This pack of three programs has been developed by the Micro-electronics Education Programme to encourage children to think about what they read or write on the screen and aid the development of alternative forms of expression. It is intended for the 9-15 age range.

All three programs run from a very similar menu. Option 1 allows the use of the program with the examples provided, Option 2 permits the user to specify new words/sentences or edit existing ones, Option 3 makes use of the new material provided by Option 2, and Option 4 sets up the printer - second program only.

When using the first option of Sentence Corrector, a sentence is displayed in which one word is incorrect - wrongly spelt, out of context, over-used, or imprecise word, or a false statement. In some of the examples it is possible for two or even three words to be considered incorrect, and the sentence put right by substituting any one of them. The documentation suggests that this will "force the child to re-examine his original hypothesis if he is not right" first time. I suspect many children might be led to thinking that the computer is always right, and they're just being mind-readers - not an attitude I'd want to encourage!

Each of the examples has five alternative words, and the user is given the opportunity to add his own choice or to try to match up with one of the program's alternatives. Option 2 allows the teacher/parent to type in up to 15 sentences with as many as 19 alternatives for each sentence. There is also a report section which displays one page of results for each sentence and has a useful facility which enables the teacher to edit the new words which might have been introduced by the user.

Word Stopper is a simple word processor, which generates similes for overused, incorrectly used or misspelt words. The program allows the user to type stories or other passages of text - maximum 18 lines of 40 characters wide - and prompts the use of alternatives when words previously specified by the teacher/parent are typed. Up to 120 words may be "stopped" and a facility to specify up to five alternatives for each word is available. The program also provides a report and allows a printed copy of the text.

When the program is used with Options 1 or 3 and a stopped word is typed in, the micro bleeps and the word vanishes from the screen. Some suggested alternatives can be seen by pressing the SPACEBAR, or the original word may be replaced in the text by pressing RETURN. The touch I particularly liked was in Option 3, where the message "Sorry, can't help you with this one" will appear if suggestions are requested when the teacher has not specified alternative words. Hopefully, this will send the child racing for the Thesaurus! Young children will find the programming of the DELETE key to remove the letter immediately above the cursor rather than the one before very helpful.

If sparks of creativity are not to be extinguished by interruption, it is particularly important to make a draft then use this program for the polishing process, a fact that is mentioned in the handbook.

Say That Again presents a sentence on the screen and prompts the user to read and then retype the sentence using different words. If more than three words from the original sentence are used, the program will request the user to try again. Bearing in mind the age range the program is intended for, I think it unfortunate that one cannot stipulate the number of words that could be reused. For many children three will be too few. While there is a report facility available, a print-out would be valuable.

The introduction to the handbook states, "The three programs contained in this pack offer a fresh approach to the acquisition and development of language skills." If by "fresh" it refers to the use of the computer, then one cannot disagree; if it refers to the materials, it proves that there is very little "new". Which programs are selected for use on the computer depends on the priorities the school has for its use. I tend to look for more creative uses than those offered by Sentence Corrector and Say That Again, both of which could be created with pencil and paper. Wordstopper gives a useful introduction to the wordprocessor incorporating a Thesaurus, which provides a very promising use for the computer in language work, and is worthy of further development. This program makes the package worthwhile for use in the home or at school.

Perhaps the proof reader should use the Sentence Corrector. There were at least four spelling (typing?) errors plus two incorrect cross-references in the handbook, which mar an otherwise clear and comprehensive piece of work.