COMPUTER SOFTWARE REVIEWS
DR. SEUSS’S ABC, A LIVING
BOOK
Publisher: Broderbund
Reviewer’s name: Colleen Litwin (Teaching Intern, Early Intervention
Program,
Target population: Grade PreK - 1
PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION:
Dr. Seuss’s ABC’s is a "Living Book" that uses the playful animation of Dr. Seuss characters and childlike voices to reinforce many early literacy concepts appropriate to children from preschool through grade 1. The program uses four options that allow the child to experience or interact with the text of a basic alphabet book by Dr. Seuss. In the "Read to Me" mode, the story is read aloud while the student listens or visually tracks the text as each word is highlighted. The animation adds entertainment to an otherwise passive activity and extends the reading experience by offering additional words and showing the text acted out on the screen. "Let Me Play" is an interactive mode that invites children to play with the letters, sounds, and words in the story. In addition to the text being read, students can click on characters on a specific page to discover additional words beginning with the letter and to see animation that reinforces the context of the story. The "Options" mode lets students get reinforcement for specific letters by selecting a letter from an alphabet chart. This process immediately displays the page for the letter selected. The fourth mode lets students select the ABC Song, which links visual identification of letters with an enjoyable auditory experience. Alphabet letters enlarge as the song is sung by two engaging Seuss characters. The highlighting of the words in the verse at the end of the song prepares students for the format followed in the "Read to Me" mode. The program is accompanied by a wealth of teacher resources designed to integrate with various areas of reading and language arts curriculum. The resources include activity plans, reproducibles, extensions and thematic units, an annotated bibliography, and technical support information.
CONTENT
CLARITY:
The content of this program clearly accomplishes the goal of Dr. Seuss’s ABC Book to offer the reader an enjoyable language-rich experience while introducing him/her to beginning alphabetic principles of English, including letter recognition and sound-symbol correlation. The program expands on the book by embellishing the basic content with clever animation; additional dialog and actions by whimsical characters are linked to purposeful reinforcement and extension of basic reading skills rather than superfluous entertainment. The content successfully addresses the needs of beginning readers on the levels of both phonemic awareness and vocabulary development. I question the appropriateness of this program for intermediate readers as suggested by the publishers. The rich vocabulary and creative language usage are beneficial, but the presentation is too juvenile. This program would also be helpful to ESOL students. It provides the repetition and multi-level reinforcement needed by someone gaining proficiency in the English language.
TECHNICAL
QUALITY:
The technical quality of this program is very good. It is easy to use and transitions smoothly from one option to another. The format is consistent with other "Living Books" and allows students to easily and independently use all applications. The illustrations are true to Dr. Seuss’s zany, creative style and spring to life with a click of the mouse. All narration is done with childlike voices that are clear and well paced. Their conversational tone draws the student into the reading experience and motivates him/her to go on. Two characters from the book read all applications to the user so that even a non-reader is able to navigate the program easily.
USE
OF TECHNOLOGY:
This program makes good use of the computer. It incorporates multi-media technology to go beyond the read-along experience provided by a tape recorder. Words are highlighted as they are read. This emphasizes the 1 to 1 matching of voice to print which is an important early literacy skill. Animated clips elaborate the text and extend the beginning sound experience to illustrate vocabulary in context. This is a powerful enhancement tool for vocabulary development and comprehension. By integrating quality graphics, sound, and animation, Dr. Seuss’s ABC’s is a multi-media production that successfully makes a 2-dimensional story "come alive" for students with a range of reading ability.
ROLE
OF STUDENTS:
Students assume the role of navigator when using this program. Instead of manipulating features to create a product, students are engaged in guiding themselves through a purposeful reading experience designed to introduce, reinforce and extend their early literacy skills. By exploring the different options, students are able to enjoy the experience of "reading" Dr. Seuss’s ABC’s at their own level and pace. This program is best suited to individual use. Its motivational content and creative presentation encourage student engagement. The potential for repeated exposure to early reading skills has a positive impact on gaining proficiency and confidence over the reading process.
ROLE
OF THE TEACHER:
The role of the teacher is limited. The nature of the program does not allow the teacher to modify or change it in any way. Any extension of the reading experience and literacy concepts introduced in the program would have to be created by the teacher or adapted from the resource materials included with the program. One simple way to individualize student use of the program would be to keep a card file of student names next to the computer with suggested options and/or specific letters for students to explore. A generic recording sheet could be used for students to demonstrate proficiency at various levels of competence depending on the task required. The format and procedures for completing a recording sheet would be introduced through direct teacher interaction, either individually or with flexible groups. This teacher extension would allow for tracking and student assessment.
CLASSROOM
USAGE:
One student at a time should use the program. The high level of independence it provides is perfect for individual practice, review, and reinforcement at either the kindergarten or first-grade level. I also see it being used as a pre-reading activity to build background knowledge and confidence before the paperback texts are read with partners or small groups. All students would benefit from hearing the rhythm and rhyme read aloud. Its impact on improving their own fluency can be a great confidence booster. The nature of the early literacy skills incorporated in this program makes it great for use early in the year when first-grade reading instruction emphasizes letter identification, beginning sounds, and 1 to 1 matching of voice to print. It can be used effectively for reinforcement of whole-group lessons in September/October as well as individualized practice later in the school year. As student writing skills increase, many extension activities can be developed as spin-offs to this program.
CRITICAL
SUMMARY:
This program is well suited for supplementing the readiness and beginning reading programs in kindergarten and first grade. It can be used to improve early literacy skills that develop independent reading skills. It is designed to provide an entertaining reading experience that improves confidence and builds in success at a range of reading competence. The content of this program is visually motivating and appropriate for preschool through grade 1 but perhaps too juvenile for higher grades. Its value as a tool for reinforcing beginning reading skills fits the curriculum of the kindergarten and first grade. The program would be helpful to some ESOL students in grades 2 and 3 who need practice with phonetics and the English alphabet.
OVERALL
RATING: 8 out of 10
EXPLANATION
OF RATING:
I gave this program a rating of 8. It is not overly interactive but accomplishes its purpose of introducing and reinforcing early literacy concepts in a way that is entertaining, motivating, and developmentally appropriate to its audience. This program could become a useful tool for assessment with the addition of follow-up activities that require application of the reading skills presented and a built-in tracking system. Another improvement would be to incorporate an option for cooperative practice that could take advantage of partner interaction during the learning process.