This is a colourful program which teaches the basics of fraction conversion and fraction addition. The double height colourful teletext graphics make a great difference to the display and help with readability. The program was divided into sections that one can progress through.

The first shows you three kinds of fractions in the top part of the screen while on the bottom you table fractions the computer gives you.

The next part is concerned with changing "top heavy" fractions into mixed numbers, and the display is similar to the previous section. When you take too long to answer a question or get it wrong, the computer goes to a 'help' page which clearly and succinctly explains in detail how to carry out the operation.

The third part works in the same way but is concerned with the translation of mixed numbers into top heavy fractions.

The fourth and fifth parts are concerned with equivalent fractions and fraction addition with no examples, but there is a 'help' page.

Overall, a good, clear, if slightly cold, way of teaching fractions.

This is a program which shows how to do long multiplications. There are two parts - questions which the computer goes through step by step, then there is a test section which tests to see what you have learned.

The first step by step conducted tour through long multiplication is handled very well because in the program, the number that has to be made individual sums that make up long multiplication are printed on the right. The computer shows how much it is carrying when multiplying and when adding.

This and the other section of this program are very clear and easy to understand and would be good for those who found long multiplication a hard part of arithmetic.

This is a simpler multiplication program than the previous one, which concerns the recall of boring multiplication tables. There are, again, two parts.

The first asks you which of the twelve times tables you want to be tested on - and proceeds to test you on the table in order 1 x 7 = ?, 2 x 7 = ?, etc, then when you have completed that, the computer picks out random questions from the table for you to answer and then goes back to the menu.

Then there is the test section which consists of twenty questions which you have to answer in ten seconds. When you have finished these, you are marked down the screen with ticks and crosses and then you are tested on them using the first part of the program.

A program which seems a bit questions - like the other programs it would be nice if the child had a goal.

This is a program which tests the recognition of words and how adding an 'e' on the end changes them into gibberish or changes the pronunciation and the meaning. The program is based on how well you can find words - from four on the screen which would still make sense if an 'e' was added on the end.

First, Billy Bulldozer whirrs across the screen and then we go to the first page. On the left, we have four three letter words with an 'e' a little to the right of them underlined and in double height - with the vowels in a different colour from the consonants. There are also underlinings with no words on the right of the screen. At the bottom of the screen there is a prompt to put your own word in which is a word made up of one of the four three letter words with an 'e' on the end.

Billy Bulldozer then appears on the screen by the group you chose and he pushes the letters towards the letter on the end of the underlining. Then it pauses so you can look at the new word. If the new word makes sense, a bridge appears between the left underlining and the right and the 'dozer pushes the word across to the other side. If, however, it is not a proper word and does not make sense, a 'bridge' does not appear and the letters tumble down into the chasm.

This is a very good program but it seems to be a little too specific, and could be widened to spelling - like having anagrams and having to unravel them properly otherwise the 'bridge' may not appear.

This program is a good way of using graphics and an old game to teach people to spell. It is based on the ancient game of Hangman, but is not as violent.

Jumbo wants to be fed with some water and Jim has got it - but the path to the trough has a few bricks missing and the idea is to guess the letters in a word and for every letter which is right, a brick appears on the path to Jumbo's trough. But if you guess a wrong letter, a brick appears in a wall and if it gets too high Jim won't be able to get the water into Jumbo's trough.

The change of scene as regards the plot of the game is good and encouraging. The words that are guess can be easily changed and are displayed in a colourful form in Mode 5.

Early Learning presents a good set of programs which could teach a great deal, but some marks have to be lost of the programs. But these programs are clear and well suited to their purpose.