We
selected a number of CD-ROMs available as options with the new RM Window
Box. We evaluated according to the following criteria:
 Appropriateness
for each year group
Ease of independent
use
Curriculum content
Fun factor
TIZZY'S TOYBOX from Sherston
Software
Curriculum areas: Literacy and Numeracy
We used this CD-ROM with Reception
children who have only been in school for a few weeks. We found it particularly
appropriate for this age group. It has very clear screens using both
words and pictures that are appealing to the children. The children
who used the software were able to make their own choices about what
to select, how to continue their game and how to change games by returning
to the main menu. We felt that this CD-ROM could be used to great effect
when carrying out baseline assessment.
The games cover areas such as taller/shorter,
positional words e.g. under/over, ordering pictures, more/less, matching
and counting (one-one correspondence). Other games cover colour matching,
sound and letter matching, rhyming words and jigsaw puzzles. All instructions
are said (English accent), and appear on the screen too. It is possible
to have the instructions repeated. The children loved this program,
and found the simple layout of the screen easy to follow (everything
appears on a white background with little clutter). All in all we would
give this CD-ROM 10 out of 10.
ADDING AND TAKING AWAY from
Europress
Curriculum area: Numeracy
We used this program with Reception
children. The main menu gives 6 options: counting 1-5, counting 1-10,
adding 1-5, adding 1-10, taking away 1-5 and taking away 1-10. Once
an option has been chosen, all following instructions are spoken (in
an uninspiring voice!) but do not appear on the screen. There is no
opportunity to repeat the instructions. They give worked examples until
the smiley face is pressed, when it becomes your turn. A 'stairs' button
is on the screen, which enables you to change level. Some of the visual
aspects of this game are good, but this does not make up for the tedium
of actually playing the games! The children are not able to answer the
question until the instructions have been given, which is frustrating
for young children with quick minds. All we would give this CD-ROM is
3 out of 10.
BANANAS IN PYJAMAS from DK
Multimedia
Curriculum area: Music, Numeracy and Science
We used this program with both
Reception and Year 1 children. Both year groups found this program appealing,
probably due to prior knowledge of the characters. The content of the
CD-ROM was appropriate to both year groups, but parts were not very
educational. There are 4 main sections that can be visited:
House - music games
Beach - sorting and matching
Garden - sequencing and ordering
Shop - matching and making.
The music games were enjoyable and
got progressively harder, up to copying 5 notes on a xylophone. The
beach games involve picking up litter (environmental interest here)
and matching shells to their shapes. This requires good mouse control
because the shells need to be dragged into place. In the garden children
can help to grow flowers by ordering the different stages in the process.
There is also a construction game where objects can be made from 3 pieces.
In the shop children can help to make a sandwich from a variety of fillings
and check a shopping list against the contents of a basket.
Although the children enjoyed this
CD-ROM, some of the games were hard to find. There is not really any
scope for progression. Once played, particularly by Year 1 children,
they will not really learn from revisiting it. There is one major giggle
factor in the program, when visiting the garden. A feather in the bird's
nest can be used to tickle all the characters, which is fun. We would
give this program 7 out of 10.
MY FIRST INCREDIBLE AMAZING
DICTIONARY from DK Multimedia
Curriculum area: Literacy
Although we initially used this
with a Reception class, it could be used throughout the Infant School.
The children who trialled it for us had never used it before and yet
found it very easy to use, and couldn't really get stuck in any way.
This program covers learning dictionary skills but the fun factor is
huge (I laughed as much as the children!).
There are several options at the bottom
of the screen, which can be used or you can click on any letter of the
alphabet at the top of the screen. If a letter is clicked on a page
of the dictionary appears and a specific picture can be clicked on (words
are there as well). Click on the trumpet to hear what the word/picture
you have chosen means. There are lots of opportunities to connect to
other words related to the same subject, and of course the illustrations
are animated when clicked on.
There are several games that can be
played which are great fun. 'Guess the Noise' consists of matching sounds
to pictures. 'Guess What' involves answering a question from a variety
of choices, e.g. 'Guess what Daddy grows on his chin: strawberries,
ice-cream or a beard'. Whatever option you choose will appear on his
chin in the illustration - very amusing. The final game is a little
harder; it involves putting in the missing letters into words. You have
6 chances and then they give you the correct answer. It is a great game
with huge learning opportunities, and one that can be used independently
without the risk of children getting lost or stuck in any part of the
program.
We would give this 10 out of 10 because
it is appropriate for every year group.
DIVE INTO MATHS 1 from Ransom
Publishing
Curriculum area: Numeracy
This CD-ROM was used with Year
1 children. The contents cover many aspects of numeracy including pictographs,
bar graphs, number, length, volume, mass, and word problems. Nearly
all activities were appropriate for this age group, although we would
probably not cover horizontal bar graphs in great detail with them.
All instructions are written and spoken, but there is no opportunity
to repeat the question. The questions are all based on whales, which
can make reading of the questions difficult.
The most annoying feature of this program
is that 'whale facts' pop up throughout the games. These are not really
relevant to the game being played. Advantages of this program are that
worked examples are given at the start of every game and the expectations
are very clear. The children really enjoyed all the games, especially
the 'Just for Fun' ones, and liked the graphics in this program. This
CD-ROM scores 8 out of 10.
SURF INTO SCIENCE 1 from
Ransom
Publishing
Curriculum area: Science, Geography
We used this program with some
Year 1 children. The layout is very similar to Dive into Maths 1
and was very easy to use. The menu page has pictures of all the options,
but you can't always tell from the picture what the game will be about!
This can be overcome by moving the mouse onto the picture: words appear
to explain what choice you are about to make. Even the credits and instructions
have a picture.
There are 4 different learning points:
the Four Seasons, Living Things, Motion and Growth. There is also a
Just for Fun section, which has games, related to all the learning points.
Each section begins with an explanation which can be very detailed.
For example, Animals and the Seasons involves explanations of migration
and hibernation, so you need to listen very carefully.
The games for each section are good
fun, and can be used as reinforcement work for many of the areas covered
in the Science and Geography curriculum. The only area that we feel
is a bit beyond this age group (but may be better for Year 2) is that
of Growth. This section covers the growth of cells and shows cells dividing
in human growth. It also discusses the cells we find in trees and plants.
It is interesting but not particularly relevant to the infant curriculum.
The children enjoyed using and discussing
the games on this CD-ROM, so we would give it 7 out of 10.
ORT STAGE 2 TALKING STORIES
from Sherston Software
Curriculum area: Literacy
We used this program with a
group of Special Needs Year 2 children. These children are usually reluctant
to read standard books (even from the ORT scheme) but coped brilliantly
with these talking books. Children are able to choose from 18 titles,
and they then use the mouse to turn the pages on screen. The program
is easy to use and could be used independently by all infant year groups,
but we feel that teacher input would be extremely beneficial to special
needs children. The pages of the book can be read out loud by clicking
on an ear; each word is highlighted in red as it is said. By clicking
on the eye, the illustration is animated, which the children really
loved. At the end of each story there is a reinforcement exercise, either
based on matching beginning and ends of sentences, or recapping on key
words from the story.
We loved this CD-ROM as much as the
children did, and feel it deserves 10 out of 10.
TRUDY'S TIME AND PLACE HOUSE
by Iona Software
Ltd (Edmark)
Curriculum areas: Numeracy, Geography
We have been using this a lot
in our Year 2 class, and all the children can use it independently.
It would also be appropriate to use lower down the school. We have used
it to help teach certain areas of the curriculum and for reinforcement
activities. Since there are only five options, there is much more control
over what the children are doing, and every game on this CD-ROM is educational.
The five games are:
Time
Making a Map
Directional Skills
Search the Globe
Days, Weeks, Months and Years
The Time game covers both digital
and analogue time for o'clock, half past, quarter past and quarter to.
You can choose the level of difficulty. Making a Map is great fun, it
teaches how to use a key when drawing a map. You can create your own
map or finish one that has been started. The Directional Skills game
involves directing an ant around a grid to help him eat the jellybeans.
It teaches N, S, E and W, and also forwards, backwards, left and right.
Search the Globe provides information
about other countries. We can learn about the passing of time backwards
and forwards by seconds, minutes or even days using a calendar. The
children enjoy this CD-ROM, their favourite bit being when the ant eats
a jellybean and changes colour!
We would give this CD-ROM 9 out of
10 because it is so easy to use independently.
MIGHTY MATHS CARNIVAL COUNTDOWN
from Multimax
Review
by Kids Domain
Curriculum area: Numeracy
We used this program with Year 2 children,
but we couldn't really get to grips with the whole thing. It has some
really good games and ideas, but within one game you can cover many
different concepts. The level in each game can be changed from A (the
easiest) to Z (obviously the hardest), but they may cover different
concepts. This means that it would be difficult to use for reinforcement
activities, unless you were able to monitor closely what the children
were using. The areas covered are:
- Shapes
- Sorting into sets
- Counting, addition and multiplication
- Hundreds, tens and ones
One of the games in particular requires extremely
good mouse skills, as it involves rotating shapes to complete patterns
or pictures. It is a very detailed program, and the American accent
begins to grate after a very short time!
We would give this CD-ROM 5 out of
10.
TALKING TABLES from Europress
Curriculum area: Numeracy
We used this CD-ROM with a Year
2 class. The children found the graphics good fun, but the actual activities
were slow; the children could not answer the questions until the voice
had stopped speaking. The tables covered were 2 up to 10. There were
varying degrees of difficulty, starting with counting in 2's, 5's etc.
and then introducing the multiplication sign. The hardest level was
answering multiplication sums without pictorial help.
This CD-ROM is very similar in layout
to 'Adding and Take Away', and we would only give it 5 out of 10.
We hope that you will find this review
of CD-ROMs helpful to you in the classroom. If you have any comments,
please contact us at:
teacher1@st-james-infant.kent.sch.uk
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