Writing

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 Evaluation Scale (scale 0 = not applicable, 1= not recommended, 2 = fair, 3 = good and 4 = excellent)

Description of Content:    This on-line program has between 15 to 18 questions per content area, so the Writing Skills, Part I section has the three content areas of sentence structure, usage, and mechanics.  The questions within the content areas fall into the three basic categories of correction, revision, and construction shift and are reflective of a typical pre or post-test. 

Navigation and Structure:    Navigation of the site was somewhat frustrating in that you had to answer a question, check your answer, go to summary and then go back in order to answer another question.  Sometimes you could go to answer a question after simply checking it, but this was not the norm.  The on-screen help of checking the answers is valuable, but it is written in somewhat technical language students may or may not understand.  

Instructional Applications:   This site could be used with students who are at the tail end of their studies.   It would be good for students who like answering questions that are reflective of GED content and knowledge and who like getting immediate feedback.  It could be used to reinforce prior knowledge of a student and to improve self-confidence at the end of their studies if they have mastered a subject.

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Evaluation Scale (scale 0 = not applicable, 1= not recommended, 2 = fair, 3 = good and 4 = excellent)

Description of Content:     This is a comprehensive English package with eight topics.  The Learning to Write section introduces parts of speech and topic sentences, main ideas, and details.  The Basic English Composition section covers simple sentence structure and reviews paragraphs and spelling.  The Developing Writing Skills section reviews word usage, run-ons, fragments, modifiers, and clauses, and then reviews different types of writing.  The Dictionary Skills section is how to use a dictionary and thesaurus.  Practicing Writing Skills is a drill and practice covering the material in Developing Writing Skills.  The Practical Composition section includes higher-level composition skills with such topics as subordinate clauses, comparisons, and sentence variety.  How to Do Research goes through the process of picking a topic, using the library, and writing a bibliography.  The Usage section covers the most common word usage problems with a variety of exercises.

Navigation and Structure:     You must go through a variety of menus and sign in each time you go to a new menu since this CD includes many programs.  There is no records management system but the student gets scores upon completion of each lesson and can print out those scores.  On the Macintosh version there are three menus available:  help, report, and quit.  The Windows version does not have any menus available, though you can hit escape and get to the main menu to quit.  This is an older, cumbersome program and does not have all the graphics and sounds of newer programs.

Instructional Applications:    This program could be used with a variety of ABE/GED students who need some drill and practice but are tired of workbooks.  It covers so many different levels that an instructor would need to review the various sections to get familiar with what would be most appropriate, but it would be cost effective for the multi-level classroom.

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Evaluation Scale (scale 0 = not applicable, 1= not recommended, 2 = fair, 3 = good and 4 = excellent)  

Description of Content:     Comprehensive English website that covers two major sections:  Guide to Grammar and Writing and Principles of Composition.  Approximately 300 subjects are listed in the index under these two sections, so many areas are covered.  The graphics and interaction, as well as the feedback during quizzes, make this site wonderful for holding the interest of even the most reluctant student.  There are a variety of types of quizzes, too, including something that resembles magnetic poetry to practice adjective order and crossword puzzles to learn prepositions. Some of the quizzes have the student read a literature passage and identify parts of speech.

Navigation and Structure:    With the extensive index provided at this website, it is easy to navigate from one subject to another.  The only negative aspect here is that sometimes there are quite a few links on a page, making it difficult for students who might not be computer savvy.  The link buttons are labeled there and you can always go back to the page that links you to the initial page, but there is no “help” button per sey.

Instructional Applications:    This website is a great tool for teachers to use as additional material for a GED/ABE English lesson; students could read the information and do the quizzes as a reinforcement to a class lesson.  A student doing home study could also use this website as an individualized learning program.  The main drawback is there is no records management system, but students could be responsible for writing down their progress.  Another way to use this website would be to assign just the quiz section after a class lesson.

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Evaluation Scale (scale 0 = not applicable, 1= not recommended, 2 = fair, 3 = good and 4 = excellent)

Description of Content:    Content includes providing visual aid for students to Brainstorm, Plan, Organize, Outline, Pre-write, Diagram, Concept Mapping and Webbing.  The Content Covers many areas for students however helps give structure and organization for projects.

Navigation and Structure:    Inspiration has made navigation simple.  The student can either start with an idea and diagram it down to focus on key points or the program will help the student brainstorm ideas starting simple with a subject such as vacation.  It can also show relations to other ideas.  The program makes the concepts visual to the student helping them put their thoughts together and produce essays and book reports with ease.  This is a great program.

Instructional Applications:    This program would be great at providing instructional help for students.  I think that many times good ideas and concepts get lost in the process.  This is one of the best learning and organizing pieces of software.

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Evaluation Scale (scale 0 = not applicable, 1= not recommended, 2 = fair, 3 = good and 4 = excellent)