Shrieks of joy show improvement

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Read Right Away/Reading Pack 1 (Highlight) contains two programs which combine a definite educational content with a real games approach.

The result is that the children I used as guinea-pigs responded very well, enjoying the games and learning as a by-product.

Splashdown has a slightly strange format in thai the idea is to bomb a boat and send it to the bottom of the sea. I do wish programmers would adopt a healthier approach to violent themes such as this.

I am sure that this is only a minor criticism and it certainly should not put you off looking at the package.

An aeroplane, quite well designed, flies across the screen. A 'wordboat' is positioned below with one letter missing from the letters which make up the boat's shape. The child selects the appropriate letter to complete the word, and the micro holds a store of the correct possibilities.

An error results in a noise, and another go, while a correct response sinks the boat which is added to the 'word-bank' at the bottom of the sea. When this reaches five, a submarine moves across the scene, with full sonar sound effects.

One serious criticism I would make is that each game lasts for only five attempts, and the child presumably would not know which levels to select.

Thus the teacher/adult must presumably be present throughout.

Fire Fight has far superior graphics, a far happier theme, but a similar purpose. The child has to supply a consonant blend (for example, "sp") which begins a half-missing word.

The fireman is moved by using the up and down keys, and the correct blend selected by pressing Return. An error again results in a noise, and the flames creep closer to a damsel who has to be rescued by our hero from the top floor.

A correct response allows one of the floors to be bridged, with the fireman dropping the consonant blend into the gap. If all floors are successfully bridged, the damsel is rescued to the great delight of the children.

Again the options are quite wide, with five skill levels and five possible combinations of consonant blends. From the list, between two and four specific sounds can be practised.

I can understand the children's shrieks of joy, especially in the second game.

Overall, the programs are among the better ones I have seen and used, and show a welcome improvement in the standard of educational programs in the primary sector.

Phil Tayler