A to Zap! is an animated program that incorporates the whole language philosophy with activities in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, music, and movement. The starting point of this program is the Alphabet Room Screen. This is an opportunity for the students to explore the 26 letters or choose from the multiple alphabet games and activities that are accessible from this screen.

Three programs can be accessed from the alphabet room screen. The first option is for the students to move the cursor around the alphabet room screen and hear the name of each letter aloud. Next, the students can click on any letter to hear a word that begins with the clicked vowel or consonant and see the spelled word in the toy box. Finally the students can click on the toy that appears for the specific letter clicked on to select an activity or game to go along with the letter. At the end of each activity, the students can click on the alphabet room icon to return to the alphabet room screen. Depending on the students' ability and interest the activities can be played in any order and gives the students a chance to explore.

This program is appropriate to the target population; students will enjoy the animation and sound affects incorporated throughout the program. The program is easy to use and gives the students a chance to explore at their own pace. The program activities of recognizing letters and understanding the concept of letters combing to spell words conform to the curricular guidelines for the targeted age group. A to Zap! provides a number of encouraging and motivating activities that allow the students to explore letter and word recognition, language development and math. I feel that this software is free of gender and cultural biases.

The program is easy to run and does not require a lengthy introduction by the teacher. The program does require the students to be able to use a mouse and click. The screens are designed for easy use to enhance independent learning. This software includes icon buttons that are easy to use and to explore different activities, return to the alphabet screen, or to quit the program. There is no icon button for help, which may present some problems for certain students. Two aspects of this program that catch your eye are the animation and sound. These components make learning fun and are tools used to meet the needs of all the students' different learning styles.

A to Zap! makes good use of technology. It does not just recite the letter but offers a word that begins with that letter that was clicked on and an activity that coincides with that word. I would have liked to have seen some additional interactive aspects to the program, such as the students being able to type the word that appears on the screen. For young students this program is enjoyable to listen to and teaches letter and word identification at the students' own desired pace.

The students' role in this program is to explore the alphabet and the activities that are associated with all 26 letters. The program empowers the students in the sense that they can work at their own speed and enjoy the activities that they prefer. It constrains the students in one aspect because the activities are limited and do not allow a lot of opportunity for the students to interact or try their own ideas.

The teacher should give a brief introduction of the program and the use of the different icons but after the introduction the students should not need much supervision. The software can be modified if so desired. The Preferences Icon can be used to customize A to Zap! to suit your classroom needs. The camera icon can be used to take snapshots of the students work and can be stored in folders. The letters can be changed to lowercase and spelling words an be added to the hammer word list. To assess the students' progress there are a variety of ways suggested. For example, letters that have been explored will be shaded yellow and there are discussion questions that are available to assess how deeply the students explored the program. Blackline masters are also available that enhance the learning that was done using the computer.

This program can be used on an individual basis, in pairs, or for small -and large- group instruction. For a student who performs better with structure, it may be beneficial to pair students who may feel lost in the exploratory environment. This program could accompany a lesson with a letter of the week or with thematic units. A to Zap! is also a good program for the students to explore with when they have free time.

Overall A to Zap! is a good addition to a preschool setting, providing educational opportunities for the students to develop basic skills in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The program gives the students a chance to explore the alphabet and begin to feel comfortable using a computer. A to Zap! has multiple screens and is easy to move around. Each activity or screen provides a different opportunity for the students to explore what they know about the letters and the music and animation makes it that much more enjoyable.

OVERALL RATING: 9 out of 10

A to Zap! is a good whole language supplement to a preschool classroom. The program is entertaining with the animation and music enhancing the teaching of the recognition of letters and words. I gave the program a 9 because of the limited amounts of opportunities for the students to input their own ideas. The program is fairly easy to use and can be worked on independently or in a small or large group.