Software Evaluation # 3

Leapfrog SchoolHouse by Leapfrog Enterprises, Inc., 2001-2002
This software is a multisensory program for English language learners. There are 36 theme-based books in 4 different English language levels. The books that I looked at are targeted for grades PreK-2. I would say that this program is especially helpful for beginners and intermediate level learners. The goal of this program is to develop early literacy skills by focusing on phonological awareness, vocabulary acquisition, listening and reading skills. The way it works is by inserting a cartridge and a book in a "laptop" that has an electronic LeapPad pen attached to it. To begin, use the pen and touch the GO button in the page. You continue by following the instructions that you hear. These instructions come in 6 different languages, which is a very nice feature for the beginning level students. There is a lot of interaction going on as you start hearing the story. Each book that you insert has a vocabualy list at the end. These are the words being taught throughout the story. I use the word taught to describe the function of this program because that is what is nice it. It doesn't only read you a story. Each page includes vocabulary words with illustrations. Using the LeapPad pen, the instructions guide you to point at the illustrations or the words as you hear its pronunciation. The books are divided into several parts.Each part has more vocabulary, sentences, or it's a whole different story in itself. The last part of the books also includes an assessment activity. It checks for understanding by asking you questions that you answer by pointing at the picture. The books that aimed for intermediate or more advanced learners also give more complicated instructions. If you choose the instructions in English, this also helps in the development of the language. What I like about this software is that it gives you immediate feedback. It repeats the instructions if you are not doing it correctly. It also praises for good performance or asks you to try again if you make a mistake. Some additional accessories available are a battery charger and earphones. This is good if you want a student to use it while teaching others and with a battery charger, you can take use it anywhere like on a road trip if you are parent and own one of these, which I think is a great idea. This product is designed for one-to-one interaction, and having one of these at home could really help as a tutor. A potential drawback is that it doesn't give the teachers any feedback on student progress, but you can observe the students' interaction because you don't have to use the earphones. You can also buy the teacher manuals, which might include more ideas for assessment. I feel that this software is most appropriate for students who strugle the most because of the repetition and illustration that this software provides. For classroom usage, I can see another minor drawback of this software. That is the cost because ideally you want to have enough for all your students to use in the classroom. The good news is that this product meets the requirements for federal funding resources. If you would like more information, here is the website.
www.LeapFrogSchoolHouse.com