This is Homerton's German language software for beginners to the language, those in the first two or three years of learning.

The excellently designed screen displays, the logical way in which keypresses create a path through the programs, and the guarantee that this software has been well researched at Homerton and field tested in schools, makes it an attractive buy.

The other major factor in the successful implementation of the design is the excellent programming. Both Umziehen and Kopgjager require considerable use of graphics. Children can get impatient with the slow drawing of objects on screen, so the efficient operation of the program helps retain attention.

Umziehen requires the student to request the German removal man (the computer) to place items of furniture into locations within the house shape, das Bett into Schlafzimmer rechts for instance, or der Kochherd into die Küche.

During the instruction process, furniture is sometimes placed the wrong way up and the student has to correct the mistake, or a choice of positions within a room is offered. There are some simple lines of "chat" which make the program, for the beginner, seem pretty helpful.

There are options to print out the room at any time during the "move" and houses can be saved to disc for later retrieval (useful if the bell should go halfway through).

Umziehen is definitely for beginners and more experienced students find it limiting after an initial interest. Not so with Kopfjäger. This game is a popular computer application and this is a very successful and enjoyable version, and what's more it's in German.

The idea is to build up a face, of yourself, your teacher, your dad, a film star, anyone. Kopfjäger takes you through a number of choice screens starting with Sie oder Er.

Using just the up and down cursor keys, Space Bar and Return, the student selects the choice (which is highlighted on screen), confirms with Return, thus going on to the next level of choice - suitable adjectives, and returns through the levels with Space Bar.

This very direct method of using the program means that any number of experimental combinations is simple to achieve. The face is built up from a fair library of graphics for hair, nose, mouth and so on. Not an original approach but a totally successful one as far as gaining and retaining the interest of the student. Once again there is a printout option and an example library of faces on the disc. Faces can be saved with a CTRL function key combination and are sent to disc at the end of a session.

German umlaut and double s characters are available from the keyboard characters " and & or by hitting function keys. The documentation for both programs is very good and information about using the program is accompanied by vocabulary lists and suggestions for class work - no doubt included on the advice of teachers field testing the material.