synching KeyWords Data with KeyWords RP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
KeyWords Resources for Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Materials for Handouts and Transparencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
NEO Manager Start Menu or Program Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
NEO Manager Downloaded Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
KeyWords RP Resources Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
UK Software and Manuals CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Resource Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Resource Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Keyboarding Ergonomics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Sample Lesson Plan for Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Teaching the Lesson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Lessons in KeyWords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Why am I not able to use the backspace key when using KeyWords? . . . . . . . . . . 133
Why is there so much repetition of words in the practice passages? . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Why are the passages so easy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Why is the sequence of key introduction so different from what I am used
to in other typing programs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Why do the students learn the ASKL keys first? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
What is the rationale for how the practice passages are sequenced?. . . . . . . . . . . 134
Why are test scores sometimes not updated when students retake an
accuracy and speed builder test in KeyWords? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

P a s s w o r d s o n N E O s a n d i n N E O M a n a g e r . . . . . . . . . 135
The Master Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
File Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Send List Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Changi ng Settings for NEO and SmartApplets . . . . . . 137

Checking System Status on a NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Changing Settings Using the NEO Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
How to Change Settings Using the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
About the Settings in the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Spell Check Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
AlphaWord Plus Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Change Default AlphaWord Font . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Turn Calculator Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Two-Button On Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Set Screen Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Keyboard Command Reference List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
View Keyboard Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

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Display Battery Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Change Keyboard Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Search for Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
About NEO 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Wireless Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Update Text2Speech Device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Other Settings You Can Change on the NEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Changing the Auto Repeat Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Changing the Transfer Speed for Sending or Beaming Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
USB or Cable Connection Transfer Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Beaming (IrDA) Transfer Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Changing the NEO Idle Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Using the NEO Manager Software to Change Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Changing System Settings Using NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
About the System Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Changing SmartApplet Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
About the SmartApplet Settings Available in NEO Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
AlphaWord Plus Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Spell Check Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Beamer Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
KeyWords Wireless Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Disable This SmartApplet Setting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Restoring Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
How to Restore the Default SmartApplet and System Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Table of Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Using NEO Manager to Manage NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Using Send Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
What Is a Send List? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Saving Send Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Opening a Saved Send List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Closing a Saved Send List That Is Open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Requiring a Password for Changes Sent to NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Clearing (Removing) a Send List Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Setting Preferences for the NEO Manager Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Resetting All Connected NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Updating Your NEO Operating System or SmartApplets Using NEO
Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
How to Update NEOs without Preserving Work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
How to Update NEOs While Preserving AlphaWord Plus Files and KeyWords
Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Getting Information about Your NEO(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Getting Information About the AlphaHub in Your SmartOption Trolley . . . . . . . 159

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Beaming Files to and from NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Beaming Files Between NEOs in AlphaWord Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Beamer and the NEO Clipboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Cancelling a Beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Changing Beamer Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Troubleshooting Beaming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
I want to change a setting, but I do not know the master password. . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
I do not see the Send option on my Beamer screen.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
My NEO says it cannot find a receiving device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
I received an error when I tried to beam or receive a file. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
I have data on the clipboard that I do not want to lose. What should I
do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
I keep getting an invalid password message.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
I beamed a file with a password, but now that file does not have a
password on the receiving device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
What does the message “could not find a sending device” mean? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
What do I do if the file I am receiving is too big? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
My friend beamed an AlphaWord Plus file to me, but Beamer did not let
me choose a file to put it in. It automatically put it in a new file. What
happened? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

Using the NEO Calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

How to Use Calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Pasting Calculations into AlphaWord Plus (Paper Tape) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Turning Off the NEO Calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
To Turn Off Calculator while Using AlphaWord Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
To Turn Off Calculator from the SmartApplets Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Troub leshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

NEO Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Nothing appears on the NEO screen when I turn it on. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
When I turn on my NEO, I see something other than the file that I
expected. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
When I attach my NEO to my computer, I cannot send any data, and my
NEO screen shows a file instead of the “Attached to…” message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
When I send a file to my computer, some of the characters do not show
up, or some letters or words are missing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
I try to type in a file, but no characters appear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
My file (or the end of my file) is filled with garbage characters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
When I transfer text to my Windows computer, the case of the characters is
reversed; all the lowercase characters show up as uppercase, and the
uppercase characters show up as lowercase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
When I press a key, the wrong letter appears on the screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
My LCD screen broke. Is it covered under warranty? What should I do? . . . . . . . . 168
Do I need antivirus software for my NEO?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
What should I do if I spill something on my NEO?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

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When I try to send NEO 2 files to supported programs such as Google

Docs, I see a message that says Wireless File Transfer is not installed or
disabled.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
My Renaissance Place address cannot be verified in the Renaissance Wireless
Server Utility’s Server Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
My NEO is showing an error message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
The light on my Renaissance Receiver is amber, and my NEO 2s cannot
connect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
When I use the Responder, Accelerated Reader, KeyWords Wireless,
MathsFacts in a Flash RP or MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplets
on NEO 2, I do not seem to be connected to the right Receiver.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
NEO Manager Software Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
When I click the plus sign (or arrow) to check connections, NEO Manager
does not show that any devices are currently connected. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
I have a NEO connected to a port on the AlphaHub, but when I check
the connections, the indicator is black instead of green. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
I cannot remember the password that I set, and now I cannot use NEO
Manager to configure my NEOs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
I have a SmartApplet installed on my computer, but I cannot install it on
the NEOs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
I am managing a group of NEOs in a SmartOption trolley with an
AlphaHub, and I want to change a setting on one of the SmartApplets, but
I do not see the SmartApplet in the settings list in NEO Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
When I try to drag and drop text from my Windows computer, NEO
Manager does not accept it. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Reinstalling or Repairing Keys on the NEO Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Reinstalling the Key Cap Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Reinstalling the Scissors Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Reinstalling the Spacebar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

About NEO Batteries and Power Sources . . . . . . . . . . 176

How Your NEO Receives Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
NEO Turns on Automatically When Connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Replacing AA Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Using the Optional Rechargeable Battery Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Specifications for the AC Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
About the Optional Rechargeable Batteries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Conditioning the Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Storing and Recharging NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Lifetime of the Rechargeable Batteries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Toxic Elements Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Low Battery Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Checking Battery Status (Charge) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Tips on Caring for Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
NEO’s Backup Lithium Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

NEO 2
User Manual ix
.....
C ON TENTS

Warranty and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

Warranty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Guarantee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Maintenance Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Storing Your NEO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Return Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

K e y b o a r d C o m m a n d s a n d S p e c i a l C h a r a c t e r s . . . . . . 185
Keyboard Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
International and Special Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Troubleshooting Special Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

W r i t e O n ! L e s s o n s f o r N E O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Using Write On! Lessons with NEO 2s in NEO Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
How to Use Write On! Lessons in NEO Manager for All NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Retrieving Writing Exercises from NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Using NEO Manager to Retrieve Students’ Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Sending an Exercise Directly from NEO to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Printing Exercises Directly from NEOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Road Map of Write On! Lesson Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Write On! Lesson Categories and Teacher Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Primary Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Secondary Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

NEO 2
x User Manual
G ETTING S TARTED
Welcome to NEO 2, the perfect writing tool. With NEO 2, you can comfortably
write, edit and store text quickly and conveniently, no matter what your location.
NEO’s light weight and long battery life make it an easy choice to use at school,
the library, in meetings or out in the field. NEO 2 integrates with your computer and
prints directly to your printer, either wirelessly or with a cable connection.

You can also use NEO 2 as you would use a Renaissance Responder with a
Renaissance Receiver, allowing you to get real-time input from students in your
class. You can also use NEO 2’s radio frequency capability to print wirelessly.

NEO 2 comes with NEO Manager software, the companion program that runs on
your computer (Windows or Macintosh) and lets you manage and configure your
NEOs.

This manual explains the many ways in which you can use your NEO 2. You can
also find information at www.renlearn.co.uk/writing.

Types of Tips in This Manual

In this manual, you will see two types of tips in the left margin. The icon in the tip
shows you which type it is:

Tips with a light bulb are software tips. They provide helpful information
such as reminders or alternate ways to do a task.

Tips with an apple are teacher tips. They provide ideas for using your NEOs
with your classes.

System Requirements
To find the latest system requirements for computers used with NEO and NEO
Manager, go to www.renlearn.co.uk.

NEO 2
User Manual 1
.....
GETTING STARTED
Getting to Know Your NEO

Getting to Know Your NEO

C
A

B D

G H
E F

A The NEO screen. D The battery compartment cover.

B The keyboard. The top row includes keys that E The connection point for the AC adapter cord
are unique to NEO, including on/off, the eight (for NEOs with the rechargeable battery pack).
file keys, print, spell check, find, clear file, home, F The IR port for infrared beaming between NEOs
end, applets and send. or between a NEO and a computer.
C The green light is on when your NEO is G The port for connecting NEO to a computer
connected to a computer, to a SmartOption using a standard USB cable.
trolley or to an AC adapter. If your NEO has a
rechargeable battery pack, a green light means H A USB port for connecting NEO directly to a
the batteries are charged; amber means they printer.
are being charged.

NEO 2
2 User Manual
 .....
GETTING S TARTED
Installing the Batteries

I n s t a ll i n g t he B a t t e r i e s
Your NEO came with either three AA batteries or a rechargeable battery pack.
(You can order the rechargeable battery pack after you receive the NEO if you
prefer it to standard batteries.) You need to install the batteries or battery pack
before you can use the NEO.

For more information about batteries and how to get the longest battery life, see
“About NEO Batteries and Power Sources” on page 176.

How t o Instal l AA Batteries

1. On the back of the NEO, put your thumbs in the circles on the battery
compartment cover A and slide the compartment cover toward the left to
remove it from the NEO.

After you install the

batteries the first
time, you may use
the small screw that came
with the NEO to secure the
cover. If you do this, you will
need to remove the screw the A A
next time you install batteries.

2. The first time you open the compartment, remove the small plastic bag that
contains a Phillips screw. You can use this screw to hold the battery
compartment cover shut.
3. Insert three AA batteries into the compartment. Make sure the + end of each
battery points toward the black and red cables.

NEO 2
User Manual 3
.....
GETTING STARTED
Installing the Batteries

4. Put the battery compartment cover back on and slide it back in place. You can
insert the small Phillips screw in the hole provided to make sure the cover
stays shut.

Installi ng and Char gi ng a Rechargeabl e Batt er y Pack

If you ordered a rechargeable battery pack, charge it as soon as possible after
You can order the you receive it (see steps 6–8 below). Do not store the NEO without first charging
rechargeable battery
the batteries.
pack after you
receive the NEO if you prefer 1. If the battery pack is already installed, go to step 6 to charge it; if not, go to
it to standard batteries.
step 2 below.
2. Remove the Phillips screw from the back of the NEO A. Then, put your
thumbs in the circles on the battery compartment cover B and slide the cover
toward the left to remove it from the NEO.

B B

After you install the 3. If AA batteries are already installed, remove them from the battery
rechargeable battery compartment.
pack the first time,
you may use the small 4. Insert the rechargeable battery pack in the NEO with the cable end toward the
screw that came with the matching cable in the NEO. Then, gently pull that cable out and connect it to
NEO to secure the cover. If the rechargeable battery pack.
you do this, you will need to
remove the screw the next
time you install rechargeable
batteries.

NEO 2
4 User Manual
 .....
GETTING S TARTED
Installing the Batteries

5. Put the battery compartment cover back on and slide it back in place. You can
insert the small Phillips screw in the hole provided to make sure the cover
stays shut.
6. Connect the AC adapter cord to your NEO at the connector shown C, and
plug the cord into a working electrical outlet. The batteries will automatically
start charging.

7. The first time you charge the battery pack, let it charge for 16 hours. Whenever
Rechargeable
you recharge the battery pack, let it charge for 4–8 hours. The light on the front
batteries should be
conditioned so they of the NEO D is green when the NEO is fully charged.
hold a full charge. For more You can use your NEO while it is charging, but do not disconnect it until the
information, see page 178.
light on the front turns green to show you that it is fully charged.

8. Disconnect the AC adapter cord when you have finished charging the battery
pack.

NEO 2
User Manual 5
.....
GETTING STARTED
Starting the NEO

S t a r t i ng t h e N E O
To start your NEO after you install the batteries, press on/off A.

You can use the Two-

Button On setting to
require you to press
both on/off and the enter
key to start the NEO. This
helps prevent the NEO from
being turned on accidentally. A
See page 140 to turn this
setting on using the NEO
Control Panel, or go to
page 147 to find out how to
change it for NEOs using the
system settings in the NEO
Manager software.

When you want to shut down your NEO, just press the on/off key again.

NEO will shut itself off if it has been idle for 4 minutes in most SmartApplets (but
after 30 minutes in the Responder SmartApplet and 10 minutes in the Accelerated
Reader SmartApplet).

To change the idle time on one NEO in the Control Panel, see page 144; to
change it in the system settings in the NEO Manager software, see page 145.
Please note that any changes you make will not affect the Accelerated Reader and
Responder SmartApplets.

Starting to Write on Your NEO

When you start your NEO, it opens the AlphaWord Plus SmartApplet, where you
can do your writing. Simply press one of the file keys at the top of the keyboard to
choose the file that you want to write in, and begin typing. Your writing is saved as
you type. If you turn off the NEO, or if it shuts itself off after it has been idle, you will
still find your writing in that file when you start the NEO again.

For more information about writing in AlphaWord Plus, see page 20.

NEO 2
6 User Manual
 .....
GETTING S TARTED
SmartApplets Included on Your NEO

SmartApplets Included on Your NEO

AlphaWord Plus is not the only SmartApplet installed on your NEO 2. Each NEO 2
also comes with several other SmartApplets (programs) installed. The table below
describes these SmartApplets.

SmartApplet Purpose
Responder Use this SmartApplet to use your NEO 2 as you would use a
Renaissance Responder. You or your students can use it with
the 2Know! Toolbar, AccelTest software and Accelerated
Maths RP. You must have a Renaissance Receiver to use NEO
2 as you would use a Responder. For more information, see
page 69.
AlphaWord Plus Use this SmartApplet to write on your NEO 2. This
SmartApplet opens automatically when you start the NEO 2
unless you have changed the startup SmartApplet (see
page 61). For more about writing on your NEO, see page 20.
Accelerated Students can use this SmartApplet to take some Accelerated
Reader Reader quizzes on their NEO 2s if you have a Renaissance
Receiver and meet other requirements. For more information,
see page 76.
KeyWords Use this to learn keyboarding or to teach it to your students.
Wireless For more information about KeyWords, see page 92.
MathsFacts in a Students can use this SmartApplet to complete MathsFacts in
Flash RP a Flash practices and tests on their NEO 2s just as they would
when they log in to Renaissance Place on a computer at
school. To use this SmartApplet, you need a Renaissance
Receiver, and you must meet other requirements. For more
information, see page 81.
MathsFacts in a This SmartApplet allows students to practise maths facts on
Flash (offline) their own, much as they would when doing Offline practice on
Renaissance Responders or when working in Renaissance
Home Connect. Work done in this SmartApplet is not counted
as school work, but it can be sent to Renaissance Place. In
Renaissance Place, the results of this practice can be included
in the MathsFacts in a Flash Class Progress and Student
Record Reports if you include the practice summary. For more
information, see page 85.
Beamer Use this to send (or beam) files to another NEO or to receive
files from another NEO through the infrared port. For more
information, see page 160.
Control Panel Use this to change settings for the NEO 2 or for SmartApplets.
For more information, see page 137.
Calculator Use this to do mathematical calculations. See page 164.

NEO 2
User Manual 7
.....
GETTING STARTED
Connecting a NEO to Your Computer

Connecting a NEO to Your Computer

You should connect your NEO to your computer when you want to

If you have a • Send a file to a program in your computer (see page 9).
SmartOption
Bundle, and you • Manage your NEO using the NEO Manager software (see page 11).
want to use NEO Manager to
Follow these steps to connect the NEO to your computer:
work with your NEOs,
connect them to the trolley 1. If this is the first time you have connected the NEO to your computer, check the
instead of connecting them
following:
directly to your computer. See
the instructions that came with • Make sure that you are logged in as an administrator or that you have
your lab. permissions that allow the device drivers to load properly.
• Make sure the NEO Manager software is running on the computer.
2. Using the cable that came with the NEO, connect the thin, flat connector A to
your computer, and connect the square end B to your NEO at C.

3. On Windows computers, you may be prompted to install a driver the first time
you connect your NEO to the computer with a USB cable. If so, accept the
On Windows XP
default values in the Wizard and click Next > in each panel. When you have
computers, you may
be notified that the finished, restart the computer.
driver is not certified for On Macintosh OS 10 computers, the first time you connect your NEO, a
Windows XP. The driver will keyboard setup assistant will open. Follow the instructions in the assistant.
work for your system; to go on,
click Continue Anyway. 4. The message on your NEO will tell you that it is connected and remind you
what to press to send a file or to switch files.

NEO 2
8 User Manual
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GETTING S TARTED
Sending Files from One NEO to Your Computer

Sending Files from One NEO to Your Computer

If you are using just one NEO, you can send NEO files to a program on your
computer by connecting the NEO to the computer with a USB cable and then
If you have a
sending the file.
SmartOption
Bundle, there are You can send files to any program that allows you to type text, including word
two ways to send files from
processing programs, text fields in multimedia or graphics programs or
multiple NEOs to your
computer: spreadsheet programs. If you are using a spreadsheet program, on NEO, you can
• You can retrieve and open set up data using tabs and returns so it transfers into your spreadsheet program
files from NEOs using the more smoothly.
NEO Manager software. See
page 41. Follow these steps to send a file over a cable connection:
• If you use NEO Share,
students can press cmd-send 1. Exit NEO Manager on the computer if the program is running.
to send files back to you. See 2. Turn on your NEO and open the file that you want to send by pressing one of
the instructions you received the file keys or opening a saved file (see page 23).
for NEO Share.
3. Connect the NEO to your computer (see page 8).
4. On your computer, open the program and file that you want to send the NEO
file into. Place your cursor where you want the NEO text to start.
5. Press send on your NEO. As NEO sends the file, you will see the following:
• The text from the NEO file will begin appearing in the file on your computer.
If your text is not
correct in your (If the NEO file has a linked file, the main file text will be sent first; then, the
computer file, your linked file text will be sent.)
computer program may need
• The NEO will show a progress bar as the file is sent.
a slower transfer speed. See
page 144 to change the Wait until the entire file is sent.
transfer speed for USB cable
6. Save the file on your computer.
connection file transfers.
7. If you want to send another file from your NEO, do this:
• When connected to a Windows computer: Press  and the file number
key on the NEO to switch to that file on the NEO.
• When connected to a Macintosh computer: Press , option, and the
file number key on the NEO to switch to that file on the NEO.
Then, open the file on your computer where you want to send the NEO file.
Press send again on the NEO.
8. Disconnect the cable from your computer and the NEO.
9. If you do not want to keep the file on the NEO, press clear file to delete the
text.

NEO 2
User Manual 9
.....
GETTING STARTED
Printing Files from Your NEO

Printing Files from Your NEO

You can print a NEO file from your computer after sending it (see page 9) or
retrieving it using NEO Manager (see page 41). You can also print directly from
For more about
your NEO. There are three ways to do this:
printers’
compatibility with • You can connect your NEO to a printer with a USB cable and then press print
NEO, go to
on the NEO as described below.
http://support.renlearn.com/
techkb/techkb/6833262e.asp. • You can use IR beaming to send the file from NEO to your printer as described
below.

• You can use wireless printing. See the next page.

NEO does not control print settings such as font, print quality, margins and so on.
These settings are determined by the printer’s default settings.

Print ing from NEO Using a USB Cable Connection

1. Plug one end of the printer’s USB cable into NEO’s USB printer port A.

2. Make sure the other end of the USB cable is plugged into the printer, and make
sure the printer is on.
3. Make sure NEO is turned on.
4. Open the NEO file that you want to print. (If you want to print a linked file
instead of the main file, press ctrl-L to open the linked file. For more about
linked files, see page 32.)
5. Press print on NEO to print the open file.

How t o Send Text to a Pri nter Using IR Beaming

If your printer has an IR transceiver, you can print using IR beaming. Follow these
steps:

1. Make sure your NEO is turned on.

2. Open the NEO file that you want to print. (If you want to print a linked file
instead of the main file, press ctrl-L to open the linked file.)
3. Point your NEO’s IR port A toward the printer’s IR transceiver.

4. Press print on the NEO to print the open file.

NEO 2
10 User Manual
 .....
GETTING S TARTED
Getting Started with the NEO Manager Software

How t o Pri nt Wirelessly Usi ng NEO 2’s RF Capabili ty

To print wirelessly with NEO 2, you must have a Renaissance Receiver connected
to your computer. (See page 16 to set up the Receiver.) The NEO 2 file will print to
your computer’s default printer.

1. Make sure your NEO 2 is turned on.

2. Open the NEO file that you want to print. (If you want to print a linked file
instead of the main file, press ctrl-L to open the linked file. For more about
linked files, see page 32.)
3. Press print on the NEO 2.
4. NEO 2 will look for a cable connection first, then for an IR connection. If neither
is found, NEO 2 will search for networks (that is, computers connected to
Renaissance Receivers).
When it lists those networks, use the arrow keys to highlight the Receiver
name you want. Then, press enter. NEO 2 will connect to the computer that
has that Receiver, and it will print to the computer’s default printer.

G e t t i n g S t a r t e d w it h t he N E O M a na g e r S o f t w a r e

About t he NEO Manager Soft ware

When you install the NEO Manager software on your computer, it can help you
manage a single NEO or up to 30 NEOs in a SmartOption trolley.

With NEO Manager software, you can do the following:

Where to Find
NEO Manager Tasks Instructions
Send files to your NEOs. You can send any text, rubrics for Page 51
assignments or Write On! lessons to specific files on your
NEOs. You can also send linked files.
Get files from your NEOs and view, print or save them. This is Page 41
faster than sending files to your computer one by one from
each NEO 2.
Retrieve students’ KeyWords work from NEO 2s, view reports Page 114
on that work and send the data to Renaissance Place.
Install and delete SmartApplets on your NEOs. Pages 63 and 65
Change settings for connected NEOs. For example, you can Page 145
change the master password or file passwords.
Keep track of the connected NEOs and their status. Page 15

NEO 2
User Manual 11
.....
GETTING STARTED
Getting Started with the NEO Manager Software

Installi ng t he NEO Manager Softwar e

Follow the instructions for your type of computer to install the NEO Manager
software.

Note: The Renaissance Wireless Server Utility is installed with the NEO Manager
software. This utility is used if you have a Renaissance Receiver and one or more
NEO2s.

On Windows Computers
NEO Manager software works in Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

1. Make sure that you are logged in to the computer as an administrator or that
you have administrator privileges.
2. If you have the UK Software and Manuals CD, insert it into your computer and
view the contents.
If you have downloaded a new version of the software, extract the files from the
.zip file you downloaded. View the extracted files.
3. Double-click the setup.exe file.
4. If your computer does not have Microsoft .NET Framework Full, you will see a
On Windows 7, you message telling you that NEO Manager requires it. Click Install.
may be asked whether
you want to allow the 5. When the NEO Manager installation wizard opens, click Next > in the first
program to make changes to panel.
your computer. Click Yes to
6. Read the license agreement. You can print the license if you wish by clicking
continue.
the button provided. Click the first option to accept the terms and click Next >.
7. If you already have Renaissance Wireless Server installed, you may see a
screen that tells you that it is using files that need to be updated. Leave the first
option (Automatically close and attempt to restart applications) selected
and click OK.
8. On 64-bit computers only, this happens next:
a. A message will tell you that 64-bit drivers must be installed. Click OK.
b. The NEO Manager 64-bit Driver wizard will open. Click Next >.
c. Leave Complete selected and click Next >.
d. Click Install.
e. Click Finish.
9. If you need to restart your computer, on the last panel of the NEO Manager
installation wizard, click an option to choose whether to restart your computer
now or later. Then, click Finish.
If a restart is not required, leave the box ticked if you want to view the Read Me
file. Click Finish.

On Macintosh Computers
NEO Manager software works in OS 10.4.x, 10.5.x, 10.6.x, 10.7.x and 10.8.x.

1. Make sure that you are logged in to the computer as an administrator or that
you have administrator privileges.
2. If you have the UK Software and Manuals CD, insert it into your computer and
view the contents.
If you have downloaded a new version of the software, open the .dmg file you
downloaded.

NEO 2
12 User Manual
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GETTING S TARTED
Getting Started with the NEO Manager Software

3. Double-click NEO Manager Installer.

4. Enter the administrator user name and password for the computer. Then, click
OK.
5. Read the license agreement. (You can use the buttons to print or save it.)
Then, click Continue.
6. Click Agree when the program asks if you want to agree to the license
agreement.
7. Click Install to start the installation.
8. Click OK when a message tells you that it may automatically restart your
computer after installation.
9. The installer will also ask if you want to add the program to the dock. Click Yes
or No. The installation will finish. Your computer may restart.
After installation, the folders where NEO Manager and the Renaissance
Wireless Server Utility were installed will open.

St art ing the NEO Manager Sof tware

On Windows Computers
Click StartAll ProgramsNEO ManagerStart NEO Manager.

On Macintosh Computers
1. Open the Applications folder on your computer.
2. Open the AlphaSmart folder, then the AlphaSmart Manager 2 folder.
3. Double-click NEO Manager.
If you have added NEO Manager to the dock, you can click the icon in the dock
instead of following the steps above.

Regi stering the Software

The first time you start the program, a Registration window will open, asking you to
Registration for
register your software. You can click Now, Later (to be reminded in two weeks) or
Renaissance Online
Plus gives you Never.
access to product tips and
If you choose Now, you will go to the Renaissance Online Plus page. If you
other useful information as
well as notifications of already have an account on the Renaissance Learning website, you can log in; if
software updates. not, choose to create a new account. Once you are logged in, you can select your
products and the information you would like to receive. When you have finished,
click Done.

NEO 2
User Manual 13
.....
GETTING STARTED
Getting Started with the NEO Manager Software

About t he Tabs in NEO Manager

NEO Manager has a tab for each type of task in the program:

• Get/Print AlphaWord Files: Use this tab to get the AlphaWord Plus files that
are in files 1–8 on each connected NEO. You can then view, print or save the
files. For more information, see page 41.

• AlphaWord Files to Send: Use this tab to send text files, linked files, rubrics for
assignments or Write On! lessons to any of the numbered files on the connected
NEOs. For more information, see page 51.

• KeyWords: Use this tab to retrieve data about student work in the KeyWords
Wireless SmartApplet from connected NEO 2s and to send the data to
Renaissance Place. For more information, see page 114.

• SmartApplets: Use this tab to install or remove SmartApplets on the connected

NEOs. This is a good way to make sure several NEOs have the same
SmartApplets. For more information, see page 60.
• Settings: Use this tab to change the system settings or SmartApplet settings for
connected NEOs. For more information, see page 145.

• Send List: Use this tab to review a list of the files, SmartApplets or changes that
you have chosen to send to NEOs. You can also choose which NEOs to send
these items to. When you are ready, you can click Send. For more about send
lists, see page 154.

NEO 2
14 User Manual
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GETTING S TARTED
Getting Started with the NEO Manager Software

Monit ori ng the Connected NEOs i n NEO Manager

The bottom of the NEO Manager window shows you how many NEO 2s (NEO
devices) are connected A.

A
B

Click B (Windows) or (Macintosh) to see the status of all connected NEOs.

You might need to wait a few moments before you see the connection information.

Several NEOs connected through an AlphaHub in

One NEO connected with a USB cable a SmartOption Trolley

You will see a circle for each connected NEO. The color of the circle shows the
status of the connection:

In the NEO Manager • Green circle with a “2”: Your NEO 2 is properly connected.
preferences, you can
• Yellow circle: The connected NEO needs updating.
choose to always
open the connection status • Red circle: An AS3000 is connected. This version of NEO Manager is not
when you start NEO compatible with AS3000s, and you cannot have both NEOs and AS3000s
Manager. See page 156. connected to the SmartOption trolley.

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GETTING STARTED
Setting Up the Renaissance Receiver and Using NEO 2’s Wireless Capabilities

• Black circle: Your NEO is not connected or is improperly connected (refer

to Troubleshooting on page 170).
When you are properly connected, you can transfer information between your
NEO and your computer.

Setting Up the Renaissance Receiver and Using NEO 2’s

Wireless Capabilities
If you have a Renaissance Receiver, you can use NEO 2’s wireless capabilities to
print wirelessly to your computer’s default printer. You can also use NEO 2 with the
following Renaissance Learning products:

• 2Know! Toolbar: NEO 2 users can respond to questions on a NEO 2. See

page 74.

• AccelTest: Students can use NEO 2 to enter their answers to assignment

questions and send their answers to the software. See page 69.

• Accelerated Maths RP: Students can use NEO 2 to enter their answers to
assisted-response Accelerated Maths assignments. See page 72.

• Accelerated Reader RP: Students can take Reading Practice Quizzes and
Vocabulary Practice Quizzes on a NEO 2. See page 76.

• KeyWords RP: If you are using KeyWords Wireless (see page 92) in online
mode with NEO 2, you can import your Renaissance Place students into NEO
Manager and they can log in to NEO 2 to use KeyWords Wireless.

• MathsFacts in a Flash RP: On NEO 2, students can complete their school

MathsFacts in a Flash practices or tests on a NEO 2 using the MathsFacts in a
Flash RP SmartApplet (see page 81), or they can practise on their own using
the MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplet (see page 85) and then send
the results of their work to Renaissance Place.
Before you can use NEO 2 with these products, you must
• Connect the Renaissance Receiver to your computer.

• Name the Renaissance Receiver/computer connection (network).

• Set up the Renaissance Place settings if you want to use NEO 2 with
Accelerated Reader, KeyWords RP or MathsFacts in a Flash.

• Install the Renaissance Responder client as described in the Accelerated Maths

Software Manual if you want to use NEO 2 with Accelerated Maths RP.

Connect ing the Renaissance Recei ver to Your Computer

1. Make sure you have installed NEO Manager before connecting the
Renaissance Receiver. See page 12. This is important because the
Renaissance Wireless Server Utility is installed with NEO Manager.
2. The first time you connect the Receiver to your computer, make sure you are
logged in to your computer as an administrator or that you have administrator
privileges. This ensures that the device drivers load properly.

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GETTING S TARTED
Setting Up the Renaissance Receiver and Using NEO 2’s Wireless Capabilities

3. Plug the square end of the data cable into the back of the Receiver A.

A
B

4. Connect the flat USB connector on the data cable to a matching USB port on
your computer B.

Naming the Renai ssance Recei ver (Wirel ess Network)

It is important to set a unique name for the computer/Receiver combination
The Renaissance (network) so that students know they are connecting to the correct Receiver. This
Wireless Server is especially important if you have more than one Renaissance Receiver in the
Utility is
same building. Follow these steps to set a name:
automatically installed with
NEO Manager. Make sure 1. Start the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility. In most Windows versions, you
you have installed NEO
will find the utility in your Start menu; in Windows 8, you can find it in the list of
Manager before you follow
these steps. applications available. On Macintosh computers, you will find it in the
Applications folder.
2. Type 1234 and click OK to log in. (This is the default Administrator PIN. If you
have changed the PIN, enter your new PIN.) If necessary, click Start.
3. Click the Server Settings tab.
You can also change
the Administrator 4. Enter a new name in the Network Name field A. Make sure the name is
PIN on this tab by different from the name of your school’s other Receivers.
clicking Set Administrator
PIN, entering a new PIN, and
clicking OK. Be sure to update
the network settings if you do
this.

5. Click Update Network Settings B.

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GETTING STARTED
Installing and Using NEO Share

6. Click OK when the program finishes updating the network settings. Make sure
your students know the Receiver network name.

Setti ng t he Renaissance Place Address

If you will be using your NEO 2s with Accelerated Reader RP, KeyWords RP or
MathsFacts in a Flash RP, follow these steps to set the Renaissance Place web
address (or RPID) so that the NEO 2s can communicate with the programs.

1. Start the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility. In most Windows versions, you
will find the utility in the Start menu; in Windows 8, you can find it in the list of
applications available. On Macintosh computer, you will find it in the
Applications folder.
2. Type 1234 and click OK to log in. (This is the default Administrator PIN. If you
have changed the PIN, enter your new PIN.) If necessary, click Start.
3. Click the Server Settings tab.
4. Click Renaissance Place Settings.
5. Enter the web address or RPID for the Renaissance Place server where you
are using Accelerated Reader RP, KeyWords RP and/or MathsFacts in a Flash
RP. (You can find the web address or RPID on the Software Requirements
page in Renaissance Place; the RPID is also on your Renaissance Place
Welcome page.)
6. Click Verify to make sure the utility recognises the address or RPID as valid.

7. Click OK when the program verifies that the settings were changed
successfully. (The OK button is available after you verify the web address or
RPID as described in step 6.)

Installing and Using NEO Share

NEO Share software is also included. NEO Share is a quick and easy way to send
text or files to NEO 2 users and receive files back from them as you work with your
group or class. Using NEO Share, you can:

• Copy or drag text from another source into NEO Share and immediately send it
to NEO 2s, including text from websites and documents that you have access to.

• Make text files available for NEO 2 users to pick up, including Write On! lessons,
sample linked files (rubrics) and files in favorite folders.

• Receive files that were sent back from NEO 2 users. You can open the files,
print them or save them.

NEO Share works on your computer desktop or with interactive whiteboards or

projectors.

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GETTING S TARTED
Installing and Using NEO Share

You can install NEO Share from the UK Software and Manuals CD that you
received or download it from the Customer Zone on www.renlearn.co.uk. To find
out how to install and use NEO Share, see the instructions you received in your kit
or with the downloaded software.

NEO 2
User Manual 19
U SING A LPHA W ORD P LUS TO W RITE ON NEO
Since AlphaWord Plus is the SmartApplet that you use to write on the NEO, it is
the one that you will probably use the most. Writing on NEO is easy—simply type
the text, and it is automatically saved in the file that you have open. This chapter
provides more information about the many features of the AlphaWord Plus
SmartApplet.

Starting AlphaWord Plus

When you first receive your NEO, it starts AlphaWord Plus automatically whenever
you turn it on.

If you have changed the program that starts when you start the NEO (see
page 61), you can still open AlphaWord Plus by following these steps:

1. Press applets.
2. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor next to AlphaWord Plus.
3. Press enter.

Typing and Editing Text

When you first start NEO and it starts AlphaWord Plus, NEO opens file 1, which is
empty. The next time you start the NEO, it opens the file you last worked on. The
cursor is where you left it in that file.

If you want to work in a different file, open it by pressing one of the file keys (file 1–
file 8) at the top of the keyboard. If you want to start a new file, but you want to
keep the text that was in that space (file 3, for example), you can name the file (see
page 23) and then close it by clearing the file (see page 38). You can open named
files later when you are ready to work on them again.

file 1 file 2 file 3 file 4 file 5 file 6 file 7 file 8

To enter text in a file, simply begin typing. Use backspace or delete to erase text
you have typed. As with most word processors, text automatically wraps at the end
of each line. Press enter only when you want to separate paragraphs. NEO saves
each character as you type it.

The following tables show you how to move through your file, select text, and cut,
copy, paste or delete text.

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Typing and Editing Text

Movi ng the Cursor

Press these keys... ...to move to this point:
 One character to the left or right
 One line up or down
- Up one screen (scrolling)
- Down one screen (scrolling)
- Beginning of line
- End of line
option- or option- Previous word or next word
ctrl- or ctrl- Previous sentence or next sentence
ctrl- or ctrl- Previous paragraph or next paragraph
home Beginning of file
end End of file

Selecting Text
When you select text on your NEO, the selection is highlighted in reverse: the
selected text is light and the background is dark. To deselect text that you have
selected, press esc or an arrow key. (Cutting, copying and pasting also deselects
the text.)

Press these keys... ...to select the following:

shift- One character to the left at a time
shift- One character to the right at a time
shift- One line up
shift- One line down
shift-option- From cursor to beginning of word
shift-option- From cursor to end of word
shift-- From cursor to beginning of line
shift-- From cursor to end of line
shift-home From cursor to beginning of file
shift-end From cursor to end of file
ctrl-A or -A Entire file

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About the NEO Clipboard

Cutting, Copying, Pasting and Deleting Text

To cut, copy or paste text, you must first select it (see the previous table). Then, do
one of the following:

To do this: Press this:

Cut selected text and copy it to the clipboard ctrl-X or -X
Copy selected text to the clipboard ctrl-C or -C
Paste text from the clipboard into your file ctrl-V or -V
Delete a character to the left of the cursor or backspace
delete selected text
Delete a character to the right of the cursor or delete
delete selected text
Remove the entire contents of the file clear file

About the NEO Clipboard

NEO has a built-in clipboard like computers do. Whenever you cut or copy text, it is
placed in the clipboard. When you use the paste command, you paste the text
from the clipboard into a file (either the same file or a new file). The clipboard can
store one block of text at a time.

By following the instructions below, you can view the text in the clipboard or the
status of the clipboard at any time.

How t o See What Is I n the Cli pb o ar d

Press ctrl-option--C. If the text in the clipboard is too long to be shown in one
screen, you can use the arrow keys to scroll through the text.

Press esc to return to your file.

How t o See the Space Used and Avai labl e in the Clipboard
Press option--C. The screen shows you the number of text pages in the
clipboard and how much empty space (in pages) is still available.

Press any key to return to your file.

Creating New Files

To start a new file in AlphaWord Plus, press the file keys until you find an empty
file and begin typing. NEO saves each character as you type it, so if you press that
file key again later, the text will still be there (unless you have removed it).

If you want to create a new file in a file space that already has text, follow these
steps:

1. Press the file key for the file number you want to work in.
2. Press ctrl-N.

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Naming and Saving Files

3. AlphaWord Plus will ask whether you want to keep the text that is already in
the file:
• Press Y if you want to save text, then type a name for the file. AlphaWord
Plus saves the text as a file with the name you specified, then clears the
numbered file so you can begin your new file. You can open the file that you
saved again later; see page 23.
• Press N if you do not want to save the existing text. AlphaWord Plus
removes the text so you can begin your new file.

Naming and Saving Files

As you write, NEO automatically saves your work, even if you turn the NEO off.
Teach students to However, you can name a file that you are working on at any time so that you can
save their files when keep it even if you clear the file space (see page 38) or create a new file to work on
they begin an something else.
assignment to ensure that
they can retrieve the files even You can open named files again later in one of the eight file spaces. (To find out
if they clear a file space. It is how to open a named file, see the next section.)
also helpful to teach students
to put a heading on every Follow these steps to name a file and save it outside the eight active files:
document they create.
1. Go to the file you want to name.
2. Press ctrl-S.
3. Type a name for the file and press enter. You do not need to worry about
saving the file again—it will save any additional changes to your text until you
close the file by clearing it or creating a new one.

Finding and Opening Files

To open a file that you know is in one of the eight active files, press the appropriate
file key.

If you do not know where the file is, you can find the file by its first line or name.
Follow these steps:

It is a good idea to 1. Press one of the eight file keys to choose which file space you want to use.
choose an empty file 2. Do one of the following to find a file:
space or one that
contains a named file before • To see a list of files by first line, press ctrl-F. The list will include both the
you open another file. If you numbered files and named files that are not open in files 1–8.
have text in the file and you
have not named it, you will be
given the chance to name it.

• To see a list of files by name, press ctrl-O.

3. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor next to the file you want to open; then,
press enter.

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Formatting Text

If the file does not open right away, you may see one of these messages:

By naming the file,

you are making sure Message Why It Appears What to Do
you can open it
Would you like to You already have text Press Y if you want to keep
again later. Named files that
keep the current file? in the file number that the file. You must enter a
are not open are listed when
you press ctrl-F or ctrl-O. Press Y for Yes you chose. name so that you can open
Press N for No the file again later. After you
do that, the new file you chose
will open.
Press N if you do not want to
keep the file that you already
have open. The new file that
you chose will open instead.
Press the enter key to The file that you If you want to go to the file in
open: chose to open is the file number shown, press
[file name] in [F#] already open in enter.
another file number. If you want to stay in the
current file number, press esc.

Formatting Text
NEO lets you concentrate on the content of your text rather than its layout. Only
the characters themselves (ASCII key codes) are transferred from NEO to the
computer. You can set the file margins, fonts and other style attributes after you
send a file to your computer (see page 9).

You can, however, change the size of the screen font on your NEO. See “Changing
Font Size” below for details.

You can also press the tab key to create columns or paragraph indents in your file.
If you have Show Marks on, tabs look like this: . If Show Marks is not on, tabs
look like spaces between characters.

Changing Font Size

Avail able Font Si zes

You can change the font size that is used on your screen when you work in
AlphaWord Plus. The font change does not affect other SmartApplets.

Changing the font does not add any attributes to the text, so when you send text to
your computer or printer, the text itself is plain text and uses your default font or the
font you have chosen in your computer program.

When you change the font size, that change applies to all files in AlphaWord Plus.
You cannot set different font sizes for different files. If, for some reason, some of
the font sizes are removed from your NEO (using NEO Manager), AlphaWord Plus
goes back to the four-line System font.

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Changing Font Size

The six font sizes are shown in the table below.

Lines Per
How the System and Font Name Screen Example
Large fonts are System 4
different: Although (Fixed Width)
both are four-line fonts, the
System font is a fixed-width or
monospace font, and the
Large font is a proportional
font. In fixed-width fonts, every Extra Large 2
character and space occupies
the exact same width. In
proportionally spaced fonts,
each character occupies only
the space it needs to display
that particular character. In Very Large 3
the Large and System
examples in the table, note the
different widths of the words
“William”, “ill” and “lollipop”.

Large 4
(Proportional)

Medium 5

Small 6

You can set the font size in one of three ways:

• By using a keyboard command as described below.

• Through the Control Panel SmartApplet (see the instructions below and on
page 140).

• Through NEO Manager. Note, however, that NEO Manager can only reset the
font size to the System font (four lines onscreen). See page 146.

Changing the Font Si ze on the NEO

1. Do one of the following:
• Press ctrl-option--F.
• Press applets, move the cursor next to Control Panel, and press enter.
Use the arrow keys to move the cursor next to Change default AlphaWord
font and press enter.

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Finding Text

2. Move the cursor to select the font size you want to use, then press enter. (The
current size has “+” next to it.)

If you changed the font size with the keyboard command, you will go back to the
file where you were working. If you used Control Panel, you will return to the list of
settings; to see the new font size, press applets, then select AlphaWord Plus.

Finding Text
There are a few ways to find text within AlphaWord Plus files:

• You can search for a text string within a file or across all files. See the
instructions below.

• You can search and replace text within a file (see page 27).
• You can view a list of sections in a particular file. Sections are separated by
paragraph returns, and the section selector displays the first line of each
paragraph. See page 28.

Searchi ng f or Text i n One Fi le or All Fil es

Follow these steps to search for text within the current file or within all files:

1. Press find or -F.

2. Type the text you want to find, keeping these tips in mind:
• You can enter up to 16 characters, including spaces.
• If you have searched for text before, press clear file to remove that text
before typing the new text you want to find.
• Note that this type of search is not case-sensitive, but if you choose to find
and replace (see page 27), you can make that search case-sensitive.
3. Do one of the following:
• To search within the current file, press enter.
• To search within all files, press option-enter. (You cannot search all files if
password protection is enabled on your NEO; see page 57.)
• To exit the Find screen without searching, press esc.
4. If the text string is found, the cursor appears at the beginning of the found text.
If NEO cannot find the text you entered, you will see a brief message to tell you
so.
If you chose to search within all files, the NEO will open each of the files
looking for instances of the word and go to the first one it finds.
5. To find the same text again, press -G.

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Finding Text

Fi nding and Replacing Text in One File

Follow these steps to search and replace in the file you have open. (You cannot
search and replace in all files at the same time.)

1. Press ctrl-find. You will go to the Find/Replace screen.

2. Type the text you want to find in the Find field, keeping these tips in mind:
You can use the
clipboard to paste • You can search for up to 100 characters, including spaces.
text into both the Find • If you searched for and replaced text before, press clear file in each field to
and Replace With fields.
remove your earlier text entries.
3. Press tab or  to move to the Replace field.
4. Type the replacement text.
5. Press tab or , then press  or  to move between options for the search
(whole word, match case and replace all). Press the spacebar to enable or
disable each option. When the option is selected, you will see * between the
parentheses next to that option.
• Whole word searches for complete words only. If you do not select this
option, NEO searches for characters that may be part of a longer word or
part of more than one word (for example, searching for hat would find that,
chat and hatchet).
• Match case finds text that exactly matches the capitalisation of the text you
typed in the Find field.
• Replace all specifies that you want to replace all occurrences within the
file.
6. Press enter to begin the search. When the text is found, the NEO will show
you the first occurrence with options listed to the right as in the example below.

7. Do one of the following:

• Type R to replace the found text with the replacement text.
• Type S to skip that occurrence of the found text and leave it as is.
• Press the arrow keys to scroll through the surrounding text so you can see
the found text in the context of nearby text.
• Press esc to exit without finding or replacing this or any other text.

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Finding Text

Fi nding Secti ons in a Fi le

In AlphaWord Plus, a “section” is a block of text separated by 1–9 blank lines. In
longer files, it is helpful to go straight to one of these sections instead of scrolling
through the files. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Press -S to display a list of sections in the open file.

2. The number in the top right corner of the screen shows how many blank lines
AlphaWord Plus expects to see between sections A.
If you have more or fewer blank lines between sections in this document, type
the number you have used (any number from 1 to 9). When AlphaWord Plus
asks if you want to change the section separator, press Y for yes.

3. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor next to the section you want; then,
press enter to move to the beginning of the section you chose.

An Example of How to Search for Sections in a File

In the example below, the user typed two blank lines between sections of the
document about bears. For this document, when you are looking for a section, you
would press -S to see a list of sections and press 2 to change the number of
blank lines between sections to two. You would then see a list like the one shown.

An example of how you

might format your file in
AlphaWord Plus

How sections might

appear when blank
lines are set to 2

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Checking Spelling

Checking Spelling

How t o Check Spel ling in a Fil e

Follow these steps to check spelling in an AlphaWord Plus file.

1. Open the file that you want to check.

You can disable spell
check. See the next 2. Press spell check to check the whole file, or press ctrl-spell check to check
section. text that you have selected.
3. Spell check begins checking each word in your file. If it finds a word that is not
in its dictionary, spell check gives you suggestions as in the example shown
here (which found the word “runn” in the file).

Do one of the following:

• Use the arrow keys to select the correct word from the list of suggested
spellings and press enter to change this word or ctrl-enter to replace all
occurrences of the mistake in this file.
• Press i to ignore the word and go on to check the next word, or press ctrl-i
to ignore all occurrences of this word in the file.
• Press E to edit the word. Then, after “New”, type the new word you want
More about the user and press enter to make the change.
dictionary. The ability
to add words to the
user dictionary can be
disabled by changing the spell
check settings in the NEO
Control Panel (see page 138)
or in NEO Manager (see
page 150). You can create
your own custom user • Press C to see the word in context. You cannot make changes to the
dictionary for AlphaWord Plus
misspelled word while viewing it in context. To go back, press any key.
so that the spell check does
not question unusual words • Press A to add the word to the user dictionary so that AlphaWord Plus
that you use often. See does not question the spelling of the word in the future. When the program
page 30 for details.
tells you the word has been added, press any key.
• Press esc to exit spell check.
4. If you have not exited spell check by pressing esc, when it finishes checking
your file, it notifies you that the spell check is complete and returns you to your
file.

Turning Off Spell Check

At times, you may want to turn off the spell check feature. For example, if students
use NEO for spelling assignments, you may not want them to be able to spell
You can set the check their work.
master password
using the System There are three ways to turn off spell check or turn it back on:
settings in NEO Manager.
• You can press option--spell check on a NEO and enter the master
See page 135.
password.

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Checking Spelling

• You can use the Control Panel SmartApplet on one NEO (page 138).

• From NEO Manager, you can disable spell check for all connected NEOs (see
page 150).

For the first two methods, you will need to enter the NEO’s master password. You
can get the default master password from Technical Support, or you can set your
own master password for your NEOs using the System settings in the NEO
Manager software (see page 135).

Addi ng Words to the User Di ctionary

If you use words that regularly trip up your spell checks—such as scientific terms,
proper names or acronyms—you can add them to the AlphaWord Plus dictionary
so that spell check does not question them in the future. There are three ways to
add words to the user dictionary:

• During the spell check, you can press A for “add” when spell check questions
the word.

• Using the Spell Check Settings in the Control Panel (see page 138), you can
add words to the user dictionary or delete the user dictionary. (You can also turn
off the ability to add words to the dictionary.)

• You can create a text file on your computer that contains the words to be added,
and then you can send it to your NEO(s) using NEO Manager. See the next
section.

This is the most efficient method if you have more than one NEO because it
updates multiple NEOs at the same time and it allows you to add several words
at the same time. You can also delete words from the user dictionary using this
method. (You cannot using the other methods.)

Whenever you make updates to your user dictionary text file, simply use NEO
Manager to send the file again, and the existing user dictionary on the NEO(s)
will be overwritten.

Sending a New User Dictionary to NEOs Using NEO Manager

Instead of adding words one by one as you do
SpiffyPro
spell checks on your NEOs, you can create a
Oban
text file on your computer that contains all the
words you want to be in the user dictionary on Turlock
your NEOs. Then, you can use NEO Manager to Cumbria
send that file to your NEOs to replace the user Bena
dictionary. Caden
Cupertino
You can separate words in a text file with
Islay
spaces, commas, tabs or returns. (The example
to the right uses returns.) MegaSync
Aptos
You can also delete a
Each NEO can only have one user dictionary. Surrey
When you send a new one, it overwrites the
user dictionary
using the spell existing user dictionary on the NEO.
check settings in NEO
If you want to add or remove words in your NEO
Manager. See page 150.
user dictionary, you can change the word list in
the text file on your computer and resend it to your NEOs.

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Using the Thesaurus

Follow these steps to send a user dictionary to NEOs:

1. Start NEO Manager (see page 13) and connect one NEO (see page 8) or a
SmartOption trolley.
2. Using a word-processing program on your computer, create a list of words and
save the file as a text file with a .txt file extension in the name (such as
mywords.txt).
3. In NEO Manager, click the File menu and choose Send User Dictionary.
4. Browse to select the text file you created; then, click Open (Windows) or
Choose (Macintosh).
5. Click the Send List tab and verify that your list of words appears in the
SpellCheck Files area of the send list.
6. If you are using a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the user
dictionary to some, but not all, of the NEOs, click Select Devices, tick the
NEOs that you want to send the user dictionary to and click OK. (To send to all
connected NEOs, skip this step.)
7. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter that password and click OK.

Using the Thesaurus

Keeping writing lively and interesting can be a challenge, but a thesaurus can help.
AlphaWord Plus includes a thesaurus that you can use to replace a word with a
synonym or antonym.

To use the thesaurus, follow these steps:

1. In your file, move your cursor so it is either just before or inside the word you
want to look up. (You can skip this step if you want to look up a word that is not
in your file.)
2. Press ctrl-T to open the thesaurus.
3. If you moved the cursor next to a word, it will be shown between the brackets.
If there is no word in the brackets A, or if you want to look up a different word,
type the word you want to look up. (If you need to delete text that is already
between the brackets, press clear file.)

4. Press enter.

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Using Linked Files

5. If the word was found, you will be asked to pick a category (or part of speech)
as shown below. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor next to a category and
press enter. (If the word could not be found in the thesaurus, you can press
enter to look up a different word or esc to exit.)

6. Next, some synonyms for the word will be listed. You can do any of the
following:
• If you see a word that you want to use, move the cursor next to it and press
enter.
• If you want to look up more words like one in the list, move the cursor next
to a word and press L.
• If you want to see antonyms (words with the opposite meaning),
press A.
• If you want to go back and choose a different category, press C.
• If you want to leave the thesaurus without doing anything, press esc.

7. If you chose to use a word, move the cursor to choose one of these options
and press enter:
• Replace the original word in your file.
• Copy the word you chose to the clipboard so you can paste it elsewhere.
• Do a new search in the thesaurus for the word you selected.
8. Depending on what you chose, you will either return to your file or to the
thesaurus.

Using Linked Files

Each AlphaWord Plus file can have a linked file, that is, a file connected to the
main file.

A linked file is a place to store information related to a file. For example, you could
create a linked file with an outline of what you plan to write, a checklist of tasks,
vocabulary words or rubric information for an assignment. Teachers can use them
to include guidelines for writing assignments.

A linked file is read-only. You cannot create or edit linked files in AlphaWord Plus.
You create them on your computer by enclosing the text within <form> tags, and
then send them to NEOs using NEO Manager (see page 33).

On your NEO, you can press ctrl-L to switch between the file you can write in and
the linked file.

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Using Linked Files

Here is an example of a simple linked file that lists vocabulary words. In this
example, the linked file includes the vocabulary words and instructions for an
assignment, and the student can write sentences with the vocabulary words in the
main file.

How the linked file looks

in NEO Manager (The text inside
the <FORM> tags will be in the
linked file.)

Text in the linked

file after it is sent to
the NEO

Main file in
the NEO

Sending a Linked Fi le to NEOs

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8).
2. Click the AlphaWord Files to Send tab.
3. In the file list on the left, click the file number that you want to send to on the
NEO(s) A.

You can also click

the Linked Files
button, type the text
for the linked file in the A B
<form> tags that have been
entered for you in the new
window and then click OK to
come back to the main
window. See page 53.

4. In the File # window B, type the text for the linked file. All text that you want in
the linked file should be inside <form> and </form> tags as shown above. If
you want to send any text into the main AlphaWord Plus file (not the linked file),
insert it before or after the <form> tags.

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Using Linked Files

In your linked file, you can use the tags below to insert tick boxes, specify a
preformatted section and control line breaks. The tags in the table are similar
to HTML tags. Most have a beginning tag enclosed in angle brackets (such as
<PRE>) and an end tag enclosed in angle brackets with a forward slash
(</PRE>).
Tag Description
<FORM> Begin a linked file.
</FORM> End a linked file.
[] or [ ] Insert a tick box.
<PRE> Begin a preformatted section (use this when you want
to precisely control line breaks).
</PRE> End a preformatted section.
<NOBR> Begin no break text (use this to keep the text that
follows on a single line, if possible).
</NOBR> End of no break text.
<BR> Insert a hard return.

5. Click the Send List tab to verify that the linked file and any other text appears
as you want it.
6. If you have a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the linked file to some,
but not all, of the NEOs, click Select Devices, tick the numbers that you want
to send the file to and then click OK. (To send to all connected NEOs, skip this
step.)
7. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter the password and click OK.
The linked file and any other associated text will be sent to your NEO(s).

Vi ewing Li nked Fi les on NEOs

1. On your NEO, press the file number key for the file that has a linked file.
2. Press ctrl-L to open the linked file.
If the linked file has tick boxes, you can tick them by pressing the spacebar or
X, and you can clear them by pressing the spacebar or backspace. Move
forward through tick boxes by pressing tab. Move backward by pressing
shift-tab.
If a linked file is long, you can use the arrow keys to scroll through it.
3. To return to the main file, press ctrl-L again or press the file key.

Ti ps for Using Linked Files

• If you send a file from a NEO to your computer that has a linked file, the main file
is sent first; then, the linked file is sent with the <form> tags.

• You can print the linked file text. Simply press ctrl-L to view your linked file, then
press print on your NEO. Whatever is on the screen when you press print—the
main file or the linked file—will be printed.

• You can copy the text of a linked file and paste it into the main file or into another
file. To do so, view the linked file by pressing ctrl-L, then press shift-ctrl--C.

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Using Linked Files

The linked file is copied to the clipboard. Next, press ctrl-L to return to the main
file, or press one of the file keys for a different file. Then, press ctrl-V to paste
the text.

Sample Linked Files

Below is a sample of a complex linked file, shown as you would create it on your
computer and how it appears on a NEO.
An example of a linked file you
might create on your computer

Story Starter
The assignment is to write a story. Every story has
four parts: a setting, characters, a plot and a
solution. Press ctrl-L to view the steps to complete.
Editable text that Write your story in the first person and begin with
appears in the one of the phrases below.
main file
I never noticed...
I remember...
I felt...
I saw...
<FORM>
Complete each step:
<br> Line break
Text and tick [ ] Choose a setting
boxes that appear [ ] Choose characters
in the linked file [ ] Choose a plot
[ ] Choose a solution
</FORM>

Complete each step: Story Starter

The assignment is to write a story.
[ ] Choose a setting Every story has four parts: a setting,
[ ] Choose characters characters, a plot and a solution. Press
[ ] Choose a plot ctrl-L to view the steps to complete.
[ ] Choose a solution Write your story in the first person and
begin with one of the phrases below.

I never noticed...
The linked file on a NEO I remember...
I felt...
I saw...
The connected AlphaWord
Plus file

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Character, Word, Paragraph and Page Counts

Character, Word, Paragraph and Page Counts

Follow these steps to find out how many characters, words, paragraphs and pages
are in your current file:

1. Open the file.

2. Press ctrl-W. You will see a screen like the one below, displaying statistics for
the file.
The percentage and the black bar at the bottom show you how much more you
can enter before reaching the file size limit (see page 37). For another way to
see the space remaining, see page 37.

3. Press M to see more statistics. You will need to scroll to view all the
information.

4. Press esc to exit the screen and return to your file.

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File Size Limits

File Size Limits

About t he File Size Limit s

AlphaWord Plus has minimum and maximum file size limits:

• Default minimum size: 512 characters (about a quarter of a page)

The amount of space
• Default maximum size: 51,200 characters (about 25 pages)
available is affected
by the size of data You can change these limits using the NEO Manager software; see page 149 for
files for your other
more information.
SmartApplets.
When an AlphaWord Plus file reaches the limit, you will see the message shown
below. You should continue in another file or send this file to your computer as
recommended.

Checking the Size and t he Number of Pages Avai labl e for One Fil e
To see how many pages you have written in a file and how much space you have
You can see the file left, follow the steps below.
size as a percentage
of the limit when you For the purposes of this estimate, a page is the amount of text that would print on
view the character, word, one piece of paper when the text is in the 12-point Times New Roman font and
paragraph and page counts. double-spaced.
See page 36.
1. Press -i. You will see a screen like the one below. This screen shows the
pages used and available for this file and for all files (System).

2. When you have finished, press any key to exit the screen.

Checking the Number of Pages Writt en i n Fi les 1–8

If you want to see the number of pages you have written for all files on your NEO,
follow these steps:

1. Press shift--i. The screen that opens shows you the number of pages you
have written in each file. The current file is marked with *.

2. Press any key to exit the screen.

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Clearing and Deleting Files

Clearing and Deleting Files

The text that you type in each file remains there until you clear or delete the files.
Clear all files off There is a difference between clearing a file and deleting it:
NEOs on a regular
basis (perhaps once a • Clearing a file removes the contents of an unnamed numbered file (1–8). If the
quarter) to prevent too many file is named (see page 23), clearing the file closes it. If you clear an unnamed
files from being stored on the file, you can recover the text if you have not entered new text yet; see page 40.
school NEOs.
• Deleting a file completely removes both the contents of the numbered file and
the named file (if the file is named), and you cannot recover any of the data. If
the file has a linked file, the linked file is deleted as well.

The table below summarises what happens when you clear or delete each type of
file:

Pressing Clear File Does

File Type This: Deleting the File Does This:
Unnamed open file (in • Clears all text from the file, • Deletes all text from the file,
one of the eight file leaving it empty. Text can leaving it empty. Text cannot
spaces) be recovered. be recovered.
Named, open file • Closes the file and leaves • Deletes the file and its name
the file space empty. You and leaves the file space
can reopen the file later. empty.
Named file that is not When you view a list of files When you delete an unopened
open using ctrl-F and move the file from a list using ctrl-D,
cursor next to a file, pressing deleting the file does this:
clear file does this: • Deletes the file and its name.
• Clears all text from the file, • Returns you to the file list.
leaving it empty. Text can
be recovered.
• Keeps the file name,
leaving an empty, named
file.
Unnamed, open file • Clears all text from the file. • Deletes all text from the file,
with a linked file (You can recover the text.) plus the linked file. The file will
• Keeps the linked file intact, be empty. Text cannot be
but clears any tick boxes in recovered.
the linked file.
Named, open file with a • Closes the named file. • Deletes the file, its name and
linked file • Lets you choose whether to its linked file.
keep the old linked file with
a new, empty file.
Named file with a linked When you view a list of files When you delete an unopened
file when the file is not using ctrl-F and move the file from a list using ctrl-D,
open cursor next to a file, pressing deleting the file does this:
clear file does this: • Deletes the file, its name and
• Clears all text from the its linked file.
main file. (You can recover • Returns you to the file list.
the text.)
• Keeps the file name.
• Keeps the linked file text
intact, but clears tick boxes.

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Clearing and Deleting Files

Cl eari ng a Fil e
1. Press the file key for the file you want to clear to open that file.
You can also clear a 2. Press clear file.
file by pressing ctrl-F, 3. Press Y to clear the file if you want to continue. (Otherwise, press N to return to
scrolling to the file you
the file.)
want to clear and pressing
clear file. Note: You can clear files only when your NEO is not connected to your computer.
If your NEO is connected to your computer, pressing clear file has no effect.

Cl eari ng All Open Fil es (File 1–File 8)

You can clear files 1–8 simultaneously, which can be useful if multiple users have
entered information on a NEO. This affects only the numbered files (named or
unnamed); named files that are not open in files 1–8 are not affected.

Follow these steps to clear files 1–8 at the same time:

1. Press shift-ctrl-option--clear file.

2. Press Y to clear all the files if you want to continue. (If not, press N to return to
the last active file.)
3. If you have named files with linked files in files 1–8, for each file, AlphaWord
Plus will ask whether you want to keep the linked file.
Note: If necessary, you can restore these files one at a time as long as you have
not typed new text into the files. To recover files, see page 40.

Deleti ng Fil es
Deleting a file removes everything: its contents, its name (if it is a named file) and
its linked file (if it has one). You can delete a single file, or you can delete all files
on the NEO, including named files. You cannot recover data from a file that has
been deleted.

Deleting the Open File

1. Open the file you want to delete.
2. Press option--clear file.
3. Press Y to delete the file permanently if you want to continue. (If not, press N
to return to the file.)

Deleting a File from a List of Files

1. From within any file, press ctrl-D. A list of files appears.
2. Move the cursor next to the file you want to delete.
3. Press enter.
4. Press Y to delete the file permanently if you want to continue. (If not, press N
to cancel.) NEO returns you to the active file space.

Deleting All Files

1. From within any file, press ctrl-option--clear file.
2. Press Y to permanently delete all the files (including named files not in files
1–8). If you do not want to do this, press N to return to the file without deleting
files.

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Recovering Files

Recovering Files
If you clear a file, and you have not deleted the file or entered new text in the file
space, you may be able to recover text you have cleared by following these steps:

1. Make sure you are in the file number that the file you want to recover was open
in. The screen appears blank.
2. Press option--R.
3. The file should reappear onscreen. If it does not, you can try an emergency
recovery, which may place “garbage” characters in your file that you need to
remove. Follow these steps:
a. Press shift-ctrl-option--R. Your file should reappear, possibly along
with a quantity of garbage characters.
b. Scroll to the location where the garbage characters begin and press
shift-end to select from the cursor to the end of the file; then, press
delete.

Using the Typing Timer

The Typing Timer helps you evaluate your typing proficiency by measuring the
elapsed time and words per minute (WPM). Note that the final WPM result does
not subtract for errors made while typing.

When you use the typing timer, there are some restrictions:
NEO 2 also includes
• You cannot delete characters so that you can see any mistakes you made when
the KeyWords
Wireless you finish.
SmartApplet, which you can
• Pressing backspace has no effect while you use the Typing Timer.
use to learn typing skills or to
teach your students. For more You can edit the text you type after turning off the Typing Timer.
about this SmartApplet, see
page 92. Follow these steps to use the Typing Timer:

1. Choose where you want to start the typing timer. You can start in an empty file
or clear the current file so it is empty. If you want to use a file that already has
text in it, place the cursor where you want to start the Typing Timer.
2. Press -find. You will see this message:

3. Start typing. The elapsed time will appear as you type.

4. Press caps lock to stop. The elapsed time and words per minute will be
shown.

5. If you want to start the timer again, press enter.

If you want to exit the timer, press esc.

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Using NEO Manager to View, Print and Save Files

Using NEO Manager to View, Print and Save Files

Retri evi ng Fil es from Connected NEOs

You can use the NEO Manager software to get the numbered files (1–8) from all
connected NEOs. You can then view the files, print them or save them as separate
text files.

NEO Manager retrieves files 1–8 from NEOs. It does not retrieve named files that
If you are using a are not open in files 1–8. If you want to retrieve a named file, make sure you open
SmartOption it on the NEO.
Bundle, you may
have as many as 30 NEOs If you retrieve a file that has a linked file associated with it, you retrieve the linked
connected to your computer. file text as well. When you view, print or save the file, the linked file text is added to
This means you could be the end of the main file. For more about linked files, see page 32.
retrieving as many as 240 files
(8 files for each of the 30 Follow these steps to retrieve files from your connected NEOs:
NEOs). Typically, you should
allow 10–45 minutes to save 1. In NEO Manager, click the Get/Print AlphaWord Files tab.
or print files from 30 NEOs.
If you have just one NEO connected, you will see “NEO USB” in the File
Contents list as shown below. If you connect an entire SmartOption trolley, the
connected NEOs will be listed by number.
2. If you have one NEO connected, in the File Contents area, click the +
(Windows) or (Macintosh) next to “NEO USB” A. A message appears
briefly to tell you that NEO Manager is retrieving the file(s).

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Using NEO Manager to View, Print and Save Files

If you have more than one NEO connected, use the Sort by drop-down list B
to choose whether to sort by File Number or Device (NEO).
If you sort by file number, you can click the + (Windows) or (Macintosh) next
to the file number you want to view for multiple NEOs C.

If you sort by Device (by NEO), click the + or next to the NEO for which you
want to view files D. The NEO numbers match the cable numbers in your
trolley.

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Using NEO Manager to View, Print and Save Files

Vi ewing the Fi les

1. Click the displayed file text to select the file you want to view A.

2. Click View File B to see the selected file. The file appears in its own window.
You can save the file from here, or click Close to close the window and return
to NEO Manager.

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Using NEO Manager to View, Print and Save Files

Printing Fi les
1. Tick the files that you want to print in the File Contents list A.
If you print a file that
has a linked file
attached, the linked
file prints on a separate page.

2. Click Print Files B. A print dialog box appears.

3. For Macintosh computers only, make sure NEO Manager C is selected in the
third drop-down list. This ensures that the dialog box displays the NEO
Manager print options shown below.

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Using NEO Manager to View, Print and Save Files

4. Choose a printer to send the files to D.

Windows Macintosh

E F D
G

H
D

E F
G

5. Use the Print drop-down list to choose the files you want to print E:
• All Files. Prints all eight files from your NEO.
• Ticked Items. Prints only the files you ticked.
• File #. Prints only that numbered file.
6. If you have more than one NEO connected, use the From drop-down list to
choose which NEOs to print from F:
• All devices. Prints the file(s) you chose from all connected NEOs.
• NEO #. Prints the files from the NEO connected at this numbered cable in
the SmartOption trolley.
• NEO USB. Prints from the NEO connected via a USB cable. (This is the
only option available if only one NEO is connected.)
7. Click one of the header options G:
• Print header information on first page. Prints the NEO number (or “NEO
USB”) and the file number on the first page only.
• Print header information on all pages. Prints the NEO number (or “NEO
USB”), the file number, and the page number on all pages.
• Do not print header information. Omits header information from all
pages.
8. Tick the box if you want empty files to print as a blank page H. This provides a
useful visual cue if you are printing several files from multiple NEOs.
9. Click Print.

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Using NEO Manager to View, Print and Save Files

Saving Fi les
You can use NEO Manager to save any of the numbered files (1–8) that you
retrieved from your NEO(s). Files are saved in their own folders as text files.

Where Files Are Saved

If you have connected just one NEO using the USB cable, all files will be saved in
a folder named NEO USB.
AlphaWord Plus files saved on a Windows computer

AlphaWord Plus files saved on a Macintosh

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Using NEO Manager to View, Print and Save Files

If you have connected a SmartOption trolley, you will see a folder for each file
number. Within that folder, you will see that file number for each connected NEO.
Saved files on a Windows computer

When working with

multiple NEOs,
consider numbering
them 1–30 and assigning
students a specific number
to use throughout the
session. When students are
finished working with the
NEOs, be sure to connect
each student’s NEO to the
appropriate number in the
SmartOption trolley. When
you retrieve and save files,
this will help you identify the Saved files on a Macintosh
files from each student.

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Using NEO Manager to View, Print and Save Files

How to Save the Files

1. Tick the files that you want to save in the File Contents list A.

2. Click Save Files B. A dialog box opens.

3. On Windows computers, click Browse C and go to the location where you

want to save the files. On Macintosh computers, navigate to the location where
you want to save the files.
4. Click the Save drop-down list D and choose one of these options:
• All Files. Saves all eight files from your NEO(s).
• Ticked Items. Saves only the files you ticked in step 1.
• File #. Saves only that numbered file.
5. If you have more than one NEO connected, click the From drop-down list and
choose the NEO(s) to save files from.
6. Click Save (Windows) or Choose (Macintosh). The file(s) are saved as text
files in the location you specified, either in the NEO USB folder or separate
folders for each file number. If that location already has files that were
previously saved, you may be asked if you want to replace the files.

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Sending (Beaming) Files to Other NEOs

Sending (Beaming) Fi l e s t o O th e r N EO s
When you have the Beamer SmartApplet on your NEO, you can beam files from
one NEO to another right within AlphaWord Plus. You do not need to open the
You can also use the Beamer SmartApplet to send and receive files. Follow these steps:
Send and Receive
options in the 1. Move your NEOs to within three feet of each other and aim their infrared ports
Beamer SmartApplet itself, A at each other as shown.
but it is faster to send files
from within AlphaWord Plus.
For more information about
beaming and the Beamer A
SmartApplet, see page 160.

If there is text in the 2. The sender should open the file he or she wants to send and press ctrl-send.
clipboard of the NEO
that is receiving a 3. The receiver should open the file space that he or she wants to receive the text
file, NEO will ask if you want into and press ctrl-B.
to overwrite the clipboard with
the file you are receiving. To
4. If the file that the receiver chose was not empty, a message will ask if you want
continue and allow the to overwrite it or append to it (that is, add the beamed text to the end of the
clipboard to be overwritten, file). Move your cursor next to an option and press enter.
press enter.

Sending Files to Supported Web-Based Programs Using

NEO 2
If you have a NEO 2 and a Renaissance Receiver, you can also send your
AlphaWord Plus files to supported programs such as Google Docs for NEO 2, and
you can retrieve documents from those programs into one of your NEO 2 files.

Note: Wireless File Transfer must be installed on your NEO 2. If you receive a
message that it is not installed or has been disabled, see page 168.

Sending Files from NEO 2 to Supported Programs

1. First, check the following:
• Make sure your Renaissance Receiver is connected to a computer that is
currently connected to the Internet. (To connect the Receiver, see
page 16.)
• Make sure you know the Receiver/Network name. (To name the
Renaissance Receiver/computer combination, see page 17.)

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Sending Files to Supported Web-Based Programs Using NEO 2

2. On your NEO 2, open the file that you want to send.

If the file that you 3. Press cmd-send.
send has a linked
file, in the program
4. NEO 2 will search for your network (Receiver) and do one of two things:
you are sending to, the linked • If the NEO 2 finds that you have connected to a Receiver before, it will ask
file will be added to the end of if you want to stay connected to that network. Press Y for yes and then
the main document. <FORM>
enter.
tags will appear around the
linked file text. • If the NEO 2 does not find a previous connection, the screen will list the
available Receivers. Press  until you have highlighted your Receiver
name; then, press enter.
If you have already 5. If more than one supported program is available, you will see a list. Use the
sent a file to the arrow keys to highlight the program you want to use; then, press enter.
supported program
since you last turned NEO 2
6. NEO 2 will connect to the supported program through your computer. If the
on, it will skip steps 4–6. program requires you to log in, you will be asked to enter the email address
and password. Enter the email address and press enter. Then enter your
password and press enter again.

By saving files as a 7. If you already have files in the supported program, you will see two options.
new document, Use the arrow keys to highlight the option you prefer and press enter. Then,
students can keep follow the instructions for the options you chose:
multiple drafts of their work
in the supported program. • If you chose to save the file as a new document in the program, enter a
This can be helpful if you name for the new file and press enter.
require your students to show
• If you chose to replace a file that you already have in the program, use the
multiple revisions of their
writing. arrow keys to highlight the name of the file you want to replace and press
enter.
8. The file will be copied to the program. When NEO 2 has finished sending
(copying) the file, it will notify you. Press enter. You will go back to the file you
have sent.

Retrieving Files from Supported Programs and Copying Them to NEO 2

1. First, check the following:
• Make sure your Renaissance Receiver is connected to a computer that is
currently connected to the Internet. (To connect the Receiver, see
page 16.)
• Make sure you know the Receiver/Network name. (To name the
Renaissance Receiver/computer combination, see page 17.)
2. On NEO 2, press one of the file keys to open the file space that you want to
retrieve the file into.
3. Press cmd-O.
4. If the file that you opened on NEO 2 is not empty, NEO 2 will ask if you want to
keep the current file.
• If you want to keep current file, press Y. Then, enter a name for the file and
press enter. The file will be closed, but you can open it again later.
• If you do not want to keep the file, press N.

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Using NEO Manager to Send Files, Rubrics or Lessons to NEO Files

5. NEO 2 will search for your network (Receiver) and do one of two things:
• If the NEO 2 finds that you have connected to a Receiver before, it will ask
if you want to stay connected to that network. Press Y for yes and then
If you have already
enter.
sent a file to a
supported program • If NEO 2 does not find a previous connection, the screen will list the
since you last turned NEO 2 available Receivers. Press  until you have highlighted your Receiver
on, it will skip steps 5–7.
name; then, press enter.
6. If more than one supported program is available, you will see a list. Use the
arrow keys to highlight the program you want to use; then, press enter.
7. NEO 2 will connect to the program through your computer. If the program
requires you to log in, you will be asked to enter the email address and
password. Enter the email address and press enter. Then enter your password
and press enter again.

8. The next screen will list the files found in the supported program. Use the
arrow keys to highlight the file that you want to copy to your NEO 2. Then,
press enter.

Comments that were

inserted in the
document within
Google Docs will appear in 9. The file will be copied from the program to the file space you opened on NEO
square brackets [ ] in the 2. When NEO 2 has finished copying the file, it will open it.
document on NEO 2.

Using NEO Manager to Send Files, Rubrics or Lessons to

NEO Files
In NEO Manager, you can send text files to NEOs. You can also create or select
linked files or assignment rubrics to send, or you can select Write On! lessons to
send to your NEOs.

Warning! When you send a file to NEOs, let NEO Manager finish sending it before
disconnecting the NEOs from your computer. If you do not, you could corrupt
system files on your NEOs.

Creating and Sending Fi les to NEOs

NEO Manager can send files you have created on your computer to your NEOs.
You can compose text in another program and paste or drag it into NEO Manager,
or you can type text directly into NEO Manager.

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Using NEO Manager to Send Files, Rubrics or Lessons to NEO Files

If your computer is connected to a group of NEOs in a SmartOption trolley, you can

send the files to all connected NEOs or just specific NEOs that you select.

Follow these steps to send a file to NEOs:

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. In NEO Manager, click the AlphaWord Files to Send tab.
You can send empty 3. Tick the number of the file where you want to send text A. Note that any
files to your NEOs to existing text in that file number on the NEOs will be overwritten.
overwrite existing
files. This is a handy way to
4. In the File # area B, type the text you want to transfer, or paste or drag the text
remove all text from files 1–8 from another program.
on your NEOs. If you want to
delete all files from the NEOs,
including named files that are
not open in files 1–8, it is
better to use the Delete All
Files setting in the NEO
Manager AlphaWord Plus
settings; see page 149.
A B

You can send

multiple files
simultaneously. To
do this, repeat steps 3–4 until 5. Click the Send List tab C and verify that the text you want to send appears in
you are ready to send; then, the list.
review the Send List tab to
make sure all the files appear
before clicking Send.

6. If you are using a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the text to some
of the NEOs, but not all of them, click Select Devices D. Tick the devices that
you want to send the text to, then click OK. (To send to all connected NEOs,
skip this step.)
7. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter the password and click OK.

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Using NEO Manager to Send Files, Rubrics or Lessons to NEO Files

Sendi ng Rubrics or Other Li nked Fi les to NEOs

NEO Manager can also send assignment rubrics or other linked files to NEOs. You
can create your own linked file to send, open a text file that you want to link or
select one of the sample linked files. The text will be linked to the file that you send
For more about
linked files, see it to on the NEO; it will not be in the main file.
page 32.
Follow these steps to send a rubric or another linked file to NEOs:

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. In NEO Manager, click the AlphaWord Files to Send tab.
3. Tick the number of each file where you want to send the rubric A. (Note that if
there is existing text in that file on the NEOs, that text will be removed.)

Tips for using rubrics:

Encourage students to
use their prewriting to
type a rough draft before A
presenting them with a rubric.
This encourages students to
use keyboarding skills to
actually revise instead of
looking for typos. B
Consider incorporating
requirements that are
commensurate with current
grammar lessons. 4. Click Linked Files B at the bottom of the window.
5. Now, you can create a linked file, select a sample one, or open a file that
contains the text that you want to make a linked file:
• To create your own linked file, type the text between the <form> and
Any text that is
</form> tags in the window C. If you want to insert a tick box, click Insert a
outside the <form>
</form> tags will be checkbox D and change the text that is inserted behind the box. If you
in the file space itself, not in want to save the linked file to use again, click Save As E and save it as a
the linked file. text file in the location you select. When the linked file is done, click OK.
The text will be shown in the File # area of the AlphaWord Files to Send
tab.

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Using NEO Manager to Send Files, Rubrics or Lessons to NEO Files

• To select a sample linked file, use the drop-down list F. When you select
one of these files, the text will appear in the window G, and you can
change it as needed. Then, click OK. The text will be shown in the File #
The sample linked
files are also area of the AlphaWord Files to Send tab.
available in NEO
Share.

G
F

• To open a text file that you want to make a linked file, click Open H
and find and select the text file. Then, click Open. Click OK in the Linked
Files window to select the file you have opened. The text will be shown in
the File # area of the AlphaWord Files to Send tab.

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Using NEO Manager to Send Files, Rubrics or Lessons to NEO Files

6. Click the Send List tab and verify that the text you want to send appears in the
You can transfer list.
multiple rubrics
simultaneously. To
do this, repeat steps 3–5 until
you are ready to send; then,
review the Send List tab to
make sure all the files appear
before clicking Send.

7. If you are using a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the linked file to
some of the NEOs, but not all of them, click Select Devices. Tick the NEOs
that you want to send the text to, then click OK. (To send to all connected
NEOs, skip this step.)
8. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter the password and click OK.

Sending Write On! Lessons to NEOs

NEO Manager can also send Write On! lessons to NEOs. Write On! lessons
include writing lessons, literacy skills activities and vocabulary strategies. For
more about Write On! lessons, see page 191.

Follow these steps to send lessons to NEOs:

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
You can also use
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
NEO Share to send
Write On! lessons to 2. Click the AlphaWord Files to Send tab.
NEO 2s. For more
3. Tick the number of the file where you want to send the lesson A. (Note that
information, click the Help
menu in NEO Share and any existing text in that file on the NEOs will be overwritten.)
choose Using Write On!
Lessons. If you don’t have
NEO Share, see page 18 for
more about the software.

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Using NEO Manager to Send Files, Rubrics or Lessons to NEO Files

4. Click WriteOn Lessons B at the bottom of the window. If the file you have
chosen already has text, an alert will appear to remind you that the text will be
replaced; click Yes to continue.
5. Double-click one of the categories on the left C to find the available lessons,
You can make your
or click the category and click Next. You may need to open a few different
own Write On!
lessons. To do this, subcategories before you see a list of lessons. You can click Back to back up
create a new folder for the one category level.
lessons. Then, create text files
that contain each of your
writing prompts or writing
lessons. Save each file with a
.txt extension. When you have
finished, move the folder into
the Write On Text Files folder.
(In Windows, the folder is C
ProgramFiles\Renaissance
Learning\. On Macintosh
computers, the folder is
Applications : AlphaSmart :
AlphaSmart Manager 2.

6. Click the lesson you want to select D and view the text in the Preview area E.
You can continue to click the lesson files until you find the one you want to use;
then, click Insert F. The lesson text will be shown in the File # area of the
AlphaWord Files to Send tab.

E
D

F
You can transfer
multiple lessons
simultaneously. To
do this, repeat steps 2–7 until 7. Read through the lesson. You can make changes if you would like. Since the
you are ready to send; then, lesson includes instruction, examples and many writing prompts, teachers
review the Send List tab to generally divide the lesson among several files. (The lines made up of = signs
make sure all the files appear are natural places to break the file.) To break up the file, you can cut some of
before clicking Send.
the text from this file, click another file number and paste the text into that file.
When you do this, students will see different parts of the lesson in the different
files you send to NEOs.

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About File Passwords

8. Click the Send List tab and verify that the lesson you want to send appears in
the list.

9. If you are using a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the lesson to
some of the NEOs, but not all of them, click Select Devices. Tick the NEOs
that you want to send the lesson to, then click OK. (To send to all connected
NEOs, skip this step.)
10. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter the password and click OK.

About File Passwords

If you enable password protection for your NEO(s), you can set a password for
There are three
each file. Then, any time you press a file key or open a named file, you must enter
types of passwords
for NEOs and NEO the file’s password or the master password.
Manager: file passwords, the
The following sections explain how to enable password protection, set a password
master password and the
send list password. For more for a file and reset all file passwords.
information, see page 135.

Enabl ing Passwor d Protection Whil e Wor ki ng i n a File

You will need the NEO’s master password to enable password protection. You can
You can also enable set that password using the System settings in NEO Manager (see page 135) or
or disable file contact Technical Support to get the default master password.
passwords in the
Control Panel (see page 139) 1. Be sure you know your master password (see page 135 to set the master
or using NEO Manager (see password using the System settings in NEO Manager).
page 149).
2. Press ctrl-option--P. A message will tell you whether password protection is
on or off.

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About File Passwords

3. To change the setting, type the master password and press enter. A message
will tell you what the setting has been changed to.
4. Press any key to exit the screen. All AlphaWord Plus files will have the
password write until you change the password for each file (see the next
section).

Changing a Fi le’s Passwor d Whil e Worki ng i n the Fil e

When you first enable password protection for AlphaWord Plus files, all files have
You can also change the same default password: write (unless you have changed the default in NEO
each file’s password Manager—see page 149).
in the Control Panel;
see page 139. In NEO If you want to give each file a unique password instead, follow the steps below. File
Manager, you can set the passwords can be up to six characters long. They are not case-sensitive. They can
same password for all files contain letters, numbers, symbols and spaces. If you do not know an individual
(see page 149), but you file’s password, you can enter the NEO’s master password instead. (To set the
cannot set a unique password
master password, see page 135.)
for each file.
Follow these steps to change a file’s password within AlphaWord Plus:

1. Open the file for which you want to change the password. You need to enter
the current password to open it. If you have never changed the password, enter
the default password (write), or enter the master password.
2. Press option--P. You will see a screen like the one below.
You can use the
same password for
every file if you name
your file before you change
the password.

3. Type the current file password. Press tab and type your new password; then,
press tab and type it again to confirm it.
4. Press enter. A message will tell you that the password has been changed;
then, you will return to your file.

Resetting Fi le Passwords
If you forget file passwords, you can reset the passwords for all AlphaWord Plus
files on this NEO back to the default password (write or the default password you
chose in NEO Manager).

The steps below tell you how to reset all file passwords on the NEO. You can also
reset them from the Control Panel (see page 139) or in NEO Manager (see
page 149).

You need the master 1. With an AlphaWord Plus file open, press shift-ctrl-option--P.
password to reset 2. Type the master password and press enter. A message will notify you that the
file passwords. Use
the System settings in NEO
passwords have been reset to the factory default (write).
Manager to set this password; 3. Press any key to exit the screen.
see page 135.

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Using a NEO Text2Speech Device to Read AlphaWord Plus Files Aloud

Using a NEO Text2Speech Devi ce to Read AlphaWord Plus

Files Aloud
If you have an optional NEO Text2Speech device from Renaissance Learning, the
device can read aloud the text you write in AlphaWord Plus. To turn the device on
or off or to change options such as the speed or volume, press ctrl-J.

For more information, refer to the NEO Text2Speech User Manual, which you
received with the device.

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S MART A PPLETS

What Are SmartApplets?

SmartApplets are the programs installed on your NEO. AlphaWord Plus—the
program you use to write on the NEO—is just one of the available SmartApplets.

Installed SmartApplets
By default, NEOs come with these SmartApplets installed:

SmartApplet Where to Find More Information

Responder Page 69
AlphaWord Plus Page 20
Accelerated Reader Page 76
KeyWords Wireless Page 92
MathsFacts in a Flash RP Page 81
MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) Page 85
Control Panel Page 137
Beamer Page 160
Calculator Page 164

To see a list of the installed SmartApplets, press applets. To choose the one you
want to use, press the arrow keys to move the cursor next to that SmartApplet;
then, press enter.

An additional SmartApplet, Co:Writer, is available from Don Johnston, Inc. If you

purchase this SmartApplet and it was not already installed when you received your
NEOs, be sure to follow the installation instructions provided by Don Johnston, Inc.

Managing the SmartApplets on Your NEO

The easiest way to manage SmartApplets is to use NEO Manager. In NEO
Manager, you can do the following:

• Change the startup SmartApplet (the one that starts automatically when you
start a NEO). See “Changing the Startup SmartApplet” on page 61.

• Disable SmartApplets on your NEOs (see page 62).

• Install new or updated SmartApplets on the connected NEOs (see page 63).

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Changing the Startup SmartApplet

• Change SmartApplet settings on NEOs (see page 65).

• Remove SmartApplets from the connected NEOs (see page 65).

• View SmartApplet information (see page 66).

• Add SmartApplets to the list available in NEO Manager (see page 67).

You can also perform some of these tasks on the NEO itself. For example, from the
SmartApplets menu, you can change the SmartApplet that starts when you start
the NEO, and you can disable SmartApplets (see page 62).

Changing the Startup SmartApplet

If you do not set a The startup SmartApplet is the one that starts automatically when you turn on a
startup NEO. AlphaWord Plus is the startup SmartApplet when you first receive your
SmartApplet, when NEOs. You can change the startup SmartApplet on the NEO itself or using the
you turn on your NEO, it goes
NEO Manager software.
to the SmartApplets list, with
the cursor next to the
SmartApplet you were
working in the last time you
turned the NEO off.

Changing the Startup Smart Applet on t he NEO It self

1. Press applets.
2. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor next to the SmartApplet that you want
to start when you turn on your NEO.
3. Press ctrl-applets. An asterisk designating the startup SmartApplet appears
in the menu.

Repeat the steps to remove the asterisk or to choose a different startup

SmartApplet.

Changing the Startup Smart Applet for One or More NEOs Using NEO Manager
1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. In NEO Manager, click the Settings tab.
3. Click System in the settings list on the left A.

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Disabling and Re-Enabling SmartApplets

4. In the list of system settings on the right, click the drop-down list next to
Startup SmartApplet B and choose the SmartApplet that you want to start
when the NEO(s) are turned on. When you do this, the box for the setting will
automatically be ticked.

A B

5. Click the Send List tab and verify that your system setting change appears in
the send list.
6. If you are using a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the setting
change to some NEOs, but not all of them, click Select Devices. Tick the
numbers to which you want to send the change, then click OK. (To send to all
connected NEOs, skip this step.)
7. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter that password and click OK.

Disabling and Re-Enabling SmartApplets

You can disable a SmartApplet on NEOs. When you do this, the SmartApplets
cannot be used, but they are still installed on your NEOs, and you can enable them
again later.

To disable or re-enable SmartApplets, you can use the SmartApplet menu on a

single NEO, or you can use the NEO Manager software to disable the SmartApplet
on one or more NEOs.

Di sabling or Re-Enabling a SmartApplet on a Single NEO

1. Press applets.
You need the master 2. Move the cursor next to the SmartApplet you want to disable.
password to disable 3. Press ctrl--L.
SmartApplets. You
can use the System settings in 4. Enter the master password and press enter. The symbol appears next to
NEO Manager to set this the SmartApplet to show it has been disabled.
password (see page 135) or
5. Repeat these steps to enable the SmartApplet.
contact Technical Support to
get the default master Note: If you want to disable the Calculator SmartApplet, from within AlphaWord
password. Plus press ctrl--C and then enter the master password.

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Installing or Updating SmartApplets on NEOs Using NEO Manager

Di sabling or Re-Enabling SmartApplets for One or More NEOs Using NEO

Manager
1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. In NEO Manager, click the Settings tab.
3. On the left, click the SmartApplet that you want to disable or enable on your
NEO(s) A.

B
A

4. On the right, after the Disable this SmartApplet setting, click Yes B. The box
will be ticked. (To enable the SmartApplet again, click No.)
5. Click the Send List tab and verify that your setting change is in the list.
6. If you have a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the setting change to
some NEOs, but not all of them, click Select Devices. Tick the boxes for the
NEOs that you want to send the changes to, and click OK. (To send to all
connected NEOs, skip this step.)
7. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter the password and click OK.

Installing or Updating Smar tApplets on NEOs Using NEO

Manager
You can install new SmartApplets, update SmartApplets or reinstall SmartApplets
that you have removed. To do this, you install a SmartApplet on your computer,
then select it and send it to your NEO(s) using NEO Manager.

For more information about available SmartApplets, visit our website.

Follow these steps to install SmartApplets on NEOs:

1. If you have a new SmartApplet that is not already available to install in NEO
Manager, see “Adding SmartApplets to the List in NEO Manager” on page 67.
2. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13).
3. Connect your NEO (see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
4. In NEO Manager, click the SmartApplets tab if it is not already selected.

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Installing or Updating SmartApplets on NEOs Using NEO Manager

5. There are two ways to choose the SmartApplets you want to install on NEOs:

If you do not see the • Click a SmartApplet in the SmartApplet List A and drag it to the Install List
SmartApplet you B.
want to install in the • Select the SmartApplet(s) in the SmartApplet List A; then click Add => to
list, and you know you
installed it on your computer,
move them to the Install List B. To select more than one SmartApplet to
see page 67 to add it to the add, do one of the following:
list. • To select a group of SmartApplets, click the first one in the group, hold
down the Shift key and click the last one in the group.
• To select SmartApplets individually, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows)
or the  key (Macintosh) as you click the SmartApplets you want to
add.

Not everything in the

SmartApplet list is a
SmartApplet. The list
includes your NEO fonts, spell
check, the Thesaurus,
Text2Speech Updater for NEO
Text2Speech devices and
Wireless File Transfer. You B
can install and delete these A C
items just as you would
SmartApplets.

As you add SmartApplets to the Install List, check the Memory column C to
make sure there is enough memory available on the NEOs to install the
SmartApplets you want. The darker color shows the space used on the NEO,
and the lighter color shows what is needed by the SmartApplet(s) you want to
install. If you do not have enough memory to install the SmartApplets you
want, you could delete some SmartApplets from NEOs as described on
page 65.
6. Click the Send List tab and verify that the SmartApplets you want to install
appear in the list.

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Choosing SmartApplet Settings

7. If you have a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the SmartApplets to
some NEOs, but not all of them, click Select Devices. Tick the box for each
NEO that you want to send the SmartApplets to, and click OK. (To send to all
connected NEOs, skip this step.)
8. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter the password and click OK.

Choosing SmartApplet Settings

Many SmartApplets have their own settings, and the NEO itself has system
settings. You can change the settings in the NEO Control Panel (see page 137) or
in NEO Manager (see page 148).

Deleting SmartApplets from NEOs Using NEO Manager

Normally, it is better to disable SmartApplets (see page 62) instead of removing
them so that you do not need to take the time to install the SmartApplets again
later. (Installing some SmartApplets on several NEOs can take some time.)

However, you might want to remove SmartApplets to free up memory or because

you are beginning a new session or activity in a class.

To remove SmartApplets from your NEOs, you select the SmartApplets you want
to keep in NEO Manager. Then, you choose to delete all other SmartApplets as
described in the steps below.

Important: When you remove some SmartApplets, such as KeyWords on NEO 2,

you also remove any files associated with them. For example, if you remove
KeyWords, you also remove your students’ KeyWords work and progress reports.
If there is KeyWords information on the NEO 2s that you want to save, be sure to
retrieve the data first (see page 114).

Follow these steps to delete SmartApplets from NEOs:

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. In NEO Manager, click the SmartApplets tab.
3. Click each SmartApplet you want to install or keep in the SmartApplets List (A
on the next page), then click Add => to move it to the Install List B. You should
add all SmartApplets that you want on your NEOs, including those that are
already installed on the NEOs.

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S MARTAPPLETS
Viewing SmartApplet Information in NEO Manager

B
A

Be careful not to
delete non- 4. Tick the box above the SmartApplet list C to specify that all SmartApplets that
SmartApplet items are not in the Install List should be deleted from NEOs.
that you want to keep. The
SmartApplet list includes the 5. Click the Send List tab and verify that only the SmartApplets you want to keep
fonts included on your NEO, on your NEOs are in the Send List.
spell check, the Thesaurus,
6. If you have a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the changed
Text2Speech Updater for NEO
Text2Speech devices and SmartApplet list to some NEOs, but not all of them, click Select Devices. Tick
Wireless File Transfer for the boxes for the NEOs that you want to send the SmartApplets to, and click
sending files to and from OK. (To send to all connected NEOs, skip this step.)
services such as Google
Docs.
7. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter the password and click OK.

Viewing SmartApplet Info r m a t i o n i n N E O M a n a g e r

Follow these steps to get more information about the SmartApplets that are
installed on your computer.

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. In NEO Manager, click the SmartApplets tab.

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SMARTA PPLETS
Adding SmartApplets to the List in NEO Manager

3. Double-click the SmartApplet for which you want information A, or click the
SmartApplet, click the File menu, and choose Get SmartApplet Info.

4. The window that appears will show you the name of the SmartApplet, the
version, the RAM and ROM size and the copyright date. To close the window,
click OK (Windows) or Close (Macintosh).

Adding SmartApplets to the List in NEO Manager

Installi ng SmartAppl ets on Your Computer

1. If NEO Manager is open on your computer, close the program.
2. Connect your NEO (see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
3. Next, follow the instructions for your type of computer:
Windows computers:
a. If you download the SmartApplet from the website, you receive a .zip
file. Extract the files from this .zip file. You will see a folder with the
same name as the original .zip file. Open the folder.
b. Double-click the file that ends with .OS3KApp. NEO Manager will open
with the SmartApplets tab selected and the new SmartApplet in the
Install List. If you want to install it on NEOs, see page 63.
Macintosh computers:
a. If you download the SmartApplet from the website, double-click the file
you downloaded. If the downloaded file ends with .sit, a folder with a
similar name will appear; open the folder. If the downloaded file ends
with .dmg, the volume will open.
b. Start NEO Manager (see page 13).
c. Click the File menu and choose Add to Applet List.
d. Find and select the .OS3KApp file. Then, click Choose. You will go to
the SmartApplets tab in NEO Manager, and the new SmartApplet will
be in the Install List.

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Adding SmartApplets to the List in NEO Manager

Addi ng SmartAppl ets That Have Already Been Installed

If you have installed a new or updated SmartApplet on your computer, and you do
not see it in the list of SmartApplets in NEO Manager, follow these steps to add it
to that list:

1. In NEO Manager, click the File menu and choose Add to Applet List.
2. In the dialog box that appears, find the new SmartApplet file and select it. (The
file name should end with OS3KApp.) Then, click Open (Windows) or Choose
(Macintosh).
3. The SmartApplet will be added.
If the SmartApplet is already in the list in NEO Manager, a message may ask
whether you want to replace the SmartApplet with the one you have chosen;
click Yes or No. You may also see a message that simply tells you the
SmartApplet is already in the list; click OK.

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R ESPONDER S MART A PPLET FOR NEO 2
NEO 2 includes a Responder SmartApplet that lets you use your NEO 2 like a
classroom response system or “clicker”. Students can use NEO 2 to complete
assignments for AccelTest and Accelerated Maths RP software. You can also use
NEO 2 with the 2Know! Toolbar.

Important: You cannot use NEO 2 with more than one program at a time. If you
have both AccelTest and Accelerated Maths RP, or if you have the 2Know! Toolbar
and one of these programs, you should only have one of the three programs open
at a time.

Preparing to Use NEO 2 with AccelTest, Accelerated Maths

RP or the 2Know! Toolbar
Make sure you have done the following before you use NEO 2 with any of these
programs:

• Connect the Renaissance Receiver to your computer (see page 16).

• Assign a unique name to the Receiver/wireless network (see page 17).

• Install AccelTest, the 2Know! Toolbar or the Renaissance Responder client
program (for Accelerated Maths). To install AccelTest, see the AccelTest
Software Installation Guide. To install the 2Know! Toolbar, see the NEO 2
Resource Guide. To install the Renaissance Responder client program for
Accelerated Maths, see the Accelerated Maths Software Manual on the
Renaissance Place Manuals page.

U s in g N EO 2 t o C o m p l e t e AccelTest Assignments
If you ordered a SmartOption Bundle, you received AccelTest software with your
NEO 2 does not
NEO 2s. When you choose “Responder” as the marking method for assignments
support the in AccelTest, students can use their NEO 2s to complete assignments instead of
homework and notes using Responders. If you choose “NEO 2 Only” as the marking method, students
features in AccelTest, may only use NEO 2s. Students can use NEO 2 to complete in-class assignments,
though you can use those but not homework.
features with standard
Renaissance Responders. For more information, see the AccelTest User Manual. You will find this manual
Also, NEO 2s do not support under AccelTest in the Start menu (Windows) or in the AccelTest program folder
assigned owners.
(Macintosh).

Using NEO 2 in a Student -Paced Session in AccelTest

Student-paced sessions allow students to work on anything that has been
assigned to them in the AccelTest class Gradebook except for Homework.
Students can complete these assignments without needing the teacher to lead the
session or send the questions one by one. The instructions below explain what
teachers and students need to do in order to use NEO 2 during a student-paced
session.

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Using NEO 2 to Complete AccelTest Assignments

Teacher Preparation Steps

1. Make sure your Renaissance Receiver is connected to your computer and that
the computer is on.
2. Click the AccelTest Responder menu and choose Start Student Paced
Session.
3. Make sure students have their student ID from the AccelTest Gradebook. (IDs
are also available in the AccelTest Student ID Report.) Since NEO 2s do not
have assigned owners, the student ID is always used to identify the student for
assignments.

Steps Students Follow during a Student-Paced Session

1. Press on/off to turn NEO 2 on.
2. Press applets.
3. Make sure the cursor is next to Responder; then, press enter.
4. NEO 2 will attempt to join the session.
• If you have connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, it will ask if you
want to stay connected to it; press Y for yes or N for no. Then, press enter.
• If you have not connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, the NEO 2
will show you a list of networks (Renaissance Receivers). Use the arrow
keys to highlight the one you want to connect to; then, press enter.
5. Type your AccelTest student ID and press enter.
6. If you have only one assignment available, the program will ask if you are
ready to work on the assignment. Press Y for yes to continue; then, press
enter.
If you have more than one assignment, the program will list the assignments
you have with a letter before each assignment name. Press the letter for the
assignment you want; then, press enter.
7. NEO 2 will show you the first question in the assignment. Choose or type an
You may see
answer for each question; then, press enter:
“Sending” when you • For multiple-choice questions, press the letter next to the answer you want
enter the answer to to choose.
each question.
• For true-false questions, press T for true or F for false.
• For yes/no questions, press Y for yes or N for no.
• For questions that ask you to enter a number, type the number and press
enter.
• For short-answer questions, type the answer and press enter. Your answer
can have up to 40 characters.
Note: If the assignment is printed, it may include some questions that you
cannot answer on NEO 2, such as essay questions; answer these questions
on paper.

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Using NEO 2 to Complete AccelTest Assignments

You can answer the questions in order or use these commands to go back or to
go to a specific question:

To do this... ...press these keys:

Scroll through a question. Press  and .
Go forward or back one Press -?. Arrows ( ) will appear to the right of
question. the question number. As long as you see those
arrows, you can press  to go back one question
or  to go forward one question. Press -? again
when you want the arrow keys to scroll through the
question instead.
Go to a specific question Press find, type the question number, and press
number. enter.
Go to the end of the Press -.
question.
Go to the beginning of the Press -.
question.
Switch between the If both the question and the answer choices require
question and answers in scrolling, you can press the tab key or the  or
multiple-choice questions.  key to switch between the question and the
answer. Then, use the  and  keys to scroll up or
down.

8. When you have answered all the questions, the program will ask if you are
ready to submit your work.
• If you are, press Y for yes and press enter. When the assignment is
complete, your score may be shown; if so, press any key when you are
ready to leave that screen. The NEO 2 will go back to the SmartApplets list.
If you want to work on another assignment, press enter to choose the
Responder SmartApplet again and repeat these steps.
• If you are not ready, press N for no and press enter. You will go back to
question one, and you can go through each question again to check your
answers.

Using NEO 2 in a Teacher-Paced Session in AccelTest

In AccelTest, teachers use teacher-paced sessions when they want to ask
questions of the entire class and have the class answer the questions at the same
time. The instructions below explain how to use NEO 2 during a teacher-paced
session.

Teacher Preparation Steps

1. Make sure your Renaissance Receiver is connected to your computer and that
the computer is on.
2. Click the AccelTest Responder menu and choose Start Teacher-Paced
Session.
The steps that you follow next depend on the options you choose in the Responder
Session Wizard. For detailed instructions for setting up the session and asking the
questions during the session, refer to the user manual that was installed with your
AccelTest software.

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Using NEO 2 to Complete Accelerated Maths Assignments

Steps Students Follow during a Teacher-Paced Session

1. Press on/off to turn NEO 2 on.
2. Press applets.
3. Once the teacher has started the session, make sure the cursor is next to
Responder; then, press enter.
4. NEO 2 will attempt to join the session.
• If you have connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, it will ask if you
want to stay connected to it; press Y for yes or N for no. Then, press enter.
• If you have not connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, NEO 2 will
show you a list of networks (Renaissance Receivers). Use the arrow keys
to highlight the one you want to connect to; then, press enter.
5. Type your AccelTest student ID and press enter.
6. When the teacher tells you to do so, press enter. Then, choose an answer for
For some types of
the first question:
teacher-paced • For multiple-choice questions, press the letter next to the answer you want
sessions, you will to choose and press enter.
see the question on the
NEO 2 screen. For others, • For true-false questions, press T for true or F for false and press enter.
you will only see your answer • For yes/no questions, press Y for yes or N for no and press enter.
choices (not the possible
answers). • For questions that ask you to enter a number, type the number and press
enter.
• For short-answer questions, type the answer and press enter.
After you press enter, a message will tell you that your answer has been
recorded. Repeat this step for each question in the session.
7. When the teacher ends the session, the teacher will ask you to press enter
again. A message will tell you that there is no session. Leave N (no) selected
and press enter again to finish.

U s in g N EO 2 t o C o m p l e t e Accelerated Maths Assignments

Students can also use NEO 2 to complete Accelerated Maths RP assignments.
NEO 2 can be used for assisted-response (multiple-choice) assignments, but not
for free-response assignments or extended-response assignments.

Preparing to Use NEO 2 wi th Accel erated Mat hs RP

Before students can complete Accelerated Maths assignments on NEO 2, you
must do the following:

• Install NEO Manager on the teacher’s computer (see page 12). This will also
install or update the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility, which enables NEO 2
and the Renaissance Receiver to communicate with Accelerated Maths RP.

• Connect a Renaissance Receiver to the teacher’s computer (see page 16).

• In the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility, name your Renaissance Receiver

Network and make sure students know the name (see page 17).

• Install the Renaissance Responder client program on the teacher’s computer

(see the Accelerated Maths Software Manual on the Renaissance Place
Manuals page).

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Using NEO 2 to Complete Accelerated Maths Assignments

• Students can complete assisted-response practices with NEO 2. If you want

them to be able to complete assisted-response exercises and tests with NEO 2
as well, check the setting of the Marking preference for each class.

Using NEO 2 with Accel erated Maths RP

Teacher Preparation Steps

1. Make sure your students have printed copies of their assignments.
2. Start the Renaissance Responder program at the computer with the
Renaissance Receiver connected. Log in with your Accelerated Maths RP user
name and password. (To install the program and connect it to your
Renaissance Place server, see the Accelerated Maths Software Manual.)

Steps Students Follow to Complete Accelerated Maths

Assignments
1. Press on/off to turn NEO 2 on.
2. Press applets.
3. Make sure the cursor is next to Responder; then, press enter.
4. NEO 2 will attempt to join the session.
• If you have connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, it will ask if you
want to stay connected to it; press Y for yes or N for no. Then, press enter.
• If you have not connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, NEO 2 will
show you a list of networks (Renaissance Receivers). Use the arrow keys
to highlight the one you want to connect to; then, press enter.
5. Enter the form number printed at the top of the assignment. Then, press enter.
6. If the NEO 2 tells you to wait until your assignment is retrieved, press enter
again.
7. When the NEO 2 shows your name and form number, press Y for yes if this
information is correct; then, press enter. (If not, press N for no and enter the
form number again.)
8. Press the letter keys (A, B, C or D) to enter your answer to each question.
Then, press enter.
You can answer the questions in order or use these commands to go back or to
go to a specific question:

To do this... ...press these keys:

Scroll through a question. Press  and .
Go forward or back one question. Press -?. Arrows ( ) will appear to the right of the
question number. As long as you see those arrows, you
can press  to go back one question or  to go forward
one question. Press -? again when you want the arrow
keys to scroll through the question instead.
Go to a specific question number. Press find, type the question number and press enter.
Go to the end of the question. Press -.
Go to the beginning of the Press -.
question.

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Using NEO 2 with the 2Know! Toolbar

9. When you have answered the last problem, NEO 2 asks if you are ready to
submit your work. If you are, press Y for yes and press enter. (If you are not
ready, press N for no and press enter to go back and go through the problems
If some students again.)
have not submitted
their work before 10. If NEO 2 asks you to wait while your assignment is saved, press enter again.
you end the session, you will When the assignment is done, you will be asked to get your TOPS report at the
be asked whether their printer. The NEO 2 will go back to the SmartApplets list.
answers should be marked as
is or not saved. For details, 11. When all students have finished their assignments, the teacher can click End
see the Accelerated Maths Session in the Renaissance Responder program at the computer and close
Software Manual. the program.

Using NEO 2 with the 2Know! Toolbar

If you have your Renaissance Receiver connected and you have installed NEO
Manager on your computer, you can also use NEO 2 with the 2Know! Toolbar.
Participants can use NEO 2 to respond to questions. Teachers or session leaders
can use it to control the toolbar program as they would use a teacher Responder.
For more information about using the 2Know! Toolbar, click the Options button in
the program and choose Getting Started.

How Participants Respond to 2Know! Toolbar Quest ions Using NEO 2

Participants follow these steps to respond to questions from the 2Know! Toolbar:

1. Press on/off to turn NEO 2 on.

2. Press applets.
3. Make sure the cursor is next to Responder; then, press enter.
4. NEO 2 will attempt to join the session.
• If you have connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, it will ask if you
To help students want to stay connected to it; press Y for yes or N for no. Then, press enter.
answer multiple- • If you have not connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, NEO 2 will
choice, true/false or
pulse questions, you can
show you a list of networks (Receiver/computer connections). Use the
press ctrl-caps lock or cmd- arrow keys to highlight the one you want to connect to; then, press enter.
caps lock on NEO 2 to put 5. Enter your response to each question:
the Responder SmartApplet
in “bubble mode”. In this • For multiple-choice questions, type the letter for the answer you want to
mode, when students type choose and press enter.
A–E, T, F, Y, N, R or G, answer
• For true/false questions, type T for true or F for false and press enter.
bubbles appear (similar to the
ones on Responders) to help • For questions that require a number for an answer, type the number and
students see the available press enter.
choices. The SmartApplet
goes back to the standard text • For “pulse” questions, you can enter Y, J, T or G for yes/true/green, and
mode when you press ctrl- you can enter N, F or R for no/false/red; then, press enter.
caps lock or cmd-caps lock • For short-answer questions, type the answer and press enter. Your answer
again, exit the SmartApplet or
shut off the NEO 2.
can be up to 18 characters long.
The teacher will let you know when you can send your answer to each
question.
6. When you have finished answering questions, the teacher can shut down the
2Know! Toolbar program. The next time you press enter, NEO 2 will tell you
there is no session and ask if you want to search for networks. Press N for no
and press enter to go back to the SmartApplets menu.

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Using NEO 2 with the 2Know! Toolbar

How Teachers Can Use NEO 2 to Control the 2Know! Tool bar Program
Teachers can use NEO 2 to control the 2Know! Toolbar program. The steps are
similar to those you would use on a Responder:

1. In the 2Know! Toolbar program, click

the Options button and choose
Teacher Responder from the menu.
2. Click Assign in the Teacher
Responder dialog box. The program
will show you a PIN. Leave this
dialog box open.
3. Press on/off on the NEO 2 to turn it on.
4. Press applets.
5. Make sure the cursor is next to Responder; then, press enter.
6. NEO 2 will attempt to join the session.
• If you have connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, it will ask if you
want to stay connected to it; press Y for yes or N for no. Then, press enter.
• If you have not connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, NEO 2 will
show you a list of networks (Receiver/computer combinations). Use the
arrow keys to highlight the one you want to connect to; then, press enter.
7. When NEO 2 asks you to enter the Teacher Responder PIN, enter the one that
is shown in your 2Know! Toolbar program. Then, press enter.
8. In the 2Know! Toolbar program, click Close to go back to the toolbar.
9. NEO 2 will list your options. Press A to ask a question, B to show a graph or C
to minimise the Toolbar on your computer or maximise it again; then, press
enter.
Once you choose to view a graph, you can press A to stop receiving
responses, B to close the graph, C to reset so that participants can answer
again or D to mark or enter the correct answer; then, press enter.
10. When you have finished, you can unassign the NEO 2 so it is no longer meant
for use by the teacher. Follow these steps:
a. In the 2Know! Toolbar program, click Options and choose Teacher
Responder.
b. Click Unassign in the Teacher Responder dialog box.
c. Click Close.

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A CCELERATED R EADER S MART A PPLET ON NEO 2
NEO 2 includes an Accelerated Reader SmartApplet that students can use to take
Accelerated Reader RP Reading Practice Quizzes and Vocabulary Practice
Quizzes right on the NEO 2. The Renaissance Receiver at the teacher’s computer
enables NEO 2 quiz data to be sent to Accelerated Reader RP.

Preparing to Use NEO 2 with Accelerated Reader RP

Before students can use NEO 2 to take quizzes, you must do the following:

• Have Accelerated Reader RP on your Renaissance Place server.

• Install NEO Manager on the teacher’s computer (see page 12). This will also
install or update the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility, which enables NEO 2
and the Renaissance Receiver to communicate with Accelerated Reader RP.

• Make sure the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet is installed on your NEO 2(s). If
it is not, you can install it using NEO Manager (see page 63).

• Connect a Renaissance Receiver to the teacher’s computer (see page 16).

• In the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility, name your Renaissance Receiver

Network and make sure students know the name (see page 17).

• Also in the utility, enter the address or RPID of your Renaissance Place server in
the Renaissance Place Settings (see page 18).

How Students Take Quizzes in the Accelerated Reader

SmartApplet on NEO 2

Things to Check Befor e St udents Start Quizzing on NEO 2

• Make sure you have done all the tasks listed in the previous section.

The same • In Accelerated Reader RP, set the School and Classroom Student Quizzing
Accelerated Reader preferences for your class. (See the Accelerated Reader Software Manual for
preferences apply to instructions.)
students no matter where
they take quizzes—on NEO • Students need to know this information before they start taking quizzes on NEO
2 or at a computer—so you 2s:
only need to set the
preferences once. • The name you gave the Renaissance Receiver Network (see page 17).
Students will need to choose a Renaissance Receiver Network when they
take quizzes.

• Their Renaissance Place user names and passwords. To get this

information, in Renaissance Place on the Home page, click Personnel
and Students under Renaissance Place; then, click View Students.
Search for the students; in the search results, click the Passwords tab.

• The quiz number. On NEO 2, students may only search for quizzes by quiz
number. If students will be using NEO 2s to take quizzes on a regular
basis, consider including quiz numbers on your Accelerated Reader book
labels.

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How Students Take Quizzes in the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet on NEO 2

• If you have younger students, explain how the questions and answers are
displayed on the screen and how to use the arrow keys to scroll through
questions or answers.

St eps for Taking a Quiz on NEO 2

1. The teacher’s computer must be on, with the Receiver connected. (You can
use the teacher’s computer for other things while students are quizzing.)
2. Turn the NEO 2 on and press applets.
3. Press  until the cursor is next to Accelerated Reader. Then, press enter.
The name that you 4. The first time you use the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet, it will list the
gave the Networks that are available. (Networks are Renaissance Receivers connected
Renaissance to computers.) Use the and  keys to highlight the Receiver you want to
Receiver Network is the one
connect to; then, press enter.
students will see in the
Networks list. See page 17 to
find out how to change the
name.

If you have chosen a Receiver before, the program may ask if you want to stay
connected. Press Y for yes or N for no; then, press enter. (If you choose no,
you will need to select another Receiver.)
5. When the program asks for your user name and password, type your user
name and press enter or  or tab. Then, type your password and press enter.

6. If you have an unfinished quiz, the screen will ask if you want to finish it. Press
Y for yes or N for no; then, press enter. If you choose yes, go to step 12. If you
choose no, the teacher or quiz monitor must enter the authorisation password.
7. If you are in more than one Accelerated Reader class, your classes will be
listed. Use the  and  keys to highlight the class that you are taking this quiz
for; then, press enter.

8. On the next screen, use the  and  keys to highlight the type of quiz you
want to take (Reading Practice or Vocabulary Practice). Then, press enter.

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A CCELERATED R EADER SMARTAPPLET ON NEO 2
How Students Take Quizzes in the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet on NEO 2

9. For Reading Practice Quizzes, the Find RP Quiz screen will appear next. Type
the quiz number and press enter.

For Vocabulary Practice Quizzes, you will be asked how you want to find the
quiz: by quiz number, by matching another quiz already taken, or by taking a
~Second-Try and Review Words~ Quiz. Highlight an answer and press enter.
If you chose to find the quiz by quiz number, type the number and press enter.
If you chose to match a quiz already taken, highlight the quiz name and press
enter (if there was only one matching vocabulary quiz, you will not be asked to
select one).

10. If the screen asks you how the book was read, use the arrow keys to select an
answer; then, press enter.

11. The quiz title will be shown.

You cannot If the authorisation password is not required, press Y for yes to confirm that
substitute the NEO 2 you want to take the quiz; then, press enter.
master password for
the authorisation password.
You must use the
authorisation password set in
the Accelerated Reader RP
School Student Quizzing
preferences.

If the screen asks for the authorisation password, the teacher or quiz monitor
must enter the Accelerated Reader authorisation password and press enter.

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How Students Take Quizzes in the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet on NEO 2

Note: If you are not allowed to take the quiz, the screen will notify you.
Depending on the restriction, it may ask if you want to take a different quiz or
tell you to press applets to log out. There are many reasons why you may not
be allowed to take the quiz:
• There are date or time restrictions.
• You are not allowed to take quizzes.
• No students are allowed to take this specific quiz.
• You have taken the quiz before.
• You have chosen a ~Second-Try and Review Words~ Quiz, but you do not
have review words.
To stop a quiz, press 12. NEO 2 will show you one question in the quiz. To answer each question, press
ctrl-A or cmd-A. the letter for the answer you want to choose; then, press enter to go to the next
Then, ask the quiz question.
monitor or teacher to enter the
Accelerated Reader If you need to scroll to see all of the answers A, use the  and  keys. If the
authorisation password and question is long and you need to scroll to see all of the question, you can use
press enter. the  and  keys to scroll in the question; then, press tab or  to switch to
the answers so you can use the arrow keys to scroll there.

Your score is not 13. After you enter your answer to the last question, you may be asked how you
affected by your liked the book. Press the letter for the answer you want to choose; then, press
answer to the question enter.
about how you liked the book.

14. If the screen asks for the authorisation password, ask the teacher or quiz
monitor to enter the password and press enter.

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How Students Take Quizzes in the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet on NEO 2

15. The Score Summary will show you how you did on the quiz. It may also show
you information about the points you have earned.
If the summary asks if you want to see the questions you missed, press Y for
yes or N for no and press enter. If you choose yes, you can see each missed
question, your answer and the correct answer. Press enter after you read each
one.

If the summary does not ask if you want to view the missed questions, press
enter to continue.
16. A TOPS Report may be sent to the default printer for the teacher’s computer.
Press enter.
17. After you finish a Reading Practice Quiz, the program may ask if you want to
take the matching Vocabulary Practice Quiz. Press Y for yes if you want to take
that quiz, or N for no if you do not want to take it right now. Then, press enter.

18. The program will ask if you want to take a different quiz. Press Y for yes if you
want to take another quiz, or N for no if you do not want to take another one
right now. Then, press enter. If you choose no, you will go back to the list of
SmartApplets available on the NEO 2.

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M ATHS F ACTS IN A F LASH RP S MART A PPLET ON
NEO 2
NEO 2 includes a MathsFacts in a Flash RP SmartApplet that students can use to
practise or take tests right on the NEO 2. The Renaissance Receiver at the
teacher’s computer enables the student’s NEO 2 work to be sent to MathsFacts in
a Flash RP.

This SmartApplet is for school work; students work on practices and tests just as
they would when they log in to Renaissance Place on a computer at school, and
they can master levels. Students can use the MathsFacts in a Flash (offline)
SmartApplet to practise on their own (see page 85).

Preparing to Use NEO 2 with MathsFacts in a Flash RP

Before students can use the MathsFacts in a Flash RP SmartApplet on NEO 2,
you must do the following:

• Have MathsFacts in a Flash RP registered on your Renaissance Place server.

• Install NEO Manager on the teacher’s computer (see page 12). This will also
install or update the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility, which enables NEO 2
and the Renaissance Receiver to communicate with MathsFacts in a Flash RP.

• Make sure the MathsFacts in a Flash RP SmartApplet is installed on your

NEO 2(s). If it is not, you can install it using NEO Manager (see page 63).

• Connect a Renaissance Receiver to the teacher’s computer (see page 16).

• In the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility, name your Renaissance Receiver

Network and make sure students know the name (see page 17).

• Also in the utility, enter the address or RPID of your Renaissance Place server in
the Renaissance Place Settings (see page 18).

• In Renaissance Place, make sure your students have been added to the
database and enrolled in a MathsFacts in a Flash class.

• In MathsFacts in a Flash RP, set the Classroom preferences. (For instructions,

see the MathsFacts in a Flash Software Manual.)

How Students Do MathsFacts in a Flash RP School Work on

NEO 2

Things to Check Befor e St udents Start Using the MathsFact s in a Flash RP

SmartApplet on NEO 2
• Make sure you have done the tasks listed in the previous section.

• Make sure students know the name you gave the Renaissance Receiver
Network (see page 17). Students will need to choose a Network when they work
in the MathsFacts in a Flash RP SmartApplet.

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How Students Do MathsFacts in a Flash RP School Work on NEO 2

• Make sure students know their Renaissance Place user names and passwords.
To get this information, in Renaissance Place, on the Home page click
Personnel and Students under Renaissance Place; then, click View Students.
Search for the students; in the search results, click the Passwords tab.

• If you have younger students, explain how the questions and answers are
displayed on the screen and how to select or enter answers.

How Students Use t he MathsFacts i n a Fl ash RP SmartApplet

Logging In and Choosing What to Work On

1. The teacher’s computer must be on, with the Receiver connected. (Teachers
can use the computer for other things while students are working in
MathsFacts in a Flash.)
2. Turn the NEO 2 on by pressing on/off; then, press applets.
3. Press  until the cursor is next to MathsFacts in a Flash RP. Then, press
enter.
The name that you 4. The first time you use the MathsFacts in a Flash RP SmartApplet, it will list the
gave the Networks that are available. (Networks are Renaissance Receivers connected
Renaissance to computers.) Press  or  to highlight the Receiver you want to connect to;
Receiver is the one
then, press enter.
students will see in the
Networks list. See page 17 If you have chosen a Receiver before, the program may ask if you want to stay
to find out how to change the connected. Press Y for yes or N for no; then, press enter. (If you choose no,
name. you will need to select another Receiver.)
5. When the program asks for your user name and password, type your user
name and press enter or . (You can also press the tab key or one of the
If the NEO says that other arrow keys to move between the two fields.) Then, type your password
the student is and press enter.
already logged in,
the student may have turned
off the NEO without finishing
MathsFacts in a Flash work.
Press applets to leave the
MathsFacts in a Flash RP
SmartApplet. Then, go back to
step 3 to start again.
6. If you are in more than one MathsFacts in a Flash class, your classes will be
listed. Press  or  to highlight the class that you are doing work for; then,
press enter.
7. What you see next depends on what you have done in the software so far:
If you have not done any MathsFacts in a Flash work yet:
The screen will ask whether to start a test. Press Y for yes or N for no;
then, press enter.
If you have worked in the software but have not mastered a level:
You are working at your current level. The screen will show your recent
results. Press enter. Then, press  or  to choose whether to do a
practice, take a test or exit the results screen.
If you have mastered at least one level:
The screen will ask whether you want to work at your current level or a level
you have already mastered. Press  or  to choose what you want; then,
press enter.

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How Students Do MathsFacts in a Flash RP School Work on NEO 2

Working at the Current Level

When you work at the current level, you may be asked whether to start a practice
or test. If so, press Y for yes or N for no. Then, press enter.

If the screen shows you the results of your recent work without giving you choices,
press enter to continue. Then, press  or  to choose what you want and press
enter:

• To test at a new time target.

• To go to the next level.
• To exit. Exit takes you back to either the results screen or the choice
between working at the current level or a previously mastered level.

Working at a Previously Mastered Level

If you have beaten If you choose to work at a previously mastered level, follow these steps:
the best time target,
no target (or a dash) is 1. Press  or  to highlight the level you want to work on; then, press enter.
shown. In this case, you are
simply trying to beat your best 2. You will be shown a time target and asked whether you want to start a test.
time. Press Y to start the test or N not to start it; then, press enter.

Answering Questions During a Practice or Test

During a practice or test, you will see questions like the one shown below.

To change how The way you answer the question depends on what you see on the screen:
students enter
answers, teachers • If you see arrows below the answers, press ,  or  and press enter.
change the Question Type The circles below the answer choices will show you what keys to press to
preference in MathsFacts in a choose each answer.
Flash Renaissance Place.
They can choose whether to
• If you see letters or numbers below the answers, press the letter or number
have free-response or for the answer and press enter. The circles below the answer choices will
multiple-choice questions and show you what keys to press to choose each answer. (You can also press
whether to require students to , , or  instead of the letters shown.)
select specific letters (shortcut
keys) for answers. (If they • If you do not see any answer choices, type your answer and press enter.
choose to set shortcut keys,
the arrow keys will still work as Tips for Practices and Tests:
well.)
• During practices, if you enter an incorrect answer, the program will put an X over it
and a box around the correct answer (or it will fill in the correct answer if you need
to type in the answers). Then, the program will give you the chance to choose or
type the correct answer.

• During tests, you can press esc or backspace to go back one question.

• If the time limit is almost up for the problem, practice or test, a clock will flash in the
middle of the black bar at the top of the screen. If you run out of time for the
practice or test, the program will let you know.

• To stop a practice or test, press ctrl-A or cmd-A. If the NEO 2 asks for a
authorisation password, your teacher must enter the MathsFacts in a Flash
authorisation password.

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How Students Do MathsFacts in a Flash RP School Work on NEO 2

After a Practice or Test

After you finish the practice or test, the screen will show you how you did.

If the screen asks whether you want to practise now, press Y to practise or N not to
practise now.

If the screen tells you to press enter, press it now. The next screen will give you
choices. Press  or  to highlight the choice you want; then, press enter. Your
choices might include:

• Whether to do another practice or test.

• Whether to do a practice, take a test or exit. (Exit takes you to the choice
between working at the current level or a previously mastered level.)
• Whether to test (try) again at a new time target, try for a new target at
The MathsFacts in a
Flash TOPS Report another mastered level or move on to the next level. (Press esc to go back
Preference setting to the choice between working at the current level or a previously mastered
determines whether the report level.)
is sent to the printer
automatically.
A TOPS Report may also be sent to the default printer for your teacher’s computer.

Logging Out of the SmartApplet

When you would like to stop working in the MathsFacts in a Flash RP
SmartApplet, press the applets key. You will be logged out and will go back to the
list of SmartApplets.

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The MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplet for NEO 2 makes it easy for
students to practise maths facts on their own when they are not doing work for
school. This section explains how to use the SmartApplet. If your NEO 2s do not
have the SmartApplet installed, you can download it from
www.renlearn.co.uk/renaissance-
zone/neo2crsresources/neo2crssoftwaredownloads and install it on your NEOs
(see page 63).

Differences Between the MathsFacts in a Flash (offline)

SmartApplet and the MathsFacts in a Flash RP SmartApplet
on NEO 2
MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) MathsFacts in a Flash RP
SmartApplet SmartApplet
Need to be in range of a No, only when printing and Yes
Renaissance Receiver sending the history.
while working?
Can students work on Yes Yes
practices and take tests?
Can students master No Yes
levels?
Do changes to mastery No Yes
time and preferences in
MathsFacts in a Flash
RP affect this
SmartApplet?
How are the results of They can be included on the Class Work done in this SmartApplet is
work shown on reports? Progress and Student Record reported the same as work done
Reports by including the practice when students log in to
summary (similar to work done in Renaissance Place using a
Renaissance Home Connect or on computer.
a Renaissance Responder).
What problem format is Assisted-response. Depends on the setting of
used? MathsFacts in a Flash
preferences.

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Opening the SmartApplet

Opening the SmartApplet

1. With the NEO 2 on, press the applets key.
2. Use the arrow keys to highlight MathsFacts in a Flash (offline); then, press
enter.

Practising MathsFacts in a Flash Levels

Students follow these steps to practise a MathsFacts in a Flash level in the
MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplet. Practices include 20–40 problems.

1. Open the MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplet.

2. Leave Practice/Test highlighted and press enter.
3. Use the arrow keys to highlight the type of maths facts you want to practise as
shown below. Then, press enter.

Levels that you have

already worked on
are marked with *. 4. Next, use the arrow keys to highlight the level you want to practise. Then, press
Clearing the history clears the enter.
asterisks. The history is
automatically cleared when
you send it to Renaissance
Place (see page 90). You can
also choose to clear the
history when you print it (see
page 89) or select the Clear
option in the History menu 5. Practice should be highlighted on the Option screen. Press enter.
(see page 91).

6. For each problem, press the arrow key for the answer that you want to choose;
then, press enter. For example, to choose the answer “10” in the problem
shown below, you would press  on the NEO 2 because that is the arrow
shown below “10” on the screen.
If you have tested on
this level and the
test is still in the
history, the practice will
include any problems you
missed on the test plus
questions deemed
challenging for the level.
If you choose the correct answer, a square will appear around the answer, and
then the next problem will appear.
If you choose the wrong answer, an X will appear over the answer you chose;
then, a dotted square will appear around the correct answer. When the square
disappears, choose the correct answer and press enter.

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Taking Tests

If time is almost up for a problem, a clock icon will flash in the black bar at the
top of the screen; choose an answer as soon as you can and press enter. If
time runs out before you answer the problem, the next problem will appear.
7. After you answer the last question, the screen will show you how many
problems you answered correctly out of the total number you saw. It will also
show you which problems you answered incorrectly and their correct answers.
You can use the arrow keys to scroll through the results.
When you are done, press enter to go back to the Select Level screen.

Taking Tests
Students follow these steps to take a test for a MathsFacts in a Flash level. Tests
always include 40 problems.

1. Open the MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplet (see page 86).

2. Leave Practice/Test highlighted and press enter.
3. Use the arrow keys to highlight the type of maths facts you want to take a test
for as shown below. Then, press enter.

Levels that you have 4. Next, use the arrow keys to highlight the level you want to take a test for. Then,
already worked on
press enter.
are marked with *.
Clearing the history clears the
asterisks. The history is
automatically cleared when
you send it to Renaissance
Place (see page 90). You can
also choose to clear the
history when you print it (see
5. Use the arrow keys to highlight Test; then, press enter.
page 89) or select the Clear
option in the History menu
(see page 91).

6. For each problem, press the arrow key for the answer that you want to choose;
then, press enter. For example, to choose the answer “10” in the problem
shown below, you would press  on the NEO 2 because that is the arrow
shown below “10” on the screen.

If time is almost up for a problem, a clock icon will flash in the black bar at the
top of the screen; choose an answer as soon as you can and press enter. If
time runs out before you answer the problem, the next problem will appear.

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Viewing the History

If you need to go back one question to change your answer, press esc or
backspace. You can only go back one problem.
7. After you answer the last question, the screen will show you how many
problems you answered correctly out of the total number you saw. It will also
show you which problems you answered incorrectly and their correct answers.
You can use the arrow keys to scroll through the results.
When you are done, press enter to go back to the Select Level screen.

Viewing the History

Students can view the history for one level or for all the work they have done in the
MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplet.

Vi ewing the History f or One Level

Students follow these steps to see a detailed history for one level.

1. Open the MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplet (see page 86).

2. Leave Practice/Test highlighted and press enter.
3. Use the arrow keys to highlight the type of maths facts you want to see the
history for as shown below. Then, press enter.

4. Next, use the arrow keys to highlight the level you want to see the history for.
Only levels marked with an asterisk have history available since they are the
only ones that you have worked on since the history was last cleared. Press
enter after choosing a level.

5. Use the arrow keys to highlight History; then, press enter.

6. You will see the history of your work for this level. When you have finished
reading the history, press enter to go back to the options for the level you
selected.

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Printing the History

Vi ewing the History f or All Pract ices and Test s

Students follow these steps to view the history of their practices and tests in the
MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplet.

1. Open the MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplet (see page 86).

2. Use the arrow keys to highlight History; then, press enter.
3. Leave View highlighted and press enter.

4. The next screen lists the activities you have done so far, including the level
name, whether it was a practice or test, the number of problems you answered
correctly and the time you took.
To see the full results for an activity (including a list of problems you answered
incorrectly), use the arrow keys to highlight the activity; then, press enter.

5. When you have finished viewing full results for an activity, press enter or esc to
go back.

P r i n t i ng t h e H i s t o r y
Students follow these steps to print the history of their practices and tests in the
MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplet.

Before the history can be printed, you must have a Renaissance Receiver
connected to your computer, and students need to know the name of the
Renaissance Receiver. See “Setting Up the Renaissance Receiver and Using
NEO 2’s Wireless Capabilities” on page 16.

1. Open the MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplet (see page 86).

2. Use the arrow keys to highlight History; then, press enter.
3. Use the arrow keys to highlight Print; then, press enter.

4. The first time you print the history (or send it to Renaissance Place), your NEO
To find out how to 2 will search for the networks that are within range. (Networks are
name the
Renaissance
Renaissance Receivers connected to computers.) Then, it will show you a list.
Receiver Network, see Use the arrow keys to highlight the one you want to connect to; then, press
page 17. enter.
If you have connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, you will be asked
whether you want to stay connected to the Receiver you chose. To continue

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Sending the History to Renaissance Place

with this Receiver, press Y for yes and press enter. (If you need to choose a
different Receiver, press N for no, then enter.)
5. Next, type your name or ID. (This information will be printed on the history.)
Then, press enter.

6. After your history has been sent to the computer’s default printer, you will be
asked if you want to clear the history—that is, erase the history of the practice
you have done so far in this SmartApplet.
If you want to clear (erase) the history, press Y for yes. Then, press enter.
If you do not want to clear the history, press N for no. Then, press enter.

Sending the History to Renaissance Place

Students or teachers follow these steps to send the practice and test history to
MathsFacts in a Flash Renaissance Place. The history is automatically cleared
when you send it to Renaissance Place.

Students will need their PINs to send the history to Renaissance Place; see step 1
below.

The history will be sent to the Renaissance Place address (or RPID) that you set
in the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility. See page 18.

In MathsFacts in a Flash RP, you can see the practice data in the Class Progress
and Student Record Reports if you choose to include the practice summary.

1. In Renaissance Place, search for students to get the Responder PIN for each
student:
a. Click Personnel and Students, then View Students, and search for
students.
b. In the search results, click the Passwords tab to find the PINs. Then, give
students their PINs. Students will need their PIN to send the history to
Renaissance Place.
2. Open the MathsFacts (offline) SmartApplet (see page 86).
3. Use the arrow keys to highlight History; then, press enter.
4. Use the arrow keys to highlight Send to Renaissance Place; then, press
enter.

To find out how to 5. The first time you send the history to Renaissance Place (or print it), your
name the NEO 2 will search for the networks that are within range. (Networks are
Renaissance Renaissance Receivers connected to computers.) Then, it will show you a list.
Receiver Network, see
Use the arrow keys to highlight the one you want to connect to; then, press
page 17.
enter.

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Clearing the History

If you have connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, you will be asked

whether you want to stay connected to the Receiver you chose. To continue
with this Receiver, press Y for yes and press enter. (If you need to choose a
different Receiver, press N for no, then enter.)
6. The next screen will remind you that the history is cleared from this NEO when
you send it to Renaissance Place.
If you want to continue, press Y for yes. Then, press enter.
If you do not want to go on, press N for no. Then, press enter.
7. Next, enter your MathsFacts in a Flash PIN (see step 1). (Teachers who are
following these steps enter the PIN for the appropriate student.) Then, press
enter.
8. The NEO 2 will notify you when the history has been sent and cleared. Press
enter.

Clearing the History

Students follow these steps to clear (delete) the MathsFacts in a Flash practice
If students are
sharing NEO 2s, clear and test history. Note: The history can also be cleared after you print it, and it is
the history after each automatically cleared whenever you send it to Renaissance Place.
session.
1. Open the MathsFacts (offline) SmartApplet (see page 86).
2. Use the arrow keys to highlight History; then, press enter.
3. Use the arrow keys to highlight Clear; then, press enter.

4. The next screen will ask if you are sure that you want to clear the history. (If
you have not printed the history or sent it to Renaissance Place, the screen will
also remind you of that.)
To continue clearing the history, press Y for yes, then enter.
If you do not want to clear the history, press N for no, then enter.

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K EY W ORDS W IRELESS S MART A PPLET

Welcome to KeyWords
The KeyWords SmartApplet develops basic keyboarding skills using fun and
interesting lessons. KeyWords uses a language-based system that entertains as it
trains. It provides cumulative lessons that teach accuracy and speed a few keys at
a time, and it offers encouragement with positive feedback and helpful hints.

KeyWords also checks progress at each level with typing tests. You can then view
progress reports on the NEO 2 or by using the KeyWords program in Renaissance
Place.

The KeyWords design is based on research about how people learn to type:

• Speed and typing fluency increase more readily if simple words are used and
repeated. The KeyWords method follows this model of repetition, presenting
diverse vocabulary, rhymes and humour to keep lessons interesting.

• Typists learn patterns of keystrokes more quickly when they are not interrupted
by immediate corrections. The KeyWords error-checking method emphasises
the importance of words and phrases.

• Speed skills and accuracy are best developed independently. KeyWords

provides separate lessons for these skills. You can set proficiency targets and
view reports as learners test themselves.

• Speed increases with practice typing words and phrases instead of random
letters. By practising with words and phrases, new typists learn common letter
patterns that are the building blocks for simple and complex words. This
promotes the ability to quickly recognise and type letter combinations that occur
frequently.

If you will be using KeyWords Wireless on NEO 2 with KeyWords RP, be sure
to set the Renaissance Place address (or RPID) in the Renaissance Wireless
Server Utility; see page 18.

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How the KeyWords Wireless SmartApplet Works

How the KeyWords Wireless SmartApplet Works

1. Teachers add students, or learners add themselves as students. Teachers may
If you plan to use the
also set pre-test levels for students (see page 110).
KeyWords RP
reports (within 2. The student completes the Start Here! activity and the pre-test.
Renaissance Place), there
3. The student selects a group of keys to learn. (Teachers may require students
are a few setup tasks you will
need to perform, and you will to complete the lessons in order; see page 109.)
need to make sure your 4. The student works through the activity for learning the new keys.
KeyWords students are in
Renaissance Place as well. 5. The student uses the accuracy and speed builder activities.
See page 122. 6. The student takes an accuracy and speed test.
7. The student or teacher checks student progress using reports on the NEO, or
the teacher synchronises the KeyWords data with Renaissance Place and
views reports in the KeyWords RP program.
8. After completing all lessons, the student takes a post-test.

Starting the KeyWords Wireless SmartApplet

KeyWords comes installed on each NEO. To start KeyWords, follow these steps:
If KeyWords
Wireless is not 1. After starting the NEO, press applets.
installed on your
NEO 2, see page 63 to install 2. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor next to KeyWords Wireless; then,
it. press enter.

Select a SmartApplet and press enter:

 Accelerated Reader 1.2
- KeyWords Wireless 4.1
 MathsFacts in a Flash RP 1.2

3. You will see this KeyWords startup screen:

Adding Students to NEO 2s Using NEO Manager

Note: If you have chosen to use KeyWords in offline mode on NEO 2 (see
page 110), to add students, follow the instructions in “Adding a Student to the
KeyWords SmartApplet in Offline Mode” on page 98.

You can add students to NEO Manager on your computer first. Then, students can
choose Add a pupil, log in (see page 97) and start learning to keyboard.

In NEO Manager, you can add students one by one or import them from a file or
from Renaissance Place.

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Adding Students to NEO 2s Using NEO Manager

Import ing Students fr om Renaissance Place i nto NEO Manager

If you are using Renaissance Place software, and you already have KeyWords RP
classes set up for reporting, you can import your students directly from your
KeyWords RP classes by following these steps. This makes it easier to make sure
that you have the same students in KeyWords RP (for reporting) and in the
KeyWords SmartApplet on your NEO 2s.

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13).

2. Click the KeyWords tab A.

3. Click Add B.
4. Click the Import from Renaissance Place option. Then, click Next >.
5. Enter the address that you use to go to Renaissance Place in your web
browser C.

C
D

6. Enter the user name and password that you use to log in to Renaissance Place
D. Click Next >.

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Adding Students to NEO 2s Using NEO Manager

7. If there is more than one school in Renaissance Place, click your school; then,
click Next >.

8. Tick the boxes next to the classes that you want to import students from; then,
click Next >.

9. On the next panel, all students are ticked. All ticked students will be imported.
If there are any students that you do not want to import, remove the tick mark
next to those students. Then, click Next >.

10. Read the summary. Then, click Import to import the students.

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Adding Students to NEO 2s Using NEO Manager

11. Click Done after the students have been imported.

12. The students will be listed on the KeyWords tab. To add the students from NEO
Manager to each NEO (or to have the students add themselves by logging in),
see “Adding Students to NEO 2s from NEO Manager” on page 97.

Manually Adding Student s in NEO Manager

If you are not using Renaissance Place, you can follow these steps to add your
keyboarding students in NEO Manager:

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13).

2. Click the KeyWords tab A.

3. Click Add B.
4. Click the option Manually enter pupil names. Then, click Next >.
5. Enter each student’s first name, last name and the user name and password
The first name and
that you want the student to use to log in to KeyWords. Then, click Add.
last name can each
be up to 35 Repeat this step for each student.
characters long. The user
name can have from 2 to 50
characters. The password can
have from 2 to 20 characters.

6. Click Done after adding the last student.

7. The students will be listed on the KeyWords tab. To add the students from NEO
Manager to each NEO (or to have the students add themselves by logging in),
see “Adding Students to NEO 2s from NEO Manager” on page 97.

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Adding Students to NEO 2s Using NEO Manager

Addi ng Students to NEO 2s from NEO Manager

To add students on NEO 2s, or to have students add themselves, follow these
steps.

Note: Whether you are adding the students or they are adding themselves, the
Pupil Information Report in NEO Manager gives you a helpful list of students’ user
names and passwords. See page 117.

1. After starting KeyWords, press the ↓ key until Add a pupil is highlighted; then,
press enter.

The name that you 2. You may be shown a list of Networks that are available. (Networks are
gave the Renaissance Receivers connected to computers.) Use the up and down arrow
Renaissance keys to highlight the Receiver you want to connect to; then, press enter.
Receiver Network is the one
students will see in the
Networks list. See page 17
to find out how to change the
name.

If you have chosen a Receiver before, the program may ask if you want to stay
If you make a connected. Press Y for yes or N for no; then, press enter. (If you choose no,
mistake, press you will need to select another Receiver.)
backspace to erase
3. Type the student’s user name (your user name if you are the student) and
and correct the error. If the
error is on a different line, use press enter. Then, type the password and press enter.
the arrow keys to go to the
error so you can correct it.

Use the Pupil

Information Report 4. You will see a “Checking Settings” message, then “Adding new student”. After
in NEO Manager to
this, you will return to the KeyWords starting screen, and the student who was
get students’ user names
and passwords. See added will be listed.
page 117.

Teachers may want to set students’ pre-test levels before they begin working in
KeyWords. You can set each student’s level to Beginning Typist, Intermediate
Typist or Advanced Typist. This determines what the student will be asked to
do in the test. To set the pre-test level, see page 110.

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Adding a Student to the KeyWords SmartApplet in Offline Mode

Adding a Student to the KeyWords SmartApplet in Offline

Mode
Use this method to add your students to the KeyWords SmartApplet if you do not
Add each student to
have a Renaissance Receiver, and you are using the KeyWords SmartApplet in
just one NEO to avoid
confusion in reports. offline mode (see page 110).
The student can only use
Students can also add themselves to the NEO by following these steps.
KeyWords on a NEO where he
or she has been added, and 1. After starting KeyWords, press the ↓ key to move down to Add a pupil; then,
limiting the student to work on
press enter.
a single NEO will help you
accurately monitor the
student’s progress through
KeyWords lessons.

If you make a 2. Enter the student’s first name, press enter and enter the student’s last name.
mistake, press Then, press enter.
backspace to erase
and correct the error. If the
error is on a different line, use
the arrow keys to go to the
error so you can correct it.

3. Enter a password for the student (2–6 characters), press enter and type the
password again. Then, press enter.
These steps 4. NEO will show you that the student is being added; then, it will return to the
describe how to add KeyWords start screen, which will now include the new student’s name.
a student to the
KeyWords SmartApplet. If
you want to use KeyWords RP
for reports, you will need to
add students in Renaissance
Place as well.

5. If you want to add more students, repeat the steps above. All students that you
add will be listed alphabetically by last name.
You may want to set your students’ pre-test levels before they begin working in
KeyWords. You can set each student’s level to Beginning Typist, Intermediate
Typist or Advanced Typist. This determines what the student will be asked to
do in the test. To set the pre-test level, see page 110.

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Choosing Your Name, Starting Lessons and Taking the Pre-Test

Choosing Your Name, Starting Lessons and Taking the Pre-

Test
After students have been added, they can begin working through the lessons. The
first lesson is an introductory overview to teach students how to sit properly and
where to place their hands on the keyboard. The other lessons help students learn
new keys, build speed and accuracy and test their proficiency.

Students can follow these steps to start work in the KeyWords SmartApplet.

1. After starting KeyWords, press the ↓ key to move down to your name in the
list. Then, press enter.

2. Next, you might be asked to choose a network, or you might be asked if you
want to stay connected to a specific network. Networks are Renaissance
Receivers connected to teacher computers. The teacher should tell you which
Receiver to use.
• If the screen lists the networks, use the up and down arrow keys to
highlight the correct name; then, press enter.

• If the screen asks if you want to stay connected to a Receiver, press Y if the
name is correct or N if it is not correct. Then, press enter. If you choose no,
you will be asked to choose a different one.
3. Type your KeyWords password and press enter. (If you do not know what
The arrows on the
password to use, talk to your teacher.)
screen show you that
there are more options 4. Use the arrow keys to highlight Pre-Test and press enter.
above or below the ones you
are viewing.

The teacher can set 5. For the pre-test, after viewing instructions, type the text as instructed. At the
the difficulty level of end of the pre-test, you will see how many words per minute (WPM) you typed
the pre-test and and how many errors you made. When you finish, you will go back to the list of
post-test; see page 110 to
lessons.
find out how to change it on
the NEO 2 itself or page 115
to find out how to change the
level for multiple students and
NEOs using NEO Manager.

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Learning New Keys

6. After you complete the pre-test, you will return to the lesson list. Notice that
there is an asterisk (*) next to the pre-test that you have completed. The * will
appear next to each lesson as you complete it. The + will appear next to each
lesson that you have started, but not finished.

7. To start the first lesson, select Start Here! and press enter.
You may see an x 8. Follow the instructions on the NEO 2 screen to learn about the space bar and
before some lessons
enter key, how to sit properly, and where to put your hands on the keyboard.
if the teacher
requires you to do the Note: This lesson will refer you to the keyboard picture. You or your teacher
lessons in order (see can find this picture in the KeyWords RP resources. For more about the
page 109 and page 115). The resources available to KeyWords teachers, see page 125.
x means that you have not
passed the Accuracy and 9. Now, select another lesson you want to complete (such as A S K L Keys) and
Speed Test for a previous press enter. In each of the other lessons, you can choose one of three options:
lesson. Once you pass the
• Learn new keys helps you learn to type the keys. For more information
test, the x will disappear from
the next lesson. about this, see the next section.
• Use accuracy and speed builders helps you improve your accuracy and
increase your speed while typing these keys. For more information, see
page 101.
• Take accuracy and speed test lets you test your proficiency using these
keys. For more information, see page 102.
As you complete each task, you can choose another option within this lesson,
or you can select another lesson. To go back to a previous screen (such as the
lesson list or the list of names), press esc until you get to that screen.

Learning New Keys

When you choose the Learn new keys option within a lesson, KeyWords asks you
to type the keys you are learning and to type combinations of the keys in different
sequences.

If you type the wrong key, KeyWords will make corrections, but if you continue to
type the wrong keys, KeyWords will give you a hint and show you the keyboard
layout with the key highlighted to help you find it. You must press the correct key to
go on.

You can find visual aids that help you learn keyboarding in the KeyWords RP
resources. See page 125.

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Building Accuracy and Speed

Building Accuracy and Speed

When you choose Use accuracy and speed builders in a lesson, KeyWords
You cannot skip
helps train you to press keys correctly, which improves your accuracy and helps
forward or backward
during an activity. you build up speed. For each lesson, there are six practice passages in the
You must perform the accuracy and speed builders. The following example shows the practice passages
activities as they are for the ASKL keys.
presented. However, you can
stop a lesson by pressing esc.

To choose the passage you want to work on, move the cursor next to it and press
enter.

Accuracy
During the accuracy portion of this activity, KeyWords will ask you to type each of
the words and then give you the words in different sequences. The accuracy
builder helps you practise your newly learned keystrokes with whole words and
phrases. It emphasises precision, not momentum. KeyWords presents passages
of small words or letter patterns to type.

When you complete all the lines in the passage, KeyWords displays the number of
errors you made. Errors are the number of words you typed incorrectly; even if you
make more than one mistake typing a word, it counts as only one error. Typing
extra spaces between words also counts as one error.

KeyWords compares your accuracy (number of errors) to the passing criteria (see
page 111).

If you do not meet the passing criteria, a message will tell you to type more
carefully so you make fewer mistakes, and you will not go to the speed builder.
Instead, you will be asked if you want to try the Accuracy Builder again; if you want
to do this, leave Y selected and press enter.

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Taking an Accuracy and Speed Test

If you meet the passing criteria, you will see a message like the one below, and
when you press the space bar, you will go on to the speed builder.

Speed Bui lder

After you pass the accuracy activity, KeyWords gives you a speed builder activity.
You cannot go straight to the speed builder activity; it always starts automatically
after you pass the accuracy activity. Even if you have completed the accuracy
activity before, you must go through it again before you can work on the speed
builder.

KeyWords shows you your target before the activity, and afterwards, it shows you
whether you met the target. (For more about targets, see page 111.) Targets are
based on the number of words you type per minute. Type the text on the screen
and press the space bar when asked to do so. As you type, the progress bar will
show you the rate at which you should be typing words to meet your target.

When you finish the activity, a message will show you whether you met your target.
If you met your target, you will see a message like this:

If not, you will see a message like the one below. After you press the space bar,
you will see a message asking if you want to try the speed builder again. Press Y
for yes or N for no.

Taking an Accuracy and Speed Test

The third option in each lesson, Take accuracy and speed test, lets you test your
progress. Each lesson has four different tests that you can take. You can retake a
test anytime. Your record shows only your best results.

When you choose this option, the NEO shows the targets you need to meet for
accuracy and speed in order to pass the test.

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Completing the Post-Test

As in the accuracy builder, the number of errors is counted as the number of

incorrectly typed words. Even if you make more than one mistake while typing a
word, it counts as only one error. Typing extra spaces between words also counts
as an error.

The top line on the screen shows you the text to type and when to press enter.
After you have finished the test, the screen shows your accuracy and speed
scores, your target and whether you passed for accuracy and for speed. Note that
you may pass either accuracy or speed without passing the other.

Press the space bar on this screen. One of two things will happen:

• If you are running KeyWords Wireless in offline mode (see page 110), you will
return to the lesson screen.

• If you are running KeyWords Wireless in online mode (see page 110), you may
be asked to choose a network name, or you will be asked if you want to stay
connected to the last one you chose. Then, KeyWords will send information
about all of your KeyWords work to the NEO Manager program on the teacher’s
computer.

Completing the Post-Test

After the student has completed all levels, he or she takes a post-test by following
The teacher can set these steps:
the difficulty level of
the pre-test and 1. After selecting your name and entering your password, use the arrow keys to
post-test; see page 110. select Post-Test; then, press enter.
2. The first two screens tell you how the test will work and then tell you to place
your fingers on the Home row. Press the space bar after reading the
instructions on each screen.
3. Type the text in the test as instructed. Press enter after typing each line.
4. When you have finished, the screen will show how many words per minute you
typed (WPM) and the number of errors you made. Press the space bar after
reading this information.
You can take the post-test more than once if you want to improve your score.
The results of your best post-test will be saved.

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How Students Check Progress Using Reports

How Students Check Progress Using Reports

Students can check their progress any time to see how well they are doing on
KeyWords lessons. These reports are available:

• Pupil Progress Report: This report includes all the lessons the student has
Teachers can also
worked on. It shows the keys that the student did each lesson for, the student’s
create a Group
Progress Report. targets for words per minute (WPM) and accuracy and the student’s actual
See page 108. Reports are scores. It also shows whether the student has passed the accuracy and speed
also available in KeyWords RP test, and it lists the accuracy and speed builders that the student has done. The
in Renaissance Place; see pre-test and post-test are included in this report, but they include only your
page 122.
words per minute and number of errors since targets do not apply and since
there is no separate accuracy and speed test.

• Last Lesson Report: This report shows the keys the lesson was for, the
student’s target for words per minute (WPM), the student’s actual words per
minute, the student’s target for errors, the student’s actual number of errors and
whether the student passed the accuracy and speed test. The pre-test and post-
test are included in this report, but they include only your words per minute and
number of errors since targets do not apply and since there is no separate
If you choose to accuracy and speed test.
send it to an
AlphaWord Plus file, When a student or teacher selects a report, he or she can do one of the following:
the report may wrap across
several lines, so it might be • Choose to print it.
difficult to read. However, you
can send the file to a computer • Send it directly to the computer that has the Receiver attached.
(see page 9) or print it
• Send it to an AlphaWord Plus file on the NEO 2. Sending reports to AlphaWord
(page 10); if you use a
monospace font like Courier, Plus is useful because if you are using several NEO 2s with NEO Manager, you
the report will have its proper can use that program to retrieve the files from multiple NEOs at the same time
formatting. (see page 41). You can then view, save or print the reports.

Follow these steps to create a report:

1. In KeyWords, select your name (or your student’s name) from the student list
and press enter.
2. If you are using KeyWords in online mode (see page 110), you may be shown
a list of Networks (Receivers connected to computers) that are available. Use
the  and  keys to highlight the Receiver you want to connect to; then, press
enter.
If you have chosen a Receiver before, the program may ask if you want to stay
connected. Press Y for yes or N for no; then, press enter. (If you choose no,
you will need to select another Receiver.)
3. Type the password and press enter.
4. On the Select Lesson or Option screen, press  to move up to Pupil reports
at the top of the list. Then, press enter.

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How Students Send Their Data to the Teacher (to NEO Manager) Using NEO 2

5. You can choose a Pupil Progress Report or a Last Lesson Report. Use the
arrow keys to select the report you want; then, press enter.

6. The report will appear on the screen. Press one of the following keys:
• Esc lets you leave the report screen.
• Print prints the report wirelessly. NEO 2 will look for the Renaissance
Receivers in range, and it may ask you to choose a Receiver network from
a list. The report will be sent to the default printer for the computer that is
connected to the Renaissance Receiver.
• Send sends the file to either the computer or to an AlphaWord file on the
If characters get NEO. Choose one of the options on the screen:
jumbled when you
send to a computer • Send directly to the computer: If you choose this option, make sure
file, you may need to change NEO Manager is not running on the computer. Then, connect your NEO
the transfer speed; press to the computer via USB cable (see page 8). At the computer, open any
option--S. program that accepts text (such as a word processing or spreadsheet
program). Press send on the NEO. Disconnect the cable when the file
has been sent.
• Transfer to an AlphaWord file: Choose this option if you want to send
If file passwords are
enabled for the report to an AlphaWord Plus file in one of the eight open files on the
AlphaWord Plus (see NEO. Then, type the number of the file you want to send the report to. If
page 57), you must enter the the NEO warns you that the text that is already in the file will be
password for the file you have deleted, press Y for yes if you want to continue. The file that you sent
chosen before the KeyWords
the report to will open. On the NEO, the report may wrap across several
report can be saved there. You
can substitute the master lines, making it difficult to read, but if you print the file or send it to a
password for the file computer and use a monospace font like Courier, you can see the
password. report with its proper formatting.

How Students Send Their Data to the Teacher (to NEO

Manager) Using NEO 2
Students can follow these steps to send their KeyWords data to NEO Manager.
Although the student’s data is sent after each Accuracy and Speed test, it is
sometimes useful to send the data at other times, such as at the end of a class
period in which the student did not take a test.

Once students send data to NEO Manager, teachers can synchronise it with
Renaissance Place (see page 122) so that they can see the information on
NEO Manager does
not need to be open KeyWords RP reports. (Teachers can also send all students’ KeyWords data from
when students send a specific NEO 2 to NEO Manager; see page 109.)
their data.
Important: These steps are only for NEO 2s running KeyWords in online mode,
and you must have a Renaissance Receiver connected to your computer. If you
have chosen offline mode (see page 110) or you do not have a Renaissance
Receiver, you need to connect the NEOs to your computer to collect and report on
the data.

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Teacher Options

1. In KeyWords, select your name (or your student’s name) from the student list
and press enter.
2. You may be shown a list of Networks that are available. (Networks are
Renaissance Receivers connected to computers.) Use the  and  keys to
highlight the Receiver you want to connect to; then, press enter.

If you have chosen a Receiver before, the program may ask if you want to stay
connected. Press Y for yes or N for no; then, press enter. (If you choose no,
you will need to select another Receiver.)
3. Type the password and press enter.
4. On the Select a Lesson or Option screen, press ↑ to move up to Send
KeyWords data to teacher at the top of the list. Then, press enter.

5. If you want to send your data, leave Y selected and press enter. (If not, press
N, then press enter.)
6. A message will show you that the data is being sent to NEO Manager. Another
message will notify you when the task is complete. Press the space bar to
continue.

Teacher Options
In addition to generating reports and setting targets, the Teacher Options in
KeyWords allow you to do the following:

• Delete one or more KeyWords students.

You can also change
these settings in • Create a Group Progress Report.
NEO Manager. Click
the Settings tab, then click • Send KeyWords data for all students to NEO Manager.
KeyWords Wireless on the
left to see the settings you can • Require students to complete the lessons in order.
change. For more about
• Set the pre-test and post-test level for each student.
changing settings for
KeyWords or other • Set KeyWords Wireless to offline mode.
SmartApplets, see page 148.
• Set custom words per minute or error targets or reset targets to the default.

• Set whether students must type the home row at the beginning of activities.

• Set whether KeyWord reinforces use of the correct shift key.

• Set whether one space or two spaces are required between sentences.

The master password is required when you set teacher options. You can use
NEO Manager to set the master password for your NEOs (see page 135).

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Deleting Students

Follow these steps to change teacher options:

1. In KeyWords, use the arrow keys to move to Teacher options and press
enter.
2. Type the master password and press enter. The teacher options will be listed.

Deleting Students
Within the teacher options, you can choose to delete one or more KeyWords
students from the NEO. This does not delete students from KeyWords RP or from
NEO Manager. (To delete students from NEO Manager, see page 119.)

Important: After you delete a KeyWords student, there is no way to recover that
student’s work. Make sure you want to permanently delete the student’s work
before following the steps below.

Follow these steps:

1. In KeyWords, use the arrow keys to select Teacher options and press enter.
You can also delete
all KeyWords 2. Type the master password and press enter.
students from NEOs 3. In the list of teacher options, do one of the following:
using NEO Manager. To do
this, click Settings, click • If you want to delete just one student, use the arrow keys to select Delete a
KeyWords Wireless on the pupil and press enter. Then, select the student’s name and press enter.
left, and choose Yes for the
• If you want to delete all KeyWords students, use the arrow keys to select
Delete all pupils option.
Then, send the change to your Delete all pupils and press enter.
NEOs. You cannot remove
individual students in NEO
Manager.

4. A message will warn you that the data for the student(s) is about to be erased.
If you are sure you want to continue, press Y for yes. If not, press N for no.

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Creating a Group Progress Report

Creating a Group Progress Report

One of the teacher options allows you to create a group progress report. This
Students can view
report provides information on each student’s last lesson, including the following:
Progress Reports
and Last Lesson • the student’s targets
Reports. See page 104.
Reports are also available in • actual performance for speed and accuracy
KeyWords in Renaissance
Place; see page 122. • whether the student passed the accuracy and speed test

If a student’s last lesson was a pre-test or post-test, only the actual performance
for speed and accuracy are shown since targets do not apply.

The report includes only those students who have used KeyWords on this NEO.
Follow these steps to create the report:

1. In KeyWords, use the arrow keys to select Teacher options and press enter.
2. Type the master password and press enter. (For more about the master
password, see page 135.)
3. Select Create a group progress report and press enter.
4. The report will appear on the screen. Press one of the following keys:
• Esc lets you leave the report screen.
• Print prints the report wirelessly. NEO 2 will look for the Renaissance
Receivers Networks in range, and it may ask you to choose a Receiver
from a list. The report will be sent to the default printer for the computer that
is connected to the Renaissance Receiver.
• Send sends the file to either the computer or to an AlphaWord file on the
If characters get NEO. Choose one of the options on the screen:
jumbled when you
send to a computer • Send directly to the computer: If you choose this option, make sure
file, you may need to change NEO Manager is not running on the computer. Then, connect your NEO
the transfer speed; press to the computer via USB cable (see page 8). At the computer, open any
option--S. program that accepts text (such as a word processing or spreadsheet
program). Press send on the NEO. Disconnect the cable when the file
has been sent.
• Transfer to an AlphaWord file: Choose this option if you want to send
If file passwords are the report to an AlphaWord Plus file in one of the eight open files on the
enabled for NEO. Then, type the number of the file you want to send the report to. If
AlphaWord Plus (see
page 57), you must enter the
the NEO warns you that the text that is already in the file will be
password for the file you have deleted, press Y for yes if you want to continue. The file that you sent
chosen before the KeyWords the report to will open, showing you information about each student’s
report can be saved there. You latest KeyWords lesson. On the NEO, the report may wrap across
can substitute the master several lines, making it difficult to read, but if you print the file or send it
password for the file
password.
to a computer and use a monospace font like Courier, you can see the
report with its proper formatting.

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Sending All KeyWords Student Data from NEO 2 to NEO Manager

S e n d i n g A l l K e y W o r d s S t u d e n t Data from NEO 2 to NEO

Manager
When you use KeyWords Wireless on NEO 2 in online mode (see page 110), data
for each student’s KeyWords work is sent to NEO Manager after each Accuracy
and Speed test. Students can also send their KeyWords data to NEO Manager at
any time (see page 105).

At times, you may need to send all KeyWords data from a specific NEO 2 to NEO
Manager. This sends the data for all students who have used KeyWords on that
NEO to NEO Manager. When you do this, the data is not removed from the NEO
2.

Follow these steps:

1. In KeyWords, use the arrow keys to select Teacher options and press enter.
2. Type the master password and press enter.
3. Select Send Keywords pupil data to NEO Manager and press enter.
4. A message will remind you what this option does. To continue, leave Y
selected and press enter. (If you do not want to continue, press N, then enter
instead.)
5. You may be shown a list of Networks that are available. (Networks are
Renaissance Receivers connected to computers.) Use the up and down arrow
keys to highlight the Receiver you want to connect to; then, press enter.
If you have chosen a Receiver before, the program may ask if you want to stay
connected. Press Y for yes or N for no; then, press enter. (If you choose no,
you will need to select another Receiver.)
6. NEO 2 will check settings, then send the data. When the NEO 2 has finished
sending the data to NEO Manager, it will notify you. Press the space bar.

Requiring Students to Complete KeyWords Lessons in

Order
If you want your students to complete the KeyWords lessons in the order listed,
You can also change follow these steps:
this setting in NEO
1. In KeyWords, use the arrow keys to select Teacher options and press enter.
Manager. With the
NEO(s) connected, click the 2. Type the master password and press enter.
Settings tab in NEO
3. Select Turn sequential lessons ON (or OFF) and press enter.
Manager, click KeyWords
Wireless on the left, and 4. The next screen will show you whether the sequential lesson requirement is on
choose Yes or No after or off; then, it will ask if you want to turn it on (if it is off) or off (if it is on). If you
Require Sequential want to change the setting, press Y for yes. Press enter to finish changing the
Lessons. Then, send the
setting.
change to your NEOs.

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Setting a Pre-Test and Post-Test Level for KeyWords Students

Setting a Pre-Test and Post-Test Level for KeyWords

Students
Before your students begin working in KeyWords, you may want to set the pre-test
and post-test level to indicate whether the student is a beginning typist, an
intermediate typist or an advanced typist. This determines the difficulty of the pre-
test and post-test. If you do not set the level, it defaults to Intermediate Typist.

Number
Estimated Year Level Number of Number of
Time Year Equivalent of Unique Punctuation
Level Required Level Score Words Letters Marks
Beginning 1 minute 2–3 1.7 22 19 2
Typist
Intermediate 2 minutes 4–5 3.0 46 24 4
Typist
Advanced 4–5 6–7 4.1 91 26 6
Typist minutes

Follow these steps to set the level for the KeyWords students using this NEO:
In NEO Manager, you
can change the pre- 1. In KeyWords, use the arrow keys to select Teacher options and press enter.
test/post-test level for 2. Type the master password and press enter.
all existing students (but not
new ones you will add later). 3. Select Set Pre-Test/Post-Test Level and press enter.
With the NEO(s) connected, 4. Use the arrow keys to select the name of the student who needs the level set.
click the Settings tab in NEO
Then, press enter.
Manager, click KeyWords
Wireless on the left, and use 5. If the student has already completed either a pre-test or post-test, the next
the drop-down list to choose a screen will tell you that. If you want to continue, press Y for yes, then enter. (If
level after Pre-Test/Post-Test you do not want to proceed, leave N selected and press enter.)
level. Then, send the change
to your NEOs. If you update 6. The next screen shows the current pre-test and post-test level for the student.
the KeyWords SmartApplet, (The default is Intermediate Typist.) Use the up and down arrow keys to
the pre-test and post-test choose a different level. Then, press enter.
levels may be reset to the
default for all students; see 7. If you want to set the level for another student, repeat steps 4–6. When you
page 116. have finished, press esc until you have gone back to the screen that you need.

Setting KeyWords Wireless to Offline Mode

NEO 2 can run the KeyWords Wireless SmartApplet in online or offline mode. The
default is online mode.

Online mode requires you to have a Renaissance Receiver connected to your

computer. In online mode, you can add or import students in NEO Manager (see
page 93), and when you choose to add them on NEO 2 (see page 93), you can
simply enter their user names and passwords. After students take an Accuracy
and Speed test, their data is automatically sent to NEO Manager. Students can
also choose to send their KeyWords data to NEO Manager.

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Setting Speed and Accuracy Targets for KeyWords Students

Offline mode does not allow KeyWords data to be sent to NEO Manager
wirelessly. In offline mode, you must add students manually on each NEO 2 (see
page 98).

To change modes on a NEO 2, follow these steps:

1. In KeyWords, use the arrow keys to select Teacher options and press enter.
2. Type the master password and press enter.
3. Select Set pupil offline mode and press enter.
4. The screen will show whether offline mode is on or off. Then, it will ask if you
want to change the setting. (Remember: when offline mode is ON, you are
using KeyWords in offline mode. When offline mode is OFF, you are using
KeyWords in online mode.)
Press Y for yes to change it or N for no; then, press enter.

Setting Speed and Accur acy Targets for KeyWords

Students
In the Teacher Options, you can also set new speed (words per minute or WPM)
and accuracy (error) targets for students who use KeyWords on each NEO. As
your students’ typing improves, you may want to set a higher target for words per
minute and a lower target for errors. Only teachers can set targets; students
cannot set their own targets.

When you set targets, you are setting them for all lessons and all students who
use this NEO. You cannot set different targets for different students who are using
the same NEO. The targets apply to all accuracy and speed builders and to tests.

Teacher-Set Targets Versus the Defaul t Automatic Target s

If you set targets using the teacher options, those targets will stay the same for all
lessons and students until you change them.

If you do not set targets using the teacher options, KeyWords starts with easy
targets for all students and gradually makes the targets more difficult as students
progress through lessons. The following table shows how the targets progress as
a student works through lessons.

Accuracy/Error Target Words per Minute (WPM)

Lesson (Maximum) Target (Minimum)
Pre-Test NA NA
ASKL Keys 12 8
DJF Keys 12 10
TH Keys 12 12
GO Keys 10 14
EI Keys 10 16
PR Keys 10 16
QU Keys 8 16
WY Keys 8 18

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Accuracy/Error Target Words per Minute (WPM)

Lesson (Maximum) Target (Minimum)
Z? Keys 8 16
X. Keys 8 18
C, Keys 8 20
MV Keys 8 22
NB Keys 8 22
" ' ! Keys 8 14
Number Keys 6 14
Post-Test NA NA

If you have set targets in the teacher options and you want to go back to the
default automatic targets that are shown in the table, see the instructions on
page 113 to reset targets to the default.

How t o Set Target s Manually in the Teacher Options

Follow these steps to set new targets that are the same for all students and lesson
activities:
You can also set 1. In KeyWords, use the arrow keys to select Teacher options and press enter.
KeyWords targets in
NEO Manager. With 2. Type the master password and press enter.
the NEO(s) connected, click 3. Select Set custom WPM and error targets and press enter.
the Settings tab in NEO
Manager and click KeyWords 4. The screen shows the current words per minute target. Type the new target
Wireless on the left. Then, that you want to set. You can enter any number from 1 to 99. Press enter.
enter values for the custom
WPM and error targets and
send the changes to your
NEOs.

5. The screen shows the current maximum number of errors allowed target. Type
the new target that you want to set. You can enter any number from 0 to 99.
Press enter.

You will return to the teacher options list.

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Choosing Whether to Enforce Use of the Correct Shift Key

Resetting Targets to the Def ault

Follow these steps to change back to the default targets, which change as
You can also reset students progress through the lessons. (See the table that starts on page 111.)
KeyWords targets in Resetting the targets does not affect work that students have already done.
NEO Manager. With
the NEO(s) connected, click 1. In KeyWords, use the arrow keys to select Teacher options and press enter.
the Settings tab in NEO
Manager and click KeyWords 2. Type the master password and press enter.
Wireless on the left. Choose 3. Select Reset WPM and error targets to default and press enter.
Yes after Reset WPM/error
targets to default. Then, 4. You will be asked whether you want to reset the targets. Press Y for yes or N
send the change to your for no; then, press enter. If you choose Y, a message will tell you that the
NEOs. targets have been reset. Press the space bar to go back to the teacher
options.

Choosing Whether to Enforce Use of the Correct Shift Key

For faster and more accurate touch-typing, students should learn to type a capital
letter by holding down the shift key with the opposite hand from the one that is
You can also change
typing the letter. For example, to type “A”, you should hold down the shift key using
this setting in NEO the little finger of the right hand while typing a with the little finger of the left hand.
Manager. With the
NEO(s) connected, click the
If you choose to enforce this practice, in the teacher options, Correct Shift Key
Settings tab in NEO Enforcement should be “On” (as it is when you first receive the NEO). If it is on,
Manager, click KeyWords when students are learning new keys in lessons that require them to type capital
Wireless on the left and letters, NEO will show a message like the one below if they use the incorrect shift
choose Yes or No after Turn key.
Require correct shift key
OFF or ON. Then, send the
change to your NEOs.

Follow these steps to turn this option on or off:

1. In KeyWords, use the arrow keys to select Teacher options and press enter.
2. Type the master password and press enter.
3. Select Turn require correct shift key ON (or OFF) and press enter.
4. The next screen will show you whether correct shift key enforcement is on or
off; then, it will ask if you want to turn it on (if it is off) or off (if it is on). If you
want to change the setting, press Y for yes; if not, press N for no. Press enter.

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Enforcing Use of the Home Row

Enforcing Use of the Home Row

Because returning your fingers to the home row is such an important concept in
touch-typing, you can choose to have KeyWords request that students press the
You can also change
home row keys (A S D F J K L ;) in sequence during lessons. When this option is
this setting in NEO turned on, students see the message below at the beginning of each accuracy and
Manager. With the speed builder activity and each test.
NEO(s) connected, click the
Settings tab in NEO
Manager, click KeyWords
Wireless on the left and
choose Yes or No after Turn
Home Row Confirmation ON
or OFF. Then, send the
change to your NEOs. Students must then type the home row keys in order from left to right before they
can exit the screen and go on to the lesson. If they type the keys incorrectly,
KeyWords backspaces to where they made the error, and it will not let them
continue until they press the correct letters in the correct order.

This option is off by default. To turn it on or off again, follow these steps:

1. In KeyWords, use the arrow keys to select Teacher options and press enter.
2. Type the master password and press enter.
3. Select Turn Home Row confirmation ON (or OFF) and press enter.
4. The next screen will show you whether home row confirmation is on or off;
then, it will ask if you want to turn it on (if it is off) or off (if it is on). If you want to
change the setting, press Y for yes. Press enter.

Requiring One or Two Sp a c e s b e t w e e n S e n t e n c e s

In traditional keyboarding classes with typewriters, typists were asked to put two
spaces after a period before starting a new sentence. Modern typesetting, word
You can also change processing and web pages all use just one space between sentences.
this setting in NEO
Manager. With the The KeyWords settings default to 2 spaces between sentences, but in the teacher
NEO(s) connected, click the options, you can change the number of spaces that you want your students to
Settings tab in NEO
include between sentences. Follow these steps:
Manager, click KeyWords
Wireless on the left and 1. In KeyWords, use the arrow keys to select Teacher options and press enter.
choose 1 or 2 after Set
Spaces between sentences. 2. Type the master password and press enter.
Then, send the change to your 3. Select Set one/two spaces between sentences and press enter.
NEOs.
4. The screen will show the current setting and ask if you want to change it. Press
Y for yes or N for no. Then, press enter.

Using NEO Manager with KeyWords

NEO Manager can be helpful to KeyWords users in these ways:

• It lets you add your KeyWords students or import them from Renaissance Place
(see page 93). After you have done that, you can easily add your students on
NEO 2s (or they can add themselves) using their user names and passwords.

• It lets you set all KeyWords options from one screen at your computer.

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• If you have a SmartOption Bundle with an AlphaHub, NEO Manager lets you
change KeyWords options for up to thirty NEOs at the same time.

• NEO Manager can retrieve KeyWords data from NEOs and create reports that
you can print and save.

• NEO Manager can also synchronise that data with the KeyWords program in
Renaissance Place, allowing you to use that program to generate reports. (See
page 122.)

The following sections explain how to use some KeyWords features of NEO
Manager.

Setti ng KeyWords Wi reless Options in NEO Manager

The KeyWords Wireless SmartApplet settings that you can change in NEO
Manager are the same ones that you can change on the NEO itself in the Teacher
Options. However, changing the settings in NEO Manager is sometimes faster
because you can make all setting changes in one window, and you can change
settings for all NEOs that are connected to your computer.

The following table describes the KeyWords Wireless settings you can change and
where to find the same settings on the NEO itself.

Setting What It Does Where to Find on the NEO

Disable this Turns off access to KeyWords so it cannot be used Press applets, move the
SmartApplet on the NEO(s). KeyWords is still installed, but if cursor down next to
anyone tries to select it in the list of SmartApplets, KeyWords, and press ctrl--
the user is notified that it is disabled. Users of NEO L. Then, enter the master
need the master password to enable it again. Click password and press enter.
Yes or No. will appear next to KeyWords
in the list.
Delete all Deletes all students who have been added to You can delete one student or
students KeyWords and their KeyWords data. Click Yes or No. all students in the teacher
Note: In NEO Manager, you can delete all students, options in KeyWords. (See
but not individual students. To delete one student, page 107.)
use the KeyWords teacher options on the NEO.
Enable pupil This sets the KeyWords Wireless SmartApplet to You can also find this setting
offline mode offline mode, which means there will be no wireless in the teacher options in
communication between your NEO 2s and NEO KeyWords. (See page 110.)
Manager. In this mode, you must enter student
information manually on each NEO, and KeyWords
data cannot be sent from NEOs to NEO Manager
except when you retrieve it on the KeyWords tab in
NEO Manager. Click Yes or No.
Require Determines whether KeyWords students must You can also find this setting
sequential complete the KeyWords lessons in the order they are in the teacher options in
lessons listed. Click Yes or No. KeyWords. (See page 109.)

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Setting What It Does Where to Find on the NEO

Pre/Post-Test Sets the pre-test and post-test level for all new and In the KeyWords teacher
level existing students to Beginning Typist, Intermediate options, you can set a
Typist or Advanced Typist. The level determines the separate level for each
content of the pre-test and post-test for each student. student. (See page 110.)
Choose a level from the drop-down list.
Note: If you update the KeyWords Wireless
SmartApplet from NEO Manager, and Replace
SmartApplets on device with SmartApplets from
Computer is ticked in the NEO Manager
preferences, all students’ pre-test and post-test
levels will be reset to the default.
Set custom Sets a specific words per minute (WPM) speed target You can set targets in the
WPM targets for all students and all lessons. This overrides the teacher options in KeyWords.
automatic progression of targets that KeyWords (See page 112.)
normally uses (see page 111). Type the minimum
words per minute you want students to achieve. (The
default is 8.)
Set custom Sets a specific target for maximum errors allowed per You can set targets in the
error targets activity for all students and all lessons. This overrides teacher options in KeyWords.
the automatic progression of targets that KeyWords (See page 112.)
normally uses (see page 111). Type the maximum
errors you want students to be allowed. (The default
is 12.)
Reset Resets targets to the ones used by default in You can reset targets in the
WPM/error KeyWords (see page 111). Click Yes or No. teacher options in KeyWords.
targets to (See page 113.)
default
Turn Require Determines whether KeyWords checks to make sure You can turn this requirement
correct shift that students use the shift key opposite the letter they on or off in the teacher
key OFF are typing to make that letter uppercase. If students options in KeyWords. (See
use the wrong shift key, they will see a message page 113.)
asking them to use the other shift key. Click Yes or
No.
Turn Home Determines whether KeyWords requires students to You can turn this requirement
Row type the home row keys at the beginning of each on or off in the teacher
confirmation accuracy and speed builder activity and the options in KeyWords. (See
ON beginning of each test. This helps get students used page 114.)
to placing their hands on the home row. Click Yes or
No.
Set spaces Determines whether students are required to type You can change the spaces
between one space or two between sentences. Click 1 or 2. required between sentences
sentences in the teacher options in
KeyWords. (See page 114.)

Follow these steps to change KeyWords options in NEO Manager.

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. Click the Settings tab in NEO Manager.

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3. Click KeyWords Wireless A in the list of SmartApplets on the left as shown.

If KeyWords
Wireless is not in the
Settings list, one or
more of the connected NEOs
does not have KeyWords
Wireless installed. To install it
on all connected NEOs, click
the SmartApplets tab, click
KeyWords Wireless in the list
and click Add. (Once you
have chosen to install it, you A
can change the settings.)
Then, send the SmartApplet
to the NEOs (see page 63).

To restore all 4. Make changes as needed to the settings listed on the right. (Make sure the box
KeyWords settings is ticked for each setting you are changing. As you change settings, notice that
to the defaults, click the KeyWords Wireless box is automatically ticked on the left.)
Restore Defaults at the
bottom of the window. 5. Click the Send List tab and make sure that your changes are listed.

6. If you have multiple NEOs and you want to limit the changes to certain NEOs,
click Select Devices. Then, tick the NEOs that should get the changes, and
click OK.
7. Click Send.

Retri evi ng KeyWor ds Dat a and Generating Reports in NEO Manager

Follow the steps below to retrieve your students’ KeyWords data from NEOs and
view, save or print reports.

Note: If KeyWords Wireless is being used in online mode (see page 110),
students’ KeyWords data is automatically sent to NEO Manager after each
Accuracy and Speed test, and the student can send the data to NEO Manager at
any time (see page 105). Teachers can also send all KeyWords data from a
specific NEO 2 to NEO Manager (see page 109).

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Using NEO Manager with KeyWords

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. Click the
KeyWords tab in
NEO Manager.
NEO Manager will
retrieve students’
KeyWords data A
from all connected
NEOs. You can
click the Device
column heading
A to sort students
by the device they
are using instead B
of by name.
3. Tick the boxes
next to the
students or devices (NEOs) you want to include in reports and click Reports
B. (If you do not tick any students, the program will assume you want to
include all students listed.)
4. First, click the report you want to
generate: Pupil Detail, Pupil
Progress or Pupil Information C:
C
For pre-tests and • The Pupil Detail Report lists each
post-tests, only the student’s information separately.
actual words per D
For each lesson, the report
minute and errors are shown
since the other information includes the targets, actual words
does not apply to these tests. per minute and errors, whether the
lesson was passed and the
accuracy and speed builders completed.
• The Pupil Progress Report includes information on each student’s latest
lesson, including the targets, actual words per minute, actual errors and
whether the lesson has been passed.
• The Pupil Information Report includes your students’ first names, last
names, user names and passwords. This is useful if you have added your
students in NEO Manager (see page 93) and you want to give students
their user names and passwords so they can log in.
Next, click the group you want to include: the selected (ticked) students or all
students D. Click OK to continue.
5. If you chose the Pupil Information Report, you will be asked to enter the master
password. (For more about that password, see page 135.) After entering the
password, click OK.

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6. The report will open in a new window.

To save the report, click Save, type a name for the report and choose a
location for the file and click Save.
To print the report, click Print, choose your printer and click OK (Windows) or
Print (Macintosh).
To close the report window, click Close.

Deleting KeyWords Students from NEO Manager

Follow these steps to delete KeyWords students and their data from NEO
Manager. This does not delete the data from the NEO 2s that the students are
using, and if they send their KeyWords data to NEO Manager again, the students
will once again be listed in NEO Manager. If you want to remove the students from
both the KeyWords tab in NEO Manager and from the SmartApplet on their NEO
2s, see “Resetting KeyWords Students Using NEO Manager” below.

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13).

2. Click the KeyWords tab A.

3. Tick the box B in front of the student(s) that you want to delete from NEO
Manager.

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About KeyWords Reports

4. Click Delete C.
5. A message will remind you that this will remove the students and their data and
that this cannot be undone. If you want to continue, click Yes; the student
name will be deleted from the list.

Resetting KeyWords Students Using NEO Manager

By following the steps below, you can use NEO Manager to reset KeyWords
students on connected NEOs. Resetting the KeyWords students does the
following:

• Delete all KeyWords students that have been added in NEO Manager (see
page 93).
If any of your NEOs • Delete all KeyWords students from connected NEOs.
are not connected
when you select this This makes it easier to get ready to use KeyWords on your NEOs before a new
command, you can manually school year begins.
delete the KeyWords students
from that NEO 2; see 1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13).
page 107.
2. Connect your SmartOption trolley to your computer, or connect a single NEO
(see page 8).
3. In NEO Manager, click the Setup menu and choose Reset KeyWords Pupils.
4. In the message that appears, if you want to continue, click Yes. (If not, click
No.) If you click Yes, the KeyWords students will be removed from the
KeyWords tab in NEO Manager and from all connected NEOs.

About KeyWords Reports

There are several different ways to get reports on student work in KeyWords:

Reports Where or How to Generate them

• Pupil Progress Report Students can generate these reports on the
• Last Lesson Report NEO from within KeyWords. See page 104.

• Group Progress Report Teachers can generate this report on the NEO
that includes information on each student’s last
lesson. See page 108.
• Pupil Detail Report Teachers can view these reports in NEO
• Group Pupil Progress Report Manager. See page 117.
• Pupil Information Report
• Master Class Report Teachers can use templates that come with
KeyWords to create this report from each
student’s Last Lesson Report. See the
instructions in the next section.
• Certificate Teachers can view and print these reports in
• Diagnostic Report KeyWords RP, which is available when you own
• School Summary Report any other Renaissance Place product. This
• Student Record Report requires that you synchronise your KeyWords
data with Renaissance Place using NEO
Manager (see page 122). For more information
about KeyWords RP, see page 122 and the
KeyWords User Manual in Renaissance Place.

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About KeyWords Reports

Creating a Master Class Report

By following the steps below, you can create a master class report that includes
the Last Lesson Reports from each of your students.

When you send a Last Lesson Report to a program on your computer instead of
printing it or sending it to AlphaWord Plus, the column headers are not included so
that you can easily create a master classroom report. To create the master class
report, you will use the LastLessonreport.xls Microsoft Excel file included with
NEO Manager and students’ Last Lesson Reports. Follow these steps:

1. Copy the LastLessonreport.xls file from the folder where NEO Manager is
installed on your computer:
• Windows: Program Files\AlphaSmart\AlphaSmart Manager 2\KeyWords
Extras\.
• Macintosh: Applications : AlphaSmart : AlphaSmart Manager 2 :
KeyWords Extras.
2. Paste the file onto your computer and open it. Click on the first cell under the
heading as shown A.

3. Have each of your students create a Last Lesson Report on their NEO 2s.
(See page 104.) Tell them to wait before choosing whether to print the report,
send it to a computer or send it to an AlphaWord Plus file.
4. Have one student connect his or her NEO to your computer using the USB
cable. Then, have the student press send, then choose Send directly to the
computer.
After a moment, the student will be asked to press send again. This will send
the student’s data into the first row below the column headings. When the data
has been sent, have the student disconnect the NEO. Click in the first cell in
the next row.
Repeat this step for each student.
5. Add any other information you want in the report, such as your name or the
classroom, and then save or print the file for your records.

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Using KeyWords RP to View and Print Reports

Using KeyWords RP to View and Print Reports

KeyWords RP is a Renaissance Place program that allows you to generate reports
about your students’ work in KeyWords on NEOs. You do not need to purchase
KeyWords RP separately. You can use it if you have another Renaissance Place
program and if you are using KeyWords on NEOs. KeyWords RP provides
powerful and easy-to-use reports so teachers can see information for individual
students, classes and entire schools.

The steps below describe how to synchronise your KeyWords data on NEOs with
KeyWords RP. For more information about using KeyWords RP, click Manuals on
any Renaissance Place page and click the KeyWords User Manual.

Synching KeyWords Dat a wit h KeyWords RP

By following these steps, you can synchronise your KeyWords data with the
KeyWords program in Renaissance Place.

Renaissance Place is a web-based information system that brings together a

wealth of student data, giving teachers, head teachers and administrators the
information they need in one place. You can use KeyWords in Renaissance Place
if you own and have registered any other Renaissance Place product, such as
Accelerated Reader, Accelerated Maths, MathsFacts in a Flash, STAR Early
Literacy, STAR Reading or STAR Maths.

Before you synchronise KeyWords data with KeyWords in Renaissance Place, you
must do the following:

• Make sure KeyWords RP is available on your server.

• Activate your school(s) in Renaissance Place (see the KeyWords User Manual
in Renaissance Place).

• Make sure you have your Renaissance Place user name and password. (In
NEO Manager, different Renaissance Place users can synchronise KeyWords
data from the same computer as long as they log in to the computer using
different passwords or accounts.)
To find manuals in • Add your KeyWords students to Renaissance Place (see the Renaissance
Renaissance Place, Place Real Time Software Manual). Make sure that the first and last names are
click Manuals in the
identical to the student names in KeyWords on the NEOs. This is important
upper-right corner of any
page. Then, click the manual because students’ KeyWords data is matched to their records in Renaissance
you want to open. Place. Data can only be synchronised for students who have been added to
Renaissance Place. (If you imported your students from Renaissance Place into
NEO Manager, you already have the students in Renaissance Place.)

• Make sure your KeyWords courses, classes, and teachers have been added to
Renaissance Place. Teachers must be assigned to the classes, and students
must be enrolled in the classes. You must also tick KeyWords in the Products
when you add or edit the classes so that these classes are included in
KeyWords RP reports. For instructions, see the Renaissance Place Real Time
Software Manual.

Follow these steps to synchronise KeyWords data with RP:

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.

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2. Click the KeyWords tab in NEO Manager. NEO Manager will retrieve students’
KeyWords data from all connected NEOs.
If you are using a SmartOption Bundle and you want to sort students by their
device number instead of by name, click the Device column heading A.

3. Click Synch with RP B.

4. Enter the web address that you use to access Renaissance Place C.

5. Enter the user name and password that you use to log in to Renaissance Place
D.
6. If you have synchronised with RP before, you can choose to automatically
synch students that have already been matched, or you can use the full wizard
to change previous matches of KeyWords with RP E. Click an option.
7. Click Next >.
8. If this is your first time synchronising, or if you chose to use the full wizard to
change previous matches, click the school you want to use if necessary. Click
Next >.
If you have synchronised before and chose to automatically synch students
with Renaissance Place in the previous step, a message will appear telling you
how many students were successfully imported into Renaissance Place. Click
Done and go to step 12.

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Using KeyWords RP to View and Print Reports

9. Tick the class(es) containing the students that you want to synchronise with
Renaissance Place. Click Next >.
10. Match the KeyWords students with the Renaissance Place students as
The first time you
synchronise, or any described below.
time you use the full
wizard, NEO Manager
performs a basic name match
(auto-matching) between the
list of Renaissance Place H
F I
students and the KeyWords
students on the NEO 2s.

F Click a KeyWords student H Click Match >> to match the

name that you want to match students and move them to
to a Renaissance Place the Matched Pupils area on
student. The list is based on the right.
the KeyWords students who I If you want to remove a match,
were added to the NEO(s) click the student names in the
connected to your computer. Matched Pupils column and
G Click the Renaissance Place click << Unmatch to separate
student name you want to the names and move them
match to the KeyWords back to their respective
student you selected. The list columns on the left side.
is based on Renaissance J Click Next > when you have
Place students already finished.
enrolled in the school and
class you selected in the
previous dialog boxes.

11. After the progress dialog box disappears, the program will show you how many
students had data successfully imported into Renaissance Place. Click Done.
12. Open your web browser and go to the server address (URL) where
Renaissance Place is installed.
13. Log in to Renaissance Place (see the KeyWords User Manual in Renaissance
Place).
14. View and/or print KeyWords RP reports in Renaissance Place (see the
KeyWords User Manual).

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KeyWords Resources for Teachers

K e y W o r d s R e s o u rc e s f o r T e a c h e r s
The resources that are available for KeyWords can help teachers learn how to use
KeyWords to teach their students touch-typing. Resources include:

• reference materials provided with KeyWords and KeyWords RP that you can
use to make handouts and transparencies

• a review of ergonomic typing posture and body placement

• a sample lesson plan for using KeyWords in a classroom with NEOs

Materials for Handouts and Transparencies

You can find KeyWords Resources in several places, which are described below.

You need Adobe NEO Manager Start Menu or Program Folder

Reader to view and • On Windows computers, click StartAll ProgramsNEO
print all PDF files.
ManagerKeyWords Master Transparencies.
Adobe Reader is available at
www.adobe.com. • On Macintosh computers, open Applications : AlphaSmart : AlphaSmart
Manager 2 : KeyWords Extras and open KeyWords SmartApplet Master.

NEO Manager Downloaded Files

In the KeyWords Extras folder in the NEO Manager download files, you will find a
file named KeyWords SmartApplet Master.pdf.

KeyWords RP Resources Page

In KeyWords RP (Renaissance Place), you can click Resources in the list of
KeyWords tasks to see many of these resources. Most of the resources can be
found on the Resources page, but you can print Certificates from the KeyWords
RP Reports page.

UK Software and Manuals CD

You can also find the resource files on the UK Software and Manuals CD that you
received.

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KeyWords Resources for Teachers

Resource Locations
Location Resources Available
NEO Manager Start • Posture and Wrist Placement
menu or program folder • Key Strikes
• Finger Zones
• Home Row Keys
• Finger Placement for Lessons
• Progress Report Master
• Sustained Practice Activities
• Congratulations Certificate
Downloaded NEO • Posture and Wrist Placement
Manager files • Key Strikes
• Finger Zones
• Home Row Keys
• Finger Placement for Lessons
• Progress Report Master
• Sustained Practice Activities
• Congratulations Certificate
KeyWords RP • Keyboarding Cards
Resources Page • Posture and Wrist Placement (in the Getting
Started posters)
• Key Strikes (in the Getting Started posters)
• Finger Zones (in the Getting Started posters)
• Home Row Keys (in the Getting Started posters)
• Finger Placement for Lessons
• Sustained Practice Activities (under Forms and
Charts)
• Certificate (Reports page only)

Resource Descriptions
Name of Handout Description of Master
Prepare these masters before using KeyWords on NEO 2s:
Posture and Wrist This master shows a drawing of a student seated
Placement properly with good wrist and hand position. Use it to
create an overhead transparency or a reference
handout for students.
Key Strike This master shows close-up sketches of correct
finger strike positions. Use it to create an overhead
transparency or a handout for students.
Finger Zones This master illustrates the keyboard divided into
zones. A graphic shows the fingers that correspond
to the zones on the keyboard on each hand. Use this
master as a handout or a poster.
Home Row Keys This master shows Home Row positions for the left
and right hands. Use this master as a handout or a
poster.

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KeyWords Resources for Teachers

Name of Handout Description of Master

Use these masters while working with KeyWords on NEO 2s:
Finger Placement for This master illustrates the right and left hands with
Lesson 1: Start Here! fingers labeled, and shows those fingers in their
home row positions. It also illustrates the finger
reach to the enter key and the use of the thumb to
strike the space bar. Use it to create handouts or
posters.
Finger Placement for These masters illustrate finger placement and
Lessons 2 through 16 reaches useful for student reference as they learn
each level. Use the masters to create a handout for
each lesson.
Progress Report Use this master to create hard copy reports for
students to fill in so they can track their progress or
hand in progress reports. This is the same
information kept by the NEO 2 in the students’
records.
Use these masters as supplemental materials to KeyWords lessons on NEO 2s:
Sustained Practice These masters contain additional practice exercises
for each lesson. Students can do the exercises by
typing in AlphaWord Plus. Use these lesson-
appropriate practice sheets as students pass each
lesson.
Congratulations Use this master to create certificates to reward
Certificate students as they pass each KeyWords lesson.
Keyboarding Cards Use the cards in this document to provide additional
“game-like” activities for reinforcement, introducing
finger zones or to provide additional practice.
These other resources will help you use KeyWords with your class:
Configure NEO to This document explains how to configure NEO 2s for
Support Students with students with unique visual needs, motor control
Unique Learning Needs needs or physical needs.
KeyWords and This document explains how to add KeyWords
Renaissance Place students and get students started on lessons,
Integration QuickStart change KeyWords settings in NEO Manager,
Guide generate KeyWords reports in NEO Manager and
synchronise KeyWords data with KeyWords RP so
you can use KeyWords RP reports.
Keyboarding: An This document summarises keyboarding research
Essential Skill for the 21st and outlines best methods for teaching this skill.
Century

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KeyWords Resources for Teachers

Keyboarding Ergonomi cs
Teaching students about proper posture and physical setup can help them prevent
health problems caused by typing.

Keep the following tips for wrists and hands in mind:

• Keep wrists aligned, straight and level.

Correct hand and wrist position Incorrect hand and wrist position

• Position chairs so students do not stretch to reach keys.

• Wrists should not rest on anything.

• Take periodic rest breaks.

Follow these guidelines to properly adjust equipment and posture:

• The keyboard should be just below elbow height so the elbows are bent at a 90°
angle.

• The chair should adjust so you can make it fit each student properly.

• Forearms and thighs should be parallel to the floor when the student is seated at
the computer.

• Feet should be flat on the floor or placed on a tilted footrest.

• Position devices so that light does not reflect off the screen. Light reflecting off
the screen can cause eye strain and frustration.

Sample Lesson Pl an for Getti ng Started

This sample lesson plan teaches basic keyboarding information. You should
present this lesson to students at the beginning of keyboarding instruction.

Students will learn

• Correct typing posture

• Correct wrist placement

• Home row keys

• How to strike keys

• How to strike the space bar

• How to strike the enter key

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KeyWords Resources for Teachers

Preparation
Prepare the following overhead transparencies from the masters (see page 125):

• Posture and Wrist Placement

• Key Strike

• Finger Zones

• Home Row Keys

Teaching the Lesson

Explain to students that there are several basic practices that promote successful
keyboarding. These practices include sitting with the proper posture, holding the
wrists properly, striking the keys correctly and returning the fingers to the home
row keys. The following steps guide you through the lesson.

1. Use the Posture and Wrist Placement overhead transparency to show the
correct typing posture and wrist placement. Have students sit at their desks
with their NEOs and demonstrate the correct posture and wrist placement.
Monitor students, helping them make needed adjustments.
2. Use the Key Strike overhead transparency to explain how to strike the keys.
Have students demonstrate and practise striking the keys. (Students can use
AlphaWord Plus on their NEOs to practise striking keys.) Monitor students,
helping them make needed adjustments.
3. Use the Home Row Keys overhead transparency to show the home row keys.
Have students place their fingers on the home row keys and practise typing A
S D F and then J K L ;. Repeat several times until students can strike the
home row keys correctly.
4. Use the Finger Zones overhead transparency to show students the keyboard
zones for each finger. Have students practise striking another key with one
finger and then returning that finger to the home row key. Practise with several
fingers. Monitor students, helping them make needed adjustments.
5. Show students how to strike the enter key and the space bar. The right little
finger strikes the enter key and then returns to the home row key. Either thumb
is used to strike the space bar. Have students practise striking the enter key
and the space bar and returning to the correct home row key. Monitor students,
helping them make needed adjustments.
6. Explain to students that pressing the enter key moves the cursor to the
beginning of the next line and that pressing the space bar inserts a space
between words.
7. Review the basics of sitting properly, using correct wrist placement, striking the
keys and always returning to the home row keys.

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Lessons in KeyWords

Lessons in KeyWords
The following tables list the lessons provided in KeyWords. Each table shows the
keys introduced in the lesson, the words and word patterns learned and the
passing criteria for testing (based on the default targets—see page 111).

Keys Passing
Lesson Introduced Words Learned Patterns Criteria
Pre-Test none none none none
1: Start Here! none none none 0 WPM
0 errors
2: ASKL ASKL all as ask sl alk 8 WPM
lass alas as ask 12 errors
ll
3: DJF DJF add dad fall fl ad 10 WPM
sad lad salad s (plural) 12 errors
flask jalls jad
jasks
4: TH TH sat flat hat th alt 12 WPM
slat that has ast sh 12 errors
fast last ash st at
flash slash dash ash
has sash talk
stalk hall tall
shall stall salt
half
5: GO GO dog hot fog ood old 14 WPM
log jog look ook oa 10 errors
took hook shook og ot
hag sag shag ool oat
lag got shot ost oad
hot lot old ag oast
told gold sold gh
fold soft aloft
of off stool
fool soot tooth
toast toad oat
goat float soak
load ghost good
hood stood flood
6: EI EI eat seal flea ee ea 16 WPM
eagle tea eel es se 10 errors
feel feed geese ed ake
goose loose lose ade id
the these did ie ish
lid solid tie ike ite
lake fake gate ide ilk
skate jade like igh ight
kite ashes flashes oe
glide slide silk
jog sigh high
tight light flight
seaside steak fish
elfish shoes headlight

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Lessons in KeyWords

Keys Passing
Lesson Introduced Words Learned Patterns Criteria
7: PR PR hop stop shop op ear 16 WPM
flop slop ear er es 10 errors
hear dear fear re ee
pear eager read ar ard
deer free tree ark ope
see red fled iest or
tire fire tried oll ir
tar jar hard thr shr
are large ark str
park dark lark
spark star ill
shrill starfish earth
thrill dope rope
hope girl radishes
soap horse reddish
apples roses spider
pillar fairies parrot
strolled prettiest sorriest
alligator refrigerator
8: QU QU rug hug jug ug ou 16 WPM
our hour four out ouse 8 errors
pour flour out ush ust
shout loud house udge qu
soup gush hush
just flush trust
judge fudge pure
suds three quit
quiet quake quilt
quote quail quarter
quart equip quip
squirt spirit dollar
said heartful stutter
sputter
9: WY WY day try way ay ow 18 WPM
away play playful wh ly 8 errors
stay joyful why ory urry
whole where flow aw wh
flowers pillow yellow wr
plow washed yaks
owls hoot write
laws you furry
hurry story followed
slowly
10: Z? Z? zip zipper pizazz azz uz 16 WPM
zeal zigzag sizzle ze izz 8 errors
puzzles Zeus gazes zz zi
drizzle zero lazy
jazz zesty
11: X. X. expert explode extra ex ox 18 WPM
exit express relax ax re 8 errors
reflex exhale apex pre
explore prefix wax
tax ox fox
duplex paradox
exasperate

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Lessons in KeyWords

Keys Passing
Lesson Introduced Words Learned Patterns Criteria
12: C, C, ace face race ace circ 20 WPM
circus circles sticky eck ick 8 errors
quick pick chick uck uice
peck chew juice ch cr
cupcake cheetahs duck
Chuck quack call
cows careless could
carrot exactly clothes
deck crawls cards
choose chocolate
13: MV MV love dove glove ove ive 22 WPM
move grove am av ve 8 errors
my five give im ime
arrive thrive alive
very avoid swerve
wave caramel muddy
comics slime scratch
pimples rimful whim
pilgrim shrimp limp
mild might church
14: NB NB big bit nibble ob ub 22 WPM
rabbit job cob br bl 8 errors
hobby blue wobbles ld bb
singing dancing bang bbl by
beach brown building in ion
brave balloons blossom sion
bouquet barley subway
caution explosion motion
extinction
15: " ' ! "'! — — 14 WPM
8 errors
16: Numbers 1234567 — — 14 WPM
890 6 errors
Post-Test none none none none

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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I not able to use the backspace key when using KeyWords?
Backspace is disabled because keyboarding research shows that students need
to learn the patterns of keystrokes uninterrupted by immediate corrections.
Disabling backspace benefits students because they can concentrate on speed,
not on correcting errors.

Why is there so much repetition of words in the practice passages?

Research has shown that speed and confidence increase more readily if simple
words are used and are repeated often. KeyWords offsets the repetition by
providing text with humour, poetry and rhythmic chants.

Why are the passages so easy?

Easy practice material develops speed and typing fluency more effectively, giving
the student a feeling of confidence and a sense of success. Though the passages
are easy, they provide practice in all the needed key patterns.

Why is the sequence of key introduction so different from what I am used to in other
typing programs?
Many other typing programs are based on 1950s typing instruction. KeyWords
designers sensed the need for a more language-based program, one that
reinforces the development of a reading and writing vocabulary as it teaches
typing.

The content of the passages is based on word list analysis. High-frequency words
that help develop reading and writing vocabulary and spelling skills were chosen
for the practice material. KeyWords maximises kinesthetic and linguistic patterns,
which is why it is the most efficient and enjoyable way to learn to touch-type.

Why do the students learn the ASKL keys first?

Two design principles distinguish KeyWords from all other keyboarding programs:
the application of kinesthetic (tactile, sensory) patterning and the application of
linguistic (language) patterns in all skill-building activities.

When students are learning the home row keys in the first lesson, they type as.
Students are typing enough on the left side of the home row keys to ensure that
their fingers are where they belong. Students are also using two fingers that are
next to each other to press two keys that are next to each other in a left-to-right
motion; this is a kinesthetic pattern. The action results in a word, as, which is also
part of many other words, like fast; so as is also a linguistic pattern. Learning the
kinesthetic pattern generates a linguistic pattern.

On the right side of the home row keys, there are no short words to teach.
However, if a student types as on the left side and then adds a k, the student has
typed ask: all flowing left to right—a kinesthetic pattern—and all forming a word—
a linguistic pattern. Similarly, by typing all, the student is introduced to another
right-side home row letter in a fully patterned manner.

Students learn the ASKL keys first because these letters are part of the home row
and they can be combined to form words. When new letters are added, they are
incorporated within kinesthetic and linguistic patterns. Such patterning makes
learning to touch-type very efficient and enjoyable.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the rationale for how the practice passages are sequenced?
Practice passages adhere to two important principles:

• Patterned words are repeated enough times to build up a rhythm and fluency
that then transfers to typing the word within a phrase or sentence where it is not
repeated.

• Passages progress from simpler to more complex phrase and sentence

patterns.

When the phrase and sentence patterning combines with the linguistic patterning,
student typing develops in an almost effortless manner.

Why are test scores sometimes not updated when students retake an accuracy and
speed builder test in KeyWords?
Test scores are only updated if both the words-per-minute score and the accuracy
(number of errors) improve. If only one score improves, the test scores are not
updated. For example:
Original test scores: 48 words per minute, 5 errors

Test 2 scores: 42 words per minute, 3 errors—scores are not updated because
you typed fewer words per minute.

Test 3 scores: 50 words per minute, 6 errors—scores are not updated because
you have more errors.

Test 4 scores: 50 words per minute with 3 errors—scores are updated because
both scores improved.

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P ASSWORDS ON NEO S AND IN NEO M ANAGER
Three types of passwords may be used on NEOs or in NEO Manager:
These passwords
are meant to protect • the master password
against accidental or
mischievous data loss and • individual file passwords
to provide a minimum level
of data privacy. They cannot • send list passwords
prevent concerted, malicious
efforts to destroy data.

The Master Password

The master password is required when you change certain settings on a NEO (for
example, when you turn Calculator or Spell Check on or off). The master password
also allows you to create individual file passwords.

You can find out the default master password by contacting Technical Support, but
it is easier—and more secure—to specify your own using the NEO Manager
System settings.

Follow these steps to change the system settings for connected NEOs. For more
information about the system settings, see page 146.

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. In NEO Manager, click the Settings tab.
3. Click System in the Settings List A.

B C

4. Tick the Master Password box B. (You might need to scroll down to see this
setting.)
5. Enter the master password that you want to use on connected NEOs C.
Note: When you change this setting, notice that NEO Manager automatically
ticks the System box on the left A. If you remove the tick mark from this box,
changes you make to settings will not be sent to your NEO.
6. Click the Send List tab and verify that the master password setting change is
listed on the Send List tab.

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File Passwords

7. If you have a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the change to some of
the NEOs, but not all of them, click Select Devices. Tick the numbers that you
want to send the text to, then click OK. (To send to all connected NEOs, skip
this step.)
8. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter the password and click OK.

File Passwords
If you enable file passwords, you can set passwords for individual files. For more
information, see “About File Passwords” on page 57.

Send List Passwords

In NEO Manager, you can require a password whenever anyone tries to use the
software to send changes to NEOs (files, setting changes or SmartApplet
changes). For more information, see “Requiring a Password for Changes Sent to
NEOs” on page 156.

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C HANGING S ETTINGS FOR NEO AND S MART A PPLETS
This chapter describes the settings you can change for your NEOs. You can
change many of these settings in the Control Panel on each NEO. You can also
use the NEO Manager software to change the same settings on all connected
NEOs.

Checking System S t a t u s o n a N E O
For a quick view of the current settings on a NEO, check the system status to see
this information:

• System version

• Language

• Current file you are in

• Cable speed (for text transfers to your computer)

• Keyboard layout

• Auto Repeat setting

• Sticky Keys setting

• File passwords setting

Follow these steps to check system status:

1. Press option--V to see a screen like the sample below.

2. Press any key to exit the screen and return to your file.

Changing Settings Using the NEO Control Panel

How t o Change Setti ngs Usi ng the Control Panel

Follow these steps to change settings for the NEO and its SmartApplets within the
Control Panel. For more information, see “About the Settings in the Control Panel”
on page 138.

1. Press applets, scroll the list to select Control Panel, then press enter.

2. Scroll to select the option you want to set and press enter.

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Changing Settings Using the NEO Control Panel

3. Some settings, such as turning Calculator or Spell Check on and off, require
that you enter the master password to authorise the change. You can set the
master password using the System settings in NEO Manager (see page 135)
or contact Technical Support to get the default master password. If you are
asked to enter the master password, type it and press enter.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen until you are satisfied with the setting.
5. Press esc to return to the previous screen. You might need to press esc
several times to return to Control Panel or the SmartApplets menu.

About t he Setti ngs in the Control Panel

The following settings are available in the NEO Control Panel.

You need the master Spell Check Settings

password to change Spell check has its own settings in the NEO Control Panel. When you select the
the spell check
spell check settings, you will be asked to enter the master password.
settings. Use the System
settings in NEO Manager to
set this password; see Setting Name What It Does
page 135.
Turn spell check OFF/ON This setting acts like a switch or toggle. When you
choose this setting and press enter, if spell check
was on, it will be off; if it was off, it will be on.
Turn add words to user By changing this setting, you are choosing whether
dictionary ON/OFF users can add words to the user dictionary while
doing a spell check in AlphaWord Plus. If spell
check finds a word that is not in its dictionary, but
the user knows that word is spelled correctly, the
user can usually press A to add that word to the
user dictionary so it is not marked as misspelled
again in the future. If you have turned off this ability,
the user cannot add the word to the user dictionary.
To change the setting, simply move the cursor next
to it and press enter to change it from “on” to “off”
or from “off” to “on”.
Delete user dictionary When you choose this setting and press enter, you
can delete the user dictionary. When you do this, all
words that have been added to the spell check
dictionary on this NEO will be deleted. Spell check
will question those words again during future spell
checks.
Add new word to user When you choose this setting and press enter, you
dictionary can add words to the user dictionary one at a time.
Use this feature to add words that you use often but
that spell check marks as misspelled.

Another way to update the user dictionary on NEOs is to create a text file on your
computer and use NEO Manager to replace the user dictionary on your NEOs with
the words in the text file. See page 30.

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Changing Settings Using the NEO Control Panel

AlphaWord Plus Settings

AlphaWord Plus also has its own settings in the NEO Control Panel:

Setting Name What It Does Other Ways to Change This

Turn show marks When you turn show marks on, in • Press option--K in AlphaWord
in files ON/OFF AlphaWord Plus you will see for each Plus. In the screen that appears,
carriage return (enter), and you will see press 3 to change the show marks
for each tab that you type in your file setting. Then, press esc.
(see the example at the bottom of this
page). If show marks is off, carriage • In NEO Manager, click the
returns are not shown (except as line Settings tab, select AlphaWord
breaks), and tabs are shown as spaces. Plus on the left, tick the Show
To change the setting, move the cursor Marks box, and click On or Off.
next to it and press enter to change it Then, send the changes to NEOs
from on to off or from off to on. from the Send List tab.
Turn file This setting is normally off, so passwords • Press ctrl-option--P in
passwords are not required to open AlphaWord Plus AlphaWord Plus; then, enter the
ON/OFF files. If you turn this setting on, you must master password to change the
enter the file’s password or the master setting. Press esc to go back to
password when you open a file by AlphaWord Plus.
pressing the file key or selecting a
named file. When you first turn this • In NEO Manager, click the
setting on, the password for all files is Settings tab, select AlphaWord
write. Use the next setting to set Plus on the left, tick the
individual file passwords. Passwords Enabled box, and click
On or Off. Then, send the changes
to NEOs from the Send List tab.
Change a When file passwords are on or enabled • Press option--P in the file that
specific file as described above, you can use this needs its password changed. Enter
password setting to change the password for each the current password, and then
file. When you select this setting and enter the new password twice.
press enter, you will see a list of files 1–8
plus any named files you have on the
NEO. Move the cursor next to a file, press
enter and enter the current password
once and the new password twice; then,
press enter.
Reset all file When file passwords are ON or enabled, • In NEO Manager, click the
passwords this setting changes all file passwords Settings tab, select AlphaWord
back to the default password (write). Plus on the left, tick the File
Simply highlight the setting and press Passwords box and enter the
enter. You will be asked to enter the password that you want to use for
master password (see page 135). all files. Then, send the changes to
NEOs from the Send List tab.

When the Show Marks setting is on for AlphaWord Plus, tabs appear as right
arrows and carriage returns appear as return arrows as shown below.

FUNDRAISING EFFORTS
as of 15 April
Jan Feb Mar Apr
105 77 83 42

Regardless of the Show Marks setting, when you send files to your computer, tabs
and carriage returns transfer correctly to your computer.

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Changing Settings Using the NEO Control Panel

Change Default AlphaWord Font

This Control Panel setting allows you to choose the font size you want to use for
AlphaWord Plus files. For more information, see page 24.

Turn Calculator Off

To turn NEO’s Calculator SmartApplet off, move the cursor next to this Control
Panel setting and press enter. Then, enter the master password (see page 135)
and press enter.

There are other ways to turn the Calculator off for NEOs or to turn it back on:

• In AlphaWord Plus, press ctrl--C. Enter the master password.

• Press applets to see the SmartApplet menu. Move the cursor next to
Calculator and press ctrl--L. Enter the master password. The symbol
appears next to Calculator in the list to show it has been disabled.

• In NEO Manager, click the Settings tab, click Calculator on the left, tick the
Disable this SmartApplet box on the right, and click Yes or No. Then, send the
changes to your NEOs from the Send List tab.

Two-Button On Option
Normally, NEO turns on when you press the on/off button. If your NEO often gets
In NEO Manager, the
turned on accidentally, perhaps because the button is pressed when you carry the
Two-Button On
Option is in the NEO in a bag or backpack, you can enable the two-button on option to require you
system settings. See to press on/off and enter together to turn NEO on. After you select this Control
page 145 to change the Panel setting, press enter to enable it (if it was disabled) or disable it (if it was
settings or page 146 for a list enabled).
of system settings.

Set Screen Contrast

Use this Control Panel setting to set the screen contrast. After you select this
setting, you can press  to darken the screen or  to lighten it. When you have
finished, press esc.

Keyboard Command Reference List

Use this Control Panel setting to see a list of keyboard commands you can use on
the NEO. For a list of keyboard commands, see page 185.

View Keyboard Layout

You can view a list of
international Use this Control Panel setting to see where keys are on the keyboard with the
characters and find current selected keyboard layout. This is helpful if you have chosen a layout other
out how to type them by than the standard layout (QWERTY). To set keyboard layout, use the Change
pressing ctrl-H in AlphaWord
KeyBoard Layout setting under “Change KeyBoard Settings.” (For more
Plus and selecting
International from the help information, see “Change Keyboard Settings” on page 141.)
topic list.
Press shift to see what characters are available when you hold down the shift key
and type. Press option to see what special characters you can type while holding
down that key. (For more about international and special characters, see
page 188.)

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Display Battery Status

Use this Control Panel setting to see the state of the battery charge, both as a
graphic and a percentage. Then, press any key to leave the battery status.

Another way to check the battery charge is to press ctrl--B while working on the
NEO.

Change Keyboard Settings

There are several keyboard settings in the NEO2 Control Panel:

Setting Name What It Does Other Ways to Change This

Change This sets the keyboard layout you are using. Press • Press option--L. Then, press the
keyboard the number key that represents the layout you want number that represents the keyboard
layout to use. Then, press esc. layout you want and press esc.
• QWERTY: the standard layout used on computer
keyboards. • In NEO Manager, click the Settings
• DVORAK: a scientifically designed keyboard layout tab and click System on the left.
that requires much less finger reaching and Then, tick the Keyboard Layout box
stretching for the most commonly used keys, and on the right and choose a layout from
results in faster and easier typing. the drop-down list. Send your
• RIGHT (one hand): a layout that allows people changes to NEOs on the Send List
who type only with the right hand to type faster. tab.
• LEFT (one hand): a layout that allows people who
type only with the left hand to type faster.
For pictures of the layouts, see the keyboard
examples after this table.
Note: If you change the keyboard layout, when you
use keyboard commands, note that although the ctrl,
option,  and shift keys stay where they are, the
letter keys used in commands may have moved.
Change slow Use this setting to increase or decrease the time you • Press ctrl-option--K while working
keys setting must hold down a key before the character appears on the NEO. Then, use the up and
on the screen (0.0 means the delay is off). Press the down arrow keys to increase or
up and down arrow keys to increase or decrease the decrease the delay. Press esc when
time in tenths of a second. When you have finished, you have finished.
press esc. This setting is useful for someone who
has unsteady hands or difficulty targeting specific • In NEO Manager, click the Settings
keys. tab and click System on the left.
Then, tick the Slow Keys box, click
On and enter the delay in the Slow
Key Delay field. Send your changes
to NEOs on the Send List tab.
Turn sticky Use this setting if it is difficult for you to perform • Press option--K while working on
keys ON/OFF keyboard commands because you cannot hold the NEO. Next, press 2 to change the
multiple keys down at the same time. When sticky sticky keys setting from on to off or off
keys is on, users can press one key at a time to type to on. Then, press esc.
keyboard commands that use the shift, ctrl, option or
 keys. For example, to open a file in AlphaWord • In NEO Manager, click the Settings
Plus, you could press , let it go and then press O if tab and click System on the left.
sticky keys is on. To change the setting from on to off Then, tick the Sticky Keys box and
or off to on, simply move the cursor next to it and click On or Off. Send your changes to
press enter. NEOs on the Send List tab.

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Some language
versions of NEO do
not support
alternate keyboard layouts.
The examples shown are UK
layouts. The standard QWERTY Keyboard Layout

The Dvorak Keyboard Layout

The Right One-Handed Keyboard Layout

The Left One-Handed Keyboard Layout

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Other Settings You Can Change on the NEO

Search for Networks

When you use NEO 2 with a Renaissance Receiver, the first network (Receiver)
that you choose with NEO 2 is the one that is used by default the next time you use
the Responder SmartApplet.

If you want to search for a different computer/Receiver combination (Network),

move the cursor next to this setting in the Control Panel and press enter. NEO 2
will find the Renaissance Receivers that are within range and show you their
names. Use the  and  keys to highlight the new Receiver you want to use.
Then, press enter to connect to it.

About NEO 2
You can select this Control Panel setting to view information about your NEO,
including the system version and the version of other items that are unique to
NEO 2.

Wireless Security
Use this Control Panel setting to enter the encryption key if it is required for NEO 2
to communicate with Renaissance Receivers. For more information, contact
Renaissance Learning.

Update Text2Speech Device

Use this Control Panel setting to send updates to an optional NEO Text2Speech
device. For more information, see the NEO Text2Speech User Manual.

Other Settings You Can Change on the NEO

You can also change some NEO settings that are not in the control panel, such as
auto repeat, transfer speed and idle time. See the instructions below.

Changing the Auto Repeat Setti ng

The Auto Repeat setting is not in the Control Panel, but it is related to the keyboard
settings in the Control Panel.

Normally, when you are typing in AlphaWord Plus, any key that you hold down will
be repeated. If you want to turn this off, follow these steps:

1. Press option--K while working on the NEO.

2. Press 1 to turn auto repeat on or off.
3. Press esc to exit the screen and return to your work.
You can also change this setting in NEO Manager. Simply click the Settings tab,
click System on the left, tick the Auto Repeat box and click On or Off. Send your
settings to NEOs from the Send List tab.

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Other Settings You Can Change on the NEO

Changing the Transfer Speed for Sending or Beaming Files

Although you cannot change the transfer speed for sending or beaming files in the
Control Panel, you can change it on individual NEOs for both USB cable transfers
and IR transfers. Changing the transfer speed is necessary when your computer
cannot accept text as fast as NEO can send it. Even on newer, faster computers,
some programs are slow to accept text, and you must slow down your NEO
transfer speed to transfer text into these programs.

To change transfer USB or Cable Connection Transfer Speed

speed on NEOs
using NEO Manager, 1. Make sure your NEO is not connected to your computer. (You can change the
use the System settings. See transfer speed only when the NEO is not connected.)
pages 145 and 146.
2. Press option--s and type the number for one of these speeds:
• 1: Very Slow. This is the slowest speed setting. It is compatible with all
machines and programs. It is especially recommended when you use
graphic-intensive programs.
• 2: Slow. This setting is compatible with all machines and most programs.
• 3: Fast. This is the default speed, which usually works well with most
computers.
• 4: Fastest. This setting provides the quickest transfers. However, some
word processing programs may lose data when files are transferred using
this speed, so you might want to experiment to see which speed works
best for you.

Beaming (IrDA) Transfer Speed

1. Make sure your NEO is not connected to your computer. (You can change the
transfer speed only when the NEO is not connected.)
2. Press ctrl-option--S and type the number for one of these options:
• 1: Fastest speed. This setting provides the quickest IR transfers. However,
some programs may lose data when files are transferred using this speed,
so you might want to experiment to see which speed works best for you.
• 2: Compatibility speed. This setting is compatible with all computers and
most programs.

Changing the NEO Idle Ti me

To change how long the NEO must be idle before it shuts down automatically,
follow the steps below.

Note that this does not change the idle time when the Accelerated Reader or
Responder SmartApplets are open. The Accelerated Reader idle time is 10
minutes, and the Responder idle time is 30 minutes.
To change idle time 1. Press option--T.
on NEOs using NEO
Manager, use the 2. Press the up arrow key to increase the number of minutes, or press the down
System settings. See pages arrow key to decrease the number of minutes. You can choose any number
145 and 146. from 4–59 minutes.
3. Press esc to leave the idle time screen.

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U s i n g t h e N E O M a n a g e r S o f tw a r e t o C ha n ge S e t t i n gs
You can also use the NEO Manager software to change NEO system settings and
SmartApplet settings. The following pages tell you how to do this.

Changing System Set tings Using NEO Manager

Follow these steps to change the system settings for connected NEOs. For more
information about the system settings, see page 146.

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. In NEO Manager, click the Settings tab.
3. Click System in the Settings List A.

A
B

4. Tick the settings you want to change B. (You might need to scroll down to view
all the settings.) Then, make changes to the settings as needed.
Note: When you change settings, notice that NEO Manager automatically ticks
the System box on the left A. If you remove the tick mark from this box,
changes you make to settings will not be sent to your NEO.
5. Click the Send List tab and verify that the settings you want to send appear in
the Send List.
6. If you have a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the changes to some
of the NEOs, but not all of them, click Select Devices. Tick the numbers that
you want to send the changes to; then, click OK. (To send to all connected
NEOs, skip this step.)
7. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter the password and click OK.

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About t he System Sett ings

The table below lists the System settings you can change in NEO Manager. (It
does not include the settings for specific SmartApplets.)

You can change many of these same settings in the Control Panel on each NEO.
See page 137 to change the settings and page 138 to find out more about the
settings.

Setting What It Does

Startup Lets you designate which SmartApplet starts automatically when you turn on
SmartApplet your NEO. If you do not set a startup SmartApplet, NEO will go to the
SmartApplets list instead when you turn it on.
Auto Repeat Sets whether keys repeat when held down. The delay before keys repeat is
affected by the Slow Keys setting. If the Slow Keys setting is greater than one
second, then that delay also determines how long NEO waits before
repeating a key that is held down.
Sticky Keys Sets whether you must hold keys down together for keyboard commands or
whether you can press them sequentially. For example, to copy text, you
would normally select it and then press ctrl and C at the same time.
However, if the sticky keys setting is on, you could select the text, press ctrl
and let go and then press C. This is useful for those who have difficulty
pressing more than one key at the same time. The sticky keys setting affects
key combinations that include the shift, option,  or ctrl keys.
Keyboard Lets you select alternate keyboard layouts (such as Dvorak). For more about
Layout the keyboard layouts available, see “Change Keyboard Settings” on
page 141.
Idle Time Sets the length of time that a NEO can be idle before turning off
automatically (4–59 minutes). Note that this idle time does not apply when
the Responder or Accelerated Reader SmartApplets are running on NEO 2.
If the Responder SmartApplet is running, the idle time is always 30 minutes.
If the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet is running, the idle time is always 10
minutes.
Slow Keys and Sets a time delay for holding down a key before the character appears on the
Slow Key Delay screen. This is useful for those who have difficulty typing to ensure that brief
accidental key presses are not recorded.
Reset System Sets your NEO to the four-line fixed-width system font instead of another font
Font to Default size you have chosen. The font sizes that are available are:
• System (a fixed-width font, 4 lines per screen)
• Small (6 lines per screen)
• Medium (5 lines per screen)
• Large (4 lines per screen, but the font is proportional instead of fixed-width
like the System font)
• Very Large (3 lines per screen)
• Extra Large (2 lines per screen)
For more information, or to find out how to change the font on NEO 2, see
page 24.

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Setting What It Does

Transfer Speed Sets the rate at which text is transferred to your computer when a NEO is
connected to the computer with a USB cable. You may need to change the
transfer speed if text is missing or jumbled when you send files. These
settings are available:
• Very Slow: This is the slowest speed. It is compatible with all computers
and programs, and it is especially recommended for programs that use
graphics heavily.
• Slow: This setting is compatible with all computers and most programs.
• Fast: This the default speed. It usually works well with most computers.
• Fastest: This setting provides the quickest transfers, but some word
processing programs may experience some data loss when files are
transferred using this speed. If you decide to try this speed, experiment to
make sure it works for your programs.
IR Transfer Sets the rate at which text is transferred to your computer when NEO is
Speed beaming to the computer. As with the cable transfer speed, you may need to
change this setting if you notice missing or jumbled characters when you
beam files to your computer. These settings are available:
• Fastest speed: This setting provides the quickest IR transfers. However,
some programs may experience some data loss when files are transferred
using this mode.
• Compatibility speed: This setting is compatible with all computers and
most programs.
Master Lets you set a new master password for your NEO(s). The master password
Password is required when you make certain changes on the NEO itself, such as
enabling or disabling SmartApplets, changing spell check settings, enabling
file passwords for AlphaWord Plus, changing or resetting those file
passwords or changing teacher options in KeyWords Wireless. If you have
enabled file passwords for AlphaWord Plus, you can also use the master
password as a substitute for any AlphaWord Plus file password.
Printer Does not apply to NEO, but is provided for compatibility with other devices.
Selection
Two Button On Lets you specify that two keys must be pressed at the same time—enter and
Mode on/off—to turn your NEO on. When this mode is on, pressing on/off alone
does not turn the NEO on. This helps prevent NEO from being turned on
accidentally if the on/off key is bumped.
Speech Lets you turn on the NEO Text2Speech feature for connected NEOs. For
Enabled NEOs that have an optional NEO Text2Speech device within range, text
typed in AlphaWord Plus is read aloud when this feature is on. To turn it on or
off on the NEO itself, press ctrl-J and change the first option.

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Changing SmartApplet Setti ngs

Like the System settings, the settings for each SmartApplet can be changed either
in the NEO Control Panel or in NEO Manager. Some settings are different in the
two locations.

The number of settings for each SmartApplet varies. AlphaWord Plus, for example,
has several settings; some other SmartApplets have only one.

If you have a SmartOption Bundle, you can only change settings for SmartApplets
that are installed on all connected NEOs or for SmartApplets that you have just
chosen to install. Only these SmartApplets are listed in the Settings list.

Follow these steps to change SmartApplet settings using NEO Manager:

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. In NEO Manager, click the Settings tab.
3. Click the SmartApplet in the Settings List on the left A.
4. Tick the settings you want to change B; then, make your changes to the
settings.

Note: When you change settings, notice that NEO Manager automatically ticks
the corresponding SmartApplet tick box on the left A. If you remove the tick
mark from this box, changes you make to those settings will not be sent to your
NEO.
5. Click the Send List tab and verify that the settings you want to transfer appear
in the Send List.
6. If you have a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the changes to some
of the NEOs but not all of them, click Select Devices. Tick the NEOs that you
want to send the changes to; then, click OK. (To send to all connected NEOs,
skip this step.)
7. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter the password and click OK.

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About t he SmartApplet Settings Available i n NEO Manager

AlphaWord Plus Settings

AlphaWord Plus has its own settings that you can control through NEO Manager:
Some of these
settings can also be Setting: What It Does:
changed in the NEO
Control Panel. You cannot Disable This If ticked, this setting prevents the user from using
set file size limits in the SmartApplet AlphaWord Plus. See page 150.
Control Panel, but you can set
passwords for individual files Passwords Enabled Enables the use of individual file passwords in AlphaWord
instead of setting the same Plus. See page 57. When teachers share a SmartOption
password for all files. For more Bundle, it is helpful to enable file passwords and teach
information, see page 139. students to password-protect their files. When you first
enable passwords, all file passwords are set to write. To
set unique file passwords, see page 58.
File Passwords Specifies a common password for all AlphaWord Plus
files. See page 58.
Maximum File Size Set by default to 51,200 characters (about 25 pages). The
You can estimate (in characters) highest maximum file size allowed is 102,400 characters
page lengths using a
(about 50 pages). For more about size limits and checking
character count of
file sizes, see page 37. When working with large files, you
2,048. A page is
might notice some performance issues, depending on the
approximately 2,048
characters, though page
number of SmartApplets on the NEO, the number of files,
length can be affected by the size of files and data on the NEO.
printer and program settings Minimum File Size Set by default to 512 characters (approximately a quarter
on your computer. (in characters) of a page). The minimum size limit ensures that a certain
amount of space is reserved on the NEO for each file. For
more about size limits and checking file sizes, see
page 37.
Show Marks Sets whether to display arrows where there are tabs and
carriage returns. See the example below.
Delete All Files Deletes all AlphaWord Plus files on connected NEOs,
including files 1–8 and named files that are not in files
1–8.

When the Show Marks setting is on for AlphaWord Plus, tabs appear as right
arrows and carriage returns appear as return arrows as shown below.

FUNDRAISING EFFORTS
as of April 15th
Jan Feb Mar Apr
105 77 83 42

When you have Show Marks turned off, tabs and carriage returns appear as
spaces on the screen. Regardless of the Show Marks setting, when you send files
to your computer, tabs and carriage returns transfer correctly to your computer.

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Spell Check Settings

Spell Check also has its own settings that you can control through NEO Manager:

Setting: What It Does:

Disable this Prevents users from performing spell checks.
SmartApplet
Allow adding words to Allows users to add words to the custom user
dictionary dictionary so they are not flagged by a spell check
again in the future.
Delete user dictionary Deletes the custom user dictionary on all connected
NEOs.

Beamer Settings
Beamer has these settings in NEO Manager:

Setting What It Does

Disable this Prevents users from using the Beamer SmartApplet.
SmartApplet
Permit Send Determines whether users are allowed to beam files
to another NEO.
Warn if Overwriting When a NEO receives a beamed file, this setting
Clipboard determines whether the NEO will warn the user if the
incoming file is about to overwrite what is currently in
the NEO’s clipboard.
Send to Palm Device When a NEO beams a file to a Palm device (including
as AlphaWord Danas), this setting determines the format of the sent
file. If this setting is on, the file will be sent as an
AlphaWord file. If it is off, the file will be sent in Memo
Pad format.
Require Master Determines whether the master password is required
Password to change Beamer settings on the NEO itself in the
Control Panel. This is helpful if you want to prevent
students from changing Beamer settings, especially if
you have decided to turn off the Permit Send setting.

KeyWords Wireless Settings

For information about the KeyWords settings in NEO Manager, see page 115.

Disable This SmartApplet Setting

Every SmartApplet includes the “Disable This SmartApplet” setting. You can tick
this box to disable the SmartApplet for connected NEOs so it cannot be used. (To
find out how to disable SmartApplets right on the NEO, see page 62.) For
example, you might disable Calculator if you want to prevent access to electronic
calculations during a quiz or maths assignment.

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Restor ing Defaul t Settings

How to Restore the Default SmartApplet and System Settings

By following the steps below, you can restore the default settings for one
SmartApplet or all SmartApplets on the connected NEOs. To see what the default
settings are, see page 152.

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. In NEO Manager, click the Settings tab.
3. If you want to restore settings for just one SmartApplet (not all), click the
SmartApplet in the Settings List on the left A.
4. Click Restore Defaults B.

5. Click an option to choose whether to restore the default settings for just the
selected SmartApplet or for all SmartApplets (including the System settings).
Then, click OK.
If you chose to restore default settings for just one SmartApplet, that
SmartApplet and all settings will be ticked. If you chose to restore default
settings for all SmartApplets, all of them will be ticked, including the System
settings. All settings will be changed to the default settings.
6. Click the Send List tab and verify that the settings you want to transfer appear
in the list.
7. If you have a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the changes to some
of the NEOs, but not all of them, click Select Devices. Tick the NEOs that you
want to send the changes to; then, click OK. (To send to all connected NEOs,
skip this step.)
8. Click Send. If you have set a send list password (see page 156), you must
enter the password and click OK.

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Table of Default Settings

These are the default settings for the NEO system and SmartApplets.

Setting Name Default

System settings
Startup SmartApplet None (before changes, AlphaWord Plus is
the Startup SmartApplet on NEOs)
Auto Repeat On
Sticky Keys Off
Keyboard Layout QWERTY
Idle Time 4 minutes
Slow Keys Off
Slow Key Delay 0 seconds
Reset System Font to Default Off
Transfer Speed Fast
IR Transfer Speed Fastest
Master Password ***** (Set your own)
Printer Selection HP LaserJet/DeskJet
Two-button ON Off
Speech Enabled No

AlphaWord Plus settings

Disable this SmartApplet No
Passwords Enabled Off
File Passwords write if passwords are enabled (by default
passwords are not enabled)
Maximum File Size 51,200 characters
Minimum File Size 512 characters
Show Marks Off
Delete All Files Off

Accelerated Reader settings

Disable this SmartApplet No

Beamer settings
Disable this SmartApplet No
Permit Send On
Warn If Overwriting Clipboard On
Send to Palm Devices as ALPHAWORD On
Require Master Password Off

Calculator settings
Disable this SmartApplet No

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Setting Name Default

Control Panel settings
Disable this SmartApplet No

KeyWords Wireless settings

Disable this SmartApplet No
Delete All Pupils No
Enable Pupil Offline Mode No
Require Sequential Lessons No
Pre-Test/Post-Test Level Intermediate Typist
Set Custom WPM Targets 8
Set Custom Error Targets 12
Reset WPM and Error Targets to Default Yes
Turn Require Correct Shift Key Off No
Turn Home Row Confirmation On No
Set Spaces between Sentences 2

MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) settings

Disable this SmartApplet No

MathsFacts in a Flash RP settings

Disable this SmartApplet No

NEO Fonts
Disable this SmartApplet No

Responder settings
Disable this SmartApplet No

Spell Check settings

Disable this SmartApplet No
Allow adding words to dictionary On
Delete user dictionary Off

Text2Speech Updater settings

Disable this SmartApplet No

Thesaurus settings
Disable this SmartApplet No

Wireless File Transfer settings

Disable this SmartApplet No

Wireless Updater settings

Disable this SmartApplet No

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U SING NEO M ANAGER TO M ANAGE NEO S
Earlier in this manual, you have learned how to use NEO Manager to do the
following:

• Retrieve files from NEOs (see page 41).

• Send files to NEOs (see page 51).

• Change NEO system and SmartApplet settings (see page 145).

The sections below describe other ways that you can use NEO Manager to
manage your NEOs, simplify tasks, or send updates to NEOs.

Using Send Lists

What Is a Send List?

Whenever you use NEO Manager to send files, setting changes, or SmartApplet
Tips for teacher send changes to the NEO, you can choose to save your send list so that it is easy to
lists:
• Create a “startup” make the same changes again later.
send list to help reset your This is helpful when you are managing a group of NEOs in a SmartOption Bundle
NEOs at the beginning of the
and you want to restore them to a specific configuration. For example, you can use
school year. The send list
could include a new master a send list to set all NEOs to your preferred configuration quickly at the beginning
password, enable file of a school year, class period or marking period. Send lists are also helpful if you
passwords and add the find yourself sending the same changes to NEOs over and over.
necessary SmartApplets.
• Set up different types of Please note that send lists do not include any information from the Get/Print
send lists for different types of AlphaWord Files and KeyWords tabs. This is because those tabs retrieve
changes, such as a setup information from NEOs instead of sending it.
send list with SmartApplets
and a separate send list that
sends files used for class
work.
• When you set up a send list
of files to send to NEOs, you
can include text in all eight file
spaces, even if you only tick
one or two. When you open
the send list, you can choose
which files you want to use.

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Using Send Lists

Saving Send Li sts

1. In NEO, make the file, setting, or SmartApplet changes that you want to send
to NEOs.
2. Click the Send List tab and verify that the changes you want to make are in
the list.
3. Click the File menu and choose Save Send List (or Save Send List As if you
On Macintosh already have a send list open).
computers, you may 4. In the dialog box that appears, go to the folder or drive where you want to save
need to click the
the send list. Type a name for the send list; then, click Save.
arrow next to the Save As
field to see the full dialog box The send list that you have saved is now open, so the name of the send list
that allows you to choose the now appears in the title of the NEO Manager window A.
location.
A

Opening a Saved Send List

1. In NEO Manager, click the File menu and choose Open Send List.
2. Browse to the folder that contains the saved send list.
3. Click the send list you want to open. (Send lists use an .acf file extension.)
4. Click Open. The name of the send list will be shown in the title of the window.
5. Click the Send List tab in NEO Manager to view the opened send list.
Important: If the saved send list includes setting changes for a SmartApplet, and
you are using or installing a newer version of the SmartApplet when you open the
send list, the setting changes will not be used. Setting changes only apply to the
version of the SmartApplet that you were using when you selected the settings.

Cl osing a Saved Send Li st That Is Open

If you want to close a send list in NEO Manager, click the File menu and choose
Close Send List.

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Setting Preferences for the NEO Manager Software

Requir ing a Password for Changes Sent t o NEOs

Normally, you do not need to enter a password to send changes to NEOs.
However, you can set a send list password so that no one can send changes to
your NEOs in NEO Manager without entering the password first. Follow these
steps to set a send list password:

1. Windows computers: Click the Edit menu and choose Preferences.

If you forget your
send list password, Macintosh computers: Click the NEO Manager menu and choose
contact Technical Preferences.
Support for assistance. Send
2. Click Set Send Password (Windows) or Set Password (Macintosh).
list passwords can only be set
in NEO Manager, and you 3. If you have set a send list password before and you need to change it, enter
must know your old password the old password first in the field provided.
to set a new one or to clear the
existing password. 4. Enter the same new send list password in the two fields provided. Make a note
of this password.
5. Click OK.
6. Windows computers: Click OK again.
Macintosh computers: Close the Preferences dialog box.

Cl eari ng (Removing) a Send List Password

If you no longer want to use a send list password, you can clear it if you know the
current send list password. When you clear the send list password, anyone using
NEO Manager can send changes to your NEO(s) without entering a password.

Follow these steps to clear the send list passwords:

1. Windows computers: Click the Edit menu and choose Preferences.

Macintosh computers: Click the NEO Manager menu and choose
Preferences.
2. Click Set Send Password (Windows) or Set Password (Macintosh).
3. Type the current password in the Old password field.
4. Leave the New password and Retype new password fields blank and click OK.
5. Windows computers: Click OK again.
Macintosh computers: Close the Preferences dialog box.

Setting Preferences for the NEO Manager Software

NEO Manager has its own set of preferences. Follow these steps to change them:

1. Windows computers: Click the Edit menu and choose Preferences.

Macintosh computers: Click the NEO Manager menu and choose
Preferences.
2. Click one of the options for the Printing preferences A, which affect
AlphaWord Plus files that you print out:
• Print header information on first page. Prints the NEO number (or “NEO
USB”) and the file number on the first page only.
• Print header information on all pages. Prints the NEO number (or “NEO
USB”), the file number, and the page number on all pages.

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Setting Preferences for the NEO Manager Software

• Do not print header information. Omits header information from all

pages.

B
C

3. Tick the box below the print options if you want empty files to print as a blank
page B. This provides a useful visual clue if you hare printing several files
from multiple NEOs.
4. If you want to set or change a password that will be required whenever anyone
sends changes to NEOs, click Set Send Password (Windows) or Set
Password (Macintosh) C, enter the new password twice (and the old
password if necessary), and click OK.
5. Under the other options D, tick the boxes for any of the settings you would like
On Macintosh
to enable:
computers, some of
these settings have • Use 8.3 naming convention: If this box is ticked, when you save files,
slightly different names. For NEO Manager will limit your file names to eight characters before the dot
example, “Connection status
and three after it (as in homework.txt). (The three characters after the dot
display setting” is “Connection
Status Display defaults to identify the file type, such as “txt” for text files.)
open”. However, the settings • Connection status display setting: If this is ticked, the connection status
do the same things on at the bottom of the NEO Manager window will be open as soon as you
Windows and Macintosh
start NEO Manager. If the box is not ticked, you can still view the
computers.
connection status by clicking the + (Windows) or (Macintosh) at the
bottom of the window. (The connection status shows how many NEOs are
connected and their status.)
• Replace SmartApplets on device with SmartApplets from Computer:
When this is ticked, if you choose to send a SmartApplet to a NEO and the
NEO already has it installed, the new version of the SmartApplet from NEO
Manager will overwrite the version on your NEO. This means sending
SmartApplets can take more time, but you can be sure all your NEOs are
using the same version.
For example, if you have some NEOs with AlphaWord Plus and some
without, and you install AlphaWord with this preference ticked, NEO
Manager will install AlphaWord Plus on all connected NEOs, even those
that already have it. NEO Manager overwrites the existing version on those
NEOs.
6. Use the drop-down list at the bottom of the dialog box E to choose whether to
use the default system software for NEO or a specific version. Usually you
would only use this preference with assistance from Technical Support.
7. When you have finished making preference changes, click OK (Windows) or
close the dialog box (Macintosh).

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Resetting All Connected NEOs

Resetting All Connected NEOs

You can reset all connected NEO 2s to the configuration they had when you first
received them. This removes all text in files 1–8 on the NEOs, restores all default
settings and removes any SmartApplets except for the standard ones:

• AlphaWord Plus

• Responder

• Accelerated Reader

• KeyWords Wireless

• MathsFacts in a Flash RP
• MathsFacts in a Flash (offline)

• Control Panel

• Beamer
If you want to reset
KeyWords students • Calculator
only (delete them
from NEO Manager and
The spell check, thesaurus and font sizes are included with the standard
connected NEOs), see SmartApplets.
page 120.
Resetting all devices is particularly useful when you have several NEOs and you
want to begin a new session or school year with a clean slate.

Follow these steps to reset all connected NEOs:

1. If you are resetting one NEO, make sure it is connected to the computer (see
page 8). If you are updating several NEOs in a SmartOption trolley, make sure
they are connected to the trolley and the trolley is connected to your computer.
2. In NEO Manager, click the Setup menu and choose Reset All NEO Devices.
3. A warning message about loss of data appears. Click Yes (Windows) or OK
(Macintosh). NEO Manager will send a new send list that contains the factory
default settings to the connected NEOs.

Updating Your NEO Operating System or SmartApplets

Using NEO Manager
When you install a new version of NEO Manager, and a new update is available to
the NEO operating system or to one or more SmartApplets, there are two ways to
update your NEOs. These methods are described below.

How t o Update NEOs without Preserving Work

If you do not need to save AlphaWord Plus files or KeyWords student work, you
can follow the steps below to update your NEOs.

For a SmartOption trolley, this procedure will take about 45–60 minutes for
NEO 2s.

Important: This procedure removes all AlphaWord Plus files and student work in
KeyWords, and it restores all default settings. The procedure also removes any
SmartApplets that are not in the standard set. The NEO operating system and

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Getting Information about Your NEO(s)

SmartApplets will be updated to the versions you have available in NEO Manager.
If you want to follow these steps, make sure you retrieve any files you need and
complete all KeyWords instruction before updating the NEOs.

1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. In NEO Manager, click the Setup menu and choose Reset All NEO Devices.
3. A warning message about loss of data appears. Click Yes (Windows) or OK
(Macintosh). NEO Manager will send a new list that contains the factory default
settings and updates to the connected NEOs.

How t o Update NEOs While Pr eserving Al phaWord Pl us Fi les and KeyWords

Data
These steps allow you to update your NEOs and still keep all AlphaWord Plus files
and your students’ KeyWords work. While this procedure will make the updates
you need, the standard procedure above is the best practice.

For a SmartOption Bundle, this procedure takes about 2–4 hours for NEO 2s.
1. Start NEO Manager on your computer (see page 13) and connect your NEO
(see page 8) or the SmartOption trolley.
2. In NEO Manager, click the SmartApplets tab.
3. For each SmartApplet that you want to update, click the SmartApplet name
and click Add =>. The NEO operating system will also be updated.
4. Click the Send List tab.
5. If you have a SmartOption Bundle and you want to send the changes to some,
but not all, of the NEOs, click Select Devices. Tick the NEOs to which you
want to send the text, then click OK. (To send to all connected NEOs, skip this
step.)
6. Click Send.

Getting Information about Your NEO(s)

Follow these steps to get more information about your connected NEO(s):
To get SmartApplet
information, you can 1. Click the File menu and choose Get NEO Info. A dialog box will open to show
also click the you system information as well as information about each SmartApplet on the
SmartApplets tab, choose
NEO(s). The system information will include versions, settings, and file
the File menu and choose Get
SmartApplet Info. See information.
page 66. 2. If you want to close the dialog box without saving the information, click Close.
If you want to save the information in a text file, click Save (Windows) or Save
File (Macintosh). In the dialog box that opens, go to the folder where you want
to save the file, and type a name for the file. Click Save.

Getting Information About the AlphaHub in Your

SmartOption Trolley
To see your AlphaHub version, click the Setup menu and choose Get AlphaHub
Version.

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B EAMING F ILES TO AND FROM NEO S
Beamer is a SmartApplet that lets NEO send text wirelessly to and from another
NEO. Beamer uses IrDA technology to transfer information in seconds, without the
use of cables, cords, or networks. The Beamer SmartApplet is installed on your
NEO when you receive it.

You will find the NEO infrared port A on the back of the NEO:

Beaming Files Between NEOs in AlphaWord Plus

If you have the Beamer SmartApplet, you do not have to have it open to beam
AlphaWord Plus files from one NEO to another. You can use commands to send
and receive files right within AlphaWord Plus. See “Sending (Beaming) Files to
Other NEOs” on page 49.

Beamer and the NEO Clipboard

Beamer uses the clipboard to receive data before placing it into a SmartApplet
such as AlphaWord Plus. If you already have data in the clipboard, Beamer will
warn you before receiving a beam. This gives you a chance to save the data on
the clipboard in another file before you agree to receive the beam.

For example, text that you have copied from AlphaWord Plus may be in the
clipboard, and you may not have copied it into another file yet. The warning gives
you the chance to do this before overwriting the clipboard with the beamed
information.

If you are beaming frequently, you might not want to be warned about clipboard
data each time. In this case, you would turn this setting off in the Beamer settings
(see “Changing Beamer Settings” on page 160).

Cancelling a Beam
At any time, from any device, you can press esc to cancel either beaming or
receiving a file.

Changing Beamer Settings

The Beamer settings allow you to customise how the program works. You can
change these settings:

• Choose whether to permit the NEO to send.

• Choose whether NEO warns you if receiving data will overwrite what is on the
clipboard.

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Changing Beamer Settings

• Choose whether to send to Palm OS devices in AlphaWord or Memo Pad file

format.

• Choose whether to require a master password to change Beamer settings on

this NEO.

If you are an individual user using Beamer, you probably will not need to change
your settings very often. If you are using several NEOs in a group setting such as a
classroom, you might want more control over who can beam data and how.

Follow these steps to change Beamer settings:

You can also change
Beamer settings 1. On your NEO, press applets.
using NEO Manager.
Click the Settings tab and 2. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor next to Beamer in the list; then, press
click Beamer in the list on the enter. The Beamer screen appears.
left; then, make your setting
changes. Be sure to send Select a Beaming function:
them from the Send List tab. - Send
- Receive
This is the most efficient way
to change Beamer settings for
several NEOs connected to - Settings
your computer in a
SmartOption trolley. 3. Move the cursor next to Settings and press enter.
4. Move the cursor next to the setting you want to change and press enter. Since
each setting has only two options, pressing enter automatically chooses the
option that is not currently selected. For example, if you move the cursor next
to “Permit Send: YES” and press enter, the setting will change to “Permit
Send: NO”.
There are four Beamer settings:
• Permit Send determines whether this NEO is allowed to beam to other
devices. You can choose “Yes” or “No”. If you choose “No”, the Send option
is not available on the Beamer screen. This setting is useful if you do not
want students to beam files to each other.
• Warn if overwriting clipboard affects what happens when you are
receiving a file beamed from another device and you already have
something in your NEO clipboard. If this is set to “Yes”, NEO will ask if you
want to overwrite the clipboard before receiving the file.
• Send to Palm device as ALPHAWORD file or MEMO file determines the
format in which AlphaWord Plus files are sent to Palm devices (such as
Dana). You can send files in AlphaWord format or Memo Pad format. Most
Palm OS devices have the Memo Pad program; AlphaWord is included on
Dana and Dana Wireless devices.
The master • Require master password determines whether the NEO user must enter
password can be set a master password after choosing “Settings” in Beamer. If this is set to No,
using NEO Manager.
a password is not required to change the settings. If it is set to Yes, you
See page 135.
must enter the master password after you choose “Settings”. It is a good
idea to require the master password if you have set Permit Send to “No” so
that students cannot beam files to each other.

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Troubleshooting Beaming

Troubleshooting Beaming
This section contains solutions for some issues you may encounter while using
Beamer.

I want to change a setting, but I do not know the master password.

To change the master password using the System settings in NEO Manager, see
page 135. You can also call Technical Support to get the default password.

I do not see the Send option on my Beamer screen.

If the device has been set to prohibit beaming (see page 160), the Send option will
not appear on the beaming screen.

My NEO says it cannot find a receiving device.

Bring the receiving device closer, make sure the infrared ports are pointing toward
each other, and make sure the receiving device is in the proper mode to accept a
beam. For Palm OS devices, you usually do not have to do anything. For NEOs,
you have to set up the NEO so that it is ready to receive the beam by pressing a
keyboard command; see page 49.

I received an error when I tried to beam or receive a file.

You might receive an error if the transfer process was interrupted. There are a few
reasons why this might happen. For example, the person receiving the beam might
have cancelled the transfer before the beam was complete. Or, users might have
moved the devices being used, causing the infrared ports to move out of alignment
before the beam was complete. Try beaming the file again.

I have data on the clipboard that I do not want to lose. What should I do?
If you are about to receive a beam, press esc to cancel receiving it. Then paste
the data in the clipboard into an AlphaWord Plus file. When you are ready to
receive the beam, press enter to overwrite the data on the clipboard. Be sure that
you do not select the AlphaWord Plus file where you pasted the data as the file to
receive the beam. You can also choose to append the data rather than overwrite it.
(Appending adds the data to the end of the file.)

I keep getting an invalid password message.

If the file you are sending is password-protected, you need to know the exact
password associated with that file in order to beam it. If you are receiving a file,
and your NEO’s files are password-protected, you must know the exact password
for the receiving file to receive it.

If you do not know the file password(s), you can enter the master password
instead. To find out more about file passwords (including disabling them for a
NEO), see page 57. You can set the master passwords for NEOs using the system
settings in NEO Manager; see page 135.

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Troubleshooting Beaming

I beamed a file with a password, but now that file does not have a password on the
receiving device.
If the sending device uses file passwords, but the receiving device does not, the
password associated with the file being beamed is not sent.

What does the message “could not find a sending device” mean?
It means that Beamer on the NEO is ready to receive a beam from another device,
but it is not sensing any device that is sending anything.

What do I do if the file I am receiving is too big?

The device receiving the beam will accept as much data as it can and truncate the
file at the point where it cannot receive any more. To work around this, the person
beaming the file should break up the file into separate files and beam them
separately.

My friend beamed an AlphaWord Plus file to me, but Beamer did not let me choose a
file to put it in. It automatically put it in a new file. What happened?
AlphaWord Plus on your NEO probably had not been “initialised”, meaning it had
not set itself up yet to receive beamed files. This can happen if you have a brand
new NEO, or if you have a new installation of AlphaWord Plus on a NEO, and you
started Beamer before ever starting up AlphaWord Plus.

All you need to do to initialise AlphaWord Plus is to start it. Do this before you use
Beamer again, and Beamer should give you the opportunity to choose a file the
next time it is receiving a file.

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U SING THE NEO C ALCULATOR
NEO includes a basic calculator that can perform addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division, exponentiation and scientific notation.

How to Use Ca lc ula tor

1. Turn on your NEO and press applets.
2. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor next to Calculator. Then, press enter.
Note: The first time you use the Calculator SmartApplet, a help screen may
appear. Press esc to exit from it. You can press -H to view it again when you
want to see it.
3. Enter the formula you want to calculate. The table below shows you which
characters to use for each type of calculation; it also provides examples.

Use these operators... ...to perform these tasks

+ Add
Example: 89+91
Example: 15+16+17
– Subtract
Example: 9–2
Example: 100–50–25
* or x Multiply
Example: 2*5
Example: 45x2x8
/ Divide
Example: 18/2
Example: 100/2/10
^ Exponentiate (raise the first number to the
power of the second)
Example: 3^2
Example: 2^2^2
e Calculate scientific notation
Example: 10e6
Example: 1.2e15
() Construct more complex formulas
Example: (15*2)+10/4
Example: (25*3)–(45/5)

4. Press = or enter to calculate the result.

If you begin the next
formula with an
operator (such as +
or *), the Calculator uses the
result from your previous
calculation as the first number
in the next formula. (This does
not apply to the e operator.) 5. Press esc when you have finished.
The next time you use the Calculator, your previous calculations appear. Press
clear file to remove them.

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Pasting Calculations into AlphaWord Plus (Paper Tape)

Pasting Calculations into AlphaWord Plus (Paper Tape)

The NEO Calculator can record up to fourteen lines of calculations. Each new
calculation is added to the bottom of the list, and when you reach the maximum
number, older calculations are removed from the top of the list. This is called the
paper tape feature.

If you would like to copy a series of calculations into AlphaWord Plus, follow these
steps:

1. Press applets, move the cursor down to the Calculator in the list, and press
enter.
2. Enter a series of calculations.
3. Press shift--C to copy all calculations in the list. You should see the
calculations selected momentarily as they are copied. (If this does not happen,
your caps lock may be selected. Press the caps lock and try again.)
4. Press applets and select the SmartApplet that you want to paste the
calculations into.
If you prefer to copy
just the result of the 5. Place the cursor in the SmartApplet where you want to paste the calculations.
last calculation, 6. Press ctrl-V or -V.
press ctrl-C or -C instead.
You can also type a formula in AlphaWord Plus, copy it then paste it into Calculator
to obtain the result.

Turning Off the NEO Calculator

There may be times when you do not want the Calculator SmartApplet to be
available, such as when students who have NEOs are doing maths work. If you
want to turn off the Calculator on a single NEO, follow the instructions below. If you
want to turn off the Calculator for a group of NEOs using NEO Manager, see
page 63. You can also turn off the Calculator on a NEO in the Control Panel (see
page 62).

To Turn Off Calculator while Using Al phaWord Plus

1. Press ctrl--C.
2. Type the master password and press enter. (You can set the master password
for NEOs using the system settings in NEO Manager; see page 135.)

To Turn Off Calculator from t he SmartApplets Menu

1. Press applets.
2. Move the cursor down next to Calculator.
3. Press ctrl--L. If the Calculator is on, this turns it off; if it is off, this turns it on
again. When the Calculator is disabled, appears next to it in the
SmartApplets list.

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T ROUBLESHOOTING
This chapter can help you troubleshoot some problems you may encounter with
your NEO or your NEO Manager software. If you are having a problem that you do
not see described here, visit our website or contact Technical Support.

NEO Troubleshooting
Nothing appears on the NEO screen when I turn it on.
If the screen is blank except for a flashing cursor in the upper-left corner, then you
are simply in an empty file. Start typing and characters should appear on your
screen.

If your screen is completely blank without a flashing cursor, check your batteries by
connecting your NEO to your computer with a USB cable. If the NEO turns on
when you connect it to a computer, you probably have one of these problems:

• Your alkaline batteries need to be replaced (see page 177).

• Your alkaline batteries were not installed correctly. Reinsert the batteries,
making sure to have the + and – ends as shown on the diagram inside the
battery door.

• Your rechargeable battery pack was fully discharged and needs charging. See
page 4.

When I turn on my NEO, I see something other than the file that I expected.
The startup SmartApplet determines which program starts when you turn the NEO
on.

If the startup SmartApplet is AlphaWord Plus, your NEO places you in the file you
were last working in when you turned the NEO off. To change files, press one of
the numbered file keys.

If you have set a different startup SmartApplet, that SmartApplet will open when
you turn on the NEO. (See page 61 to change the startup SmartApplet right on the
NEO; see page 61 to change it using NEO Manager.)

If you do not have a startup SmartApplet specified, the SmartApplets list will
appear, with the cursor next to the last SmartApplet you worked in.

When I attach my NEO to my computer, I cannot send any data, and my NEO screen
shows a file instead of the “Attached to…” message.
Check these three things:

• Examine the cable connections—one may be loose.

• Plug your USB cable into a different USB port on your computer.

• Close the NEO Manager software if it is running on your computer. You cannot
send text to a program on your computer when NEO Manager is running.

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NEO Troubleshooting

When I send a file to my computer, some of the characters do not show up, or some
letters or words are missing.
This is probably a problem with the speed with which the NEO is sending the data.
Try these measures to solve the problem:

• Disconnect NEO from the computer and check the file transfer speed by
You can use the NEO pressing option--S. Reset NEO to a slower setting (speed 1 is the slowest).
Manager software to
change the transfer • Try using a different word processing program on your computer. Some
speed on several NEOs at programs allow faster data transfer than others. If this solves the problem, you
once. See page 145 to find can copy and paste the text back into your original program.
out how to change the system
settings, which include the • Adjust keyboard settings on your computer, experimenting with the key repeat
transfer speed. rate and the repeat delay rate. (On a Macintosh, adjust hardware settings in
System Preferences; on a Windows computer, adjust keyboard settings in
Control Panel.)

I try to type in a file, but no characters appear.

You might have the Slow Keys setting turned on. You can change the setting in one
of three ways:

• Press ctrl-option--K and adjust the time delay.

• On your NEO, press applets and choose the Control Panel SmartApplet. Next,
select Change keyboard settings, then Change slow keys setting. Make
changes as needed. (See page 141.)

• In NEO Manager, select a Slow Keys setting from the System settings on the
Settings tab. See page 145 for more information.

My file (or the end of my file) is filled with garbage characters.

There are three ways you can deal with this situation:

• If you have no useful text in the file, just press clear file to remove the entire file.

• If you have some data you would like to save, place the cursor where the
garbage characters start, press shift-end to select the garbage characters, then
press delete.

• Send the file to your computer and cancel the transfer when garbage characters
appear.

When I transfer text to my Windows computer, the case of the characters is reversed;
all the lowercase characters show up as uppercase, and the uppercase characters
show up as lowercase.
The caps lock key on your computer was probably on when you sent the text from
NEO. Press caps lock on your computer keyboard to turn it off, and then resend
the file.

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NEO Troubleshooting

When I press a key, the wrong letter appears on the screen.

Your NEO is probably using a different keyboard layout. You can change the
keyboard layout in one of three ways:

• Press option--L and select a layout.

• On your NEO, press applets and choose the Control Panel SmartApplet. Next,
select Change keyboard settings, then Change keyboard layout. Make
changes as needed. See page 141.

• In NEO Manager, select a layout from the System settings on the Settings tab.
See page 145 for more information.

My LCD screen broke. Is it covered under warranty? What should I do?

If the NEO malfunctions during the warranty period, repairs are covered. However,
a broken LCD screen is not considered a malfunction and is therefore not covered
under warranty. The LCD screen can be replaced; contact Technical Support for
pricing information and a Return Material Authorisation number.

Do I need antivirus software for my NEO?

Antivirus software is not needed for your NEO.

What should I do if I spill something on my NEO?

If you have spilled water, follow these steps:

1. Remove all power sources (batteries, USB cable, AC adapter and the
rechargeable battery pack).
2. Dry the NEO using a canned air dusting product or hair dryer (on air only or
low heat setting).
3. When the NEO is dry, reconnect the power sources and try turning the
NEO on.
4. If the NEO does not turn on or malfunctions, contact Technical Support.
If you spilled something other than water, contact Technical Support immediately
for assistance. Do not let the NEO sit for an extended period before consulting
Technical Support. The cleanup measures that Technical Support will suggest are
not likely to work if you do not deal with the spill soon after it occurs.

When I try to send NEO 2 files to supported programs such as Google Docs, I see a
message that says Wireless File Transfer is not installed or disabled.
You cannot transfer files between NEO 2 and these supported programs if you
have removed Wireless File Transfer using NEO Manager or if you have disabled
Wireless File Transfer.

If you have deleted Wireless File Transfer and you want to use this feature, you
must use NEO Manager to reinstall Wireless File Transfer. Wireless File Transfer is
installed just like a SmartApplet; to install it, see “Installing or Updating
SmartApplets on NEOs Using NEO Manager” on page 63.

If you have disabled Wireless File Transfer, change the settings in NEO Manager
to enable it again. See page 63.

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NEO Troubleshooting

My Renaissance Place address cannot be verified in the Renaissance Wireless Server

Utility’s Server Settings.
For troubleshooting tips, see the section on connecting client programs in this
Knowledge Base article:
http://support.renlearn.com/techkb/techkb/6303273e.asp.

My NEO is showing an error message.

First, try turning your NEO off and then on again. If the message is still there, refer
to our Knowledge Base at http://support.renlearn.com/techkb/ or contact Technical
Support.

The light on my Renaissance Receiver is amber, and my NEO 2s cannot connect.

Follow these steps to try to solve the problem:

1. Start the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility:

• Windows computers: Click StartAll ProgramsRenaissance
Wireless ServerRenaissance Wireless Server Utility.
• Macintosh computers: In your computer’s Applications folder, open the
Renaissance Wireless Server folder. Then, double-click Renaissance
Wireless Server Utility.
2. If the program asks you to log in, type 1234 and click OK. (This is the default
Administrator PIN. If you have changed the PIN, enter your new PIN.)
3. Check the server status at the top of the screen. If it says the server is not
running, click Start. When the program asks for the Administrator PIN, type
1234 (or the Administrator PIN you have set); then, click OK.
If the server is running, click Stop. The program will verify that the server has
been stopped; click OK. Click Start to restart it.
If the Receiver light still is not green, contact Technical Support.

When I use the Responder, Accelerated Reader, KeyWords Wireless, MathsFacts in a

Flash RP or MathsFacts in a Flash (offline) SmartApplets on NEO 2, I do not seem to be
connected to the right Receiver.
As you join a session or start using one of these SmartApplets, you will be asked if
you want to stay connected to the Receiver. Answer no to this question so that you
can then choose a different Receiver to connect to.

You can also use the NEO 2 Search for Networks setting to choose a Receiver.
See page 137 to find out how to change Control Panel settings; see page 143 for
more information about the Search for Networks setting.

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NEO Manager Software Troubleshooting

NEO Manager Software Troubleshooting

When I click the plus sign (or arrow) to check connections, NEO Manager does not
show that any devices are currently connected.
• If you are using a SmartOption trolley, make sure the power switch on the back
or side of the AlphaHub in the trolley is turned on. A green light on the front of
the AlphaHub indicates that the power is on. Make sure your computer is
properly connected to the AlphaHub and that the USB cable connecting the two
is securely attached at both ends.

• If you are using just one NEO, make sure the cable is securely connected at the
NEO and the computer.

• Be patient. It can take up to thirty seconds for NEO Manager to recognise NEOs
connected to an AlphaHub and to display them in the connection status area.

• On a Windows computer, use the Device Manager to list hardware devices. (In
Windows 2000 or XP: click StartControl PanelSystemHardware tab,
then the Device Manager button; for Windows Vista: click StartSettings
Control PanelSystemDevice Manager; for Windows 7: click Start
Control PanelDevice Manager.) The AlphaHub will be in the Universal Serial
Bus controllers section.

• Try plugging the NEO or AlphaHub into a different USB port on your computer. If
a Hardware Wizard appears (Windows only), step through the on-screen
instructions completely, clicking Continue Anyway if a message appears about
Windows XP certification.

I have a NEO connected to a port on the AlphaHub, but when I check the connections,
the indicator is black instead of green.
Try plugging that NEO into the AlphaHub using a different hub cable.

I cannot remember the password that I set, and now I cannot use NEO Manager to
configure my NEOs.
If you are referring to a master password, you can reset it in the system settings in
NEO Manager (see page 135). If you are referring to the default file password for
AlphaWord Plus files, you can reset it in the AlphaWord Plus settings in NEO
Manager (see page 148 and page 149).

If you set a send list password and cannot remember it, contact Technical Support
(see the contact information at the front of this manual).

I have a SmartApplet installed on my computer, but I cannot install it on the NEOs.

In NEO Manager, all installed SmartApplets should appear in the list on the
SmartApplets tab. If one does not, try these steps:

1. Find the SmartApplet file on your computer and check the file extension.
SmartApplets that are compatible with NEO Manager have the extension
.OSK3App.
2. If the SmartApplet has the appropriate extension, add the SmartApplet by
following the steps on page 67.

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Reinstalling or Repairing Keys on the NEO Keyboard

If the SmartApplet does not have the appropriate extension, you will not be
able to use it with NEO Manager. Contact Technical Support for assistance
(see the contact information at the front of this manual).

I am managing a group of NEOs in a SmartOption trolley with an AlphaHub, and I want

to change a setting on one of the SmartApplets, but I do not see the SmartApplet in the
settings list in NEO Manager.
For a SmartApplet to appear in the Settings tab, it must either be listed in the
Install List on the SmartApplets tab, or it must be present on every connected
NEO. If the SmartApplet is present on some NEOs, but not all, then you need to
add it to the Install List on the SmartApplets tab in NEO Manager. Once you do so,
you will be able to change the setting for the SmartApplet on the Settings tab.

When I try to drag and drop text from my Windows computer, NEO Manager does not
accept it.
Some Windows programs like Notepad do not support drag and drop, while others
like WordPad and Microsoft Word do. The program you are dragging from has to
support drag and drop in order for NEO Manager to receive it. If it does not, you
can always select and cut or copy the text from your program, then paste it into
NEO Manager.

Reinstalling or Repairing Keys on the NEO Keyboard

In the unlikely event that one of the NEO keys comes off the keyboard, you can
probably reinstall it yourself by following the instructions on the next few pages.
Read through all the instructions before reinstalling the keys.

If the spacebar has come off, see “Reinstalling the Spacebar” on page 174.

If only the cap has come off the key (not the white plastic scissors assembly),
follow the steps in “Reinstalling the Key Cap Only” on page 171.

If the white plastic scissors assembly has come off in addition to the key cap,
follow the steps in “Reinstalling the Scissors Assembly” on page 173.

Reinstalli ng t he Key Cap Only

1. Start by looking at the underside of the key cap to make sure there are no
broken prongs, which are the protruding U-shaped clasps and hooked pegs
that help keep the key in place. Also, note the location of the plus sign in the
middle of the key cap’s underside.

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Reinstalling or Repairing Keys on the NEO Keyboard

The photos below show the two main styles of keys; though the shapes are
different, the keys have the same basic structure.

2. If you see at least one broken prong, stop here and contact Technical Support
for your location. (See the beginning of this manual for contact information.)
If the prongs do not appear to be damaged,
and the key’s underlying scissors assembly is
still in place on your keyboard as shown to the
right, gently lift the bottom of the scissors
assembly and fit the bar or two tabs at the top
of the assembly into the top of the key cap as
shown. Gently flip the key down. Do not
press the key down yet.

3. Before you press the key down, please note that if you press too hard,
you may break the underlying scissors pieces, in which case you will need
to contact Technical Support and arrange for repair.
Now, press down gently until you hear the key click into place on the left and
right sides. If it clicks into place on one side, carefully push on the opposite
side until it clicks. If you do not have the key perfectly aligned, wiggling the key
slightly as you press down may help.

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Reinstalling or Repairing Keys on the NEO Keyboard

Reinstalli ng t he Scissors Assembly

1. If one or both of the white scissors assembly pieces are still attached to the key
cap, separate them from the key cap.
2. Now, place the two scissors pieces in front of you, so that the square piece is
on your left and the round piece is on your right as shown. (There are two
types of round assemblies, both of which are shown. You may have either
type.)
Make sure the pieces have the correct sides facing up; the square piece
should be tilted slightly towards the right, and the round piece should tilt slightly
towards the left.

3. Now, slide the round piece underneath the square piece, and bring it up
through the center of the square piece. Halfway up, maneuver the small knobs
on each side of the round piece into the holes on each side of the square
piece, one at a time, to create the scissoring action. When you have finished,
the assembly should look like the second picture below.

4. Take the two joined pieces and place the

assembly into the keypad.
Look at the space where the scissors piece
fits. For most keys, the left side has two little
“slider” bars. The right side has a narrow
vertical channel.
For arrow keys, the top side has the two little
“slider” bars, and the bottom has a narrow
vertical channel.

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Reinstalling or Repairing Keys on the NEO Keyboard

5. For all keys except the arrow keys, put the square part of the scissors piece to
the far left of the keypad area where it is to sit; then, slide it underneath the two
slider pieces. Slide it all the way to the right.
For arrow keys, put the square part of the scissors at the top of the keypad
area where it is to sit; then, slide it underneath the two slider pieces. Slide it all
the way to the bottom of the area.
6. Now you should be able to click the right
side (or the bottom side of arrow keys)
into the narrow channel just by pressing
down on that side. You should hear it click
into place. It should look like the image to
the right.
7. Now, go to page 171 and follow the steps
for reinstalling the key cap.

Reinstalli ng t he Spacebar
1. Fit the two wire ends into the tabs next to each scissors assembly as shown.

2. Flip the solid end of the wire down as shown.

3. Gently fit the bar or two tabs at the top of each scissors assembly into the top
of the space bar key cap as shown.

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4. Gently flip the key down.

5. Before you press down on the key to click it into place, please note that if
you press too hard, you may break the underlying scissors assemblies. If this
happens, you need to contact Technical Support for repair.
Now, press down gently on the key, one side at a time, until you hear it click
into place.

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A BOUT NEO B ATTERIES AND P OWER S OURCES
This chapter includes technical information about batteries for your NEO, including
the following:

• Power sources for the NEO

• When the NEO turns on automatically

• Alkaline batteries

• Rechargeable batteries

• The low battery indicator

• Tips on caring for batteries and storing your NEO

How Your NEO Receives Power

Your NEO receives power in one of two ways:

• Through three AA batteries (alkaline provide the longest battery life—up to 700
hours or more)

• Through an optional internal rechargeable battery pack you have purchased

(see our website for details)

If you use AA batteries, all three must be the same type. When the battery power
is low, you can replace the batteries as described on the next page.

If you have a rechargeable battery pack, you recharge it with the AC adapter that
came with the battery pack. Refer to “Using the Optional Rechargeable Battery
Pack” on page 178 for additional information.

When your NEO is connected to your computer with a USB cable, it also receives
power from the computer. However, NEO functions are limited when it is
connected to a computer.

NEO Turns on Automatically When Connected

NEO turns on automatically when you use a USB cable to connect it to

• A SmartOption trolley or an AlphaHub that is on (usually in a classroom

situation)

• A running computer

NEO remains on until the cable is disconnected or the AlphaHub or computer is

turned off. When the cable is disconnected or power is removed from the cable,
NEO returns to the state it was in before connecting. For example, if it was off
before connecting, it will turn off again when disconnected.

When connected to a computer or AlphaHub, NEO uses the power available from
the computer even if no batteries are installed. Do not connect the AC adapter
when NEO is connected to a computer; it is not necessary.

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Replacing AA Batteries

R e pl a c i ng A A B a t t e r i e s
When you replace NEO’s AA batteries, you must change all three batteries. If one
discharged AA battery is used with two new batteries, the battery life is
significantly reduced, even though two out of the three are new.

Follow these steps to replace the batteries:

1. Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the screw on the back of the NEO A.
2. Put your thumbs in the circles on the battery compartment cover B and slide
the compartment cover toward the left to remove it from the NEO.

A
B B

3. Remove the old AA batteries.

4. Insert three new AA batteries into the compartment. Make sure the + end of
each battery points toward the black and red cables.

5. Put the battery compartment cover back on and slide it back in place.
6. Insert the small Phillips screw in the hole provided and use a Phillips
screwdriver to tighten it to make sure the cover stays shut.

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Using the Optional Rechargeable Battery Pack

Using the Optional Rech argeable Battery Pack

If you purchased a rechargeable battery pack, your batteries are automatically
recharged whenever you connect the NEO to a computer or AlphaHub using a
USB cable. You can also recharge the batteries by plugging the NEO in using the
AC adapter. See page 4 to find out how to charge or recharge the battery pack
using the AC adapter.

Important: If you are going to store your NEO for a month or longer, charge it
before you store it, and then again after you take it out of storage to compensate
for the batteries’ self-discharge.

Specificati ons for t he AC Adapter

These are the specifications for the AC adapter that is included with the
rechargeable battery pack:

• Class 2 transformer

• Input: AC 230V 50Hz 11.5W (UK and Europe)

• Output: DC 7.5V 500 MA

– (Negative) + (Positive)

You should always use the AC adapter supplied with the battery pack; do not use
other types.

About t he Opti onal Rechargeable Batteries

NEO’s rechargeable battery packs use Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) cells. NiMH
cells can be charged about 500 times. Fully charged batteries can power the NEO
for 60–150 hours (or even much longer), depending on use. (Note, however, that
fully charged batteries that are never used lose their charge in about a month due
to the self-discharge effect.)
New NiMH batteries need to be “cycled”—also known as “conditioned”—three to
five times before they hold a full charge. This means that, during the first three to
five charge cycles, the batteries hold a successively better charge each time until
they reach full capacity.

To charge the batteries, plug the AC adapter into a working electrical outlet and
connect it to the power port on the left side of your NEO as described on page 10.

Conditioning the Batteries

To condition the batteries, follow these steps:

1. Fully charge your NEO with the AC adapter.

2. Use your NEO without the AC adapter until the low battery message appears.
(This may take 60–150 hours of use.)
3. Repeat steps 1–2 three to five times.
You will get the longest life from your batteries if you wait for the low battery
warning to appear before recharging so the batteries are not needlessly
recharged. Charging with the AC adapter for about 8–16 hours fully charges the
batteries; if you use an AlphaHub or USB cable to recharge the batteries, it may

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Using the Optional Rechargeable Battery Pack

take as long as 24 hours. Do not charge the batteries for more than a week;
doing so may damage the batteries.

NEO’s indicator light A turns green when the device is fully charged.

Storing and Recharging NEOs

Rechargeable batteries that are not used over time lose their charge and need to
be fully charged again before being used.

If the batteries lose too much charge while in storage (which can happen if you
store your NEO for longer than you intended), the batteries themselves may
become damaged, which in turn can damage the NEO.

Important: If you are going to store your NEO for a month or longer, charge the
batteries before you store it, and then charge them again after you take the NEO
out of storage to compensate for the batteries’ self-discharge.

Lifetime of the Rechargeable Batteries

Well-maintained rechargeable batteries last about 500 charges, or about three
years. If your battery charge lasted forty hours in the past, but now it lasts only one
hour, you need a new battery pack, which you can purchase from our website.

If your batteries have run down, and you do not have an AC adapter, you can still
connect your NEO to your computer and transfer the data in your files while the
computer provides power to your NEO. You can also temporarily switch to AA
alkaline batteries until you can obtain a new rechargeable battery pack.

Toxic Elements Statement

Each rechargeable battery cell is a sealed container enclosing a nickel electrode
and a potassium hydroxide electrolyte. The electrolyte is caustic. Avoid contact
with skin or eyes. If exposed accidentally, flush eyes with water immediately.

Warning! Do not incinerate or mutilate the battery, as this may cause it to burst or
release toxic materials. Do not short circuit, as this may cause burns. Please
dispose of in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations.

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Low Battery Message

Low Battery Message

When your AA batteries or rechargeable batteries are getting low, a warning
message appears on the NEO screen. The message appears about eight hours
before your AA batteries are dead and about twenty minutes before your
rechargeable batteries are dead. Be sure to replace your AA batteries or recharge
your optional battery pack before the batteries are completely discharged.

Checking Battery Status (Charge)

To find out how much battery charge is remaining, follow these steps to check the
battery status on your NEO:

1. Press ctrl--B. The display shows a picture representing the amount of

battery power left and a message showing the percentage.
2. Press any key to return to your file.
You can also check battery status in the Control Panel by following these steps:

1. Press applets.
2. Move the cursor down next to Control Panel and press enter.
3. Move the cursor down next to Display battery status and press enter. The
display shows a picture representing the amount of battery power left and a
message showing the percentage.
4. Press any key to leave this screen.

Tips on Caring for Batteries

• To avoid battery leakage in AA batteries, change the batteries as soon as they
become weak.

• Do not drop, puncture, disassemble, mutilate or incinerate the batteries.

• Do not leave batteries in hot locations.

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NEO’s Backup Lithium Battery

NEO’s Backup Lithium Battery

NEO contains a secondary backup battery that is not intended to be accessed by
users. The lithium battery provides power to the memory and helps prevent data
loss when the unit is turned off or when the batteries are dead or removed. The
lithium battery will last approximately five to seven years. If you suspect a problem
with the lithium battery, visit our website for more information or contact Technical
Support for assistance.

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W ARRANTY AND M AINTENANCE

Warranty
Renaissance Learning, Inc., warrants the NEO keyboard and display to be free
from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of three years from the
date of original purchase.

For rechargeable devices, Renaissance Learning, Inc., warrants the rechargeable

battery to be free from defects for 90 days from the date of original purchase.

During this period, if a defect occurs, Renaissance Learning, Inc., will, at its option,
repair or replace your NEO at no charge to you, provided that it is returned during
the warranty period to Renaissance Learning, Inc., or one of its authorised
resellers. This warranty does not apply if your NEO has been damaged by
accident or abuse, modified without the written permission of Renaissance
Learning, Inc., or if identifying marks (including serial numbers) or seals have been
removed or defaced.

There are no other warranties, expressed or implied. Renaissance Learning, Inc.,

accepts no responsibility for consequential damages, including, but not limited to,
loss of profit or benefits.

Guarantee
Renaissance Learning, Inc., will refund your money in full (less original shipping
charges) if the items are returned in original condition within thirty days of
customer receipt of items.

Maintenance Tips
With proper care and maintenance, your NEO will last a long time. These practices
help keep your NEO in top condition:

• Always turn off your NEO before changing the batteries.

• Take care not to break the LCD screen. Do not drop NEO or subject it to strong
impact. Do not place an AC adapter or other heavy object over the LCD screen.

• Clean the screen only with a soft, dry cloth. Do not use solvents.

• Keep your NEO away from extreme heat. Do not leave it on the dashboard of a
car, in the trunk of a car, or near a heater.

• Do not leave your NEO in a place that is extremely dusty or damp.

• Do not use frayed or damaged cables.

• Never force a connector into a port if the connector and port do not join easily.

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Return Procedures

St oring Your NEO

If you know you are not going to be using your NEO for a while, follow these
guidelines:

• If you are storing a NEO that uses alkaline batteries, and you are going to be
storing it for longer than six months, or the battery capacity is less than 20%,
remove the batteries from the NEO.

• If you are storing a rechargeable NEO for between one and six months, charge
the NEO before you store it, and again after you take it out of storage (to
compensate for the battery pack’s self-discharge). If you are storing a group of
rechargeable NEOs, be sure to charge all of them before and after storage.

• Use care when storing or stacking a group of NEOs. You may inadvertently
cause a power drain from some units if they are stored incorrectly. If several
NEOs are stacked on top of each other and offset somewhat, be careful that the
rubber foot on the bottom of one NEO does not touch the on/off key on the top
of another NEO. If any NEO is accidentally turned on and the on/off key
remains pressed, this causes a small but constant battery power drain even
though nothing may appear on the screen. To avoid this potential problem, stack
your NEOs on edge or carefully make sure they are stacked vertically with no
offset.

You might want to enable the Two-Button On option so you cannot turn the NEO
on by pressing just one key. On a single NEO, you can do this by changing a
setting in the Control Panel; see page 137. To change this for several NEOs, use
the system settings in the NEO Manager software; see page 145.

Return Procedures
Important: If you are a customer outside the United States or United Kingdom,
and you purchased your NEO from a reseller, then you should contact that reseller
for assistance with your NEO. Do not return the device to Renaissance Learning.

If you bought your NEO directly from Renaissance Learning outside the United
States or United Kingdom, contact the technical support resource listed for your
region in the front of this manual.

If you have a problem with your NEO, first read “Troubleshooting” on page 166. If
this section does not help you solve your problems, follow these steps for help.

1. Contact Technical Support using the contact information for your country listed
at the front of this manual. Most problems can be solved by email or over the
phone.
2. If the device does need to be returned to the factory for repair, it must be
assigned an RMA (Return Material Authorisation) number in order to track the
unit before it is returned. To receive an RMA number, contact Technical
Support using the contact information for your country listed at the front of this
manual. You will need to provide the following information:
• A detailed description of the problem
• The serial number of the device
• Your name and the address where the device should be returned

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Return Procedures

Note: Only Renaissance Learning can assign RMA numbers. If a NEO is

returned without an RMA number, it will delay the repair and increase the
chance that it could become lost.
3. Write the RMA number on the outside and inside of the box. Also on the inside,
tape a short, detailed note to the NEO explaining the problem (include the
RMA number).
4. Ship the damaged NEO to the address given when you receive your RMA
number. You will be sending your NEO to a repair center, not to the
Renaissance Learning office.
Important: Please ship NEO with a reliable shipper. Renaissance Learning,
Inc., will not be held responsible for devices that are lost in shipment from a
customer, or that are returned without an RMA number.
Your repaired NEO will be returned to you within two weeks of receipt. If damages
are due to accident or abuse, you will be charged a fee for the parts replaced, as
well as a repair handling fee.

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K EYBOARD C OMMANDS AND S PECIAL C HARACTERS
This appendix provides lists of keyboard commands and shows you how to enter
international and special characters using your NEO.

Ke yboa rd Com mands

Action Keyboard Command
Move one character left or right 
Move up or down one line 
Move up one screen (scrolling) -
Move down one screen (scrolling) -
Move to beginning of line -
Move to end of line -
Move to beginning of file home
Move to end of file end
Move to previous word option-
Move to next word option-
Move to previous sentence ctrl-
Move to next sentence ctrl-
Move to previous paragraph ctrl-
Move to next paragraph ctrl-
Select/deselect one character to the left shift-
Select/deselect one character to the right shift-
Select/deselect one line up shift-
Select/deselect one line down shift-
Select from cursor to beginning of word shift-option-
Select from cursor to end of word shift-option-
Select from cursor to beginning of line shift--
Select from cursor to end of line shift--
Select all (select entire file) ctrl-A or -A
Cut selected text to clipboard ctrl-X or -X
Copy selected text to clipboard ctrl-C or -C
Paste text from clipboard ctrl-V or -V
Have the selected text read by an optional ctrl-M
NEO Text2Speech device
Change settings for the NEO Text2Speech ctrl-J
device
Delete a character or selection to the left of backspace
the cursor

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K EYBOARD C OMMANDS AND S PECIAL C HARACTERS
Keyboard Commands

Action Keyboard Command

Delete a character or selection to the right delete or
of the cursor ctrl-backspace
Clear the entire contents of the file clear file
Clear the contents from all eight workspace shift-ctrl-option--clear file
files
Permanently delete an entire file option--clear file
Permanently delete all files ctrl-option--clear file
Recover 40 characters ctrl-option--R
Recover file from last deletion option--R
Recover entire file ctrl-shift-option--R
Find text find or -F
Find again -G
Find and replace ctrl-find
Check spelling spell check
Spell check word containing cursor -spell check
Spell check on/off option--spell check
Spell check a selected section ctrl-spell check
Ignore all occurrences in spell check ctrl-I
Replace all in spell check ctrl-enter
Open thesaurus ctrl-T
File status (characters) ctrl--I
File status (pages) -I
File statistics (number of words, characters, ctrl-option--I
paragraphs, and spaces in a file)
Number of characters in all files shift-ctrl--I
Number of pages in all files shift--I
Word count (characters, words, ctrl-W
paragraphs, pages)
System details option--V
Clipboard contents ctrl-option--C
Clipboard status (characters) ctrl-shift-option--C
Clipboard status (pages) option--C
Print files print or -P
Typing Timer -find
Create new file ctrl-N
Open file ctrl-O
Open or retrieve file from supported -O
programs
Save and name a file ctrl-S

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Keyboard Commands

Action Keyboard Command

Select file ctrl-F
Delete file ctrl-D
Send current AlphaWord Plus file to ctrl-send
another NEO with Beamer
Send current AlphaWord Plus file to -send
supported programs like Google Docs
Receive an AlphaWord Plus file from ctrl-B
another NEO with Beamer
Go to SmartApplets menu applets
Set a startup SmartApplet from the ctrl-applets
SmartApplets menu
Disable a SmartApplet from the ctrl--L
SmartApplets menu
Display information about selected option-applets
SmartApplet
Select font size in AlphaWord Plus ctrl-option--F
Copy linked file to clipboard shift-ctrl--C
Copy current screen of a linked file shift-ctrl-C
Select section -S
View linked file/main file ctrl-L
Password enable/disable (master password ctrl-option--P
required)
Change file password option--P
Enable/disable Calculator (master ctrl--C
password required)
Sticky Keys, Auto Repeat, option--K
Show Marks status
Slow Keys status ctrl-option--K
Change keyboard layout option--L
(QWERTY, Dvorak, Right, Left)
Change send speed (cable) option--S
Change send speed (IR) ctrl-option--S
Switch to another file (when connected -File 1 (File 2, File 3, and so on)
by USB)
Check battery status ctrl--B
Set idle time option--T
View help contents ctrl-h or -H
Copy help contents ctrl-C
View system hardware details ctrl-shift-option--I
View system software details ctrl-shift-option--B

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K EYBOARD C OMMANDS AND S PECIAL C HARACTERS
International and Special Characters

International and Special Characters

The following tables show the international and special characters that NEO
supports and the keys to press to generate each character.

Keyboard combinations separated by hyphens (ctrl-option-2, for example) should

be pressed in the order given and held down until the last key is pressed.

Keyboard combinations separated by a comma (for example, option-E, A) should

be pressed sequentially; in this example, press and hold the option key while
pressing E, then release them both before pressing A. You will not see a character
displayed after pressing the E, but the character that appears after pressing the A
will be á.

Character Keystroke(s) Notes

Á option-E, shift-A acute accent
À option-`, shift-A grave accent
Ä option-U, shift-A umlaut accent
à option-N, shift-A tilde accent
Å option-shift-A dot accent
á option-E, A acute accent
à option-`, A grave accent
â option-I, A circumflex accent
ä option-U, A umlaut accent
ã option-N, A tilde accent
å option-A dot accent
æ option-' digraph (ligature)
Æ option-shift-' digraph (ligature)
ç option-C cedilla accent
Ç option-shift-C cedilla accent
É option-E, shift-E acute accent
È option-`, shift-E grave accent
Ê option-I, shift-E circumflex accent
Ë option-U, shift-E umlaut accent
é option-E, E acute accent
è option-`, E grave accent
ê option-I, E circumflex accent
ë option-U, E umlaut accent
í option-E, I acute accent
ì option-`, i grave accent
î option-I, I circumflex accent
ï option-U, I umlaut accent
Ñ option-N, shift-N tilde accent

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KEYBOARD C OMMANDS AND S PECIAL C HARACTERS
International and Special Characters

Character Keystroke(s) Notes

ñ option-N, N tilde accent
Ó option-E, shift-O acute accent
Ò option-`, shift-O grave accent
Ô option-I, shift-O circumflex accent
Ö option-U, shift-O umlaut accent
Õ option-N, shift-O tilde accent
ó option-E, O acute accent
ò option-`, O grave accent
ô option-I, O circumflex accent
ö option-U, O umlaut accent
õ option-N, O tilde accent
Ú option-E, shift-U acute accent
Ù option-`, shift-U grave accent
Û option-I, shift-U circumflex accent
Ü option-U, shift-U umlaut accent
ú option-E, U acute accent
ù option-`, U grave accent
û option-I, U circumflex accent
ü option-U, U umlaut accent
ÿ option-U, Y umlaut accent

Character Keystroke(s)
™ option-2
® option-R
© option-G
ø option-O
Ø option-shift-O
° option-shift-8
∞ (infinity) option-5
§ option-6
¶ option-7
¿ option-shift-/
¡ option-1
» option-shift-\
« option-\
´ (acute accent) option-E, space
` (grave accent) option-`, space
^ (circumflex) option-I, space

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K EYBOARD C OMMANDS AND S PECIAL C HARACTERS
International and Special Characters

Character Keystroke(s)
¨ (umlaut) option-U, space
~ (tilde) option-N, space
. (superscript dot) option-H
½ ctrl-option-2
1
/3 ctrl-option-3
¼ ctrl-option-4
÷ option-/
± option-shift-=
ƒ option-F
$ shift-4
¢ option-4
£ option-3
¤ option-shift-5
¥ option-Y
? option-shift-2
ß (beta or German Sharp S) option-S
Σ (sigma) option-W
π (pi) option-P
µ (mu) option-M
Ω (omega) option-Z

Tr oubl eshooti ng Special Charact ers

International characters are supported by both Macintosh and Windows
computers. However, some Windows programs do not support the Microsoft
international character set, so they may have problems displaying international
characters correctly. If your characters have not transferred correctly to a specific
Windows program, follow these steps to try to transfer international characters to
any problematic Windows program:

1. On your computer, open the Notepad program.

2. On your NEO, send your text to Notepad.
3. In Notepad, select all the text, then press Ctrl-C to copy it to the Windows
clipboard.
4. Open a new file in the program that did not accept the special characters
earlier.
5. Paste the text into a document in that program.
Copying and pasting through the clipboard usually solves the problem because the
clipboard interprets the characters correctly and transfers them into the program.

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W RITE O N ! L ESSONS FOR NEO
Write On! for NEO provides hundreds of writing exercises, literacy skills activities
and vocabulary strategies that teachers can use to help students develop their
writing skills. You can easily send these exercises to students’ NEOs using NEO
Manager (see page 55). Students work on the exercises on their NEOs, typing
their responses between angle bracket prompts < >. Once the exercises are
complete, you retrieve the exercises from the NEOs using NEO Manager.

Using thoughtful themes and appealing content, Write On! for NEO exercises
promote writing and foster a love of language. Write On! exercises help you avoid
the blank screens that can be so intimidating to students at the beginning of writing
projects. Instead, the exercises provide screen after screen of entertaining writing
activities that engage students’ minds and inspire creative responses.

Write On! files are organised by school level and type of activity. Writing lessons
are organised by process and theme. For a list of the school levels, themes and
exercise files, see page 193. For an overview of the categories and themes, see
page 200.

Using Write On! Lessons with NEO 2s in NEO Share

You can also open Write On! lessons in NEO Share and make entire lessons or
parts of lessons available for NEO 2 users to pick up. This is an easy way to use
Write On! lessons with NEO 2s. For more information, click the Help menu in NEO
Share and choose Using Write On! Lessons.

How to Use Write On! Lessons in NEO Manager for All NEOs
The steps below give you an overview of how to use Write On! exercises with
NEOs and NEO Manager.

1. Make sure you have installed NEO Manager on your computer (see page 12).
2. Use the supplements summary (page 200) to find a theme that you want your
students to work with.
3. Read the individual file information in the PDF supplement and decide which
text file to work with.
4. Use NEO Manager to send the Write On! text file to file 1 on connected NEOs
(see page 55). (If any supporting files are mentioned in the supplement, send
the supporting file to file 2.) You can modify any of the text exercises if you
would like once you select them using NEO Manager.
5. Have students complete the work in the file. Students should type their
answers to questions within the angle brackets (< >).
6. To view student work, see the next section.

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Retrieving Writing Exercises from NEOs

Retrieving Writing Exercises from NEOs

Remember that There are three ways to retrieve writing exercises once students complete them:
students should you can use NEO Manager, you can have students send their exercises to your
have entered their computer, or you can have students print directly from their NEOs.
responses between the
angle bracket prompts (<>).
To find student responses,
look for these prompts in the
files.

Using NEO Manager to Retri eve Students’ Exerci ses

Use NEO Manager to retrieve exercises from either a single NEO or a group of
NEOs. This is the quickest method if you need to retrieve multiple files from
multiple NEOs. See page 41 to find out how to view, print or save the student files.

Sendi ng an Exerci se Directl y from NEO to Your Computer

By following these steps, students can send their exercises to your computer one
at a time. This method lets each student edit, reformat, save or print his or her
exercise using your computer.

Note: If your students are using NEO 2s, they can also send their work to the NEO
Share software. For more information, see the NEO Share User Manual.

1. Make sure NEO Manager is not running on the computer.

2. On your computer, open the program and file where you want to send the text.
3. Turn on NEO and make sure you are in the file that contains the exercise.
4. Connect NEO to your computer using a USB cable (see page 8).
5. On your computer, make sure the cursor is blinking in the file that you want to
send the exercise to. If not, click in the file to make it active; this ensures the
student’s exercise will be sent there.
6. On NEO, press send. The NEO displays a progress bar and a percentage of
how much text has been transferred.
7. When the transfer is complete, disconnect NEO and save the file on your
computer.

Pri nt ing Exercises Di rectl y from NEOs

If your classroom is set up for printing, follow these steps to have students print
directly from NEOs (using a USB cable, infrared printing or wireless RF printing).
This method provides you or the student with a hard copy of the exercise for
editing or grading.

1. Do one of the following:

• For USB printing, connect NEO to your printer with a USB cable (see
page 8).
• For IR printing, make sure the printer’s IR transceiver is in range of NEO’s
IR lens (within 5–7 inches).
• For NEO 2 wireless RF printing, make sure your Renaissance Receiver is
connected to the computer and is on (see page 16).
2. Turn on the NEO and make sure you are in the file that contains the exercise.
3. Press print on the NEO.

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Road Map of Write On! Lesson Files

Road Map of Write On! Lesson Files

When you installed NEO Manager, the Write On! exercise files were copied to your
computer. The exercises are grouped by school level: primary or secondary.
Within these groups, files are further broken down by types of activity, and writing
lessons are also broken down by types of writing, writing process, writing skills and
more.

Here is where you can find the files on your computer:

You can also view
lessons in NEO • Windows computers: Program Files\Renaissance Learning\Write On Text
Manager as you Files\
select a Write On! lesson. See
page 55. • Macintosh computers: Applications : AlphaSmart : AlphaSmart Manager 2 :
Write On Text Files

The following tables show how the files are organised on your computer and how
you will find them organised when you select them in NEO Manager.

Primary Files
\Primary \Literacy Skills \Fudge-a-Mania B_Vocabulary.txt
Activities C_Setting.txt
D_Plot.txt

\Hatchet B_Vocabulary.txt
C_Believability.txt
D_Setting.txt

\Marvin B_Vocabulary.txt
Redpost C_Character.txt
D_Tone.txt

\Number the B_Vocabulary.txt

Stars C_Character.txt
D_Setting.txt

\The Lion, the B_Vocabulary.txt

Witch, and the C_Dialogue.txt
Wardrobe D_Character.txt
(Unabridged)
\Vocabulary ABC Graffiti.txt
Strategies Possible Sentences.txt
Sentence Chains.txt
Synonym Cluster.txt

\Writing \Poetry and \Chants to Limericks

Lessons Word Power
B_CHANTS.txt F_TRANS.txt
C_ACROST.txt G_IMAGIN.txt
D_LIMRCK.txt H_SIM1.txt
E_DAIL.txt I_SIM2.txt

\Haiku to Free Verse

B_METAPH.txt F_VERSE2.txt
C_HAIKU.txt G_VERSE3.txt
D_RECIPE.txt H_THEME.txt
E_VERSE1.txt

\Someone Won
B_EIGHT.txt D_BASES.txt
C_ONE.txt E_INN.txt

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Road Map of Write On! Lesson Files

Primary Files (Continued)

\Primary \Writing \Poetry and \The Me Activities II
(continued) Lessons Word Power
B_NAME.txt H_FEEL2.txt
(continued) (continued) C_MEET.txt I_MEMORY.txt
D_FAMILY.txt J_KEY.txt
E_CHANGE.txt K_JOURNL.txt
F_ENDING.txt L_TIME.txt
G_FEEL1.txt

\Where the Sidewalk Bends

B_MICE.txt G_HALWEN.txt
C_DOOR.txt H_PEOPLE.txt
D_TRAPEZ.txt I_MAGIC.txt
E_HKCROK.txt J_BITS.txt
F_OURBND.txt K_TUGWAR.txt

\Seasons \Autumn
B_BRTHDY.txt I_FEEL.txt
C_CELEB.txt J_FIELD.txt
D_COLUMB.txt K_MYTH.txt
E_ANIMAL.txt L_SET.txt
F_AUTH1.txt M_ACROSS.txt
G_AUTH2.txt N_SING.txt
H_CHANT.txt

\Spring
B_BRTHDY.txt G_CREAT.txt
C_CELEBR.txt H_FLING.txt
D_EASTER.txt I_STORY.txt
E_PET.txt J_PAT.txt
F_PLACE.txt

\Winter
B_BRTHDY.txt G_CHANT.txt
C_CELEBR.txt H_FLOWER.txt
D_HOLIDY.txt I_MOUSE.txt
E_MISTLE.txt J_PICT.txt
F_RECIPE.txt

\The Process of \Character Building

Writing B_TEASE1.txt F_ATTIT1.txt
B_TEASE2.txt F_ATTIT2.txt
C_ACTION.txt G_HONST1.txt
C_FEEL.txt G_HONST2.txt
D_SINC1.txt G_HONST3.txt
D_SINC2.txt H_CHANG1.txt
E_TRUST1.txt H_CHANG2.txt
E_TRUST2.txt

\Character Sketch I
B_DES1.txt H_DIADES.txt
C_DES2.txt I_SETDIA.txt
D_SET1.txt J_INTERC.txt
E_SET2.txt K_ACTION.txt
F_SETDES.txt L_NARRAT.txt
G_DIA.txt

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Road Map of Write On! Lesson Files

Primary Files (Continued)

\Primary \Writing \The Process of \Finding a Writing Style I
(continued) Lessons Writing
B_VIEW1.txt H_LIT1.txt
(continued) (continued) C_VIEW2.txt I_LIT2.txt
D_DESC.txt J_AUDENC.txt
E_SPICE.txt K_RIGHT.txt
F_TRIM1.txt L_TIGHT.txt
G_TRIM2.txt

\Observe and Describe

B_COLOR.txt F_EXAMP.txt
C_SENSE1.txt G_THEIT.txt
D_SENSE2.txt H_PORTRT.txt
E_CLUSTR.txt I_TRIM.txt

\Poetry for Young Poets

B_SNDCHT.txt J_LMRKS.txt
C_EATCHT.txt K_SIMIL1.txt
D_ACTCHT.txt L_SIMIL2.txt
E_NAME.txt M_SIMMET.txt
F_PATRN1.txt N_RECIPE.txt
G_PATRN2.txt O_TRANS1.txt
H_MEPOEM.txt P_TRANS2.txt
I_ALTRTN.txt

\Tall Tales
B_KNOW.txt H_HENRY2.txt
C_TALES.txt I_BNYAN1.txt
D_EXAG.txt I_BNYAN2.txt
E_WALK.txt J_PECOS1.txt
F_RAIN.txt J_PECOS2.txt
G_APPLE1.txt K_PIPPI.txt
G_APPLE2.txt L_ME.txt
H_HENRY1.txt M_ACROST.txt

\The Me Activities I
B_ENDING.txt H_LETTER.txt
C_PATTRN.txt I_POEM.txt
D_FAMILY.txt J_DREAMS.txt
E_IUSED.txt K_FEELNG.txt
F_CHANGE.txt L_THREE.txt
G_FAVORT.txt

\Writing Skills \Paragraphs to Essays Level 1

B_TOPIC.txt G_MIX.txt
C_SUMMRY.txt H_ORDER.txt
D_SENSE.txt I_SPICY.txt
E_SUBJCT.txt J_TIRED.txt
F_EXAMPL.txt K_MAKE.txt

\Paragraphs to Essays Level 2

B_START.txt H_LINKRS.txt
C_CLUSTR.txt I_DESC.txt
D_TOPIC.txt J_EXPOS.txt
E_BROAD.txt K_NARRAT.txt
F_SENSE.txt L_PERS.txt
G_TIME.txt

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Road Map of Write On! Lesson Files

Primary Files (Continued)

\Primary \Writing \Writing Skills \Sentence Combining with a Moral
(continued) Lessons (continued)
B_WARMUP.txt H_BEE.txt
(continued) C_FOX.txt I_MEDICN.txt
D_SLEEK.txt J_HAIR.txt
E_SWALLO.txt K_FLATTR.txt
F_PLEASE.txt L_EXPAND.txt
G_BRAIN.txt M_REFER.txt

\Sentence Writing Level 1

B_FAVOR.txt G_MORE.txt
C_ADJECT.txt H_COLOR.txt
D_ADVERB.txt I_NAME.txt
E_FRAG.txt J_PARAGR.txt
F_NEWS.txt

\Sentence Writing Level 2

B_NEWS.txt F_ADJECT.txt
C_FRAG.txt G_COLOR.txt
D_SEPAR.txt H_MORE.txt
E_COMBIN.txt I_OVER.txt

\Sentences to Paragraphs Level 1

B_SIMPLE.txt H_MIX.txt
C_ALPHA.txt I_DETAIL.txt
D_SENSE.txt J_TIME.txt
E_LOVE.txt K_TOWN.txt
F_SUBJ.txt L_FIND.txt
G_SUMM.txt M_TITLE.txt

\Sentences to Paragraphs Level 2

B_START.txt G_LIVELY.txt
C_MIX.txt H_SENSE.txt
D_CLUSTR.txt I_TRANS1.txt
E_DETAIL.txt J_TRANS2.txt
F_BROAD.txt K_PROVRB.txt

\You Are the Editor 1

B_WARMUP.txt H_FIXUP.txt
C_CLENUP.txt I_LETTER.txt
D_SPACES.txt J_RETRN2.txt
E_RETRN1.txt K_RECIPE.txt
F_UNITY.txt L_COMBIN.txt
G_MIXED.txt

\You Are the Editor 2

B_WARMUP.txt I_TIRED.txt
C_RUNON.txt J_TRICKY.txt
D_REPLCE.txt K_FIND.txt
E_DEADWD.txt L_AUDNC1.txt
F_PARGRP.txt M_DESCRB.txt
G_MISSNG.txt N_AUDNC2.txt
H_MISPLC.txt O_COMBIN.txt

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Road Map of Write On! Lesson Files

Secondary Files
\Secondary \Literacy Skills \Animal Farm B_Vocabulary.txt
Activities C_Inference.txt
D_Character.txt

\Flowers for B_Vocabulary.txt

Algernon C_Compare.txt
D_Character.txt

\Hatchet B_Vocabulary.txt
C_Believability.txt
D_Setting.txt

\Lord of the B_Vocabulary.txt

Flies C_Setting.txt
D_Character.txt

\The Hobbit B_Vocabulary.txt

C_Setting.txt
D_Character.txt

\Vocabulary Closed Word Sort.txt

Strategies Concept Circles.txt
Concept of Definition.txt
Four-Part Definition.txt
Sentence Chains.txt
Vocabulary Self Selection.txt

\Writing \1 Writing Skills \Paragraphs to Essays Level 2

Lessons
WS P to E L2 B.txt WS P to E L2 H.txt
WS P to E L2 C.txt WS P to E L2 I.txt
WS P to E L2 D.txt WS P to E L2 J.txt
WS P to E L2 E.txt WS P to E L2 K.txt
WS P to E L2 F.txt WS P to E L2 L.txt
WS P to E L2 G.txt

\Sentence Combine with AM Classics

SecPoWCS2C.txt SecWS SCAM E.txt
SecPoWCS2E.txt SecWS SCAM F.txt
SecPoWCS2G.txt SecWS SCAM G.txt
SecPoWCS2I.txt SecWS SCAM H.txt
SecWS PP L.txt SecWS SCAM I.txt
SecWS SCAM B.txt SecWS SCAM J.txt
SecWS SCAM C.txt SecWS SCAM K.txt
SecWS SCAM D.txt SecWS SCAM L.txt

\Sentence Combining with a Moral

WS SC with M B.txt WS SC with M H.txt
WS SC with M C.txt WS SC with M I.txt
WS SC with M D.txt WS SC with M J.txt
WS SC with M E.txt WS SC with M K.txt
WS SC with M F.txt WS SC with M L.txt
WS SC with M G.txt WS SC with M M.txt

\Sentence to Paragraph Level 2

WS S to P L2 B.txt WS S to P L2 G.txt
WS S to P L2 C.txt WS S to P L2 H.txt
WS S to P L2 D.txt WS S to P L2 I.txt
WS S to P L2 E.txt WS S to P L2 J.txt
WS S to P L2 F.txt WS S to P L2 K.txt

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Road Map of Write On! Lesson Files

Secondary Files (Continued)

\Secondary \Writing \1_Writing Skills \Sentence Writing Level 2
(continued) Lessons (continued)
WS SW L2 B.txt WS SW L2 F.txt
(continued) WS SW L2 C.txt WS SW L2 G.txt
WS SW L2 D.txt WS SW L2 H.txt
WS SW L2 E.txt WS SW L2 I.txt

\Persuasive Essay
SecWL WS PE B.txt SecWL WS PE H.txt
SecWL WS PE C.txt SecWL WS PE I.txt
SecWL WS PE D.txt SecWL WS PE J.txt
SecWL WS PE E.txt SecWL WS PE K.txt
SecWL WS PE F.txt SecWL WS PE L.txt
SecWL WS PE G.txt

\Polishing Prose
SecWL WS PP B.txt SecWL WS PP G.txt
SecWL WS PP C.txt SecWL WS PP H.txt
SecWL WS PP D.txt SecWL WS PP I.txt
SecWL WS PP E.txt SecWL WS PP J.txt
SecWL WS PP F.txt SecWL WS PP K.txt

\You are the Editor 1

WS Y are the E 1 B.txt WS Y are the E1 H.txt
WS Y are the E1 C.txt WS Y are the E1 I.txt
WS Y are the E1 D.txt WS Y are the E1 J.txt
WS Y are the E1 E.txt WS Y are the E1 K.txt
WS Y are the E1 F.txt WS Y are the E1 L.txt
WS Y are the E1 G.txt

\2_The Process \Character Sketch 1

of Writing
POW CS1 B.txt POW CS1 H.txt
POW CS1 C.txt POW CS1 I.txt
POW CS1 D.txt POW CS1 J.txt
POW CS1 E.txt POW CS1 K.txt
POW CS1 F.txt POW CS1 L.txt
POW CS1 G.txt

\Character Sketch 2
SecPoWCS2B.txt SecPoWCS2H.txt
SecPoWCS2D.txt SecPoWCS2J.txt
SecPoWCS2F.txt

\Character Sketch 3
SecPoWCS3B.txt SecPoWCS3F.txt
SecPoWCS3C.txt SecPoWCS3G.txt
SecPoWCS3D.txt SecPoWCS3H.txt
SecPoWCS3E.txt

\Finding a Writing Style

SecPoWWSB.txt SecPoWWSG.txt
SecPoWWSC.txt SecPoWWSH.txt
SecPoWWSD.txt SecPoWWSI.txt
SecPoWWSE.txt SecPoWWSJ.txt
SecPoWWSF.txt SecPoWWSK.txt

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Road Map of Write On! Lesson Files

Secondary Files (Continued)

\Secondary \Writing \2_The Process \Letters_Forms_Applications
(continued) Lessons of Writing
POW LFA B.txt POW LFA G.txt
(continued) (continued) POW LFA C.txt POW LFA H.txt
POW LFA D.txt POW LFA I.txt
POW LFA E.txt POW LFA J.txt
POW LFA F.txt POW LFA K.txt

\Moral Dilemas
POW MD1 B.txt POW MD1 K.txt
POW MD1 C.txt POW MD1 L.txt
POW MD1 D.txt POW MD1 M.txt
POW MD1 E.txt POW MD1 N.txt
POW MD1 F.txt POW MD1 O.txt
POW MD1 G.txt POW MD1 P.txt
POW MD1 H.txt POW MD1 Q.txt
POW MD1 I.txt POW MD1 R.txt
POW MD1 J.txt POW MD1 S.txt

\Observe and Describe

POW O and D B.txt POW O and D F.txt
POW O and D C.txt POW O and D G.txt
POW O and D D.txt POW O and D H.txt
POW O and D E.txt POW O and D I.txt

\3_Lifelong \Answering Essay Questions

Skills
LS AEQ B.doc LS AEQ H.doc
LS AEQ C.doc LS AEQ I.doc
LS AEQ D.doc LS AEQ J.doc
LS AEQ E.doc LS AEQ K.doc
LS AEQ F.doc LS AEQ L.doc
LS AEQ G.doc

\Poetry and \Chants to Limericks

Building Word
MS WL PBWP C2L B.txt MS WL PBWP C2L F.txt
Power MS WL PBWP C2L C.txt MS WL PBWP C2L G.txt
MS WL PBWP C2L D.txt MS WL PBWP C2L H.txt
MS WL PBWP C2L E.txt MS WL PBWP C2L I.txt

\Haiku
B_METAPH.txt F_VERSE2.txt
C_HAIKU.txt G_VERSE3.txt
D_RECIPE.txt H_THEME.txt
E_VERSE1.txt

\Someone Won
PBWP SW B.txt
PBWP SW C.txt
PBWP SW D.txt
PBWP SW E.txt

\The Me Activities 2
PBWP TMA2 B.txt PBWP TMA2 G.txt
PBWP TMA2 C.txt PBWP TMA2 I.txt
PBWP TMA2 D.txt PBWP TMA2 J.txt
PBWP TMA2 E.txt PBWP TMA2 K.txt
PBWP TMA2 F.txt PBWP TMA2 L.txt

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Secondary Files (Continued)

\Secondary \Writing \Poetry and \The Power of Words
(continued) Lessons Building Word
PBWP POW B.txt PBWP POW F.txt
(continued) Power PBWP POW C.txt PBWP POW G.txt
(continued) PBWP POW D.txt PBWP POW H.txt
PBWP POW E.txt PBWP POW I.txt

\Where the Sidewalk Bends

PBWP WSB B.txt PBWP WSB G.txt
PBWP WSB C.txt PBWP WSB H.txt
PBWP WSB D.txt PBWP WSB I.txt
PBWP WSB E.txt PBWP WSB J.txt
PBWP WSB F.txt PBWP WSB K.txt

Write On! Lesson Categories and Teacher Notes

The tables on the next few pages provide an overview of the categories and
themes available for Write On! writing lessons at each school level. This can help
you decide which sets of exercises you want your students to work on.

For more detailed information about each writing exercise, refer to the Teacher
Notes files on your computer (once you have installed NEO Manager). Check the
location for your type of computer:

• Window Computers: Program Files\Renaissance Learning\Write On Text

Files\. Look in the Writing Lessons folder under Primary or Secondary to find the
teacher’s notes for that level.

• Macintosh Computers: Applications : AlphaSmart : AlphaSmart Manager 2 :

Write On Text Files. Look in the Writing Lessons folder under Primary or
Secondary to find the teacher’s notes for that level.

Pri mary Exercises

This table gives you an overview of the categories and themes available at the
primary level.

Primary
Literacy For each book, Vocabulary activities help students
Skills keep track of the new words they encounter. Other
Activities activities help students focus on character, setting,
plot, believability, tone and dialogue. Titles include
Fudge-a-Mania, Hatchet, Marvin Redpost, Number
the Stars and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Vocabulary These activities help students focus on vocabulary.
Strategies The activities ask students to come up with related
words, write sentences that include new words, write
sentences related to a word with other students and
think of synonyms for a word.

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Primary (Continued)
Poetry and Chants to Files for Chants to Limericks present classical and
Word Power Limericks innovative poetry patterns, puzzles and forms to
introduce common elements found in poetry. Some of
these are chant, repetition, rhyme, rhythm, figurative
language, theme and meaning. Although files can be
used in any order, there is a logical progression from
the basic, instinctive chant form of the first lesson to
the more highly intuitive form of the final lesson.
Students may work alone on all activities, but sharing
with writing groups and class publishing is
encouraged.
Haiku to Free Activities in Haiku to Free Verse have students
Verse experiment with poetic devices such as simile and
metaphor and the poetic forms of haiku and free
verse. Content ranges from themes about the
everyday world to being playful and also to the
serious and personal. Although files can be used in
any order, there is a logical progression from poetic
devices used in the first lesson to the free verse form
of the final lessons. Students may work alone on all
activities, but sharing with writing groups and class
publishing is encouraged.
Someone Using sample poems and homophone lists, students
Won create their own homophone poems through
individual and collaborative writing.
The Me Students explore the various elements
Activities 2 encompassing autobiographical sketches and also
work through some value-clarification exercises.
These activities can help students explore their
personalities and can help foster positive self-
esteem.
Where the By reading and writing poems on themes that have
Sidewalk been developed by some of their favorite poets,
Bends students gain greater control over poetic language,
rhythm and imagery.
Seasons Autumn The Autumn folder contains calendar-related
activities with a fall theme. It focuses students’
observation on how autumn changes affect animal
and human behavior. The activities contain inquiries
into how the season looks and feels, and how it
affects us. Files of important people’s birthdays and
interesting holidays are used to motivate writing. Fall
includes lots of writing for the seasonally-inspired
poet, letter writer or storyteller.
Spring The Spring folder uses springtime as a theme to
spark writing activities. Each activity has a specific
focus on a topic and a skill. Two exercises provide
short descriptions of people and/or events as models
for high-interest paragraph writing. Other activity files
in Spring focus on an animal or plant, custom, legend
or lyric as a takeoff for writing a paragraph, a
character sketch, a poem, a story or a news report.

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Primary (Continued)
Seasons Winter Wintertime is the theme for this folder’s writing
(continued) activities. While the broad theme is Winter, each
activity has a specific focus on a topic and a skill. Two
exercises provide short descriptions of people and/or
events as models for high-interest paragraph writing.
Other activity files for Winter focus on an animal,
plant, custom or legend as a takeoff for writing a
character sketch, a poem, a story or a news report.
The Character The primary method of inquiry used in Character
Process of Building Building exercises is critical thinking, expressed
Writing through class or small-group discussion and/or
individual writing. While activities include the writing
of anecdote, personal experience, letter and verse,
the emphasis is always on ideas, not form.
Character Activities on Character Sketch I have students
Sketch 1 practise six strategies for developing a character:
description, setting, dialogue, interaction, action and
narrative. Files are arranged to give students practice
in recognising and imitating techniques in the order
shown above. One or more techniques for study and
imitation can appear in any one lesson. Students are
encouraged to use a variety of techniques in their
own writing. All files can be used by students working
individually, in pairs or in cooperative groups.
Finding a Sentence structure, use of vivid and appropriate
Writing language, maintaining and varying tone, using
Style 1 metaphor and the effect of point of view are topics
addressed. Passages from the following novels are
used and become models of writing styles: Island of
the Blue Dolphins, Where the Red Fern Grows, A
Wrinkle in Time, The Red Badge of Courage, The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer, The Wind in the Willows, My Side of the
Mountain and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Observe and Students develop descriptive skills through observing
Describe and describing, drawing on experience, noticing
details, selecting details, using the five senses and
describing objects and events. The process of
description is one of the most effective ways for
students to learn observation, style and tone. Writing
descriptions may be the first stage in overcoming
reluctance to write.
Poetry for Through a step-by-step scope and sequence for
Young Poets developing poetry writing skills, students learn and
practise basic poetry forms, including the chant,
transformation, recipe, simile and metaphor. Ideal for
individual and cooperative writing activities.
Tall Tales Writing patterns and story and poetry writing
activities guide you and your students through a
wealth of reading, sharing and writing activities in the
Tall Tales folder. Exaggeration and exploration are
encouraged when writing about Johnny Appleseed,
John Henry, Pippi Longstocking, Paul Bunyan and
many more.

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Primary (Continued)
The The Me Writing activities focus on a child’s own feelings,
Process of Activities 1 experiences, memories and values using journal
Writing writing, letters, biography and poetry. Many prewriting
(continued) strategies help students find, sort and select writing
topics. The activities are for children to work on
independently or in small groups. Writing is more
individual and child-specific than is generally required
in other Write On! exercises.
Writing Paragraphs to Files in this folder give practice in writing paragraphs,
Skills Essays Level beginning with the topic sentence and progressing
1 through techniques and strategies such as
summarising, ordering, specifying and describing.
Files are arranged so that students begin working
with main ideas. However, files may be used in any
order for reinforcement of skills already taught.
Paragraphs to Files in Paragraphs to Essays Level II give practice in
Essays Level writing paragraphs that exhibit a strong topic
2 sentence, supporting details and a summary
sentence. Specific strategies include idea generating
by clustering, narrowing a topic that is too broad,
ordering, adding supporting details and linking
sentences. In addition, students review different types
of writing: descriptive, expository, narrative and
persuasive. Files are arranged so that students begin
working with topic sentences. However, files may be
used in any order for reinforcement of skills already
taught.
Sentence Students read fables by Aesop, decide what the
Combining morals are, and try their own hand at reconstructing
with a Moral sentences from the fables. They learn to recognise
overstuffed and skinny sentences and revise them for
sleekness by applying the principles of sentence
combining. Learning to write better sentences is what
sentence combining is all about. Writing with a word
processor (such as a NEO) is a natural fit with this
editing approach to learning; word processing
features allow students to manipulate sentences
freely, making any changes they want to easily.
Sentence Through onscreen activities and modeling, students
Writing practise creating sentences. These activities provide
Level 1 practice with sentence fragments, compound
sentences, adjectives, adverbs and simple
paragraphs.
Sentence Writing effective sentences through the use of correct
Writing Level structure and expressive language is reinforced
2 through activities in the sentence series. Students
experiment with the use of nouns, verbs, adverbs,
pronouns and adjectives; combine sentences and
vary sentence type, length and style.

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Primary (Continued)
Writing Sentences to Files in this folder give practice in writing paragraphs
Skills Paragraphs that include the use of our senses, things we
(continued) Level 1 hate/love, sticking to the topic and many more
themes. Modeling and paragraph starters are used to
help students. Files are arranged so students begin
working with main ideas; however, files may be used
in any order for reinforcement of skills already taught.
Sentences to Files in Sentences to Paragraphs Level II give
Paragraphs practice in writing paragraphs that exhibit a strong
Level 2 topic sentence, supporting details and a summary
sentence. Specific strategies are reviewed: narrowing
a topic that is too broad, ordering, adding supporting
details and linking sentences by example, by cause
and effect, by comparison and by contrast. Files are
arranged so that students begin working with topic
sentences. However, files may be used in any order
for reinforcement of skills already taught.
You Are the Using text that is sometimes informative and
Editor 1 sometimes whimsical, students practise some
important keyboard and command functions of word
processing software. In the process, they are also
called upon to apply and practise skills inherent in
good editing and proofreading: critical thinking,
organisational concepts, spelling and usage,
sentence combining, sentence sense and clarity of
meaning. Word processing and editing are natural
skills to practise simultaneously.
You Are the Students practise some important keyboard and
Editor 2 command functions for word processing: space,
return, delete, cursor movement, move text, search
and replace. In the process, they apply and practise
the skills inherent in good editing/proofreading:
critical thinking, organisational concepts, spelling and
usage, sentence sense and clarity of meaning. Some
of the passages that make up the activities are
informative, others are whimsical.

Secondar y Exercises
This table gives you an overview of the categories and themes available at the
secondary level.

Secondary
Literacy For each book, vocabulary activities help students keep
Skills track of the new words they encounter. Other activities
Activities help students focus on character, inference, comparison,
setting and believability. Titles include Animal Farm,
Flowers for Algernon, Hatchet, Lord of the Flies and The
Hobbit.

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Write On! Lesson Categories and Teacher Notes

Secondary
Vocabulary These activities help students focus on vocabulary. The
Strategies activities ask students to sort and categorise words,
think about how certain words are related, think of
related words, compare words and illustrate their
meaning. Students also write sentences related to a
word with other students and learn strategies for
learning new words.
1 Writing Paragraphs to Files in Paragraphs to Essays Level 2 give practice in
Skills Essays Level writing paragraphs that exhibit a strong topic sentence,
2 supporting details, and a summary sentence. Specific
strategies include idea generating by clustering,
narrowing a topic that is too broad, ordering, adding
supporting details and linking sentences. In addition,
students review different types of writing: descriptive,
expository, narrative and persuasive. Files are arranged
so that students begin working with topic sentences.
However, files may be used in any order for
reinforcement of skills already taught.
Sentence Students read passages from several American writers
Combining of the mid-nineteenth century to focus on the passages’
with American sentence styles. Students try their hand at a number of
Classics different interactions with the text—from rewriting and
combining underlying skinny sentences to imitating the
author’s style—all the while practicing the art of
sentence construction. Learning to write a variety of
sentence types is what sentence combining is all about,
and writing with a word processor (such as a NEO) is a
natural fit with this editing approach to learning. Word
processing features allow students to manipulate
sentences freely and to see all the changes they make
as they make them.
Sentence Students read fables by Aesop, decide what the morals
Combining are and try their own hand at reconstructing sentences
with a Moral from the fables. They learn to recognise overstuffed and
skinny sentences and revise them for sleekness by
applying the principles of sentence combining. Learning
to write better sentences is what sentence combining is
all about. Writing with a word processor (such as a NEO)
is a natural fit with this editing approach to learning;
word processing features allow students to manipulate
sentences freely, making any changes they want to
easily.
Sentences to Files in Sentences to Paragraphs Level II give practice in
Paragraphs writing paragraphs that exhibit a strong topic sentence,
Level 2 supporting details and a summary sentence. Specific
strategies are reviewed: narrowing a topic that is too
broad, ordering, adding supporting details and linking
sentences by example, by cause and effect, by
comparison and by contrast. Files are arranged so that
students begin working with topic sentences. However,
files may be used in any order for reinforcement of skills
already taught.

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Write On! Lesson Categories and Teacher Notes

Secondary
Sentence Writing effective sentences through the use of correct
Writing Level structure and expressive language is reinforced through
2 activities in the sentence series. Students experiment
with the use of nouns, verbs, adverbs, pronouns and
adjectives; combine sentences and vary sentence type,
length and style.
Persuasive Students are taken through the steps needed to write a
Essay persuasive essay. They receive guidance at each
stage—from selecting a topic through polishing and
proofreading.
1 Writing Polishing These files address basic mechanics, grammar, usage
Skills Prose and stylistic issues that will guide students as they polish
(continued) their prose. Jack London’s story “To Build a Fire”
provides models and examples.
You Are the Using text that is sometimes informative and sometimes
Editor 1 whimsical, students practise some important keyboard
and command functions of word processing software. In
the process, they are also called upon to apply and
practise skills inherent in good editing and proofreading:
critical thinking, organisational concepts, spelling and
usage, sentence combining, sentence sense and clarity
of meaning. Word processing and editing are natural
skills to practise simultaneously.
2 The Character Activities on Character Sketch I have students practise
Process of Sketch 1 six strategies for developing a character: description,
Writing setting, dialogue, interaction, action and narrative. Files
are arranged to give students practice in recognising
and imitating techniques in the order shown above. One
or more techniques for study and imitation can appear in
any one lesson. Students are encouraged to use a
variety of techniques in their own writing. All files can be
used by students working individually, in pairs or in
cooperative groups.
Character Activities in Character Sketch II give students practice in
Sketch 2 six strategies used in writing to develop a character:
description, setting, dialogue, interaction, action and
narrative. Files are arranged to give students practice in
recognising and imitating techniques in the order shown
above. One or more techniques for study and imitation
can appear in any one lesson. Students are encouraged
to use a variety of techniques in their own writing. All
files can be used by students working individually, in
pairs or in cooperative groups.
Character What is basic to writing a character sketch? Students
Sketch 3 are shown through modeling what these basic elements
are, and how to bring them together to reveal a
character of their own making, using appropriate
evidence and specific language.

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Write On! Lesson Categories and Teacher Notes

Secondary
Finding a Varying sentence structure, use of vivid and appropriate
Writing Style language, maintaining and varying tone, using
metaphor, the effect of point of view and intended
audience are topics addressed. Passages from many
classics are used and become models of writing styles:
The Pit and the Pendulum, The Metamorphosis, The
Devil and Daniel Webster, Crime and Punishment, The
Red Badge of Courage, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,
The Wind in the Willows, Once There Was a War and
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
2 The Letters, Writing a good letter, whether for friendship or business,
Process of Forms, is a skill to be encouraged. Forms for writing letters are
Writing Applications modeled to give practice in writing both formal and
(continued) informal letters. Then, too, students in intermediate
years are on the verge of the form-filled world that many
adults dislike but take for granted. Filling out a form can
be intimidating! To ease anxiety, a variety of forms are
described and students are given practice in filling out a
form for a present or future need. Forms described
range from a form used to obtain a library card to a form
used for reporting a theft.
Moral Students are provided with several moral dilemmas.
Dilemmas Prewrite activities lead student writing groups through a
brainstorm of ideas and thoughts about each dilemma,
further analysis and refinement and the writing of a
position statement or statements. Then each student
writes an essay supporting his or her chosen position
and stating their personal feelings on the issue.
Students carry their essays through first draft, peer
review and final proofreading. Through healthy
discussion and debate on these issues, students can
learn a lot about themselves and their values as well as
gain practice in group discussion and decision-making
and in writing expository essays on relevant issues.
Observe and Students develop descriptive skills through observing
Describe and describing, drawing on experience, noticing details,
selecting details, using the five senses and describing
objects and events. The process of description is one of
the most effective ways for students to learn
observation, style and tone. Writing descriptions may be
the first stage in overcoming reluctance to write.
3 Lifelong Answering Directive words used in essay questions (such as
Skills Essay explain, compare, discuss, justify, contrast and evaluate)
Questions are defined. Answers are modeled and, using
cooperative learning strategies, responses are
evaluated by the students. These activities are good
preparation for the type of writing required for college
entrance exams.

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Write On! Lesson Categories and Teacher Notes

Secondary
Poetry and Chants to Files for Chants to Limericks present classical and
Building Limericks innovative poetry patterns, puzzles and forms to
Word Power introduce common elements found in poetry. Some of
these are chant, repetition, rhyme, rhythm, figurative
language, theme and meaning. Although files can be
used in any order, there is a logical progression from the
basic, instinctive chant form of the first lesson to the
more highly intuitive form of the final lesson. Students
may work alone on all activities, but sharing with writing
groups and class publishing is encouraged.
Poetry and Haiku to Free Activities in Haiku to Free Verse have students
Building Verse experiment with poetic devices such as simile and
Word Power metaphor and the poetic forms of haiku and free verse.
(continued) Content ranges from themes about the everyday world
to being playful and also to the serious and personal.
Although files can be used in any order, there is a logical
progression from poetic devices used in the first lesson
to the free verse form of the final lessons. Students may
work alone on all activities, but sharing with writing
groups and class publishing is encouraged.
Someone Using sample poems and homophone lists, students
Won create their own homophone poems through individual
and collaborative writing.
The Me Students explore the various elements encompassing
Activities 2 autobiographical sketches and also work through some
value clarification exercises. These activities can help
students explore their personalities and can help foster
positive self-esteem.
The Power of In our busy classrooms, students are often occupied
Words with learning the literal definitions and meanings of
words needed to understand subject area material.
There may be too little classroom time left to ponder the
power of words. These files “pull up the shade”, so to
speak, showing the range of meanings that lie just
beyond the literal or utilitarian as students explore
connotation. They can reach for the richness of precise
words to take the place of a generalisation or cliché, to
define the exact feeling of a thing to be described or to
replace a stereotypical or sexist reference.
Where the By reading and writing poems on themes that have been
Sidewalk developed by some of their favorite poets, students gain
Bends greater control over poetic language, rhythm and
imagery.

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Numerics checking file size, 37

checking number of pages written, 37
2Know! Toolbar and NEO 2, 74
checking spelling, 29
8.3 naming convention, requiring in NEO Manager, 157
clearing files, 38, 39
copying text, 22
creating new files, 22
A cutting and pasting text, 22
AA batteries, 176 deleting files, 38, 39
installing, 3 deleting text, 22
AA batteries, installing or replacing, 177 disabling spell check, 29
About NEO 2 setting, 143 enabling file passwords, 139
AC adapter specifications, 178 file passwords, 57
Accelerated Maths RP and NEO 2, 72 file size limits, 37
Accelerated Reader SmartApplet, 76 finding files, 23
checking settings before quizzing, 76 finding sections, 28
preferences to set in Accelerated Reader RP, 76 finding text, 26
preparing to use, 76 font sizes, 24, 25
quiz number, 76 linked files, 32
quizzing restrictions, 79 moving the cursor in, 21
setting the Renaissance Place address, 18 naming files, 23
setup, 76 new files, 22
student user names and passwords, 76, 82 opening files, 23
taking a quiz, 77 opening linked files, 34
what students need in order to take quizzes, 76 page counts, 36
AccelTest software paragraph counts, 36
student-paced session, 69 passwords for files, 57
teacher-paced session, 71 passwords for files, changing, 58
using with NEO 2, 69 passwords for files, resetting, 58
Accuracy activities in KeyWords, 101 reading text aloud, 59
Accuracy and speed builders in KeyWords, 100, 101 recovering files, 40
Accuracy and speed test in KeyWords, 100, 102 replacing text, 27
Accuracy targets in KeyWords, 111, 112 resetting passwords for files, 139
Adding KeyWords students in NEO Manager, 93, 96 retrieving files from supported web-based
Adding KeyWords students on NEOs that are in NEO programs, 50
Manager, 97 saving files, 23
Adding SmartApplets to NEO Manager software, 67 searching for files, 23
Adding students manually in KeyWords, 98 searching for text, 26
Adding words to the user dictionary for spell checks, sections, 28
30, 138, 150 selecting text, 21
Administrator PIN for the Renaissance Wireless Server sending files to another NEO, 49, 160
Utility, 17 sending files to supported programs, 49
Alkaline batteries, 176 sending files to using NEO Manager, 51
Allowing beaming from NEOs, 161 settings in Control Panel, 139
AlphaHub information, 159 settings in NEO Manager, 149
AlphaWord format for beams to Palm OS devices, 161 show marks setting, 139
AlphaWord Plus SmartApplet, 7, 20 size limits for files, 37
beaming files to another NEO, 49, 160 spell check, 29
changing passwords for specific files, 139 starting, 20
character counts, 36 thesaurus, 31

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typing timer, 40 cancelling, 160

user dictionary, 30 files from NEO to NEO, 49, 160
using NEO Text2Speech device with, 59 Black circle in NEO Manager connection status, 16
viewing linked files, 34 Blank screens, 166
word counts, 36 Blocking beaming from NEOs, 161
Amber light on NEO, 2 Broken LCD screen, 168
Amber light on Renaissance Receiver, 169
Antivirus software, 168
Antonyms, 32 C
Auto repeat setting, 143, 146
Calculator SmartApplet, 164
Automatic shutdown of NEO, 6
calculations, 164
changing idle time before shutdown, 144, 146
disabling from the SmartApplets menu, 165
Automatic startup, 176
disabling within AlphaWord Plus, 165
exponents, 164
operators, 164
B paper tape, 165
Backspace key, disabled in KeyWords lessons, 133 pasting calculations into other SmartApplets, 165
Batteries, 176, 180 scientific notation, 164
caring for, 180 starting, 164
charging rechargeable, 4 turning off, 62, 140, 165
checking charge (status), 141, 180 using, 164
installing AA batteries, 3 Can’t find a receiving device in Beamer, 162
installing rechargeable, 4 Cancelling a beam, 160
lithium, 181 Cannot send data to computer, 166
rechargeable, 178 Case reversed on sent characters, 167
rechargeable upgrade kit, 176 Changing Beamer SmartApplet settings, 160
replacing, 177 Changing file passwords, 58, 139
status indicator, 180 Changing NEO settings, 145
Batteries, installing or replacing AA batteries, 177 Changing SmartApplet settings in NEO Manager, 148
Battery compartment, 2 Changing the font size in AlphaWord Plus, 25
Beamer SmartApplet, 160 Changing the idle time before shutdown, 144
allowing beaming, 161 Changing the Startup SmartApplet, 61
can’t find a receiving device, 162 Changing transfer speed, 144
cancelling a beam, 160 Characters
changing settings, 160 counting in AlphaWord Plus files, 36
clipboard, 160 international or special, 185, 188
clipboard, overwriting, 161 missing, 167
could not find a sending device, 163 Charging rechargeable batteries, 4
disabling beaming, 161 Checking battery charge (status), 141, 180
finding infrared ports, 160 Checking file size in AlphaWord Plus, 37
format for beams to Palm OS, 161 Checking spelling in AlphaWord Plus files, 29
large files, 163 Checking system status on NEO, 137
master password requirement for settings, 161 Clearing a send list password, 156
overwriting the clipboard, 160 Clearing files in AlphaWord Plus, 38, 39
permit send setting, 150, 161 Clearing the history in the MathsFacts in a Flash
require master password setting, 150 (Offline) SmartApplet, 91
send to Palm device as AlphaWord (setting), 150 Clipboard on NEO, 22
settings in the SmartApplet, 150, 160 and Beamer SmartApplet, 160
troubleshooting, 162 overwriting in Beamer SmartApplet, 161
truncated files, 163 overwriting with beamed file, 49
warn if overwriting clipboard (setting), 150, 161 viewing contents, 22
Beaming viewing space used and available, 22
blocking, 161 warning if overwriting, 150

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Closing files, 38 Disabled backspace key in KeyWords lessons, 133

Closing send lists, 155 Disabling SmartApplets, 62, 150
Commands, keyboard, 140, 185 Disabling spell check, 29
Computer Disabling the Calculator, 165
connecting Renaissance Receiver, 16 Displaying battery status, 141
connecting to NEO, 8 Dragging and dropping text into NEO Manager, 171
opening files from NEOs on using NEO Manager, DVORAK keyboard layout, 141
41
printing files from NEOs on using NEO Manager,
44 E
saving files from NEOs to using NEO Manager, 46
Editing text in AlphaWord Plus, 20
sending files to, 9
Empty files, using to overwrite files on NEOs, 52
sending linked files to, 34
Enabling password protection for AlphaWord Plus files,
viewing files from NEOs on using NEO Manager,
57, 139
43
Enabling SmartApplets, 62
Conditioning rechargeable batteries, 178
Encryption key for NEO 2, 143
Congratulations certificate for KeyWords, 127
Ergonomics, keyboarding, 128
Connected NEOs in NEO Manager software, 15
Error message on NEO, 169
Connecting NEO to a computer, 8
Error while beaming a file, 162
Connection status, 15
Exponents in the Calculator, 164
opening on NEO Manager startup, 157
Extra large font, 25, 146
Contrast, screen, 140
Control Panel SmartApplet
changing settings with, 137
settings in, 138 F
Copying files to NEO 2, 50 Factory (default) settings, 152
Copying NEO 2 files to supported programs, 49 File keys on NEO, 20
Copying text from linked files, 34 File passwords
Copying text in AlphaWord Plus, 22 and saving KeyWords reports, 105, 108
Could not find a sending device in Beamer, 163 changing, 58
Counting characters, words, paragraphs, or pages in enabling, 57
AlphaWord Plus files, 36 resetting, 58
Creating new files in AlphaWord Plus, 22 setting for AlphaWord Plus, 149
Cursor Files
missing, 166 beaming to another NEO, 49, 160
moving in AlphaWord Plus, 21 blank, 166
Cutting and pasting text in AlphaWord Plus, 22 changing passwords, 139
character counts, 36
checking page count, 37
D checking size, 37
clearing in AlphaWord Plus, 38, 39
Default settings, 151, 152
closing, 38
Default targets in KeyWords, 111
creating new, 22
Delete user dictionary setting, 138
deleting all using NEO Manager, 149
Deleting all AlphaWord Plus files, 149
deleting in AlphaWord Plus, 38, 39
Deleting files in AlphaWord Plus, 38, 39
enabling password protection, 139
Deleting KeyWords students from NEO Manager, 119
finding in AlphaWord Plus, 23
Deleting SmartApplets from NEOs, 65
getting from supported web-based programs, 50
Deleting students in KeyWords, 107
length, 36
Deleting text in AlphaWord Plus, 22
linked, 32
Deleting user dictionary, 138, 150
maximum/minimum sizes, 149
Differences between the two MathsFacts in a Flash
naming in AlphaWord Plus, 23
SmartApplets, 85
number of pages, 37
Disable This SmartApplet setting, 150

NEO 2
User Manual 211
.....
INDEX

opening in AlphaWord Plus, 23 Google Docs

opening with NEO Manager, 41 retrieving files from, 50
page counts, 36, 37 sending files to, 49
paragraph counts, 36 troubleshooting, 168
passwords, 57 Wireless File Transfer, 168
printing from NEO, 10 Green circle in NEO Manager connection status, 15
printing with NEO Manager, 44 Green light on NEO, 2
reaching capacity in, 37 Group Progress Report in KeyWords, 108
recovering in AlphaWord Plus, 40 Guarantee, 182
resetting passwords, 139
retrieving from NEOs with NEO Manager, 41
retrieving from supported web-based programs, H
50
Handouts for KeyWords teachers, 125
saving in AlphaWord Plus, 23
History in MathsFacts in a Flash (Offline) SmartApplet
saving with NEO Manager, 46
clearing, 91
searching for in AlphaWord Plus, 23
printing, 89
sending to another NEO, 49, 160
sending to Renaissance Place, 90
sending to computer, 9
viewing, 88
sending to NEOs using NEO Manager software,
Home row confirmation requirement in KeyWords, 114
51
Home row keys handout for KeyWords, 126
sending to supported web-based programs, 49
size, 149
size limits, 37
size, checking, 37 I
viewing from NEO Manager, 43 Idle time, 6
word counts, 36 changing, 144, 146
Finding files in AlphaWord Plus, 23 Importing KeyWords students from Renaissance
Finding sections in AlphaWord Plus files, 28 Place, 94
Finding text in AlphaWord Plus, 26 Information about AlphaHub, 159
Finger placement handout for lesson 1 in KeyWords, Information about NEOs, 159
127 Infrared port, 2, 160
Finger placement handout for lessons 2-16 in Installed SmartApplets, 7, 60
KeyWords, 127 Installing AA batteries in NEO, 177
Finger zones handout for KeyWords, 126 Installing batteries in NEO, 3, 4
Fonts Installing SmartApplets on NEOs using NEO Manager,
extra large, 25 63, 170
large, 25 Installing the NEO Manager software, 12
medium, 25 International characters, 188
resetting to default (System), 146 Invalid password message in Beamer SmartApplet,
sizes in AlphaWord Plus, 24 162
sizes on NEO, 146 IR transfer speed setting, 147
small, 25
system, 25
very large, 25 K
Formatting text, 24
Key strike handout for KeyWords, 126
Formulas with Calculator, 164
Keyboard, 2
Frequently asked questions, KeyWords, 133
alternate layouts, 141, 142
Full file, 37
auto repeat, 143
commands, 140, 185
settings, 141
G slow keys setting, 141
Garbage characters, 167 sticky keys setting, 141
Getting started, 1 Keyboard commands on NEO, 140, 185

NEO 2
212 User Manual
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I NDEX

Keyboard layout setting, 141, 142, 146 pre-test/post-test level, 110

Keyboarding cards, 127 printing reports in KeyWords RP, 122
Keyboarding ergonomics, 128 Progress Report master, 127
Keys reports, 120
learning in KeyWords, 100 requiring Home row confirmation, 114
reinstalling, 171, 173, 174 requiring lessons to be completed in order, 109
repairing, 171 requiring use of the correct shift key, 113
KeyWords SmartApplet, 92 resetting (removing) KeyWords students using
about, 92 NEO Manager, 120
accuracy activities, 101 resetting targets, 111, 113
accuracy and speed builders, 100, 101 resources for teachers, 125
accuracy and speed test, 100, 102 retrieving data and generating reports in NEO
accuracy targets, 111 Manager, 117
adding students in NEO Manager, 96 sample lesson plan, 128
adding students manually, 98 sending data from NEO 2 to NEO Manager, 109
adding students that are in NEO Manager, 97 sending data from NEO 2 to the teacher (to NEO
adding students using NEO Manager, 93 Manager), 105
and KeyWords RP, 122 setting custom error targets, 111, 112
automatic targets, 111 setting custom words per minute (WPM) targets,
congratulations certificate, 127 111, 112
default targets, 111 setting offline mode for NEO 2, 110
delete all students setting, 107 setting targets, 112
deleting all students, 107 setting the Renaissance Place address, 18
deleting KeyWords students from NEO Manager, settings in NEO Manager, 115
119 spaces between sentences, 114
deleting students, 107 speed builder activities, 102
ergonomics, 128 starting, 93
Finger placement handout/transparency for lesson student reports, 104
1, 127 sustained practice for all keys
Finger placement handout/transparency for handout/transparency, 127
lessons 2 through 16, 127 synchronising data with KeyWords RP, 122
finger zone handout/transparency, 126 targets, 111, 112, 113
frequently asked questions, 133 teacher options, 106
getting data into KeyWords RP, 122 tests, 102
Group Progress Report, 108 transparencies, 125
handouts, 125 KeyWords students in NEO Manager, 94, 96, 97
home row handout/transparency, 126 Kinesthetic patterns in KeyWords, 133
how it works, 93
importing students from Renaissance Place, 94
key strike handout/transparency, 126 L
Keyboarding Cards, 127
Large files in Beamer, 163
learn new keys, 100
Large font, 25, 146
lesson details, 130
Last Lesson Report, 104
lesson plan, 128
LCD screen, 168
master class report, 121
Learn new keys lesson in KeyWords, 100
NEO Manager and, 114, 115
Left (one hand) keyboard layout, 141
offline mode on NEO 2, 110
Length of a file, 36
order of lessons, 109
Lesson plan for KeyWords, 128
overview, 93
Lessons in KeyWords, 130
post-test, 103
starting, 99
posture and wrist placement
Lessons, Write On!, sending to NEOs, 55
handout/transparency, 126
Light on NEO, 2
pre-test, 99
Linguistic patterns in KeyWords, 133

NEO 2
User Manual 213
.....
INDEX

Linked files, 32 N
about, 32
Naming files in AlphaWord Plus, 23
copying text from, 34
Naming the Renaissance Receiver network, 17
printing, 34
NEO 2
printing from NEOs, 34
using with Accelerated Maths RP, 72
sample, 35
using with AccelTest, 69
sending to computer, 34
using with the 2Know! Toolbar, 74
sending to NEOs using FORM tags, 33
NEO 2 settings
sending to NEOs using Linked Files button, 53
about NEO 2, 143
viewing on NEO, 34
Search for Networks, 143
Lithium battery, 180, 181
wireless security, 143
Locating infrared ports, 160
NEO keyboard, 2
Low battery message, 180
NEO Manager software, 149
adding KeyWords students in, 93, 96
adding SmartApplets, 67
M AlphaHub information, 159
Maintenance tips for NEO, 182 AlphaWord Plus settings in, 149
Master class report in KeyWords, 121 Beamer SmartApplet settings in, 150
Master password, 135, 147 changing SmartApplet settings, 148
requiring for Beamer settings, 150, 161 changing the Startup SmartApplet, 61
setting, 147 connected NEOs, 15
Match case replace option, 27 default settings in, 152
Materials for teachers in KeyWords, 125 deleting all KeyWords students, 107
MathsFacts in a Flash (Offline) SmartApplet, 85 deleting KeyWords students from NEO Manager,
clearing history, 91 119
differences from MathsFacts in a Flash RP deleting SmartApplets from NEOs, 65
SmartApplet, 85 disabling SmartApplets, 150
opening, 86 generating KeyWords reports, 117
practices in, 86 getting started, 11
printing history, 89 importing KeyWords students in, 94
sending the history to Renaissance Place, 90 installing, 12
tests in, 87 installing SmartApplets on NEOs, 63
viewing history, 88 KeyWords and, 114
MathsFacts in a Flash RP SmartApplet, 81 KeyWords reports in, 117
checking settings before student use, 81 KeyWords settings in, 115
differences from MathsFacts in a Flash (Offline) linked files, 53
SmartApplet, 85 managing NEOs with, 154
preparing to use, 81 managing SmartApplets, 60
setting the Renaissance Place address, 18 monitoring connecting NEOs, 15
setup, 81 NEO information, 159
using, 82 opening connection status on startup, 157
Maximum file size setting for AlphaWord Plus, 149 opening files from NEOs, 41
default, 37 preferences, 156
Medium font, 25, 146 printing files retrieved from NEOs, 44
Memo Pad format for Palm OS devices, 161 printing preferences, 156
Memory column, 64 resetting KeyWords students, 120
Minimum size for AlphaWord Plus files, default, 37 resetting NEOs, 158
Missing characters, 167 restoring default settings, 151
Monitoring connected NEOs in the NEO Manager retrieving files from NEOs, 41
software, 15 retrieving KeyWords data, 117
Moving the cursor in AlphaWord Plus, 21 rubrics in, 53
saving files retrieved from NEOs, 46
send lists, 154, 155, 156

NEO 2
214 User Manual
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I NDEX

sending files to NEOs, 51 Pasting calculations copied from the Calculator, 165
sending linked files to NEOs, 53 Pasting text in AlphaWord Plus, 22
sending rubrics to NEOs, 53 Patterns, linguistic and kinesthetic in KeyWords, 133
sending student data from NEO 2 to, 105, 109 Permit send setting for Beamer, 150
sending Write On! lessons to NEOs, 55 Post-test in KeyWords SmartApplet, 103
settings, default, 152 Posture and Wrist Placement for KeyWords, 126
spell check settings in, 150 Power sources for NEOs, 176
starting, 13 Preferences in NEO Manager, 156
synchronising KeyWords data with KeyWords RP, Preparing to use the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet,
122 76
system settings, 145, 146 Preparing to use the MathsFacts in a Flash
tabs, 14 SmartApplet, 81
troubleshooting, 170 Pre-test in KeyWords SmartApplet, 99
updating NEO operating system, 158 Pre-test/post-test level for KeyWords students, 110
updating SmartApplets on NEOs, 63, 158 Printer selection setting, 147
uses of, 11 Printing files from NEO, 10
viewing files from NEOs, 43 using a USB cable connection, 10
viewing SmartApplet information, 66 using IR beaming, 10
NEO screen, 2 using wireless printing from NEO 2, 11
NEO Text2Speech device, 59 Printing files retrieved from NEOs with NEO Manager,
Network, naming for Renaissance Receiver, 17 44
New files, creating in AlphaWord Plus, 22 Printing linked files from NEOs, 34
No devices connected, 170 Printing preferences for NEO Manager, 156
Number of pages in AlphaWord Plus file, 37 Printing the history from the MathsFacts in a Flash
Numbering NEOs for classroom management, 47 (Offline) SmartApplet, 89
Printing Write On! lessons from NEO, 192
Procedures for return, 183
O Progress Report in KeyWords, 108
Progress report master for KeyWords, 127
Online and offline mode for KeyWords (NEO 2), 110
Pupil Detail Report for KeyWords in NEO Manager, 118
Opening files from NEOs with NEO Manager, 41
Pupil Information Report for KeyWords in NEO
Opening files in AlphaWord Plus, 23
Manager, 118
Opening saved send lists, 155
Pupil Progress Report, 104
Operators in Calculator, 164
in NEO Manager (for KeyWords), 118
Overwriting the files on NEOs with empty files, 52

P Q
Page counts in AlphaWord Plus files, 36, 37 Quizzing restrictions in the Accelerated Reader
Palm OS and beaming, 161 SmartApplet, 79
Paper tape in Calculator, 165 QWERTY keyboard layout, 141
Paragraph counts in AlphaWord Plus files, 36
Passwords
changing for files, 58 R
changing for specific files, 139 Rechargeable batteries, 178
enabling password protection for files, 139 conditioning, 178
forgotten, 170 lifetime, 179
requiring when sending changes to NEOs, 156 specifications, 178
resetting for all files, 139 upgrade kit, 176
resetting for files, 58 Recharging NEOs, 179
send list, 156 Recovering files in AlphaWord Plus, 40
Passwords enabled setting for AlphaWord Plus, 149 Red circle in NEO Manager connection status, 15
Passwords for files, 57 Reinstalling keys, 171, 173, 174
enabling, 57

NEO 2
User Manual 215
.....
INDEX

Removing all KeyWords students from NEOs, 120 Retrieving files from supported web-based programs,
Removing the send list password, 156 50
Renaissance Place Return procedures, 183
sending MathsFacts in a Flash (Offline) history to, Right (one hand) keyboard layout, 141
90 RMA number, 183
synching KeyWords data with, 122 Rubrics, 32
Renaissance Place address in NEO Manager, 53
problems verifying, 169 sending to NEOs using NEO Manager, 53
setting for Accelerated Reader, KeyWords and tips, 53
MathsFacts in a Flash, 18
Renaissance Place manuals, finding, 122
Renaissance Place Settings in the Renaissance S
Wireless Server Utility, 18
Safety information, 182
Renaissance Receiver
Sample lesson plan for KeyWords, 128
amber light, 169
Saving files in AlphaWord Plus, 23
connecting to, 143
Saving files retrieved from NEOs with NEO Manager,
connecting to computer, 16
46
naming the network, 17
Saving send lists, 155
setup, 16
Scientific notation in the Calculator, 164
troubleshooting, 169
Scissors assembly, 173
Renaissance Wireless Server Utility, 12, 17
Screen, 2
Administrator PIN for, 17
blank, 166
naming the Receiver in, 169
broken LCD, 168
naming the Receiver network in, 17
contrast, 140
setting Renaissance Place address in, 18
Search for Networks setting (NEO 2), 143
Repairing keys, 171
Searching for files in AlphaWord Plus, 23
Replace All option, 27
Searching for text in AlphaWord Plus, 26
Replacing AA batteries in NEO, 177
Sections in AlphaWord Plus files, 28
Replacing SmartApplets on NEOs, 157
Selecting text in AlphaWord Plus, 21
Replacing text in AlphaWord Plus, 27
Self discharge effect, 179
Reports for KeyWords in NEO Manager software, 117
Send lists in NEO Manager, 154
Reports in KeyWords SmartApplet, 120
closing, 155
for students, 104
defined, 154
Group Progress Report, 108
opening saved lists, 155
printing in KeyWords RP, 122
password, 156
Progress Report master for KeyWords, 127
password, removing, 156
Require master password setting for Beamer, 150
requiring a password for, 156
Requirements for computers used with NEOs, 1
saving for future use, 155
Reset system font setting, 146
Send to Palm device as AlphaWord (setting), 150
Resetting all file passwords, 58, 139
Sending files
Resetting KeyWords students in NEO Manager and on
from NEO 2 to supported web-based programs, 49
connected NEOs, 120
from NEO to a computer, 9
Resetting NEOs using NEO Manager, 158
from one NEO to another, 49, 160
Resetting targets in KeyWords, 113
to NEOs from NEO Manager, 51
Resetting the system font to default, 146
Sending KeyWords student data from NEO 2 to NEO
Resources for KeyWords teachers, 125
Manager, 109
Responder SmartApplet, 69
Sending linked files to NEOs using NEO Manager, 33,
setup, 69
53
using with 2Know! Toolbar, 74
Sending rubrics to NEOs using NEO Manager, 53
using with Accelerated Maths RP, 72
Sending the history from the MathsFacts in a Flash
using with AccelTest software, 69
(Offline) SmartApplet to Renaissance Place, 90
Restoring default settings in NEO Manager, 151
Sending Write On! lessong to NEOs using NEO
Retrieving files from NEOs with NEO Manager, 41
Manager, 55

NEO 2
216 User Manual
 .....
I NDEX

Setting custom error targets in KeyWords, 111, 112 turn file passwords ON/OFF, 139
Setting custom words per minute (WPM) targets in turn show marks in files ON/OFF, 139
KeyWords, 111, 112 two-button on mode, 140, 147
Setting spaces required between sentences in view keyboard layout, 140
KeyWords, 114 warn if overwriting clipboard in Beamer, 150
Setting targets in KeyWords, 111, 112 wireless security (NEO 2), 143
Settings Setup for Accelerated Reader SmartApplet, 76
about NEO 2, 143 Shift key requirements in KeyWords, 113
add new word to user dictionary, 138 Show marks setting for AlphaWord Plus, 139, 149
auto repeat, 143, 146 Shutting down NEO automatically (idle time), 146
change a specific file password, 139 Size limits for AlphaWord Plus files, 37
change default AlphaWord font, 140 Size of files, 149
changing from NEO Control Panel, 137 Slow keys delay setting, 146
changing in NEO Manager, 145 Slow keys on/off setting, 146
default, 152 Slow keys setting, 141, 167
delete all students in KeyWords, 107 Small font, 25, 146
delete user dictionary, 138 SmartApplets, 60
display battery status, 141 Accelerated Reader, 76
for AlphaWord Plus, 139, 149 adding to NEO Manager software, 67
for Beamer SmartApplet, 150, 160 AlphaWord Plus, 7, 20
for KeyWords, 115 Beamer, 160
for NEO, changing in NEO Manager, 145 Calculator, 164
for SmartApplets, 65 changing settings in NEO Manager, 148
for spell check, 138, 150 defined, 60
idle time, 146 deleting from NEOs, 65
IR transfer speed, 147 Disable This SmartApplet setting, 150
keyboard, 141 disabling, 62
keyboard command reference list, 140 disabling in NEO Manager, 150
keyboard layout, 141, 142, 146 enabling, 62
master password, 147 installed on NEO, 7, 60
permit send for Beamer, 150 installing on NEOs, 63, 170
printer selection, 147 KeyWords, 92
require master password for Beamer settings on managing with NEO Manager, 60
NEO, 150 MathsFacts in a Flash (Offline), 85
reset all file passwords, 139 MathsFacts in a Flash RP, 81
reset system font to default, 146 replacing on NEOs, 157
restoring default in NEO Manager, 151 Responder, 69
search for Networks (NEO 2), 143 settings, 65, 148, 149
send to Palm device as AlphaWord in Beamer, 150 startup SmartApplet, 61
set screen contrast, 140 updating on NEOs, 63, 157, 158
set spaces between sentences in KeyWords, 114 viewing information, 66
show marks, 139, 149 Space available on clipboard, 22
slow key delay, 146 Space available on NEO, 37
slow keys, 141 Space used on clipboard, 22
slow keys on/off, 146 Spacebar key, reinstalling, 174
speech enabled, 147 Spaces between sentences in KeyWords, 114
Spell Check, 153 Special characters, 185, 188
startup SmartApplet, 146 Speech enabled setting, 147
sticky keys, 141, 146 Speed builder activities in KeyWords, 102
system, 146 Speed of text transfer, 144
transfer speed, 147 Spell check
turn add words to user dictionary ON/OFF, 138 adding words to dictionary, 30
turn Calculator off, 140 disabling, 29

NEO 2
User Manual 217
.....
INDEX

settings, 138, 153 Teacher options in KeyWords, 106

settings in NEO Manager, 150 deleting students, 107
user dictionary for, 30 home row confirmation, 114
using, 29 printing the Group Progress Report, 108
Spelling, checking in AlphaWord Plus, 29 require correct shift key, 113
Spills, 168 setting targets, 111
Standard keyboard layout, 141 spaces between sentences (one or two), 114
Starting KeyWords SmartApplet, 93 Teacher-paced session in AccelTest, 71
Starting the AlphaWord Plus SmartApplet, 20 Text
Starting the Calculator SmartApplet, 164 copying in AlphaWord Plus, 22
Starting the NEO, 6 cutting and pasting in AlphaWord Plus, 22
Starting the NEO Manager software, 13 deleting in AlphaWord Plus, 22
Startup send list for new school years or terms, 154 finding in AlphaWord Plus, 26
Startup SmartApplet setting, 61, 146 formatting, 24
Status of battery charge, 180 replacing in AlphaWord Plus, 27
Status of NEO, 137 searching for in AlphaWord Plus, 26
Sticky keys setting, 141, 146 selecting in AlphaWord Plus, 21
Storing NEOs, 179, 183 Text2Speech device, 59, 147
Student in KeyWords updating, 143
setting targets, 112 Thesaurus, 31
Student-paced session in AccelTest, 69 antonyms, 32
Students in KeyWords using, 31
adding, 97 Timing your typing speed in AlphaWord Plus, 40
adding in NEO Manager, 96 Tips, 1
adding manually, 98 Tips for NEO maintenance, 182
adding using NEO Manager, 93 Toxic elements statement, 179
deleting, 107 Transfer speed, 144
deleting in NEO Manager, 119 for cable connections, 147
importing from Renaissance Place using NEO for IR beaming, 147
Manager, 94 for IrDA beaming, 144
sending data to NEO Manager (to the teacher) for USB cable connections, 144
from NEO 2, 105 setting, 147
sending data to NEO Manager from NEO 2, 109 Troubleshooting, 166
setting targets, 111 for beaming, 162
starting lessons, 99 for NEO Manager, 170
Sustained practice for all keys handout for KeyWords, for NEOs, 166
127 special characters, 190
System font, 25, 146 Truncated files in Beamer, 163
System requirements, 1 Turn add words to user dictionary ON/OFF, 138
System settings for NEO in NEO Manager, 146 Turn files passwords ON/OFF, 139
System status for NEO, checking, 137 Turn Home row confirmation on (setting), 114
Turn require correct shift key off (setting), 114
Turn sequential lessons ON/OFF (setting), 109
T Turn show marks in files ON/OFF, 139
Turn spell check off/on setting, 138
Tab key, 24
Turning off the Calculator, 62, 165
Tabs in NEO Manager software, 14
Turning on NEO using two buttons, 147
Taking a quiz in the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet,
Turning the NEO on, 6
77
Two-button on setting, 140, 147
Targets in KeyWords
Typing special or international characters, 188
resetting, 113
Typing text in AlphaWord Plus, 20
setting, 111, 112
Typing timer in AlphaWord Plus, 40
Teacher notes for Write On! lessons, 200

NEO 2
218 User Manual
 .....
I NDEX

U Y
Updating NEOs, 158 Yellow circle in NEO Manager connection status, 15
Updating SmartApplets on NEOs using NEO Manager, Yellow light on NEO, 2
63, 157
Upgrade kit, rechargeable battery, 4, 176
USB port, 2
User dictionary for spell check, 30
adding words to, 138, 150
creating new in a computer text file, 30
deleting, 138, 150
sending new to NEO, 30

V
Verifying the Renaissance Place address, 17, 169
Very large font, 25, 146
Viewing file length, 36
Viewing files from NEOs in NEO Manager, 43
Viewing the history in the MathsFacts in a Flash
(Offline) SmartApplet, 88
Viewing the keyboard layout, 140

W
Warn if overwriting clipboard (setting for Beamer), 150
Warranty, 182
Whole Word Replace option, 27
Wireless File Transfer, 168
Wireless printing, 11
Wireless security setting (NEO 2), 143
Wireless setup, 16, 69, 76, 81, 168
Word counts in AlphaWord Plus files, 36
Words per minute targets in KeyWords, 111, 112, 113
WPM
in AlphaWord Plus, 40
in KeyWords, 102, 111, 112
Write On! lessons, 191
about, 191
elementary school files, 193
files and locations, 193
high school files, 197
how to use, 191
lesson categories, 200
making your own, 56
primary exercises, 200
printing from NEO, 192
retrieving from NEOs, 192
secondary exercises, 204
sending to NEOs, 55
teacher notes files, 200
Writing on NEO, 6, 20

NEO 2
User Manual 219
 NEO 2
220 User Manual
About Renaissance Learning
Renaissance Learning UK is a leading provider of assessment technology for primary
and secondary schools. Our products promote success amongst students of all ages and
abilities through personalised practice in reading, writing and maths, and by providing
teachers with immediate feedback and data that helps inform instruction.

Our Accelerated Reader (AR) Advantage and Accelerated Maths (AM) Advantage software,
together with the interactive NEO 2 writing tool, help to enhance literacy and numeracy
skills, support differentiated instruction and personalise practice to optimise student
development. The world’s most widely used reading software, Accelerated Reader is used
by over 350,000 children in the UK every day and by more than 72,000 schools globally —
who report an average of two years’ reading growth in just one academic year.

A member of BESA, we also support The Schools Network (formerly SSAT), National
Literacy Trust and Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals amongst
other organisations.

32 Harbour Exchange Square, London E14 9GE T: +44 (0)20 7184 4000
F: +44 (0)20 7538 2625 E: [email protected] www.renlearn.co.uk 0513
R54614
© 2013 Renaissance Learning, Inc.