Previous Next

Bourne have made many friends amongst primary school teachers (and children!) for their lovely Happy Letters and Happy Numbers programs for young learners. This tape is aimed at a higher age group and combines practice in co-ordinates and compass directions.

There are actually two similar programs on the cassette, the first of which requires little experience of compass bearings, for the necessary prompts are made on screen.

The child takes the part of a rally driver, with the Electron acting as navigator around a course through a grid. This varies from 6 x 6 to 18 x 18, which increases the level of difficulty.

The most popular choice was that of two players competing against each other, one with a red car, the other with blue. The courses set for each car are similar in terms of distance but they are not the same, so nobody can benefit from someone else's successes!

The second program is very similar but the child has to calculate new co-ordinates in order to make their move. This refinement adds a totally different skill from that already acquired in the first game.

Again the graphics are fair and the sound is quite reasonable but the great value of this tape us the superbly child-orientated feel it has. Children love the idea of car rallies and they themselves love to compete. The fact that a considerable amount of information is learnt about compass points and co-ordinates is almost incidental to the child. Yet parents and teachers can feel quite reassured that the educational purpose is fully achieved in this splendid cassette.

Phil Tayler