HearBuilder Software Series

$70, Windows, Mac OSX

Teaches: reading, language, sequencing, memory

CTR Rating: 86%

CTR Review

Home schoolers or classroom teachers take note: This CD (remember those?) based series of four well designed titles is like putting a personalized language tutor inside your computer. The well designed set of exercises drill with arcade-style games -- a tried-and-true formula that keeps children on task. There are four titles: Phonological Awareness, Following Directions, Sequencing, and Auditory Memory. In Phonological Awareness, children play instruments and form a rock band while learning to segment, blend and manipulate sounds. In Sequencing, children are shown a set of cards depicting an event, such as building a snowman, and are asked to drag and drop the cards in the correct order. The cards contain print, which can be read outloud as each word is highlighted. The home editions ($70) track up to four children. A Professional Edition is designed for unlimited users. Titles like this one represent the end of the printed workbook.