ColorCards interactive

Everyday Words Reviewer: Alison Webb

from Granada Learning Ltd (via Speechmark) Price: £49.00

This CD Rom provides a variety of activities using photographs from the ColorCards series. Each activity, which can be customized for level of difficulty for individual users, displays between 3 and 6 photos on the screen. You can select from:

Picture matching

What's it for?

Odd One Out and Add On

How Many

Items are selected by random, which causes some problems. In one session a child was asked the same question 4 times out of 1 0. This confused the child and parents.

It is quick and easy to install, and to set up for individual users. You need to cheek the minimum installation requirements carefully, as my 4 year old computer could not access the sound. Personal profiles are saved so that the client starts at the same level each session, and progress reports can be printed.

This software tries to cover too wide a range of skills, and would only be suitable for using in a setting of multiple users (such as a school or assessment clinic). Individual clients only benefit from 1 or 2 activities at any one time, and because there is no graded developmental progression from one set of activities to another, they cannot work towards the next set. Therefore I was unable to recommend it for parents to buy.

1 tried this with a variety of children, with varying success. It did not readily hold the child's attention, even with a computer-loving child on the autistic spectrum. Praise following correct attempts is minimal, and was missed by many of my clients. A cartoon reward is only available after 10 correct attempts, and at times was very disappointing.

The vocabulary selection was too obscure at the single word level word-picture matching game and the classification game is limited to only 4 or 5 categories. The only way to grade an activity is by increasing the number of photos on screen. It would have been a far better product if the language complexity could have been graded.

Summary

Advantages : This offers a novel way to teach certain language skills. Records of progress can be kept, and certificates of achievement can be printed. You can set it up quickly from one user to the next. The photos are clear, and clients may be familiar with them as ColorCards.

Disadvantages: The vocabulary and range of skills tested are quite limited. There are insufficient rewards for younger children, or those with Special Needs. There should be a greater degree of challenge for each activity. The pictures do appear quite small on screen, and the sound quality is variable. Using it on a laptop, many clients have been unable to respond to the spoken instructions. Random selection of items can mean needless repetition.

1 would only recommend this product if you have a wide range and fast turnover of clients. 1 do not feel it is suitable for adults, as some vocabulary items and rewards are geared specifically at children.

Contents *** (stars are out of a maximum of five)

Readability ****

Value **

Alison Webb